After just thirteen starts in the AFL, News Limited have reported NRL convert Karmichael Hunt is “burnt out”, and struggling to reach the required fitness to play to his full potential in AFL.
Guy McKenna put his star recruit’s fitness problems down to the immense physical toll of playing three different football codes within such a short space of time.
Most AFL players have been training their body to cope with the rigorous demands of Aussie Rules from a very young age. Even when they finally achieve the dream and make it into an AFL team, the gruelling pre-season fitness regime each team undertakes year after year, stepping it up a level each time, is simply awe-inspiring.
Most newbies will take a good few years before they reach a level where they are deemed a genuine asset to their team.
Yet, Hunt has had just two concentrated years of AFL (with his time in years prior spent in union and league), and naturally, his body is not coping.
Hunt is currently down with the flu, and as such, is not expected to take the field against the Cats on Saturday.
McKenna has only just come out with this honest admission about Hunt’s fitness issues, though it has been quite obvious for weeks now that he’s has not been at his best.
Lately each and every shot of him on the ground, is not a positive one – seen hunched over, clutching his shorts and gasping for air, it’s not a good sight. He’s out of contests, and isn’t searching to get involved as much as he did at the start of the season.
We all know he is a supreme athlete, but this situation really highlights just how difficult this move has been for Hunt.
I am not happy about this.
I am one of those who have been genuinely excited by the NRL to AFL experiment, and if anyone was going to do it, it would be Karmichael.
He started well enough, too. Had his moments, sure, but all in all, he held his own just fine, as many fellow AFL players would later attest to. His massive frame was obviously still a work in progress, but he was coping okay.
But now, understandably, it’s all catching up with him.
Remember Hunt’s glorious 60 metre goal back in May? It was a stunning kick, perfectly executed, and the scenes at Metricon Stadium were enough to bring even the most devoted NRL fan to their feet.
It’d be really sad if we didn’t see Hunt at that sort of level again this season. That’s not what the fans want, not what the club want, and certainly not what the AFL want. But unfortunately, that might be the reality.
McKenna has said that the coaching staff and Hunt will have to evaluate how to proceed for the remainder of the season.
It is not yet known if he will re-sign with Gold Coast or if he will return to another code.
Ever the optimist, I hope he re-signs with the Suns when his contract is up.
He has the potential to be one of their top players, and the crowds love him. But in his current role in the team, his fitness just isn’t at the right level. He’s not far off, but I’d hate to see him leave AFL because of it.
Going back to league or union would be the easy way out. He hasn’t chosen the easy road in the past, so why start now.
I say, keep at it Karmichael.
ChrisH
Guest
I'm loving the emergence of long, piercing kicking like this kid has as a particular feature/focus/skill of the game. It's obviously spectacular, but the potential to break ranks with this thing is huge. Anything that can trigger the game into new strategic directions is good for mine.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Cannon fires again this arvo: http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=120353&utm_medium=RSS
Ken
Guest
We should all bow down to Aware, who was the only person around who suspected this was just a publicity stunt!
Ken
Guest
'I smell an apologist' Really? Some of The Cattery's posts on this thread might deserve that but this one makes a lot of sense to me. Hunt has been basically playing professional sport for 2 straight years without an off-season, and the last year or so has included learning a new game altogether - it's not a major surprise the bloke is worn-out. I guess it's all grist for the mill, I mean he's only paid to make headlines right, and here's another one.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
The article compares to a few other good kicks, nearly all left footers, with that characteristic "ping" factor.
ChrisH
Guest
Yep, the kid's a freak kick. Maybe even better than Daniel Rich.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
To change subject slightly, here's a great article on one of Hunt's younger team mates, Trent McKenzie, with the sweet left foot. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/football-world-at-his-feet-20110729-1i4h5.html His 70m goals have been a treat this season, and definitely a highlight of the Suns' inaugural season.
ChrisH
Guest
Where's Stavros when the leagies need him?! On hand with some pseudoscience about how rugby league players are genetically superior athletes possessing bones with the same tensile strength as titanium and able to withstand more g forces than fighter pilots. Truth is they're not all that fit really.
checkurbum4roids
Guest
Absolutely agree James gcs players are all new still learning there brand of football.expecting him to be a star this early in afl is naive.Iimagine if he started in a team such as collingwood where the brand is already developed and ball supply is of greater quality the star may have shone brighter.Iwish him all the best and have full faith once the suns other young guns improve there tempo skills decision making etc he will be a valuable contributer.
James
Guest
Hunt could probably play in the VFL and be an OK player. He could be a good AFL player with about two or three years run up despite his build. In the timescale they are asking? Hunt is an amazing athlete in my opinion and even as an AFL fan I watched him play for QLD in the few times Billy "the insanely amazing" Slater was not in the seat. But the codes are simply two different to make the switch in such a short period. We are talking about getting a professionally trained body to build an entirely different kind of muscle for an entirely different purpose in a matter of months and then throw that body into a team mostly made up of kids playing against seasoned men where weak links are almost certain to be exposed time and time again. How well did people expect him to do? If Hunt was a lesser athlete he would not have made it this far, the fact that he has is a great tribute to him. After seeing his first match I thought he would be dead by now.
James
Guest
It's a dream to think he could play in a GF side, but my God imagine being the bloke who has played in both Origin series for QLD and the AFL's biggest day? Boxing day test opener could round it out. As I said highly unlikely, but worth a shot if you are crazy enough? Hell yes.
James
Guest
"This does not make me a “hater”. Just someone envied for being right all the time." I disagree with your point, but I am so stealing your line.
Aware
Guest
No, he's not "too small". It's just that he's prepared his whole adult life for a different discipline. You can't change just like that to suit, especially at the highest level. He could perhaps fit in at an outer suburban 3rd division competition, but to go straight to the top is unrealistic. That's why I think it was a stunt.
Too short
Guest
Hunt is too small to play football. He looks like a dwarf out there. He gets outmarked by just regular sized players. The gimmick is no longer required. Send him back to tiddle-le-winks.
Alitis
Guest
I Agree. In league he was just a ball runner and they are dime a dozen. Look at Brisbane this year. In reality it was Lockyer who made him look good.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
I'm a late and reluctant believer in Hunt as an AFL player,,,,..on balance I think he's done enough to hold his spot as a rookie....of course like many rookies he has shown glimpses of very good play and a lot of ordinary play...and like most rookies he needs a rest and can't just front up and play a full season...he'll never reach great heights but he'll be a contributor - and even if he is a marginal player the right thing for GC to do is offer him a renewal with a promotional component again (maybe not as generous as the first offer but enough to allow him to finish his career at the Suns if that what he wants) ...and who knows, if he sticks with GC he could end up playing in AFL finals or GF at the MCG which would be a very handy addition to his CV...
brendan
Guest
My apologies Ian you are 100% correct regarding Karmicheal Hunts salary.I thought the greater part of it was promotional.
brendan
Guest
Not all his salary is promotional Ian and mark my words that Sheedy ,a more experienced coach,will start Israel Folau as a forward.
Aware
Guest
A complete folly to try and convert rugby league players to Aussie Rules. Different type of training for rugby league. Lots of stop-start. Short burst running. Doesn't require the same aerobic fitness as Australian Rules football. Body built for constant hard contact, not running and jumping. Exactly as I predicted at the start of the season. Aware right again, as always. KH was used as a publicity stunt, nothing more. This does not make me a "hater". Just someone envied for being right all the time.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Brendan, Hunt's salary doesnt come under the cap, and he got sent to the backline to learn those skills before going into the midfield.