The club said in a statement that “we would like to make it clear that the club is not in the race to sign Ben Hunt”.

Penrith head of football Phil Gould also weighed in on the issue.

“We have a number of talented youngsters at the club who we have brought through our development system and we are very happy with our playing roster as it stands,” Gould said.

Panthers coach Anthony Griffin has close links to the off-contract No.7 after coaching him at Red Hill.

The Dragons are understood to have offered Hunt a deal worth about $1 million a season.