Michael Maguire call at Broncos spells bad news for Ben Hunt amid Bulldogs development

New Broncos coach Michael Maguire has seemingly closed the door on a potential move for Dragons captain Ben Hunt amid reports he's keen to keep hold of young hooker Cory Paix for next season. Hunt has been given permission from the Dragons to speak with rival clubs after comments he made last weekend about the club not seeming "overly keen" to keep him after contract extension talks stalled.

The veteran playmaker - who's also excelled at hooker for the Maroons and Kangaroos - has made no secret of his desire to finish his career in his home state of Queensland. And with the Dragons happy to let Hunt seek new pastures, the Broncos had been earmarked as a potential NRL landing spot for the 34-year-old.

Maguire's side already boasts a formidable halves pairing in captain and halfback Adam Reynolds and five-eighth Ezra Mam, meaning it's more realistic that Hunt would feature at dummy half for the Broncos if they were to sign him. But according to reports coming out of Red Hill, Maguire is keen on retaining promising young hooker Paix, who fell out of favour under Walters at Brisbane last season.

Paix did not feature in a single NRL game under Walters in 2024 and has been linked with a move away from Brisbane, despite being contracted until the end of the 2025 NRL season. Paix is a former junior Origin player and is understood to be on about $320,000 per season. Canberra has been mentioned as one club potentially interested in signing Paix but Maguire has reportedly decided to make the hooker part of his plans for 2025 in a potential blow to Hunt's hopes of making the move north.

The Broncos would also struggle to fit Hunt in under their salary cap, having extended the likes of Mam, Reece Walsh, Patrick Carrigan and Payne Haas on big-money deals. The salary cap squeeze has already left Brisbane trying to accomodate Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo, with the widely held assumptio that they will have to part ways with one of their star centres.

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While a move to the Broncos is appearing less and less likely for Hunt, the Bulldogs have emerged as a leading suitor for the Dragons captain's signature. The Sydney Morning Herald’s Adrian Proszenko added fuel to the speculation by telling SEN1170 on Friday that it appears Hunt has "played his last game for the Dragons" and that the Bulldogs would be a good fit for the 34-year-old.

Ben Hunt linked with move to the Canterbury Bulldogs

“I’m pretty sure that Ben Hunt has played his last game for the Dragons,” Proszenko told SEN1170. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Canterbury explore this option... “I cast my mind back to the semi final that the Bulldogs lost to Manly where they had all the ball but didn’t have the smarts to close it out. I dare say if Ben Hunt was playing in that team, they get the job done."

The acquisition of Hunt would provide the Bullodgs with flexibility not only in their halves but also at dummy half. Hunt would offer the Dogs another option at No.7 to go with Toby Sexton and promising youngster Mitchell Woods and could also be utilised in tandem with No.9 Reed Mahoney, who could benefit with not having to play 80 minutes at hooker most weeks.

“I don’t think Reed Mahoney playing 80 minutes, helps Reed Mahoney,” SEN1170's Jimmy Smith added. “You could play 60-65 minutes and then someone like Ben Hunt can go into that dummy half role.” Both men agree Hunt would make a brilliant addition to a Canterbury side that enjoyed a breakout 2024 under coach Cameron Ciraldo, who helped the club finish the regular season in sixth and snap an eight-year NRL finals drought, before being knocked out by Manly in the elimination final.