KARMICHAEL Hunt has been challenged by his coach Guy McKenna to get fitter or risk being left behind by Gold Coast's fleet of young midfielders.
Hunt had a disrupted 2013 season, playing just nine matches, largely due to a combination of hamstring and calf injuries.
In the meantime, the likes of Dion Prestia and Jaeger O'Meara have rocketed past him, while more experienced players Jarrod Harbrow and Danny Stanley also found a weekly home in the midfield.
With Jack Martin entering the fray next year and Jesse Lonergan expected to play more games, the fight for spots will be tough.
McKenna is one of Hunt's biggest fans, but says the 26-year-old has a huge task to win back a regular spot.
Hunt was told in his end-of-season review to get as fit as he could.
"We know going forward for us to become a legitimate finals contender next season, we have to make sure we've got blokes that can run out four quarters of football," McKenna said.
"That's Karmichael's great challenge."
Hunt began 2013 in a run-with role after playing the previous year as a contested ball-winning midfielder.
McKenna said the former rugby league international still had a chance to become the "bona fide midfielder" he desired, but it would take a lot of work.
Hunt has one more season on his contract, and with 43 career games over his first three seasons has already progressed further than many thought he would.
His coach has faith in Hunt to rise again.
"We still can't forget what he's done in a very short span of his life," McKenna said.
"He's conquered the NRL mountain, played for Australia, won finals, switched to rugby union for six months, joined a VFL club, then had to carry the publicity of the Gold Coast Football Club for 18 months.
"Karmichael's had to carry a lot and no other player has done it ever in Australia.
"And kick a goal – an AFL footballer's dream – after the siren. It's an amazing achievement.
"He wants to be a bona fide midfielder, and we're going to give him every opportunity. He just needs to get fit.
"He understands the young group is coming and he wants to make sure these blokes can’t fight past him. He's not going to lie down and make it easy for them."
