World Footy News

At a time where the full impact of the ASADA investigation into the “Essendon 34” for alleged use of banned peptides is yet to reach a conclusion, news from the neighbouring world of Rugby League regarding the supply and trafficking of Cocaine to other players and members of the public has further hammered the image of the game.

Front and centre in this latest Rugby League furore is former Gold Coast Suns AFL footballer, Karmichael Hunt. Along with lesser known Gold Coast Titans players, and separate investigations into past great players, a new cloud has fallen over professional Australian team football codes, which is sure to have further implications as the net of investigation gets cast wider.

Most disturbing for Australian Rules football are the charges laid against former AFL footballer, Hunt, whose legacy as a code-hopper made a wonderful story of possibility for future generations. With the formation of the Gold Coast Suns, Hunt signed on with the fledgling club in 2009 for a seven figure sum to become a poster boy for the new entity. After becoming a start Rugby League player for the Brisbane Broncos, playing State Of Origin football for Queensland and being selected to play for the Australian Kangaroos, Hunt sought a different direction.

(Picture: Karmichael Hunt's match winning goal after the siren against Richmond in Cairns, 2012)
Hunt possessed a number of qualities which would make him a great PR weapon for the Gold Coast Suns AFL team. A New Zealand born lad with parents from both Samoa and the Cook Islands in the Pacific, he had also played some Australian Rules footy in school. The theory was that a switch to the new code from Rugby League would be easier than many thought.

But after his 44 senior game, six goal career, where he earned millions, Hunt left the Suns for a higher (or arguably better paid) calling to join the Queensland Reds Rugby team. In January this year he was made a vice-captain of the team.

This incredibly successful, and lucrative, career was a promotional success for the Gold Coast Suns as young kids slowly began a conversion from solely Rugby League support to AFL also. Kids across Queensland and New South Wales saw the code of Australian Rules football validated by Hunt and gave it a go, or at least a higher level of respect – proven in my own case in Cairns, Far North Queensland.

But to have Hunt now the centre of charges into drug trafficking, as laid on four counts by the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission, will now have a potentially damaging effect on the sport, and the kids who have idolised him along the way. He was a role model to many kids who will now see his story as one of both great success but also harmful messages and life choices.

To have these charges, and the associated negative press, occur just prior to the start of a new footy code season – all thee codes will be in full swing shortly – and also at a time where a decision looms for the ASADA accused Essendon players, footy may have just seen sent to a darker place than the now infamous “darkest day in sport” back in 2013.

The outcome of Karmichael Hunt’s case will be keenly watched by most sports followers in Australia – Rugby, Rugby League, AFL or interested others - as the possibility of a fallen idol may lead to unplanned but unwanted negative publicity through the highest sporting ranks in the country. The knock on effects of this will also be felt at grassroots level as the next generation of players (kids) ask themselves what message Hunt and his co-charged are sending them.

In the case of Australian Rules football, the Hunt story might well be over and his problems belong to Rugby now. But that is too convenient, and the truth is that there are many kids now playing Aussie Rules in states like Queensland and New South Wales as a result of his example.

We need to hope that that is as far as the youngsters of the future follow him – his football legacy and no more.