So shock: hijacked! Broncos make ‘off the salary cap’ move to snare Ben Hunt as NRL rivals offer $1.4 million in a sharp cut” after seeing his last skills echo…
According to reports, the Brisbane Broncos made a last-ditch effort to entice Ben Hunt home by offering him a position after his football career. Crucially, it implies that they may be able to pay him less to seal the deal.
The Dragons decided to release Hunt from the last year of his $950,000 contract, making him the most sought-after free agent on the NRL’s open market.
Although the Bulldogs and Roosters’ interest has apparently lessened, the Broncos, Dolphins, Bulldogs, and Roosters are thought to be in a four-team battle to sign the seasoned halfback.
Two weeks ago, it was claimed that Hunt would like to stay in Sydney rather than have to move his young family and switch schools for his children. The Roosters and Bulldogs, meanwhile, are reportedly wary about Hunt’s cost and the fact that he will be 35 by the start of the 2025 campaign.
Given that Hunt is estimated to be worth between $700,000 and $800,000, the NRL is unlikely to permit a team to sign him for much less than the $950,000 he was on at the Dragons. The Dolphins have made Hunt an offer of $1.4 million, which includes $800,000 for 2025 and $600,000 for 2026, according to News Corp.
Brisbane Broncos offer Ben Hunt a job after football
But the Broncos have reportedly played a trump card that could allow them to take advantage of a loophole in the salary cap system. News Corp is reporting the Broncos have tabled $1.1 million to Hunt, but have also offered the rep halfback a job for when his football career ends.
As the report states: “Under NRL salary cap rules, in the final year of their career, a player can be paid off the salary cap as part of their transition into retirement. It is understood the role has to be documented and the payment has to be at market rates.”
That might enable the Broncos to circumvent their salary cap restrictions and pay Hunt just $550,000 annually for the upcoming two seasons. It appeared that the Broncos would not have the funds to get Hunt because Reece Walsh had just signed a $5 million extension and players like Payne Haas, Ezra Mam, and Patrick Carrigan were all on large contracts.
Broncos great wants to see Ben Hunt return home
But club great Brent Tate floated the possibility of Hunt being offered a job at the Broncos last week. “I think it is a huge consideration. Planning post-football is really important,” Tate said on SEN Radio. “I think if he ends up at a club and there are further opportunities to work at the club, that will be a huge consideration.
Before making the big-money transfer to the Dragons in 2018, Hunt played for eight seasons in Brisbane after beginning his career with the Broncos. “Brisbane will always have a soft spot for me,” he declared earlier this. “I joined the club when I was twelve years old. They worked so hard on me, so it would be quite amazing if I could go complete there. However, I must check to see whether that can all function.
