Hunt stunt will blow up: Titans
Glenn Jackson | July 30, 2009
TITANS chief executive Michael Searle launched an astonishing attack on the new Gold Coast AFL franchise following the Karmichael Hunt coup, labelling the move ‘‘desperate’’ and destined to fail, and calling yesterday’s events a ‘‘circus’’.
Searle said the move to make Hunt the franchise’s first signing had the potential to be the ‘‘most expensive media stunt in the history of sport’’ and would open the new club to ridicule, predicting it would turn out to be a ‘‘great thing’’ for the Titans.
‘‘This would have sounded like a really good idea in Melbourne, but anyone who knows the Gold Coast market, and the Queensland market … if the AFL wanted credibility, the first player they should have signed was Nick Riewoldt or Kurt Tippett,’’ Searle said. ‘‘That would have been a really good message. But what sort of message does this send to every AFL player?
‘‘It reeks of desperation if you’ve got to recruit a rugby league player to play AFL.
‘‘The first person we recruited was Preston Campbell, and as soon as you say that, you set the culture for the club. What has this recruitment done - when, no offence to Karmichael, but they concentrate their recruitment on a gun for hire, a mercenary.
‘‘Now the monster’s out of the bag, they’re not going to be able to put it back in, and they’ve paid top dollar to do it. It’s the worst decision they could have made. Rest assured, the Gold Coast region won’t tolerate a circus.’’
Searle said the decision would create ‘‘irreparable damage to their credibility in this market’’.
‘‘Every Gold Coast person will be saying, roll up, roll up, come and see this act,’’ he said.
‘‘This city has fought for credibility for 30 years. Now there’s decisions being made in Melbourne and Queenslanders will judge this harshly. Sometimes, you can take a one-wood off the tee but you’ve got to be really confident it’s the right shot. The one-wood out of the bag for us was Preston Campbell. But this has to do damage to their brand. As a Gold Coast person, I’m bitterly disappointed.
‘‘It could be the most expensive media stunt in the history of sport. If the AFL have got to recruit rugby league players, geez they’re in trouble.’’
Speaking about Hunt’s familiarity with AFL, having played at high school, Searle said: ‘‘I played gridiron as well, but it doesn’t mean I can play NFL. They have really misread the market here. They’re going to be ridiculed.’’
A shocked Brisbane Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen echoed Searle’s thoughts about the new franchise smacking of desperation: ‘‘They have missed out on some of the high-profile players in their code they have been chasing, the Nick Riewoldts and the like. They might have been getting to desperation stakes to a degree.’’
Souths boss Shane Richardson claimed Hunt’s defection was a publicity stunt - but would be ‘‘well-worth the price they paid’’. The coup proved AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou was ‘‘one of the greatest promoters in the game of AFL’’.
Brian Waldron, the Melbourne Storm chief executive and previously a long-time AFL administrator, said he did not expect more NRL players to follow Hunt.
‘‘I do think these are genuinely unique circumstances,’’ Waldron said. ‘‘He played some AFL as a youngster and he simply didn’t want to play against Brisbane. It’s just fortuitous for them this has occurred at a time the AFL would like to strengthen its position.’’
Roosters boss Steve Noyce said the AFL’s move was a ‘‘compliment to the wonderful kids we have in our sport.’’
