It’s official – Ben Hunt will be playing for the Brisbane Broncos under new coach Michael Maguire in 2025. Hunt has agreed to a two-year deal worth around $600,000-a-season to return home to Red Hill in Brisbane.
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The Kangaroos and Queensland star personally telephoned Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf and Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson to inform them of his decision on Tuesday morning.
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With the Brisbane Broncos preparing for Ezra Mam to be rubbed out for up to all of 2025 over his off season car accident the signature of Hunt is a major coup for the Broncos.
Hunt, who will turn 35 in March, will wear the Brisbane no.6 jersey made famous by champion players Wally Lewis, Kevin Walters and Darren Lockyer.
The combination of Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds and Hunt in the halves will provide the Broncos with the NRL’s most experienced playmaking combination.
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It also means Maguire will field a roster expected to finish in the top four with strike players Reece Walsh, Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan, Kotoni Staggs and Selwynn Cobbo being guided by the experienced playmaking pair.
The Broncos have been bullish about their desire to sign Hunt ever since St George Illawarra made the call to cut the Red V captain loose earlier this month.
The signature of the 334-game NRL playmaker is a major coup for new Broncos coach Maguire as he sets about implementing a blueprint aimed at turning Brisbane back into an immediate premiership threat.
Hunt’s return to Brisbane sets up the opportunity for the experienced ball-player to right the wrongs of the 2015 grand final when he famously dropped the kick off in golden point.
Cowboys champion Johnathan Thurston then kicked a field goal to win North Queensland’s maiden premiership.
Hunt then left the Broncos at the end of 2017 to spend the next seven seasons at St George Illawarra.
The opportunity for Hunt to help the Broncos try and win the club’s first title since 2006 sets up a brilliant narrative.
The Broncos released a statement on Hunt on Tuesday evening.
“Veteran Test and Origin playmaker, and Bronco #178 is coming home,” the statement read.
“The club can confirm 34-year-old Rockhampton-born, Dingo-raised Ben Hunt, a Blackwater “Crushers junior, has inked a two-year deal that will see him pull on the Broncos jersey for the first time since 2017 and 15 years after Hunt made his NRL debut for the club.
“The former Dragons halfback and his family met with Broncos officials over the past fortnight and will relocate in the coming weeks.
“With 16 Test matches for Australia, 20 Origin appearances and 334 NRL games under his belt, his homecoming brings with it a wealth of experience, leadership and versatility.”
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Brisbane Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Ben and his family home, where he belongs.
“Players of his calibre don’t stay available for long, and it was important to us for Ben to know he was very much wanted here, but we also understand that this was a big decision for Ben and his family.
“I’m pleased we’ve been able to work with Ben and his management to make this happen as quickly as we could.
“We look forward to welcoming Ben, Bridget and the boys back to Brisbane very soon.”
Brisbane Broncos Head Coach Michael Maguire: “Ben has been a Bronco since he was 13. 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.”
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Hunt said it was a dream come true to finish his career where it started.
“This is very special. 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,” Hunt said.
“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 7 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.
“I’ve had a fair few calls people back home (Central Queensland) but needed to make the best decision for myself, my wife and my family.
“I’ve never had the opportunity to work under Madge but meeting and speaking with him and Dave during this process – I know he’s someone I believe in and I can’t wait to work under him.
“The boys (my sons) are both very excited, they’re both footy mad and were with us when we visited the club last week, they’re looking forward to it.”
Hunt will join the Broncos preseason program in mid-December.
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