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Hunt named for Reds debut

Expert
29th January, 2015
29

Karmichael Hunt has been named to make his first appearance in a Queensland Reds jersey in Saturday’s trial against the Melbourne Rebels in Cairns.

But fellow recruit James O’Connor is among a 10-man casualty list of players unavailable either due to injury or recent surgery.

O’Connor is carrying a knee injury but coach Richard Graham said he will be fit for the Reds’ second pre-season clash with the Highlanders at Ballymore next week.

With O’Connor and playmaker Quade Cooper sidelined, all eyes at Barlow Park will be locked squarely on Hunt as he tackles his third code of football.

Hunt also has history in Cairns – Cazalys Stadium was the scene of his greatest moment as an AFL footballer, when he kicked the winning goal after the siren for the Gold Coast Suns against Richmond in 2012.

Graham said he was excited to finally see Hunt in a game situation.

“There’s no doubt you’re going to see a guy that has a lot of confidence in the game,” he said.

“If you’ve watched Karmichael through the pre-season, he’s very vocal, very dominant, very confident in the way he’s gone about his work.

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“There’ll be times where he’ll find himself in situations he hasn’t in the last couple of years.

“I go back to (Israel) Folau’s first game against the Reds two years ago – he certainly looked lost.

“But the thing about the best players is they pick it up quickly. It only took Folau one game.”

Another rugby league convert, 20-year-old Brisbane Broncos recruit Duncan Paia’aua, will get the first opportunity to step into the fly-half position made vacant by Cooper, who had surgery on his fractured collarbone on Tuesday.

Paia’aua grew up watching Hunt, Cooper and Genia as a youngster and admitted he didn’t expect to get his chance this early.

“I’m very grateful for Richard having the confidence in me to put me in the squad straight away,” he said.

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