Karmichael Hunt’s form of late has silenced plenty of doubters. Oddly, those that guaranteed us he’d fail are suddenly nowhere to be found.
He now looks like an actual footballer out on the field and is using his considerable presence to Gold Coast’s advantage by laying tackles and damaging, yet legal, bumps.
Former Hawthorn champion Dermott Brereton says he’s the most feared player on the Gold Coast list. It’s hard to disagree.
That role was originally designated to Campbell Brown, a premiership player no less, but in just his second season Hunt has taken over and made it his own.
But this isn’t just a story about a big body throwing his weight around. Karmichael is winning his own footy – reaching 20 disposals in two of his past three games – and creating – he averages 2.3 inside 50s a game.
Sure, these numbers could be better. But I’ve always looked at Hunt for what he actually is, not what the size of his pay packet is.
And as someone in just his third season of playing the game at any level, those numbers are eerily comparable to the first six games of Jim Stynes in 1988, his third season in Melbourne and second at AFL level.
The final part of Hunt’s game which has been so noticeable is how he manages to lift his teammates. It’s obvious they have great affection for him and it seems whenever he pulls off a big play – like that bump on Angus Monfries against Essendon – it adds to the confidence of the whole playing group.
All of this led to me asking a peculiar question over the weekend: are there other AFL clubs that could use a Karmichael Hunt?
After a bit of thought, the answer was yes.
With taggers back in vogue this season, those that can physically intimidate are even more of a sought-after commodity right now. Surely there a number of clubs who wouldn’t mind a hard man to throw in the midfield to ensure opponents don’t get an easy run at it.
Sides in the middle of their premiership window might have other priorities than developing a player from a non-football background, but there are plenty who could use a Hunt-type player.
After all, while the Suns aren’t the best team around, it remains that they are a better team with Hunt playing than they are with him on the sidelines. That’s the true sign that he’s bringing something to the table.
The AFL’s days of poaching big name rugby league players, at this stage, seem over. It was a unique set of circumstances that led to Hunt going to the Suns and Israel Folau heading to the GWS Giants, and both moves would never have happened had the AFL not stumped up the cash it did.
However, it might prove to be the case that fringe NRL players identified as suitable for a switch become the target of AFL clubs.
It might be that if Folau does not re-sign with the Giants at the end of his current contract, the temptation for the AFL to become involved may again re-emerge.
Also, players lingering below the NRL level might be willing to jump at the chance to land an AFL contract.
The latter situation would seem to be the most likely. This already happens in basketball with players struggling to land an NBL contract and it definitely helps that players without recent Aussie Rules experience can be signed as an extra rookie.
Some would no doubt use this happening as an argument for how “AFL’s such an easy game to play”. But those people would be showing enormous disregard for the work Karmichael Hunt has done just to get to this point.
The message here isn’t that’s it’s easy, but rather that it’s possible. And there can be significant rewards at the end of it.
One thing’s for sure, though: if what Karmichael Hunt is bringing to the Gold Coast Suns continues, rugby league players can absolutely be considered a legitimate recruiting option.
Publicity stunt? Not anymore.
yewonk
Guest
no dont think the nrl is a good recruitment ground unless they had layed afl also. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ZUa2GSXsM
Lachlan
Roar Guru
Agree with this article 100%
Dingo
Guest
I can't help but imagine some of these blokes who deride the skills required to play Aussie Rules having just enough skills themselves to be able to eat a Big Mac, fries and drink a large thickshake while typing onehanded at the same time.
Frank Lee Kennedy
Guest
Ian, if your statement “But its a game that cannibalises your existing game.” would be right, the Rugby League fraternity around the World would not wait with so much excitement every year for the SOO period. Shown in 52 countries last year, it is the envy of your sport (AFL) for so long, that is why you turned off the REPLY button after answering me when you run out of answers. Sad, is not it? Rugby League State of Origin is the SHOWPIECE of the “Great Game of Rugby League” as you mentioned. That’s why it Prospered. You are deluding yourself if you think League will care about secondary talent like Gagai is going to find AFL as its new home. They will all come back, just like after Union with plenty of COIN. Remember: I've been to cities that never close down, from New York to Rio and old London town, but no matter how far or how wide I roam, I still call Rugby League my home.
