Broncos great Corey Parker has questioned why rival clubs would entertain signing Ben Hunt, admitting there is "risk attached" when it comes to the wantaway Dragons star. The 34-year-old has a year to run on his deal with St George Illawarra, but the club told him recently they would not be offering him an extension. Hunt had a poor end to the season as the Red V missed out on the finals, before copping some criticism from Shane Flanagan during a performance review. The halfback will hit the open market on November 1 for the 2026 season, but there's still a strong chance Hunt pushes for an early release. Speaking on SEN radio, one of his former teammates at Red Hill in Parker brought up the fact that Hunt would be 36 years of age by the time a potential move rolls around and doesn't believe many clubs would want to fork out big money for a short-term deal. "Ben Hunt is trying to get an extension at the moment with the Dragons ... Shane Flanagan and the Dragons are currently holding out and rightly so," he said. "He's on contract for next year, he's looking for an extension for 2026 where he will be 36 years of age on big money. I think Flanagan may be doing the right thing by not going for Ben Hunt but does that mean he goes to the open market? "There's a risk attached to that and I am one of Hunt's biggest fans but there is certainly risk attached to a 36-year-old halfback. "You have to understand why you are bringing in a player and what you want to achieve out of them. It would only be for one year because I can't see Hunt playing beyond 36. "Father Time catches up with you very quickly and it could come in the space of one small injury." Hunt has been among the Dragons' best players for a number of years, but during his big-money tenure at the club, they have only won one finals game. The issue for Flanagan as it stands is their lack of depth in the halves, with his son Kyle failing to prove his worth as a long-term solution, while young gun Lykhan King-Togia has only played a handful of first grade games. The captaincy may be less of a concern for the Dragons heading into next year, with star back-rower Jaydn Su'A inking an extension and emerging as a leader within the squad. Hunt addressed his future during Kangaroos camp last week and said he remains open to finishing his career in Queensland.
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