Brisbane Broncos edging closer to signing Ben Hunt after Bulldogs officially call off pursuit

A multimillion-dollar Dolphins deal is the only thing standing in the way of Ben Hunt’s return to Brisbane after his two Sydney suitors called off their pursuit of the superstar halfback.

It’s official - Canterbury has withdrawn from prolonged negotiations with Ben Hunt.

The significant development has pushed Brisbane Broncos a step closer to signing the Kangaroos and former St George Illawarra star.

It also all but confirms Hunt will now return to Queensland to conclude his stellar career.

Senior Bulldogs officials confirmed on Sunday the club would not make Hunt an offer, despite both parties having previously engaged in contract negotiations.

One source close to the Bulldogs said: “The club has decided not to make Ben an offer. There won’t be any more meetings between the two parties.”

Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould and coach Cameron Ciraldo had met with Hunt last week over dinner but it’s understood the club has withdrawn from the race to sign the 34-year-old.

This masthead revealed that the Bulldogs were unlikely to offer Hunt a deal at his current asking price and were prepared to wait until the No.7 was available at a reduced rate.

The Dolphins have tabled a massive two-year $1.4m deal in a last-ditch bid to sign Ben Hunt. Picture: NRL Imagery

The race for Hunt’s signature is now a two-horse race between the Broncos and the Dolphins.

The Broncos have offered Hunt a job after football, rocketing Brisbane into the favourite to snare the Queensland Origin star.

This masthead can reveal the Broncos could be just days away from pulling off a Hunt heist after the Bulldogs baulked at offering a deal and officially entering the bidding war.

The Dolphins have attempted to blow the Broncos out of the water by tabling a $1.4 million deal in a last-ditch bid to lure Hunt to Redcliffe.

But the Broncos have upped the ante, with Brisbane set to dangle an additional carrot - a job after football - as the bidding war for the former Dragons skipper intensifies.

This masthead understands the Dolphins are the highest bidder in the race for Hunt’s signature.

Their offer, believed to be around $800,000 for 2025 and $600,000 for 2026, would be palatable to NRL salary-cap auditors, who must authorise any deal put forward by Hunt’s prospective club.

Despite the Dolphins bid, the Broncos are believe to be in the box seat to bring Hunt back to Red Hill. Picture: AAP

Hunt’s Dragons deal was worth $950,000 and NRL auditors will take a dim view of any club which attempts to table a cut-price deal for the Queensland Origin star.

Despite the Dolphins’ offer, well-placed sources say the Broncos are in the box seat to bring Hunt home, with their two-year package estimated to be worth around $1.1 million.

While that’s $300,000 shy of the Dolphins deal, it’s understood Brisbane will also discuss post-football employment for Hunt, who owns property in Brisbane and Byron Bay and has spoken of his desire to return to Queensland.

Under NRL salary cap rules, clubs can apportion part of a player’s salary in their final year in the code towards an employment deal upon retirement.

That shapes as a possible trump card for the Broncos, who met with Hunt last weekend and spruiked the “romanticism” of a Red Hill reunion as he toured Brisbane’s $27 million high-performance centre.

Hunt is expected to make a definitive call this week and Brisbane are firming as the favourites.

The Broncos’ offer is worth around $550,000 annually and that figure may not be sufficient for the NRL salary-cap team, who are monitoring the bids coming forward for Hunt.

NRL auditors have the power to place a nominal figure on Hunt and, for example, have him valued at $800,000 in Brisbane’s salary cap, even if the Broncos’ official deal is worth less.

The Bulldogs are interested in Hunt at a reduced rate, but also believe in rising halfback Toby Sexton. Picture: Getty Images

Hunt left Brisbane to join the Dragons at the end of 2017, just as the club’s new training headquarters was being finalised, and he returned home last weekend to be blown away by the unrivalled infrastructure of the Broncos.

The Dolphins are keen for an experienced playmaker to assist rising star Isaiya Katoa and Hunt would be guaranteed a place in Redcliffe’s halves for 2025.

One advantage for the Broncos is Hunt’s history with club - he made his debut for Brisbane in 2009 and has unfinished business after the heartbreak of his 2015 grand-final loss to the Cowboys.

With Ezra Mam set to be suspended for the start of the 2025 premiership, Hunt could start alongside Adam Reynolds in the halves and potentially replace him at halfback in 2026, with the skipper tipped to retire next year.