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Ben Hunt wife detail as Dragons captain linked with immediate exit to Queensland NRL club

The Dragons have reportedly taken the possibility of a contract extension off the table.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read

It looks like Ben Hunt might have played his last game for the Dragons, with the Gold Coast Titans re-emerging as a potential landing spot. Hunt failed to fire in the final two weeks of the NRL regular season, with the Dragons suffering back-to-back losses to fall from eight to 11th and miss the finals.

Coach Shane Flanagan was seen in a robust conversation with Hunt after their loss to Parramatta in Round 26, and is said to have offered a scathing assessment of Hunt's late-season form in an end-of-year review. Further reports state the Dragons have taken a possible contract extension for 2026 off the table, meaning Hunt will become a free agent as of November 1.

Ben Hunt and his wife.
Ben Hunt and his wife are both from Queensland and have family there. Image: Getty

It's believed the Dragons won't stand in Hunt's way if he can find a new club for the 2025 season. The Titans have been mooted as a potential suitor for the veteran halfback, after he requested a release from the Dragons last year to return to Queensland to be closer to he and his wife's families.

Hunt's wife Bridget is the daughter of former Maroons coach Michael Hagan, and they both still have family in Queensland. The Titans are said to be keen on snaring a halfback to replace veteran No.7 Kieran Foran.

Ben Hunt and Dragons teammates.
Ben Hunt and Dragons teammates after their loss to Parramatta. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Shane Flanagan's scathing post-season review of Ben Hunt

Flanagan told News Corp on Thursday night: “His review was fine, not that I have to tell anyone about our private conversations. We discussed the team’s form and his own form. He’s contracted to be here next year and nothing has changed.”

Speaking on his podcast earlier on Thursday, league legend Andrew Johns suggested the Titans would make room in their salary cap by sending hooker Sam Verrills to the Roosters. Hunt has also been linked to the Roosters as a No.9.

Ben Hunt and wife Bridget.
Ben Hunt and wife Bridget are said to be keen on a return to Queensland. (Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage)

When asked if he thought Hunt would be at the Dragons in 2025, Johns said: “No. I’ve heard Sam Verrills may be going back to the Roosters … have a look at Brandon Smith, he won’t play until mid-next year (due to an ACL injury).

“So that opens the way for Ben Hunt to go to the Titans. Because Ben Hunt has been (saying) the last couple of years ‘I want to go back to Queensland’. Yeah, I do (think they will let him go).” Bryan Fletcher said similar on SEN radio. "He's gone," Fletcher said. "It looks like it's coming to an end."

When asked earlier this year if Hunt had closed to the door on a return to Queensland, the Dragons captain said: “I am not closing the door on anything at all. At the moment, I’m happy at the Dragons and we’ll work through it.”

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The Dragons are said to be keen on luring Storm utility Tyran Wishart back to the club, potentially to play in the halves. Wishart is an Illawarra junior and son of club legend Rod, and has been forced to bide his time at Melbourne behind the likes of Ryan Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant.

Wishart will also be free to talk to rival clubs on November 1, and there's no doubt the Dragons would be happy to offload Hunt if it meant freeing up money to snare Wishart. While Hunt did take a pay-cut on his most recent deal, he's still believed to be on $950,000 per year.