NRL: AFL's new boys face tough transition

Karmichael Hunt has a long road ahead. Photo / Getty Images

Israel Folau is a better bet than Karmichael Hunt to return on-field dividends for the AFL's multi-million recruitment gamble, experts say.

The young superstars have been paid millions primarily to drive publicity for the AFL's expansion clubs in league strongholds on the Gold Coast and in Sydney's western suburbs.

The recruitments have been slammed as a cynical marketing move; a proverbial slap in the face for current elite AFL players.

Most believe the two league stars will follow a tough road to achieve any success in the AFL.

Former Brisbane Broncos high-performance director Dean Benton and fitness expert John Quinn, who spent a decade with AFL club Essendon from 1998, both believe Folau is physically better equipped for success if groomed as a key forward than Hunt, should the latter take on a midfield role.

Benton and Quinn both say Folau's physique and likely attacking role could make it easier to adapt to the AFL than for Hunt, who'll have to drop weight, dramatically improve his endurance and learn a lot more skills for the 360-degree midfield contests.

"I think Israel will find the transition much easier than Karmichael," said Benton. "Karmichael has a much bigger challenge on his hands.

"He'll need to lose 5kg or 6kg and also markedly improve his running capacity and economy if he plans to play the midfield."

Apart from all the skills he would have to learn, Benton said Hunt, who had his first training run with the Gold Coast on Wednesday, would have to lift his running output from 100 metres a minute playing fullback in rugby league to 160 metres a minute competing in the AFL midfield.

Hunt's total running volume will almost double playing AFL.

"Karmichael's biggest challenge will be improving his overhead marking skills and disposing of the ball on both sides of his body and executing these skills in a pressurised multi-dimensional environment rather than an opposed one in rugby league where the enemy is directly in front of you," said Benton.

Quinn, who has a rugby league playing background, agreed with Benton that Folau, with his imposing physical dimensions of 195cm and 102kg, had a head start on Hunt.

"He's not too far off from that point of view," Quinn said when nominating Folau as the player most likely to succeed. "The big question for him will be the repeatability and the endurance factor that you require in AFL compared to rugby league."

Benton and Quinn identified kicking as Folau's major hurdle to making the leap across the codes.

"I think they've got their work cut out for them. It'll be a very hard transition," said Quinn.

"Physically, I think they'll be able to do it, but skill-wise it'll depend on whether they have enough natural aptitude to pick up a game like AFL - only time will tell."

- AAP