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Jury out on Karmichael Hunt return for Suns

9th August, 2011
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According to his coach Guy McKenna, code hopper Karmichael Hunt has “hit the wall” in his transition to AFL. But the Gold Coast mentor is adamant Hunt is not tempted to return to rugby league.

McKenna said Hunt was at long odds to run out in the second Queensland derby with Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night due to illness.

But he had no time for continued speculation about Hunt’s AFL future.

Just last month, McKenna himself was cautious about Hunt remaining in the AFL, saying “as the Broncos and NRL found out – things can change”.

But he appeared determined to shoot down the rumours once and for all on Tuesday, wasting no time getting on the front foot when again asked about Hunt’s AFL intentions.

“Who told you that? Who are they?” McKenna said on Tuesday, when asked that Hunt had been linked to a league return after his Suns contract expired in 2012.

“Look, he has answered that (question) and I have as well.

“He has developed well. He has had a massive two years.

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“Playing AFL footy is a massive step for his body to get through.

“We are very comfortable with K and what he has been able to do – we see him being long term at the footy club.”

But McKenna played down talk that Hunt might bounce back from missing the last round 150-point shellacking at the hands of Geelong by taking on their arch-rivals this weekend.

“He was obviously very crook leading into the Geelong game, and I would say he was more likely not playing than playing, given his illness,” he said.

He was still hopeful of Hunt playing again this season despite claiming the ex-Broncos fullback “looked cooked” a week before the Geelong clash.

“I would say he has probably hit the wall … he looked cooked when I subbed him off against St Kilda,” McKenna told Fox Sports’ On the Couch program on Monday night.

“He looked gone. Since then, he had a meltdown, he got the flu and all those sorts of things.

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“I said to him I think it is your body having a cry for help.

“We will manage him but if he gets himself up, we will play him again.”

Hunt was confident he would finish the AFL season well after bouncing back from a “nasty gastro bug”.

“I’ve got plenty left to give this season,” Hunt said in his Gold Coast Bulletin column on Tuesday.

“I lost about three or four kilograms and ate next to nothing for a few days so I was in a pretty bad way (due to illness).

“Thankfully, I have come good now…I think I will be right to play this Saturday in the seniors or twos.”

Hunt has played 13 AFL games this year and another two in the reserves since making his multi-million dollar code switch.

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