Charm offensive: how Demetriou helped hunt that landed league star
Sebastian Hassett | July 30, 2009
ANDREW DEMETRIOU opened the door for rugby league star Karmichael Hunt to join the AFL.
A friendly chat it may have seemed but when the AFL chief executive recently invited Hunt and his girlfriend Emma Harding to his Toorak home, Demetriou had persuasion on his mind.
Word had already passed around the AFLs inner sanctum that Hunt was contemplating switching codes, and no sooner had Nathan Buckley given his personal approval after their soon-to-be-famous kick-to-kick session that Demetriou decided to get involved.
Demetriou laid on a rare charm offensive, gently wooing Hunt as he listened to him outline his hunger for a new challenge after six years with the Broncos.
Asked why he wanted to personally get involved, Demetriou was forthright when he fronted reporters at Sydneys Intercontinental Hotel last night.
Because it was unique, to be honest, he said. We only got involved when he decided he wanted to play for the Gold Coast Football Club and we saw it as an opportunity to help us promote the game. What really impressed me was that his motivation was really about the new challenge and being able to participate as an elite athlete.
With Buckleys endorsement ringing in his ears, Demetriou sat proudly in rugby leagues heartland and declared Hunt was well-equipped to make the transition.
Hes played the game, and Mark Browning, whos identified our talent in Queensland and NSW over a number of years, identified his talent very early on and he was one of those fellows who got away, to be honest, Demetriou said.
Hunt has been lured to the Gold Coast not only by a sizeable three-year package but in a role as an ambassador for the AFL and its state arm, AFL Queensland.
But Demetriou insisted there was no problem with the AFL paying players outside the salary cap and denied the suggestion it was effectively inflating the clubs capacity to pay certain players.
Its not unusual at all, weve got other players who are on promotional deals, Demetriou said, citing Barry Hall.
But the question will not go away, as Demetriou said he wouldnt rule out using similar tactics in the name of promotional activity for western Sydney.
In effect, that could mean the AFLs 18th club, due to start life in the 2012 competition, may be able to lure an uncontracted big-name player from another club or another code with a significant portion of the players annual earning sourced from the AFL, not the club.
Despite the promise of transparency, Demetriou refused to reveal how much Hunt would be paid for his extracurricular duties, although it is understood to be a significant amount. Such a move could raise the ire of clubs in traditional AFL markets where such intense promotion is not required.
While Hunts character was called into question following allegations of a sexual assault in a Brisbane nightclub last September he was later cleared by police Demetriou insisted the AFL had done its own background checks.
Were extremely confident [in his character], weve spoken to people who know Karmichael Hunt, weve spoken to people where Karmichael Hunt went to school, weve spoken to people who know Karmichael Hunt and weve also spoken to Karmichael Hunt and his girlfriend, Demetriou said.
Surprisingly, Demetriou suggested AFL might not be Hunts final destination.
I guess after AFL hell probably take on something else because hes just got such a desire to succeed in many codes, he said.
