Ben Hunt is set to ink a one-year extension with the Broncos, which has thrown a three-way battle for the halfback spot up in the air amid a star recruit’s arrival in 2027.
Adam Reynolds will hang up the boots at the end of the 2026season, with Jonah Pezet joining the club on a three-year deal via his one year Eels deal in 2027.
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It means Pezet and Thomas Duffy were fighting it out for the crucial Broncos No.7 role with 30 NRL games between them.
However, not only is Hunt set to sign a one-year deal or 2027, but has his sights set on the No.7 jersey in Round 1 of that season.
The Courier Mail’s Peter Badel broke the news of Hunt’s re-signing on NRL 360, but warned it could have implications for their salary cap moving forward.
“The word that I’ve got is he’ll be doing a new deal with the Broncos in the coming weeks,” Badel said on NRL 360.
“This is massive. He was expected to retire at the end of this season a bit like Adam Reynolds.
“Reynolds caught the Broncos off guard last year when he said he wanted to go for another season. They had to juggle the salary cap to accommodate him.
“Now Ben Hunt says, I want to go on another 12 months. He’ll be 37 next year.”
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Badel is shocked that Hunt didn’t opt to retire at the end of his current deal in 2026, after finally tasting premiership glory in 2025.
“I’m a little bit stunned,” Badel said.
“I think it would have been the right time for Ben to go this year, but it now creates a real salary cap headache because they’re going to have to find another 12 months and $500,000 for Ben Hunt.”
The Daily Telegraph’s Brent Read warned the Broncos they can’t afford to pay a bench player that amount of money and stay competitive.
“They can’t pay him that, they can’t because for me, Ben Hunt now at this point in his career, he’s a bench player,” Read said.
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“I know he said he wants to play halfback, but let’s be honest. I think they’ve moved on beyond him as their halfback and they’ve obviously signed Jonah Pezet for next year. Tom Duffy’s doing a good job.
“I think if you re-sign Ben Hunt, you re-sign him and you tell him you’re our No.14. That’s the role you play and you’re not paying him half a million dollars.”
However, Badel pointed out that Hunt still feels he is a starter and wants to play halfback.
“The problem is he sees himself as a No.7, that’s his preferred position,” Badel said.
However, Read is adamant the Broncos have enough talent at No.7 and believes the Broncos should have re-signed Billy Walters ahead of him.
“Well, I understand what he sees, but that’s not his decision,” Read said.
“That’s Madge’s decision, the club’s decision and I know Billy Walters hasn’t re-signed for next year, but I would re-sign Billy Walters.
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“And I’d be saying to Ben Hunt, if you re-sign, you’re fighting with Billy Walters for the No.14 spot and if Billy’s going better than you, you’re not in the team.”
However, Badel questioned if either Pezet or Duffy were ready to take over from Adam Reynolds, given their lack of experience.
“The other options are Tom Duffy, eight first grade games, is he proven yet? Perhaps not,” Badel said.
“And Jonah Pezet, whose coming to the Broncos next year, but the way he’s going for Parramatta at the moment, I would argue Ben Hunt’s probably the best of the three at the moment.”
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However, Read feels the Broncos made an investment in Pezet as their long-term No.7 and he won’t get experience without time in the saddle.
“Hunt wasn’t flash last Saturday at 4 Pines I was there on the sideline,” Read said.
“They’ve obviously brought Jonah to be their long-term halfback. That’s why they give him a three-year deal.
“And they obviously saw something in him when they did that, so I think you’ve got to start the season with Jonah Pezet.”
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