By Adrian Proszenko
In preparation for the pitch that ultimately lured Ben Hunt back to Red Hill, a Broncos employee was handed two children’s replica jerseys and dispatched to a nearby Rebel Sport store.
The club hierarchy knew Hunt was pining for a return to Brisbane and wanted their charm offensive to stand out from those of other suitors jockeying for his signature.
Which is why, at a critical meeting a week-and-a-half ago, the decision was made to pull at the heartstrings in a bid to get his family over the line. The Broncos traditionally hold a barbecue after their captain’s run and, wanting Hunt to feel at home, the fatted calf was killed for the prodigal son.
As they delivered porterhouse steaks with their presentation – the chance to come home, join a star-studded roster and cement his legacy with a premiership – Hunt was handed two Brisbane jerseys, as a gift to his young children Brady and Bowie.
The presents were personalised, with the name “HUNT” heat-sealed on the back of each jumper, a touch finalised at the nearby Rebel Sport store at Everton Park, at a total cost of $30 for both.
There was a recurring theme: You are part of our family and this is your home.
Ben Hunt is coming home.Credit: Getty Images
Given that Hunt agreed to a two-year Brisbane deal worth about $550,000 per year – significantly less than what he was earning at St George Illawarra or could have earned elsewhere – it is perhaps the shrewdest $30 the club has ever spent.
Of all the big off-season moves, none has the potential to have a bigger impact on the premiership race. When new Brisbane coach Michael Maguire strode into Red Hill for the first time a month ago, the literal car crash that was the Ezra Mam debacle had the potential to write off his title campaign before it had even begun.
Instead, it was the catalyst to snare Hunt, a signing that has shortened the odds of the Queensland juggernaut finally snapping a 19-year premiership drought. Better still, they snared Hunt without having to shed anyone from their existing roster, a move made possible by the departures of Tom Flegler, Kurt Capewell and Herbie Farnworth.
The result is Hunt will partner captain Adam Reynolds in the halves, bringing 621 games of NRL experience to the most crucial positions on the field. When Mam returns from his suspension, Hunt will shift to hooker, a role he has played capably during his representative career. With Reece Walsh at the back, it’s a spine potentially as good as any in the game.
Hunt’s move was never about the money. His seven years at the Dragons set his family up financially, but they also took their toll. When things went awry – as was often the case at the joint-venture outfit – the buck stopped with their highest-paid player.
When Hunt returns to Red Hill, he will unburden himself, at least in the short term, of the weight of captaincy and the No.7 jersey. With the likes of Walsh, Reynolds, Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan, Kotoni Staggs, Selwyn Cobbo in the squad, there are enough superstars for blame and praise to be equally apportioned for team performance.
It’s a move that has the potential to be one of the great feel-good rugby league stories. For everything the 34-year-old has achieved in a storied career, he is perhaps best remembered for spilling the Steeden in the epic 2015 decider, allowing arch rivals North Queensland to steal the premiership. The chance to come home and atone was one Hunt was never going to let slip through his grasp.
Hunt returns to Broncos on two-year deal
Ben Hunt will finish his NRL career at the club with which he started it after agreeing to rejoin Brisbane on a two-year deal.
The 34-year-old has been weighing up his future, having fielded interest from the Broncos, Roosters, Dolphins and a Super League club since being released by St George Illawarra.
However, Hunt has chosen to join Brisbane on a deal worth approximately $550,000 per season.
“This is very special,” Hunt said in a Broncos-issued statement. “It was a tough decision for myself and my family, but my heart was really always driving me back to the Broncos, and in the end, it became really clear.
“To be able to finish my career at the Broncos is something that I never thought I’d have the opportunity to do and I’ll cherish it.
“It’s definitely a club that has meant a lot to me, I’ve been involved with the Broncos since I was 13.
“I’ve been away for seven years, but I’ve watched every single Broncos game since I’ve been gone - I never thought this would happen, so I’m pretty excited.
“The chance now to head back and chase that premiership together, is a dream come true.”
The recruitment of Hunt is a huge coup for new coach Michael Maguire, who will now have a representative playmaker at his disposal despite the likely suspension of Ezra Mam, who has been charged with drug driving and unlicensed driving.
Hunt’s Broncos move gives him a chance to finish as a premiership winner and atone for a heartbreaking error during the 2015 grand final loss to North Queensland.
Ben Hunt is coming back to the Broncos.Credit: Getty Images
Canterbury had considered making a play for Hunt’s signature, but ultimately opted to stick with the playmakers on their books, including halfback Toby Sexton and youngsters Mitchell Woods and Cassius Tia.
Hunt could have potentially earned more at the Dolphins, who saw him as an ideal halves partner for young gun Isaiya Katoa. The Roosters, meanwhile, were interested in Hunt’s ability to play half and hooker at a time when Sam Walker and Brandon Smith are sidelined with injury.
However, Hunt felt he had unfinished business at Red Hill and news of his signature has already prompted some bookmakers to slash Brisbane’s premiership odds for next season.
The development sets up a blockbuster round 11 clash at Suncorp Stadium when Hunt faces the Dragons for the first time since parting company with the Red V.
“Ben has been a Bronco since he was 13,” Maguire said in a statement. “Since then, he’s proven himself at every level of the game.
“He’ll bring us great depth and will be a wonderful fit for what we are building – not just on the field. He’ll play a big part in the culture we want to create together as a group.
“Like all of us, Ben wants to achieve success, and it would be incredibly special if he can do that back here at the Broncos, where it all began – these types of storylines don’t come up all that often in sport.”