Comments on: The AFL’s stunning Karmichael Hunt recruiting coup http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/29/the-afls-stunning-karmichael-hunt-recruiting-coup/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:48:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: scot mcphee http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/29/the-afls-stunning-karmichael-hunt-recruiting-coup/#comment-32675 scot mcphee Wed, 29 Jul 2009 07:20:16 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/29/the-afls-stunning-karmichael-hunt-recruiting-coup/#comment-32675 This article is nothing. If Ross had bothered to follow the intercode conversion "controversy" closely he'd know that the damage to rugby league has been completely minimal, in fact non-existent. Players retiring to the English league has been happening for many years. Sonny Bill Williams left the code to go to French Rugby Union amidst great acrimony with his club (Canterbury) and the NRL and now ... well he's not missed in the least, the doggies are doing very well without him! You never hear of him anymore - a simple curiosity now. Same with Gasnier ... disappeared into a black hole, now his old team (St George) is the other leading team in the comp! The same will happen to Craig Wing next year when he goes off to play kick and clap for some minor-league Japanese reserve grade rugby union club. Pick Souths to top the table next year based on this form! Look at the players coming back. Wendell Sailor's return to league has been pretty successful. Timana Tahu is coming back to league next year. Of all the players who went over to Super Rugby teams only Ryan Cross and Berrick Barnes are left now. Cross played junior rugby, so his adjustment to the technical demands of the union back line were far less. Oh and Easts (that's the Roosters for you AFL people) recruited an up and coming Sth African junior union star JP du Plessis for next year. I don't think it's their first junior union player either, I think they had an islander last year. All that will happen is a week of articles about the K.Hunt curiosity when he starts playing then as he'll only turn out to be an average AFL player (he's not a particularly noted kicker in league - he's a ball runner), the media brouhahah will die out leaving the gold coast with a million dollar dud. The real story is he's one of these players who was a gifted youth, had two or three good seasons, got on the big bucks, not interested in the hard yards and has plateaued, now no-one thinks he's worth the money he's asking. Except second division Japanese Rugby and the AFL! This article is nothing. If Ross had bothered to follow the intercode conversion “controversy” closely he’d know that the damage to rugby league has been completely minimal, in fact non-existent. Players retiring to the English league has been happening for many years. Sonny Bill Williams left the code to go to French Rugby Union amidst great acrimony with his club (Canterbury) and the NRL and now … well he’s not missed in the least, the doggies are doing very well without him! You never hear of him anymore - a simple curiosity now. Same with Gasnier … disappeared into a black hole, now his old team (St George) is the other leading team in the comp! The same will happen to Craig Wing next year when he goes off to play kick and clap for some minor-league Japanese reserve grade rugby union club. Pick Souths to top the table next year based on this form!

Look at the players coming back. Wendell Sailor’s return to league has been pretty successful. Timana Tahu is coming back to league next year. Of all the players who went over to Super Rugby teams only Ryan Cross and Berrick Barnes are left now. Cross played junior rugby, so his adjustment to the technical demands of the union back line were far less.

Oh and Easts (that’s the Roosters for you AFL people) recruited an up and coming Sth African junior union star JP du Plessis for next year. I don’t think it’s their first junior union player either, I think they had an islander last year.

All that will happen is a week of articles about the K.Hunt curiosity when he starts playing then as he’ll only turn out to be an average AFL player (he’s not a particularly noted kicker in league - he’s a ball runner), the media brouhahah will die out leaving the gold coast with a million dollar dud.

The real story is he’s one of these players who was a gifted youth, had two or three good seasons, got on the big bucks, not interested in the hard yards and has plateaued, now no-one thinks he’s worth the money he’s asking. Except second division Japanese Rugby and the AFL!

]]> By: Heathdon McGregor http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/29/the-afls-stunning-karmichael-hunt-recruiting-coup/#comment-32663 Heathdon McGregor Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:34:05 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/29/the-afls-stunning-karmichael-hunt-recruiting-coup/#comment-32663 I thought we aussie rules fans were lucky enough to be out of this intercode stuff. Oh well style over substance is almost the afl logo I thought we aussie rules fans were lucky enough to be out of this intercode stuff. Oh well style over substance is almost the afl logo

]]> By: John Ryan http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/29/the-afls-stunning-karmichael-hunt-recruiting-coup/#comment-32639 John Ryan Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:34:22 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/29/the-afls-stunning-karmichael-hunt-recruiting-coup/#comment-32639 Ah another column by the GCAFC head shil,in 6 months mate it will be Hunt who was he,wonder how much this little exercise has cost the AFL I,m sure hunt will enjoy sitting on a wing in Japan. Gotta love you AFL shils I will wait till hund has his first accident in a pub toilet among other things or will the AFL be paying out for a minder as well. There ya go Ross another career for you, looking after Hunt,shot across the bows you mug, better men than him have left and the NRL is still there, more watch it on TV, crowds up, more kids,run along and await your next handout from AFL house. By the way weren't you the bloke telling us how the GCAFC was overflowing with people wanting to see them play, sounds like a very big Publicity stunt to me, and a sign that the AFL is realizing they may have been sold a very big pup, I very much doubt he will play at all, if he does it will be carefully orchestrated appearances in 5 min bursts Ah another column by the GCAFC head shil,in 6 months mate it will be Hunt who was he,wonder how much this little exercise has cost the AFL I,m sure hunt will enjoy sitting on a wing in Japan.
Gotta love you AFL shils I will wait till hund has his first accident in a pub toilet among other things or will the AFL be paying out for a minder as well.
There ya go Ross another career for you, looking after Hunt,shot across the bows you mug, better men than him have left and the NRL is still there, more watch it on TV, crowds up, more kids,run along and await your next handout from AFL house.
By the way weren’t you the bloke telling us how the GCAFC was overflowing with people wanting to see them play, sounds like a very big Publicity stunt to me, and a sign that the AFL is realizing they may have been sold a very big pup, I very much doubt he will play at all, if he does it will be carefully orchestrated appearances in 5 min bursts

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