GOLD Coast midfielder Harley Bennell hopes his good mate Karmichael Hunt gets one final run with the Suns this weekend.
Hunt is out of contract and widely expected to switch codes to rugby, meaning Sunday's match against West Coast at Metricon Stadium could be his last chance to play AFL.
Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna was non-committal on Tuesday about the prospect of a farewell game for Hunt, saying the rugby league convert would be selected on merit.
The quietly-spoken Bennell has had a close association with Hunt during his four years at the Suns and would like one final chance to play alongside him.
"It's always good to go out (play) with K because you know he's hard at it and he's always got your back," Bennell said.
In 2012 and with Bennell suffering severely from homesickness, Hunt and his now-wife Emma took the West Australian under their wing.
It was a move that almost single-handedly kept the 21-year-old at the club.
They lived together for an extended period and Bennell has not looked back, playing superb football, signing two contract extensions and now feeling right at home on the Gold Coast.
"He's had a massive role in my life," Bennell said of Hunt at a light training session at Kurrawa Beach on Wednesday.
"I haven't spoken to K about what he wants to do next year, (but) I'm sure K will make that decision pretty early, but that's up to him."
McKenna said Hunt's 44-game career told only half of his story, highlighting his off-field professionalism and work ethic as a key in creating the club's culture.
Bennell agreed, saying he had learnt plenty from the 27-year-old.
"Just off-field things, how to prepare to go into a game, my diet, everything like that. He's helped me out very much," he said.
"His hardness around the ball. All the boys learn off him with the contested side of things. And his voice around the track is always good, he's always positive."
Bennell said the Suns were confident of derailing West Coast's finals ambitions at the weekend.
