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THE Australian Rugby Union has revealed it has provided financial assistance to secure the services of cross-code star Karmichael Hunt.
After months of giving every indication it would not top up any offer for the former AFL and rugby league player to join the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby, ARU boss Bill Pulver admitted today that Hunt was on an Australian “agreement”.
The ARU did not disclose any further details of its contract with Hunt but it comes as an about face after Pulver said in June: “At this point in time, I am not contemplating an ARU relationship with Karmichael Hunt.”
More...http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spor...-1227042538854
That makes me very unhappy given the Nick Cummins situation. He'd better be shit hot!
It's not about Karmichael Hunt its about having more influence on the board.
The ARU are still convinced that they need to say yes to every request from Queensland and new south wales to survive.
In reality, it's the unreasonable drain of resources from across the country to these two states with very limited return that is putting Australian rugby in its arse again and again.
C'mon the![]()
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It's a shitty business, for sure. But I'm pleased he's decided to give Rugby another shot. If he can regain his form of 4-5 years ago, he will likely be in the Wallaby 10 shirt come RWC. It's not like we have a locker filled with top flight fly-halves. More like 3 or 4 journeymen.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Power and money. Everything that's wrong with our society comes down to power and/or money :-/
And the ARU wonders why it's product and finances are in trouble.
The number of promising youngsters across the country that could be financially aided.
Or rugby scholarships funded.
Elite junior props identified and highlighted.
Existing players retained etc.
This isn't improving the game or the product, it's using very expensive paint on widening cracks.
Sorry we get special dispensation from the aru for foreign players and even more special treatment for the next couple of years for Alby to stay here. Having hunt and izzy play rugby is a boon for rugby in Australia, and really is rubbing afl and leagues nose in it if both are successful. I can't see any reason that hunt will not be successful, and gee wouldn't it be great if his impact is a big as izzy's or for that matter sbw.
This has nothing to do with cummins which as he stated was for personal reasons and the aru did release him from his contract which has placed them in a very shitty situation due to a severe lack of test quality wingers in Australia at the moment.
Unfortunately for us the guys targeted to get into rugby from the other codes are not likely to come to perth as they want to stay in Sydney or Brisbane that is not the ARU's fault.
This all is of course my humble opinion.
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
I honestly don't think the ARU could match what cummins would have been offered. And his conditions are better over there from what I remember.
Apples and oranges anyway. The situations are totally different.
Money wasn't the only reason Nick Cummins left. Time to move on with your lives people.
Only part that I disagree with. Both are considered to have been unsuccessful at AFL with a couple of people coming out this week saying both were expensive recruitment mistakes and the NRL has moved on, especially in the case of Hunt who last played league 5 years ago and was only given an offer by one club.
If the ARU signed Jarryd Hayne you might be closer to the mark but the ARU couldn't afford the Hayne plane.
Last edited by jargan83; 31-08-14 at 09:02.
I'd be interested to see how much the Reds are paying for Hunt vs how much we pay for Alby Mathewson. If it matches up, that's fine. But I have the strong suspicion they will be paying a lot less. I don't think this has much to do with the Cummins situation, but it has a lot to do with someone like Ben Mowen. The ARU wants to institute a policy of "You don't get a top up unless you've been in the Wallabies squad 2 years" and yet they twist and they turn on this at every occasion. Besides which, where exactly are the Reds going to play hunt? Quade Cooper will play 10. At a Wallabies level you can almost bet Folau will be 15 (although he could conceivably be a winger). So where does Hunt actually fit in? 13? Wing? Probably too late for him to learn 12 and we have a couple of good options there. ARU priorities seem a bit out of whack.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Agree that we get extra marquee allowances, but we have to find that money ourselves. I'd care a lot less if they had allowed them to chase him on that basis to get him under the salary cap, but instead they took money out of their coffers instead. It is a real f*** you to players that have done the hard yards to get there. How do you tell a kid to stay with Union when all the clear messages are that he can take the early money and opportunities on offer with League and when he makes it he will always be welcome back in Union at a premium?
Well put AndyS.
May the FORCE be with you!
Andy took the words out of my mouth you so correct
All I can say us the ARU is corupt and with jubours now saying he made a mistake with the S16 final I think the ARU paid for The tards to win
I think the best way WA can protest will come with the force being the number 1 team in Aus conference in 2015 and tell the ARU that the love and passion of players here in the west is better than the money
GO THE FORCE 2015