IT ALL started with a jetski. Or so they say.

Paul McGregor coach pulls up to a beach in Wollongong to meet with his potential marquee signing for the first time while riding on his watercraft.

It’s a story you’ve heard before, from St George Illawarra recruitment boss Ian Millward on the Market Watch podcast. But if you ask Ben Hunt, it’s nothing but a tall tale.

“Just about every player at training has asked me that question and it’s not true,” Hunt said of the jetski story.

Round 20

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The line between fact and fiction here is irrelevant, because the more interesting and important story involves what happened next.

After Hunt inked his six-year, $1-million-a-season contract, the Dragons went to great lengths welcome their new halfback and leader into the Red V family. That relationship started in January last year when Jason Nightingale sent Hunt a text a few days after he’d signed his deal for 2018.

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Ben Hunt celebrates a Brisbane try. Source: News Corp Australia

It was a link to real-estate listings in the Sutherland area.

Having met Hunt only on a handful of occasions, Nightingale had his greatest interaction with the former Brisbane playmaker in 2015 when Hunt was part of the small business course he runs for athletes.

“I knew him a little bit and texted him when he signed and even leading up to it,” Nightingale told foxsports.com.au.

“When he signed I said congratulations and he was excited to be coming to us.

“I sent him a few properties to look at. Being a long-term deal, I coerced him into living in Sydney. His wife was keen on that and helped there.

“As soon as he came down we caught up. He was pretty close with Benji Marshall and we still remain friends.”

Nightingale wasn’t alone in making contact with the Dragons chief.

His wife reached out to Hunt’s wife Bridget as did Tyson Frizell’s wife who sent flowers to their Brisbane home.

It was the start of a relationship which saw Frizell and Hunt grow close while part of the Kangaroos squad in the World Cup.

Ben Hunt during Dragons training in Wollongong. Source: News Corp Australia

With Hunt settling in the Shire, weekends are spent with his teammates and their partners on breakfast dates. Even babysitting.

“He’s got a son two months younger than my daughter. She’s 16 months and Brady’s 14 months,” Nightingale said.

“I baby sat Brady the other day. Little things like that. I’m sure we’ll return the favour dropping my daughter off one day soon. That sort of things does help with not having close family around.”

The players’ hitting it off was inevitable but what about the coach and his staff?

Before Hunt joined Mal Meninga’s Australian team, McGregor and Milward made a secret trip to Brisbane to talk tactics.

Over lunch the coach told the 27-year-old the team was his and spent the next few hours discussing how Hunt wants the side to play.

Ben Hunt of the Dragons catches the ball. Source: Getty Images

It was during this meeting the 2018 planning started.

“We just had a little chat over lunch,” Hunt said.

“We talked about the team and what team we’ve got with me and what he expects me to bring to the team. A bit of leadership and direction, being a halfback he wants someone to direct the team around and have a big impact on games.

“We talked about different players and what we can achieve this year.”

For a few weeks Hunt put the Dragons out of his mind while he got married and focused on pulling on the green and gold.

After claiming the World Cup, Hunt and his family left Brisbane for Sydney.

That’s when Hunt’s former Broncos teammate Benji Marshall stepped in.

Ben Hunt during his time with the Broncos. Source: AAP

Having spent three years at the Dragons, Marshall is still close to several players including Nightingale. It’s through this mutual friendship that a winger and half have become inseparable.

“Benji’s great like that,” Nightingale said.

“We organised to meet up for a feed. Benji and his wife and Ben came around for Christmas for a bit to say hello and have a beer.

“I don’t have any family over here and Ben was away from his family so it’s important to have a bit of community.

“Then straight into a car pool full of peer pressure with myself, Tyson, Jeremy Latimore and James Graham. It’s helped him feel more comfortable.”