NRL 2025: Ben Hunt heads to Queensland for meetings with Broncos, Dolphins

Michael Maguire is ready to ramp up his pursuit of Ben Hunt, as the in demand halfback heads to Queensland to meet with the Broncos and Dolphins as he prepares to make a call on his future.

Brisbane coach Michael Maguire has revealed he is ready to ramp-up his pursuit of Ben Hunt as the Queensland Origin star prepares to meet with the Broncos and Dolphins.

This masthead can reveal the Battle of Brisbane fireworks have spilt off the field, with Hunt to fly north over the weekend for face-to-face meetings with powerbrokers from both clubs.

The Roosters have emerged as frontrunners amid speculation Hunt wants to stay in Sydney for family reasons, but the Broncos and Dolphins are determined to blow the Chooks out of the water with a River City raid.

It is understood Hunt’s hit-and-run mission will include talks with Maguire and Broncos boss Dave Donaghy, while also meeting Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf.

Ironically, the club Hunt has been linked with most over the past two years – the Gold Coast Titans – will not be part of the Maroons maestro’s Sunshine State sortie.

Ben Hunt will meet with the Broncos and Dolphins over the weekend as he prepares to make a call on his future. Picture: Getty Images

Hunt admits there would be a “romanticism” to a Red Hill reunion after playing halfback in Brisbane’s 2015 grand-final loss and Maguire is ready to go for the jugular by spruiking his title-winning blueprint at the Broncos.

“I would like to have Ben, yes,” Maguire said.

“It would be great to catch up with Benny for sure, now that he is out of Australian camp. I will touch base and see where he is at.

“Ben sounds like a terrific fella and he’s a proven NRL player.

“It would be great to have a player back who started at this club at the age of 13.

“For him to come back and achieve something (a premiership win) that he set out to do as a kid at the Broncos, it would be an incredible story.”

Hunt has become one of the most sought-after commodities following his exit from the Dragons last month and three suitors – the Roosters, Broncos and Dolphins – all have striking selling points.

If the issue is solely about money, the Dolphins are in the box seat.

The Redcliffe organisation has around $1.3 million to spend in the salary cap and can guarantee Hunt, who turns 35 in March, a starting spot in the halves alongside Tongan Test young gun Isaiya Katoa.

Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire will ramp up his pursuit of Hunt, admitting he would love to have him at the club. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The Roosters would enable Hunt to remain in Sydney, where his two sons are settled in school, and have the funds under the salary cap to table a competitive offer.

But if Hunt craves a maiden premiership ring in his twilight years, the Broncos appear to have the best roster on paper to help the 334-game veteran exorcise the demons of his 2015 grand-final heartbreak.

With troubled pivot Ezra Mam expected to miss two or three months of the 2025 premiership, Hunt could partner Adam Reynolds in the halves, while also sharing the hooking duties with Billy Walters.

“He would give us great depth,” Maguire said.

“Ben has played both positions at the highest levels at hooker and halfback, so it would give us versatility around what he can do.”

Former Broncos skipper Corey Parker played alongside Hunt in the 2015 decider and says if the Australian utility wants to win a premiership before he retires, there is only one destination.

Hunt admits there would be some “romanticism” to a Red Hill reunion. Picture: AAP

“I’d love to see ‘Hunty’ come back to the Broncos,” he said.

“Winning a premiership is the only box Ben hasn’t ticked and let’s face it, he has been on $1 million for six years, so he has done well out of footy financially.

“There’s talk he wants to stay in Sydney, but I believe the Roosters’ premiership window has closed a fraction – they are in a rebuilding phase now.

“I don’t know if the Broncos can afford $950,000, but their premiership window is wide open. So if he wants to genuinely win a comp, he could take a bit less and go to Brisbane.

“I’ve played many games with Hunty, he is a tenacious competitor and a great team man.

“He would combine well with Reynolds in the halves, but he could be equally capable at hooker or in a supersub role off the bench.”

There is a view the Queensland clubs’ efforts may be in vain amid growing speculation Hunt will be at Bondi in 2025.

“He will be a Rooster for sure,” former NRL player Joel Caine said on SEN radio.

“They just have to find their man and this will be their man.

“If he’s meeting the Roosters, he’s going to the Roosters.”