Karmichael's Bio

For most, the Karmichael Hunt story started in extraordinary circumstances when, on a bright, sunny Sunday afternoon in March, 2004, legendary Broncos coach Wayne Bennett handed the fullback duties to the fresh-faced youngster, just barely out of high school.

Not normally one for throwing youngsters in the deep end, Bennett took a gamble on Hunt, blooding him against the might of the New Zealand Warriors in the season opener.  At just 17 years and 118 days, Hunt was the youngest player to ever take the field for the NRL glamour club.

He was treated to a traditional Warriors welcome to first grade, with hulking Test winger Francis Meli dropping him early with a ferocious hit. But in a manner which Broncos, Queensland and Australia fans have come to both love and respect, Hunt bounced straight back to his feet, played the football and returned to his position. The incident left then Brisbane skipper Gorden Tallis speechless.  However, such commitment and fearlessness has become the undeniable trademark of the player known simply as “Special K”.

As the nickname suggests, Hunt has indeed proven something special since bursting onto the scene five years ago, sporting the famous Mohawk which quickly became a trend amongst youngsters everywhere. However, for rugby league fans, the substance of his work has quickly overshadowed his off-field style, with Hunt quickly establishing himself as one of the finest talents of the modern era. Nearing the end of just his sixth season as a professional footballer, Hunt has amassed the sort of resume only a select few ever achieve over a lengthy career in the top flight.

Ten State of Origin appearances for Queensland between 2006 and 2009, Hunt was an integral part of the Maroons record four straight series wins. In fact, Queensland has never lost a series in which he has played. He also has 11 Test caps for Australia, while at club level he was part of Brisbane’s premiership-winning side in 2006.  Twice the winner of Brisbane’s “Best Back” award, Hunt was the 2004 Dally M rookie of the year and in 2008, broke Paul Langmack’s long-standing record as the youngest player to ever play 100 first grade games.

Of course, while the end is not even in sight, all such stories have a beginning and Karmichael Hunt’s started back in 1986 in Auckland, New Zealand, when Hans and Tera welcomed into the world their first and only baby boy.

A lover of sport from a young age Karmichael was part of every team imaginable, from basketball, to tee-ball. While a passionate basketball lover to this day, Karmichael quickly found his niche in the rugby codes – both league and union. 

After Hans and Tera relocated to Brisbane, Australia in 1997, it didn’t take long for their boy to make an impact in both, with his combination of silky ball skills and a love of the physical confrontations catching the eye of the best talent scouts in the land.

A regular member of state and national junior representative squads, Hunt was headhunted by several league clubs including the Dragons as well as the domestic rugby union franchises. However, it was famed Broncos recruitment officer, the late Cyril Connell who won the race for Hunt. 

In 2008, Connell ranked his signing of Hunt as one of if not, the best he had made in his illustrious career at Red Hill – high praise indeed from a man whose list of recruits includes the likes of dual internationals Lote Tuqiri and Wendell Sailor and dual Golden Boot winner and current Broncos and Test captain Darren Lockyer.

  Written by Dan Koch

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