The lucrative deal, inked in advance of last season, set in motion an unprecedented re-shuffle of the NRL’ play-making stocks and ensures his performances will be heavily scrutinised in 2018 and beyond.

It was also the first time the 27-year-old ever considered his future lay anywhere other than in Brisbane – a club he played 187 games for after debuting in 2009.

“It was of bit of a surprise and pretty unexpected to be honest,” Hunt said of the longest and richest offer ever made by the joint-venture.

“To get a deal that long and to have that much security in your career felt pretty crazy. It’s something that doesn’t come along very often in the game.

“There was definitely stages of my career where I never thought I’d leave Brisbane at all, I couldn’t really picture myself playing for another team.

“They obviously gave me me my opportunity and I’d been there for a long time. [The Dragons deal] was going to set my family up so it was just too good to pass up. After I signed it went out of my mind pretty quick.

“I just had to do a job and got on with my footy last year and it’s not something I’m going to think about this year. I’m just here to do a job for this team, play my best brand of footy and bring whatever I can to the team to win. That’s all I’m concentrating on.”

Many consider the large sum a gamble from the club – particularly as Hunt spent time in Queensland Cup and off the bench from the Broncos last year –  but it would have seemed a much surer bet at the end of 2015 when he took the club to within a single golden-point of the ultimate prize.

He believes a change of scenery, and the chance to link with Gareth Widddop at the scrum-base, will allow him to re-capture the form that made him one of the game’s premier No. 7s.

“That player from back then hasn’t gone anywhere, he’s still here, he can still play some good footy,” Hunt said.

“Looking at the team I’ve got around me, I’m confident they’re going to play some good footy to. Gareth got five-eighth of the year last year so there’s no extra pressure there.

“He’s such an exceptional player, he can play off the cuff, he can play structured he’s got every string to his bow. I’ve just got to worry about what I can do and I know he’ll take care of the rest.”

While Hunt booked an early ticket south, fellow big-name signing James Graham proved a late-season bargain buy for a club that’s made just one post-season appearance in six seasons.

Hunt has made 13 in that time, including the 2015 decider, while Graham has 11 finals and two grand finals to his name. Dragons fans will be hoping that wealth of big-game experience can snap their side’s six-year run of mediocrity.

“Being in those games and knowing how to handle those situations is something we’ve had a bit of experience in now,” Hunt said.

“You’ve got to get there first and that’s what we need to concentrate on. We need to start fast and hold that through the Origin period and the back end of the season to make those finals. After that anything can happen.”