Karmichael Hunt a ‘perfect fit’ for Reds, says former code-hopper Clinton Schifcofske

KARMICHAEL Hunt is the “perfect fit” at fullback for the shake-up at the Reds, where the leadership he will offer James O’Connor is going to be a bonus.

CODE-collector Karmichael Hunt is the “perfect fit” at fullback for the shake-up at the Queensland Reds where the leadership he will offer wayward spirit James O’Connor is going to be the big ­unseen bonus.

That’s the respected view of Clinton Schifcofske, who turned his late-in-career jump from rugby league to rugby union into a four-year success at the Reds and Irish club Ulster between 2006-10.

Schifcofske made the switch at fullback too.

He believes the tackling technique and timing of runs into the line that have been latent within Hunt will be dusted off quickly.

Schifcofske saw no drawback to the five seasons that Hunt has devoted to Australian Rules on the Gold Coast since he last touched a rugby union ball for French club Biarritz in the Heineken Cup final in May, 2010.

Karmichael Hunt had a stint in rugby union with French club Biarritz in 2010.

“He’s a supreme athlete and mentally tough, which are two of the biggest plusses he brings to any code,” Schifcofske said.

“Karmichael has already proven he can play rugby, at school with Churchie and with Biarritz, plus his kicking for rugby will have improved out of sight with all he has learned in AFL.

“Mate, he’s a perfect fit for the Reds. Absolutely, I can see him being a successful fullback for them and they’ll get a big bonus from the leadership he can offer guys like O’Connor and other young blokes.

“He’s a mature footballer at 27 with good habits. He’s a smart target for the Reds.

“From Karmichael’s side of things, this is a very good pathway. He can play a couple of seasons at the Reds and then head to Japan or Europe to play.

“To be honest, it was going to be much harder on the body going back to rugby league with the physical workload of a fullback.”

The Reds will announce the marquee signings of O’Connor and Hunt on Friday at their gala end-of-season ball.

Reds coach Richard Graham has said that wing was the slot for O’Connor from the start of speculation that the energetic 44-Test spark was Reds-bound.

Clinton Schifcofske made a successful transition from rugby league to rugby union with the Reds.

With winger-fullbacks Aidan Toua, Dom Shipperley, Rod Davies and Jonah Placid all parting ways with the Reds, those two key backline positions have always been priority positions to fill.

Fielding a first-choice backline that reads Hunt, O’Connor, Samu Kerevi, Ben Tapuai, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Quade Cooper and Will Genia suddenly has a look of some punch about it after some of the impotent patches of the recent Super Rugby season.

Credit for wooing Hunt is squarely with the Reds, who seem certain to be paying his entire contract themselves, without Australian Rugby Union assistance.

“Fullback” is not a position of need for the Wallabies, with Israel Folau and Kurtley Beale in the picture, so it would make no sense in tight financial times for them to supplement his contract in a quickie one-season run up to the World Cup.

Originally published as Karmichael Hunt a ‘perfect fit’ for Reds, says former code-hopper Clinton Schifcofske