Ben Hunt admits he will “need to think” about whether next Wednesday night’s State of Origin decider will be his last game for Queensland.
The veteran Dragons star will make his 20th appearance for the Maroons in game three, earning him the coveted Dick ‘Tosser’ Turner Medal.
The 34-year-old is still playing quality football at club and rep level, but with the likes of Harry Grant and Reed Mahoney also in the mix for the No.9 jumper, his time in the Queensland side will undoubtedly wind down sooner rather than later.
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When asked about whether he would retire from the Origin arena, Hunt claimed he hadn’t focused on the 2025 series at this stage.
Ben Hunt speaks to media ahead of the Origin decider. Avid
“It could be [my last game], I’m not too sure – it’s not something I have given a lot of thought to,” he said.
“At the moment, I’m just enjoying playing Origin. I’ll probably get towards the end of the year or the off-season and have a think about that.”
Hunt lives in Sydney with his wife and young children, meaning the logistics of a gruelling Origin campaign forces him to spend time away from his family.
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His age has also been called into question, but Hunt is adamant his body is still in good enough condition to represent his state.
“They are the two main ones – how the body is feeling and obviously you’re away [from family] for a large period of the year,” he said.
“I’d like to be with them a lot more, but they are all things I need to think about.
“I’ve always said that as long as Billy [Slater] is gonna call, I’d be happy to play. It’s always a huge honour, but it’s got to come to a point where I will make a decision.”
Hunt is already signed with St George Illawarra for next season, but the expectation is that he will extend his stay until the end of 2026 before hanging up the boots.
There have also been rumblings around Daly Cherry-Evans bowing out from Origin football after the decider, but Hunt isn’t so sure the skipper is ready to retire.
Daly Cherry-Evans makes a break in the 2024 series opener. Getty
“He doesn’t seem to be ageing at all,” Hunt said.
“He is playing excellent footy and it seems like his body is in good nick and he’s enjoying himself … I’m not too sure where he’s at.”
Queensland have made multiple changes for game three, with the likes of Kalyn Ponga and Dane Gagai earning recalls, while David Fifita has again been overlooked.
NSW have also re-jigged their lineup, with Bradman Best coming in at centre for the injured Latrell Mitchell, while Mitch Barnett is slated to make his debut off the bench.