Karmichael Hunt has not yet signed a deal to switch football codes despite rumours the Gold Coast Suns star recruit had agreed to a Super Rugby contract with the Queensland Reds for the 2015 season.
The Australian reported Thursday the Reds had forked out as much as $700,000 to secure Hunt’s services next season, speculation his manager denies.
“All it does is take up my morning, wasting my time with stuff that’s not done yet,” manager David Rioli told AFL.com.au.
“He might end up there. I don’t speculate on players’ contracts,” he said.
“He’s still looking at all his options.”
Rioli did not deny Hunt’s interest in a rugby return to either League or Union and did admit an extension with the Suns remained a possibility, although a prolonged AFL career seems highly unlikely at this point.
“It may well be, he might end up in AFL, but he’s also looking at League and Union,” Rioli added.
Hunt has managed just 44 games since moving to the Gold Coast as a highly paid recruit ahead of the 2011 season and has just managed just 10 contests in the past two seasons, including just a single game this year.
His transition to AFL hasn’t been an easy one, culminating in a career-high 14.7 disposals in 2012. In his 26 other games across three seasons, Hunt has averaged less than nine possessions per contest.
Should the Reds pull off the Hunt signing; the 27-year-old will join stars Quade Cooper, Lachie Turner and Will Genia to form one of Super Rugby’s more dynamic attacks.
Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
