Ben Hunt

Ben Hunt was a champion schoolboy rugby league player, touring New Zealand with the Australian team in 2007, from St Brendan's College, Yeppoon, where he also was a fine athlete and touch footy player.

In 2008, Hunt joined the Brisbane Broncos and was Player of the Year in the inaugural National Youth Competition. Born in Rockhampton, Hunt grew up at Dingo and played junior rugby league for Blackwater Crushers. His father, Geoff, was a fine schoolboy footballer, and had attracted interest from Parramatta, but took on apprenticeship in the Central Queensland mines.

Ben did an apprenticeship as a carpenter in his early years at the Broncos. He made his NRL debut for Brisbane against Cronulla in 2009, aged 19. He did a football apprenticeship under the Brisbane's New South Wales State of Origin halfback, Peter Wallace, in those early years at the Broncos.

Hunt made his Test debut in the 2014 Four Nations tournament, coming off the bench in Australia's 16-12 win over England in Melbourne. He also played in Australia's 44-18 win over Samoa in Wollongong, but then suffered the disappointment of being part of the 22-18 loss to the Kiwis in the final in Wellington, New Zealand. He won the Paul Morgan Medal as Broncos' Player of the Year at the end of the 2014 NRL season.

In 2015, Hunt played 26 games for the Broncos, scoring 12 tries and kicking four goals. But he again suffered the heartbreak of a loss in the game that counted, with the Broncos beaten 17-16 by North Queensland in the NRL grand final.

I love him as a football player. He's tough, rugged and skilful.

Kevin Walters FOG #63

He made his long-awaited State of Origin debut in Game III of the 2017 series, with Queensland winning 22-6 to claim a famous series victory in Maroons' legends, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston's last appearances for their State.

Hunt also returned to Australian duty, being part of the Kangaroos' successful defence of the World Cup. He joined St George Illawarra on a five-year deal in 2018 and made his starting debut for Queensland, at halfback, in Game I. Hunt played all three matches for Queensland at hooker, in 2019. He made 53 tackles in Game I of the 2019 series.

Hunt was player of the match in Game III of the 2021 Origin series. He was awarded St George Illawarra's Player of the Year in 2021, and has captained the side on many occasions.

2022 became one of Ben Hunt's career best seasons leading the Dally M Medal race after 12 rounds of the competition heading into Origin. Hunt played an integral part in leading Queensland to a series victory with a runaway try in the dying minutes of Game III at Suncorp Stadium. Hunt finished the year winning the Dragons 2022 Player of the Year and Peter Jackson Memorial Award for the Queensland Maroons. 

Hunt was later selected in the Kangaroos squad and featured prominently for the World Cup winning side.