Dragons teammates Zac Lomax and Blake Lawrie have pleaded their cases for Ben Hunt to stay with the Red V.

Amid heavy discussions surrounding Ben Hunt's immediate future, Dragons duo Lomax and Lawrie appeared on Sunday Night with Matty Johns and explained the hopes their captain would see out his contract.

Lomax said the team was blindsided by the news their skipper wants out and outlined their hopes going forward.

"Benny is his own man and he's going to make his own decisions but us as players, we'd obviously prefer 'Dozer' to be with us. He obviously makes our team such a better team," Lomax said.

"It's going to be his decision and I'm sure he'll make the right one."

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 31: Ben Hunt of the Dragons and team mates look dejected after a Cowboys try during the round 20 NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the North Queensland Cowboys at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, on July 31, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Sharing the same sentiment, Red V enforcer Lawrie gave his high praise for the representative star and his hopes that newly instated coach Shane Flanagan can entice the 33-year-old to stay.

"Obviously Benny Hunt and 'Flanno' will talk going forward and whatever happens will happen," Lawrie said.

"He's our captain, he's our leader. A bit selfishly, I don't want him to go anywhere."

With Flanagan having already refused a release Hunt is now considering paying the club to leave, which is sure to have rival clubs licking their lips for the signature of the veteran halfback.

The only sure bet right now is the 15th placed Dragons may have much more than the ladder to worry about in the coming weeks.