The representative retirement of Cooper Cronk has opened the door for one of a number of emerging Queenslanders to claim the halfback position and while Daly Cherry-Evans and Michael Morgan were expected to lead the race for the spot, it’s been Hunt who has outplayed his rivals.

Hunt has been in sublime form for the Dragons in the first five rounds, guiding the team around the park and controlling matches with his kicking game. His play has been so impressive that Dragons teammate James Graham and Queensland legend Wally Lewis have thrown their support behind the 28-year-old. 

“It makes you feel pretty good,” Hunt said of the endorsements. “Obviously everyone knows what Wally’s done in his career and to have someone like that give you a bit of a rap, it gives you goosebumps.

“I sort of feel like I have to be in the area, there’s a few halfbacks going around playing some pretty good footy, I just have to leave that up to Kevvy [Maroons coach Kevin Walters] and the selectors.”

Hunt made his debut off the bench in Origin III last year and it’s an experience he feels helped him develop.

“Just being in camp, that’s what benefits you the most. Being around players that have been there for a long time and you see the things they do and how they train and how hard they work, the effort they put in to get that win.”

Many were quick to criticise the Dragons after they signed the former Broncos half to a five-year, $6 million contract, but he has silenced the doubters. 

“It’s taken a fair while to get to where I am in my career, working on a lot of different things when I needed to. Coming here, the team dynamic that we’ve got with Gaz [Gareth Widdop] and our forwards, I can just play my game now and worry about what I need to do. I think it’s completed the way I like to play my footy.”

While in the midst of career-best form, Hunt recognises he still has areas to improve as the Dragons prepare to face Cronulla.  

“Game management is definitely something I’m trying to bring here. It’s an aspect of my game I’ve been trying to work on for quite a while now, that kicking game and really managing it well.

“That’s something in the Souths game I thought I didn’t do well. In that second half I was pretty disappointed with my kicking game and how we managed that back end. It’s something I’m trying to bring in to my game.”