Dragons veteran Ben Hunt says he is weighing up retiring at the end of next season. St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan previously revealed that he’d sat down with Hunt to discuss a one-year extension, with Hunt’s current deal running until the end of the club’s 2025 NRL campaign.
And while the halfback insists he is happy at the Red V, he is unsure if he wants to play on in 2026. Speaking to Jake Duke on Fox League’s Face to Face, Hunt said at 34 he feels he is nearing the end of his NRL career. “To be honest I’m still on the fence about it (the new Dragons deal) and not on the fence with the club and whether I want to leave or not,” Hunt said.
“It’s more about my future and how much longer I’ve got left in this game. I’m 34 now and have played a hell of a lot of footy. While I’m still enjoying my footy it’s not getting easier, I don’t want to rush into anything.”
However, Hunt knows he doesn’t have the luxury of time when it comes to deciding whether or not to take the contract extension with the Dragons as the club is in the midst of a roster overhaul under Shane Flanagan. “I definitely don’t think (I’ll make my decision) next year, it will be before that, the club’s I think in a position where they are looking to grow and make some moves in our roster to bring some players in,” Hunt continued.
“So I don’t want to leave them in limbo for too long. So I will get that sorted out at some stage, but I just want to not rush into something that I’m not 100 per cent in.”
Ben Hunt confident in Shane Flanagan’s plan
Only 12 months ago Hunt was desperate to get out of the club and the fact he is even a chance of signing a new deal represents a huge turnaround. In 2023, the halfback requested a release from his contract – desperate to join a new club in 2024 – with the Dragons losing week in week out. But after a sit down with Flanagan ahead of this season, he changed his mind.
When pressed about what led to the change of heart, Hunt didn’t want to dive into the details, however, said he believes under Flanagan the club is headed in the right direction. “There was a lot of things, to be honest and a lot of things I’d rather not say … but there was a lot of things off the field,” Hunt said.
“There’s a lot more energy around the club, there’s a lot more belief (under Flanagan). Obviously, we still have a lot to work on. But yeah it’s heading in the right direction … as a footy player and professional athlete, you want to win and be competitive first and foremost.
“Then to get all the outside noise and pressure and media, family and friends asking questions, why isn’t so and so working or doing this. It takes a massive toll on you and there are different periods you go through where you start second-guessing what you’re doing … it’s been a pretty tough period. There’s a lot less noise around the club, we are sort of just going about our business and trying to improve the club.”