Norm
Guest
ICAR seems to have trouble understanding his own quotes! "$200 mill into Team GWS & the growth of AFL in NSW". That is an investment in a state of 7 million, not just the GWS Giants. But he has a barrow to push, of course.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
Its not me saying the $400 million, read this article http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-to-retain-nrl-grand-final-20100608-xsk6.html "Importantly, the NSW government's investment will activate an AFL commitment to invest a further $200 million into Team GWS and the growth of AFL in NSW through to 2016," NSW Sports Minister Kevin Greene said. " The AFL have invested $200 million in GWS till 2016 [over 5 years - $40million a year] and a similar amount for GCS = $400 million for 2 new teams. Why do you people keep denying it like its something evil.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
I take it that's your way of accepting he would have been more than handy on the basketball court?
Milz
Guest
How do you think his jockey career would have gone?
ManInBlack
Guest
there's a difference between considering NZ as a future AFL team base as distinct to the first international base to host AFL matches. The latter breaks a glass ceiling so to speak. It provides an acknowledgement to the great strides forward in footy in the South Pacific region. And, perhaps, were there a suitable venue pretty well ready to go in Port Moresby than perhaps we'd see a game up there - perhaps at very least an NEAFL game or two. At any rate - if Wellington becomes a recognised AFL venue - then, it becomes a venue with AFL credibility that might be useful in other 'events'.
dan
Guest
would they be willing to have Fui Fui make Chop Suey out of them though?
Jaceman
Guest
Garbage, new source of players, TV rights etc. Should the NRL go to Perth and Adelaide before CC - same qn....ACT Minister is Hawks fan
Jaceman
Guest
So when Hinds wrote positive NRL articles in the past year that was because NRL owns the media??? Friday night 5 caps TV numbers are up and the aggregate by the end of the season will be the same or thereabouts depending on the weather and depending on who GWS and GCS play. So NRL gets 3m (how are they going), the AFL gets 6m, HAL gets....
The Cattery
Roar Guru
ICAR asks why the Giants have played only one game at Blacktown. Because Blacktown isn't its home ground!
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Yes - it is fair - they both have time to judge the flight of the ball, and one has timed his leap for the ball better than the other. If you are caught too far in front such that you make an excellent launching pad, then that's bad luck for you. Note that you are not allowed to use your hands, i.e. in the back or over the shoulder, in that respect, the rules are very similar to soccer.
ManInBlack
Guest
btw - MVDave - when doing the aggregate based on similar number of games - when we've already acknowledged that the average is reduced - then, yup - the aggregate on that comparison will be down. The aggregate is the figure the NRL jumped up and down about in 2007 when the introduction of the TItans added 12 games and saw them push over 3 million H&A agg for the first time. It's similar to the number HAL fans push when they added about 50 extra games a couple of years back - the average was slaughtered - but the aggregate improved. The point is - that the average doesn't drop so much as to negatively impact economics. I think for now the AFL would be happy enough. Somewhere around 33,000-34,000 with the Suns and Giants, and don't forget the bull in the kitchen - live coverage on FTA.
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
In that Andrew Walker "mark of the year" he is kneeling on top of his opponents head. How is he supposed to catch the ball with someone kneeling on top of his head? Is that a fair contest and a fair mark?
ItsCalled AussieRules
Roar Rookie
Ian, They've been playing regional games for years and doesn't explain the trend. Why then after 7 rounds has GWS only played one game at its home ground at Blacktown. Is it because they had an attendance of only 6.7K? Sydney FC's last home game had an attendance of 14.8K, more than double. Maybe they should play more GWS games at regional centres, not less.
ManInBlack
Guest
what I'm surprised about here is that anyone would seriously suggest that there wouldn't have been successive drops in average attendances from 2010 to 2011 (intro of Suns) and 2011 to 2012 (addition of GWS). re the aggregate - without any bye this year - any comparison of 6 rounds worth of matches from 2012 to 7 rounds worth from 2011 will include 6 Giants games and 6 Suns games. From 2011, it will only have included 6 Suns games as they had a bye in Rnd 1. So, is anyone seriously surprised??
ManInBlack
Guest
just wait - the way Adrian Anderson is going it won't be long before the AFL fun police ban these (seccies) too.
clipper
Guest
I'm with you on offering a different point of view, but calling yourself 'Itscalled AussieRules' and spelling Karmichael with a C after saying how he was splashed all over the papers this week may be just a bit provocative.