Super Rugby
Wallabies not yet on Karmichael Hunt's radar
September 1, 2014
Karmichael Hunt watched the AFL round 23 match between the Suns and the Eagles © Getty Images
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Karmichael Hunt is looking only as far as Super Rugby after announcing he is heading to Queensland Reds after four years with AFL club Gold Coast.

Fellow code jumper Israel Folau has proved to be a massive hit since leaving his own AFL deal to join New South Wales Waratahs, winning the 2014 Super Rugby title and quickly establishing himself as one of the Wallabies' main backline weapons.

But Hunt, 27, says he needs to reacquaint himself with rugby union after only a short taste of the professional game in France in 2009 before his AFL adventure. The Auckland-born former Brisbane Broncos, Queensland State of Origin and Australian Kangaroos star says he can begin to dream of pulling on a Wallabies jumper at the 2015 Rugby World Cup only once he has shown he is capable.

"Not now, it's definitely not my aim," Hunt told Triple M radio's Grill Team in Brisbane about his international ambitions.

"My main priority is to get integrated, brush up on my skills. It's five years since I played rugby. My priority is making the Reds team first and foremost, and making them a successful team again."

Hunt said his physical state wouldn't be a problem for the Reds, even though he has played only 10 matches for the Suns for the past two years.

"I feel comfortable with my body situation," he said. "Obviously I had my share of injuries this year, but nothing's been major," he said. "No surgery required. If anything, I've just needed to get some rest, get fit again and find a game which suits my body a bit better."

The ex-Queensland and Australia rugby league representative said he kept in touch with his former team-mates at the Broncos only "sparingly", and that a vast cultural difference existed among players in the NRL and AFL.

"The demands of AFL footy mean you need to be in peak condition," he said. "For most of the year you need to be able to knock out 12 or 13km on the weekend."

© AAP

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