Karmichael Hunt has taken the first small steps towards becoming the first man to play rugby league, rugby union and AFL at elite level by successfully completing his first training session for Gold Coast Football Club at Carrara this morning.
And anyone convinced Hunt’s bold move to AFL was all an elaborate marketing ploy would have walked away bitterly disappointed.
Here’s the observed facts: Hunt’s right boot was accurate and reliable, his handballing was assured, despite the drizzly conditions he didn’t fumble, he tracked the ball naturally and his agility and mobility was first class. And all this on top of an early morning 2km time trial when he clocked a jet-lagged 7.29 – already ahead of seven of his teammates when they had a full pre-season under their belts.
After training he expressed relief to finally get out on the paddock and even managed a light-hearted dig at the blanket coverage of his much publicised code switch.
“It’s been a long a wait. So it was good to get out there and hopefully please you guys [the media] and hopefully you guys can get lost after today.”
Any nerves before that first kick this morning?
“Nah. If I thought too much I probably would have shanked it. No thinking does me good sometimes. And the boys have been great. And they were all helping out with the drills and encouraging me and making me feel part of the side.”
Senior Coach Guy McKenna was pleased with Hunt’s first up hit out.
“The roar when he broke out of our helter skelter drill and hit a forward lace out. I mean some of our boys struggle to do that after two years. He’s obviously put some time and effort into it. He’s played the game before, we’ve been through that. But he looked pretty comfortable doing it.”
McKenna emphasised the importance of Hunt’s experience in elite sport as part of a young group most of whom who are only just finding their feet as professional sportspeople.
“Karmichael is a six, seven year professional athlete. That’s something that Daniel Harris is. So too Michael Coad. But now we have our third. As an in-group leader he’ll be fantastic.”
He foreshadowed a slot in the GCFC forward line when Hunt eventually debuts.
“He’ll go out now and speak to [forward coach] Ken Hinkley about our forward structures. I reckon he’s probably going to end up forward where he can attack the ball at his own leisure and take on the game in his own terms.”
At this stage Hunt is likely to play his first game for GCFC when the club lines up against Coburg Tigers at Craigieburn in Melbourne in a fortnight’s time.
