Karmichael Hunt fronted the media on Friday © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Karmichael Hunt

Tournaments/Tours: Super Rugby

Teams: Australia | Queensland Reds

Queensland Reds players are "comfortable" with the sanctions handed down to Karmichael Hunt and will welcome back the cocaine-tainted star when he returns from suspension, James Slipper says.

Slipper said he felt the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) and Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) had taken the correct course of action in sticking with Hunt, who was not contracted to the Reds at the time of his offences.

Hunt, 28, was given a back-dated six-week ban and fined $30,000 by the ARU and QRU after he pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court to four counts of cocaine possession. The court also fined him a $2500 but he escaped a conviction. He will be eligible to return to Super Rugby with the Reds on April 3, against the Melbourne Rebels, but has also been stripped of the vice-captaincy.

"I am comfortable," Slipper said on the eve of the Bob Templeton Cup match against traditional interstate rivals New South Wales Waratahs. "For now moving forward, part of the process has been done, he's been given his sentence, he misses six weeks and we feel like that is enough.

"We've always supported Karmichael, we always wanted to make sure his welfare was looked after. "He's obviously made poor choices and to his credit he's put his hand up, admitted it and copped everything. As a playing group we just want to see him back, fit and healthy and with his mind on the game."

The Reds have confirmed Hunt will not be replaced as vice-captain. Hunt was appointed to the role before he had played a Super Rugby game for the Reds, such was his influence on the squad and the coaching staff through the pre-season.

Slipper said the Reds had other players on whom he could lean for leadership support.

"Losing Karmichael as a vice-captain obviously isn't ideal, but these are the things that have to be done," he said. "That's the pathway we've decided to go down. The case has been dealt with now in the court, he's been served his punishment, and for Karmichael, he's happy that it's been pushed on now out of his hands.

"That's probably the best thing I like about the situation: it's clear cut, he knows what he has to do, we all know what's happening."