KARMICHAEL Hunt's encouraging debut for the Queensland Reds in Cairns was specked with moments of style.
Yet he will be happy to forget being fleeced for the 90m runaway try that got a 28-13 upset rolling for the Melbourne Rebels.
His injections into the trial were spasmodic but always absorbing for the 4234 curious fans with clipboards trying to assess how the three-code pioneer will perform as a first-time Super Rugby player of 28.
Hunt did not look like a player who had been on Planet AFL with the Gold Coast Suns since he last played rugby for five years ago — which is to say he looked comfortable and will only get better.
Karmichael Hunt’s kicking was assured against the Rebels.
Karmichael Hunt’s kicking was assured against the Rebels.Source: Getty Images
His first significant touch came in the 11th minute when a deft grubber kick ahead was pinpoint for winger Chris Kuridrani, who coughed it up in contact.
Hunt's assured kicking in general play was a positive and one clattering clean-out on Rebels flyhalf Jack Debreczeni was textbook perfect, a skill other converts from NRL backgrounds have taken far longer to master.
Equally, the Reds fullback comes in a 90kg frame so anyone expecting the sledgehammer tackle-shredding of a Folau are on the wrong track from the start.
Hunt did glide into the lineout wide as a running threat late in the first half. But the flow of ball to the Reds outside backs was often disrupted or poor because kid flyhalf Duncan Paia'aua dropped passes cold twice.
Hunt collected a Paia'aua pass and two defenders at the same instant late in the first half. Rebels winger Tom English stripped the ball and dashed 90m for the trial's first try.
Mike Harris of the Rebels is tackled by the Reds defence.
Mike Harris of the Rebels is tackled by the Reds defence.Source: Getty Images
Hunt played 63 minutes and he saved his moments of greatest authority to the end.
He smashed Rebels centre Dom Shipperley to the turf with a fine tackle just a minute after making an equally important one-on-one tackle on Mike Harris, another former Red, as the last line defender.
Hunt is not the Reds problem. It is finding a flyhalf for Round 1 on Friday week against the ACT Brumbies.
Paia'aua played like the rookie he is and halfback Nick Frisby was a better performer as a fill-in No. 10 for the final 20 minutes.
Flanker Beau Robinson burrowed over twice at the end of strong lineout drives from the Reds pack, which featured strong displays from skipper James Slipper and James Horwill for the 49 minutes they were on.
Sean McMahon put in an encouraging performance for the Rebels.
Sean McMahon put in an encouraging performance for the Rebels.Source: Getty Images
The Reds scrum and lineout were excellent, so that bedrock was the strength of this trial hit-out as well as the continued metres being made by centre Samu Kerevi.
Full credit to the Rebels, who were already ahead 14-8 when Slipper, Horwill and standout halfback Will Genia were replaced by the Reds.
They hustled and got in the Reds faces in defence and replacement Rebels prop Cruze Ah Nau scored twice from their own lineout drives.
The Reds will be dirty to give the Rebels a look in and must step it up again to play the Crusaders at Ballymore in the final trial on Friday night.
like Israel the AFL falure
top of his game in the NRL, plays AFL, to stupid, so slow, so unifit, to unskilled just not good enough crossed back to Rugby and looks to be starring already
real skill catch the ball from a 9 meter pass, running forward with it under your arm with no opponent, then off load it out to the left or right & repeat the process
:_<> :_<> :_<> :_<>another dud from the NRL failed at AFL
off to star in the other bumsniffing code
liar extraordinaire 
