Wing's yen for Japanese rugby opens the door for unsettled Hunt to move south
Brad Walter | July 22, 2009
FORMER Test fullback Karmichael Hunt has been targeted by South Sydney as a possible replacement for Craig Wing after the Rabbitohs released the NSW Origin utility to take up a $1.5 million two-year deal with a second division Japanese rugby union team.
Wing, whose future at Souths had been the subject of ongoing conjecture since the
Herald revealed last December that a $100,000-a-year third-party deal had collapsed, approached the club before Origin III seeking a release from the remaining two years of his contract on compassionate grounds.
His departure leaves the Rabbitohs with about $300,000 to spend on a replacement, and an inquiry is already believed to have been made about the possibility of signing Hunt, who is off contract at the Broncos at the end of the season and has also been linked with a move to Japanese rugby.
Souths chief executive Shane Richardson admitted yesterday that it was unlikely Wing would have been freed to join Sydney Roosters, or any other NRL club, but given Wing's financial issues, the Rabbitohs board decided not to stand in his way of accepting the lucrative Japanese rugby deal.
It is understood that the 29-year-old international has agreed to terms with NTT Communications, the ambitious second division franchise that earlier this year signed former Wallabies fullback Mark Gerrard, but Wing's manager Wayne Beavis said a confidentiality agreement prevented him from revealing the name of the team.
Wing will play out the remainder of the season with Souths before moving to Japan in January on a Philippines passport that enables him to avoid being counted on the import quota.
Unlike former Cronulla centre Fraser Anderson, who was axed by the Sharks earlier this season after signing to play for Kobe Steel in the Top League competition, Wing does not have ambitions of representing Japan in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
"It was a difficult decision for the club, but after careful consideration of his situation, we understand that it is in Craig's best interests that he be granted a release," Richardson said. "His personal issues have been well documented in recent months but I think that he also wants to experience a different lifestyle and is looking forward to learning a new language."
Wing spoke to his former Kangaroos and NSW teammate Craig Gower while he was in Australia recently with the Italian rugby team, and noted how physically and mentally refreshed the former Penrith playmaker was after two seasons with French club Bayonne.
Rather than convincing him to stay in the NRL, Wing's successful return to the Blues team for this year's Origin series encouraged him to leave now while he was at the top.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time back at the Rabbitohs and I am sad to be leaving both South Sydney and the NRL," said Wing, who has played more than 250 NRL matches for Souths and the Roosters as well as 16 Tests and 12 Origins. "I am looking forward to finishing the season off strongly and I will be doing my best to ensure we make the finals."
After returning to the Rabbitohs last year following eight seasons at Bondi, Wing has never quite fitted back in at the club he felt so passionate about when they were kicked out of the NRL in 1999 that he had a clause put in his Roosters contract allowing him to return to Souths if they were readmitted.
Initially recruited to play in the halves, Wing was moved to hooker this season following the emergence of 2008 rookie of the year Chris Sandow, and shares the role with Kiwis international Issac Luke, while John Sutton has established himself at five-eighth.
Wing was last night named on the interchange bench for Monday night's local derby with the Roosters.
Richardson confirmed the Rabbitohs had money to spend and would be looking to sign a replacement for Wing but said that player would not necessarily be another utility.
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