Reds’ gamble on Karmichael Hunt at flyhalf will pay off, says injured pivot Quade Cooper

CONFIDENCE is the innate calling card within Karmichael Hunt that has convinced master playmaker Quade Cooper he will be a successful punt as Reds flyhalf.

Karmichael Hunt at Qld Reds training Ballymore. Pic Jono Searle.

CONFIDENCE is the innate calling card within Karmichael Hunt that has convinced master playmaker Quade Cooper he will be a successful punt as Reds flyhalf on Friday night.

A big turnout at Ballymore will get to judge for themselves with Hunt up against Crusaders kingpin Dan Carter, one of history’s finest in the position.

The Reds are hunting for a flyhalf while Carter, at 32, has been channelling the old Dan in camp on the Gold Coast where he has looked “really sharp”, according to coach Todd Blackadder.

It is a riveting scenario within tonight’s final trial because the Reds have plenty of tuning still to do in the backline to beat the ACT Brumbies in a week in their Super Rugby opener.

Long-time Wallaby Cooper spent 20 minutes of one-on-one time with Hunt in the centre of Ballymore after training yesterday.

The quickie flyhalf tutorial was full of hand directions, nodding, questions and feedback.

“I back Karmichael’s ability. Confidence is a big thing because you can’t train that into a player,” the injured Cooper said.

“We chatting mostly about calling and a bit about positioning. He’s a footballer who has been around a long time and he’s excited about this chance.

“Having a halfback like Willy Genia inside him is massive assistance so he knows it’s not all up to him.”

The Reds are taking more of a gamble than anyone in the camp is admitting by handing the No. 10 jersey to a player with no relevant history as a playmaker after four years in the AFL.

James O’Connor must still be odds on to play flyhalf against the Brumbies in Canberra.

He won’t be playing tonight but he was perky again yesterday after a week laid low by tonsillitis.

Hunt’s tackling is a strength and he’ll get the chance to prove it with four rumbling All Black forwards likely to help tenderise his shoulders.

“I’m sure the Crusaders will run traffic at the No. 10 channel but you do that whether Jonny Wilkinson or anyone else is there,” Reds coach Richard Graham said.

“Each week, Karmichael is learning more about the game.”

There is not a lot of passing slickness outside Genia in the backs. Whether Anthony Faingaa, Samu Kerevi, fullback Jamie-Jerry Taulagi and Chris Feauai-Sautia can consistently nail their passes is one of tonight’s biggest tests or the backline will stutter.

Backrowers Jake Schatz and Curtis Browning must produce because former All Black Adam Thomson will take one of their spots when he is ready to roll.

Graham has elected not to play Thomson tonight. He wants to give him a progressive return to contact because he’s been three weeks without it because of a shoulder issue and his exit from Japan.

“We expected he’d be ready to play but without the contact work we think it wiser to progress him through training over the next week so he’s available against the Brumbies,” Graham said.

Originally published as Reds’ gamble on Karmichael Hunt at flyhalf will pay off, says injured pivot Quade Cooper