NO DECISION on his future has been made yet, but Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna has made an emphatic defence of the AFL career of Karmichael Hunt.
With most pundits believing Hunt will make a switch to rugby in the coming weeks, McKenna has defended the 27-year-old's four-year stint with the Suns.
He would not guarantee Hunt a position in Sunday's final round game against West Coast at Metricon Stadium, but said the Suns would "endeavour to do the best thing we possibly can to send K off in the best way".
McKenna hit back at critics who have suggested Hunt’s 44-game career to date had been a flop.
The coach said it was too simplistic to look at Hunt's reported $1 million a season price tag and suggest the code switch had not been worthwhile for the player, the Suns and the AFL.
"You do it, that's all I'd say, put yourself in his shoes, make that decision," McKenna said.
"Play elite sport in rugby league and play for Australia, State of Origin, go to the top of that tree, then make that conscious decision (to switch). I don't care how much you get paid.
"One thing as a sportsman you don't want to do is be a liability to anyone. You don't want to get gifted games.
"No matter what you get paid, you have to stand and repay the club. To make that decision and go from ... one of the best rugby league players in the world, to be the 700th best (AFL) and to work your way up (is incredible)."
McKenna said Hunt had been equally valuable on and off the field.
The fledgling Suns began with just two recognisable faces on the Gold Coast – Hunt and to a lesser degree skipper Gary Ablett – and the former league star's workload in promoting the code could not be undersold, McKenna said.
Hunt has also lived out every player's childhood dream of kicking a game-winning goal, after-the-siren against Richmond in 2012.
But McKenna says it's what Hunt has done behind closed doors that may be his greatest legacy.
"His drive, his competitiveness, his professionalism to show our boys what it takes to be a professional athlete. Unfortunately cameras and journos don't get to see that a lot, but that's probably 80 per cent of what K's been able to do for our group," he said.
"We've seen Harley Bennell come on and K put him under his big wing. It was a cuddle that also turned into a headlock a few times to keep him on the straight and narrow.
"Unfortunately some will sit back and say "44 games in four years, it's been a disappointment, it's been a flop" but from a club point of view he's been enormous."
