Ben Hunt has revealed he is weighing up a retirement from State of Origin rugby league at the end of the 2024 series.
Hunt, who will play his 20th Origin match on Wednesday night, is approaching the twilight of his career and, as it stands, appears slated to retire for good at the end of 2026.
His current contract expires at the end of the 2025 season, and while he had previously requested a release from the St George Illawarra Dragons, he is now in talks over a one-year extension that will see him extend his career and time with the joint venture until the end of 2026.
It would appear Hunt though, who is desperate to win a premiership before he hangs up the boots and has had an apparent change of heart over the Dragons' ability to do that, is not sold on continuing to play Origin.
"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 a press conference during the week.
"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 admitted it's going to come down to his own body, as well as whether he can continue to cop the time away from his family in the middle of the season, with players spending approximately four and a half weeks in Origin camps if they play all three games.
"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."
Origin 3 will be played on Wednesday evening in Brisbane.
