<div class="articleDetails"><p>Brisbane rugby league star Karmichael Hunt is switching to play AFL in a move which will rock the NRL to its foundations.</p> <a href="http://www.silvertails.net/news/4133-karmichael-hunt-to-join-afl.html">Read the full article</a>
LOL, I can't feel the foundations rocking I can however hear a chorus of people singing "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, GOODBYE"
As with Lote Tuqiri, Sailor, Tahu, etc, a big attraction of Karmichael Hunt to the AFL is the interest the code switch generates. Smart business move especially for a risky franchise entrenched in NRL territory.
I just think it's an astonishingly high price to pay for a cynical publicity stunt. It's going to be a circus at best, an embarrassing waste of money at worst. Hunt is an average standard NRL player at best and not really suited to AFL. If they put him on the field he will be horribly exposed. If he spends his time in reggies it's a lot of salary cap to chew up. I can't believe Channel 9 lead their news bulletin with this rubbish. So much for Iran's growing nuclear arsenal.
Lote Tuqiri was also massively overpriced according to impact on the field. But he repaid his investment many times over in crowd and TV viewer bums-on-seats appeal. If Hunt's move didn't stimulate curiosity, nothing would.
Hunt is despised by all but the hardcore Bongo player supporters. He was a mercenary far before this and is now just a gimmick.
