McHunt
International Rep
Contributor
- Aug 25, 2018
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Karmichael Hunt makes his competitive return to rugby league tomorrow, playing at centre for Souths Logan against Burleigh in Round 1 of the Intrust Super Cup. He last played NRL in Brisbane’s 2009 preliminary final loss to Melbourne, some 12 years ago. At 34, he believes he still has a last gasp of footy left in him, and the team he has his eyes on, of course, is the Broncos:
“I’d love to. Hopefully they don’t need the help. I’m really looking forward to seeing how they go. I’d love to play professionally but I’ve been out of the game for 11 years. Maybe it’s a young man’s game now, who knows? I’m just going to play and see how we go. If it happens it happens. If it doesn’t, that’s OK. I’m pretty old in league terms but the body feels good. The last five years in rugby weren’t the most consistent in terms of playing so my body feels fresh.”
Feels fresh
Of his troubles, and his emergence as a player coach:
“I don’t think – I know I am a better person. But there is no stopping someone from not giving me an opportunity because of my past. You don’t even have to get in trouble to not get an opportunity. It is what it is. I can only control what I can control now which is my process, learning how to be a coach and trying to get results and make players better. If it happens at a professional level that will be great. If it doesn’t, I’ll be doing something meaningful anyway.”
“Like any experience, you learn from it. As much as it was painful to go through, not just for myself but also my family and team, I’m standing in this position now grateful for it because I’m a better man. There have been plenty of highs and lows over the last 18 years. You take the good with the bad. Sometimes the bad is more prevalent, you have to learn from it and try to get better.”
“I’ve played the game since I was four years old. This is home for me. I know I chose to experience different games and see what I could do professionally, but I always wanted to get back to league and give back. The best way I can do that is as a coach. I am definitely handing my knowledge down and helping out where I can. As the year progresses I will do more development coaching and get my certificates. (Coaching in the NRL) is the goal. I want to start in the Q-Cup. I feel that’s the right place to learn and you can get the full experience of a head coach before you get into a pressure situation."
“You have to operate on a minimal budget but can experiment with your teaching methods, drills and style of play. You can learn how to be a coach. Doing it at this level is the right move for me and ‘Benny’ (Bennett) thinks the same thing.”
“I’ve come full circle. I’m really excited to be back in rugby league. To be able to give back to my junior club Souths-Logan … I couldn’t say it was on the cards five years ago but to be home is exciting. If you have regrets then you want to change something. If I change something I wouldn’t be the person I am now. I wouldn’t want to change anything. It’s good to be back. I’m excited for the future.”
McHunt
“I’d love to. Hopefully they don’t need the help. I’m really looking forward to seeing how they go. I’d love to play professionally but I’ve been out of the game for 11 years. Maybe it’s a young man’s game now, who knows? I’m just going to play and see how we go. If it happens it happens. If it doesn’t, that’s OK. I’m pretty old in league terms but the body feels good. The last five years in rugby weren’t the most consistent in terms of playing so my body feels fresh.”
Feels fresh
Of his troubles, and his emergence as a player coach:
“I don’t think – I know I am a better person. But there is no stopping someone from not giving me an opportunity because of my past. You don’t even have to get in trouble to not get an opportunity. It is what it is. I can only control what I can control now which is my process, learning how to be a coach and trying to get results and make players better. If it happens at a professional level that will be great. If it doesn’t, I’ll be doing something meaningful anyway.”
“Like any experience, you learn from it. As much as it was painful to go through, not just for myself but also my family and team, I’m standing in this position now grateful for it because I’m a better man. There have been plenty of highs and lows over the last 18 years. You take the good with the bad. Sometimes the bad is more prevalent, you have to learn from it and try to get better.”
“I’ve played the game since I was four years old. This is home for me. I know I chose to experience different games and see what I could do professionally, but I always wanted to get back to league and give back. The best way I can do that is as a coach. I am definitely handing my knowledge down and helping out where I can. As the year progresses I will do more development coaching and get my certificates. (Coaching in the NRL) is the goal. I want to start in the Q-Cup. I feel that’s the right place to learn and you can get the full experience of a head coach before you get into a pressure situation."
“You have to operate on a minimal budget but can experiment with your teaching methods, drills and style of play. You can learn how to be a coach. Doing it at this level is the right move for me and ‘Benny’ (Bennett) thinks the same thing.”
“I’ve come full circle. I’m really excited to be back in rugby league. To be able to give back to my junior club Souths-Logan … I couldn’t say it was on the cards five years ago but to be home is exciting. If you have regrets then you want to change something. If I change something I wouldn’t be the person I am now. I wouldn’t want to change anything. It’s good to be back. I’m excited for the future.”
McHunt
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