World Footy News

In a sensational case of switching codes, the AFL today welcomed the signing of Rugby League Australian representative Karmichael Hunt to play with the Gold Coast Football Club and also to take on a game development role with the AFL and AFL Queensland. AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou said the signing of Karmichael Hunt (pictured with coach Guy McKenna) was a coup for the club and showed that it was an innovative club that was prepared to look outside the square in recruiting the best talent.

Mr Demetriou said Hunt was an exciting AFL prospect who had welcomed the prospect of staying and playing elite sport in Queensland and also in helping to promote and develop the AFL code in the state through a development role with the AFL and AFL Queensland. He said while it was not unusual for junior athletes from other codes to cross to AFL, it was the first time an established rugby league player had crossed over since Ray Smith in the 1970s who crossed codes to play more than 100 games with Essendon and Melbourne.

“When it was reported that Karmichael was considering changing codes and moving overseas and that he was serious about considering a career in the AFL, we were happy to look at ways that he could play with Gold Coast Football Club and work with the AFL to promote the code in his home state of Queensland,” Mr Demetriou said. Hunt, born in Auckland, reportedly played something like 9 games of Aussie Rules in his final year of High School, in Brisbane.


Karmichaeal Hunt has been signed under Player Rule 21.3.4 (a) II which any AFL club can use to sign a player who has not been registered for at least three full years with any recognised Australian football competition at any level of the game. Karmichael obviously qualifies under this rule which is reported;y the same rule that was used by Carlton to recruit Setanta and Aisake O’hAilpin who came from an Irish Hurling background. Sydney has currently listed Jake Orreal on its rookie list who came from a volleyball background and Collingwood also has currently listed rookie Lachlan Keefe, who came from a soccer background.

Mr Demetriou said the AFL’s General Manager (National and International Development) David Matthews and AIS AFL Academy AIS-AFL High Performance Coach Jason McCartney and assistant coach Nathan Buckley, along with AFL Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan had all been involved with Gold Coast Recruiting Manager Scott Clayton in assessing Hunt’s ability to play AFL at the highest level.

“I think this is an exciting day for the Gold Coast Football Club and also for the AFL to have such a talented sportsman who has achieved so much in his own sport wanting to take up the challenge to play for a new club in the AFL,” Mr Demetriou said. “This is a unique set of circumstances. Karmichael was identified as an outstanding teenager when he was at school and the talent managers in Queensland still talk about Karmichael as the standout schoolboy talent who got away. We think he can make an impact as a player and also in developing the game in Queensland at community level.”

Mr Demetriou said he had met Hunt and his girlfriend Emma and had been impressed by his enthusiasm for playing AFL and also for his desire to make an impact off the field through his work in development and in working to build the community connection between the new club and the Gold Coast community. “He is a proud Queenslander and the unique opportunity to stay in Queensland and play sport at the elite level while also being a part of building a new national club on the Gold Coast was a big part of his decision,” he said.

As part of the arrangement, Hunt will work for the AFL and AFL Queensland in development and promotional roles for three years. He will join the club mid-way through next year after playing a season of rugby.