Karmichael Hunt eyes Wallabies dream after signing three-year with Queensland Reds

“I WANT to be a Wallaby” were the telling words from Karmichael Hunt that his jump to the Reds is not the cosy end to his three-code career.

Karmichael Hunt to formally announce he will leave the Gold Coast Suns at the end of the season during a press conference at Metricon Stadium. Pics Adam Head

“I WANT to be a Wallaby” were the telling words from Karmichael Hunt that his jump to the Queensland Reds is not the cosy end to his three-code career.

It is the start of a chase for something bigger that can only be a huge plus for the rebuilding of the Reds and also Australian rugby.

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The big surprise to Hunt’s unveiling on Friday night as the prized Reds recruit at fullback was him signing on for three years rather than the two that most expected.

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It guarantees he will be having a full-on crack at becoming a Wallaby rather than using the Reds as a convenient springboard to a big payday at an overseas club in France or Japan.

He can also be a beacon for behaviour off the field for fellow recruit James O’Connor so all the chatter about him changing his self-centred ways actually comes true.

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Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Jim Carmichael on Friday night revealed discussions with Hunt’s management about a switch from AFL to rugby were opened nine months ago.

Karmichael Hunt has signed a three-year deal with the Queensland Reds.

Intriguingly, Carmichael was still working at the AFL’s head office in Melbourne in 2009 when that code first hatched the audacious plan to woo Hunt to the AFL from rugby league.

“The AFL determined, separate to his athletic ability, that he had outstanding qualities in his character,” Carmichael said.

“He’s an outstanding bloke and I’m thrilled he is at the Reds. He is going to complement the leadership and culture of the team perfectly.”

Clinton Schifcofske (2006-08) and Mark McLinden (2009) made late-in-career jumps from rugby league to play fullback at the Reds without ever having Wallaby lustre to them. Hunt does.

“I didn’t want to get into any three-way, three-code negotiation with other sports if Karmichael didn’t really want to play rugby,” Carmichael said.

“The whole time he has indicated a genuineness for rugby. His passion for Queensland is enormous and the guy said straight out ‘I want to be a Wallaby’."

At 27, Hunt’s fearless qualities as a defender, his knack as a fine hole runner and his experience will be major plusses as well as the kick-defusing skills that AFL has enhanced.

The unbudgeable figure of Israel Folau blocks Hunt’s way to the fullback jersey at the Wallabies so the intrigue will be how he might ever squeeze into anything more than a reserves slot.

Rugby will get a sneak peek soon enough. Hunt must play a game or two in the new National Rugby Championship for Brisbane City if he is serious about taking the fast track into rugby.

He hasn’t played rugby since his 2009-10 season with French club Biarritz so just getting accustomed to the different knocks, running angles and rules will take time.

Originally published as Karmichael Hunt eyes Wallabies dream after signing three-year with Queensland Reds