“Ben wants to be here,” Flanagan said ahead of his side’s clash with the Knights in Newcastle on Friday night. “Ben will see out his contract and maybe go further so don’t confuse the issue of Ben and Zac. They are two different issues.”

Hunt has formed a handy combination with five-eighth Kyle Flanagan,guiding the Dragons to two wins from their first four games of the season.

Hunt has been one of the Dragons’ most consistent performers since joining the club and has showed no signs of losing the game smarts that has seen him play more than 300 games in the NRL.

The Dragons are expected to open formal negotiations with Hunt and his management in the coming weeks about extending his deal and finishing his career under Flanagan at the Dragons as one of the oldest players in the competition.

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