By Michael Chammas and Danny Weidler
Canterbury have turned their attention to off-contract representative star Ben Hunt as they weigh up a potential late bid to lure the veteran halfback to Belmore next season.
A third party reached out to the Bulldogs in the past week to inform them that Hunt had a keen interest in speaking to coach Cameron Ciraldo and general manager Phil Gould because he believes Canterbury are on the cusp of a premiership.
Talks around Ben Hunt’s future will ramp up this week.Credit: Getty Images
After learning of Hunt’s views on the club, and his willingness to sacrifice money in order to join a potential premiership-winning team, Ciraldo and Gould agreed to meet with the 34-year-old earlier this week.
Hunt, who was released from his contract with the Dragons for 2025, is adamant he wants to play on in 2026 – ideally at a club he believes can win a premiership.
Hunt has attracted interest from the Dolphins, Broncos and Roosters. The Dolphins are believed to have the strongest financial offer, but their premiership credentials are the question.
The Broncos have also met with Hunt, but their desire is to use him primarily at hooker, a position he has previously baulked at given the workload and his age.
The Dragons have released Ben Hunt from the final year of his contract.Credit: Getty Images
The Roosters have also held discussions and are willing to pay Hunt about $500,000 a season for two years, but they have also indicated he would be used at No.9 with Brandon Smith to miss a large chunk of next season with a knee injury.
The Bulldogs are in discussions about an extension with incumbent No.7 Toby Sexton. They are now mulling over whether Hunt on similar money is more beneficial than retaining the man who contributed strongly for the Bulldogs in the back half of the season. Hunt would almost certainly add weight to the Bulldogs premiership hopes during the next two years.
The Bulldogs would not have been in a position to pursue Hunt if Melbourne fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen was willing to leave his club to join Canterbury in 2026.
The Bulldogs were informed on Wednesday that Papenhuyzen was leaning towards signing a one-year extension with Melbourne and would not be joining Canterbury. It has put the Bulldogs in prime position to make a play for Hunt.
Melbourne are offering Papenhuyzen a contract, but for less than what he’s currently on.Credit: Getty Images
Papenhuyzen is set to extend his time at the Storm by at least another season despite entering the free-agency market earlier this month for the first time in his career.
The Storm fullback has been in discussions with the Bulldogs in recent days about a potential move to Sydney to join the club he supported as a child, but the sources said he did not want to leave Melbourne at this stage.
Papenhuyzen was originally offered a three-year contract at a reduced rate of about $750,000 to $800,000 a season, but he favoured a short-term deal to keep him at the Storm until the end of 2026, making him a free agent on November 1 next year.
The Bulldogs were willing to spend more than $1 million a season to lure him north of the border, but the club was never in a position to make a formal offer.
Papenhuyzen’s likely decision to stay at the Storm will put rising Storm star Sua Fa’alogo on the radar of several clubs. Fa’alogo has a verbal agreement with Storm chairman Matt Tripp, who indicated he would be willing to explore the potential of releasing him to another club should Papenhuyzen recommit his future to the Storm.
The short-term nature of Papenhuyzen’s potential new deal could hinder Fa’alogo’s ability to extract himself from his long-term Melbourne contract.