Cool Karmichael Hunt is Gold Coast's man for the moment

KARMICHAEL Hunt was considered "The Iceman" at the Gold Coast Suns before he kicked the match-winning goal against Richmond.

Karmichael Hunt

KARMICHAEL Hunt was considered "The Iceman" at the Gold Coast Suns before he kicked the match-winning goal against Richmond in Cairns on Saturday.

His reputation for being cool, calm and composed in a crisis became stuff of legend when he slotted a drop punt from 30m out after the siren to hand Gold Coast their first win this year.

The Suns were in no doubt the Sherrin was in the hands of the right man with the game on the line.

Four points down and with the siren gone, the man with the nerves of steel did his thing.

Suns captain Gary Ablett tried to help ease any nerves Hunt may have been feeling before the kick but his words of wisdom were not required.

"He was quite confident, the big fella," Ablett said.

"I said to him, it doesn't matter whether he kicks it or not. Obviously I would have preferred that he kicked it. I was just trying to take some pressure off his shoulders but he didn't need my help.

"He went back and slotted it through beautifully."

Gold Coast manager Marcus Ashcroft said he was not surprised by how Hunt handled the scenario.

"We all had huge confidence he would kick the goal because he is a very competitive person who likes the pressure and soaks it up," Ashcroft said.

Hunt played his first senior match of Australian football only two years ago when he turned out for the Suns in a VFL fixture at Craigieburn in suburban Melbourne.

His first kick at goal that day looked anything but fluid and confident. It was a clunky, awkward kick that was lucky to get off the ground.

Fast forward two years and he showed the poise and skill of a veteran.

Having played State of Origin, Test matches, an NRL grand final and a European Cup rugby final, he is no stranger to the big stage. Pressure is pressure regardless of the code.

Hunt devoured it at Cazalys Stadium on Saturday night and was quick to deflect much of the kudos to Brandon Matera, who found Hunt inside the attacking 50 with a clever pass in the dying seconds.

"A lot of credit goes to Fish Matera for spotting me up. That kick from the boundary was on target," Hunt said.

"If he didn't have the vision and that poise to put it on my chest, we wouldn't be here talking about this moment."

Suns coach Guy McKenna said Hunt's post-siren goal would be significant in his overall development.

"It was a super effort by K. For K to do that, I think it says a lot about him," he said.

"The fact he is not getting carried away by it also says a lot about him.

"He understands to do that is one thing but he still wants to be our premier midfielder."

McKenna had a bird's eye view of Hunt's matchwinner and his only concern was distance, not accuracy or Hunt's ability to handle the pressure.

"I was standing right behind him and it never deviated. He hit it in the perfect spot. It was just fantastic for him and for the side to hang in there and show that fight and grit," he said.