Article courtesy of the Gold Coast Bulletin.
KARMICHAEL Hunt fans can breathe easy -- the man they call 'Special K' says he has no plans of deserting the Gold Coast.
The former Bronco dismissed suggestions yesterday a counter offer had been made for him to stay in French rugby, posting on Twitter he had no plans to turn his back on a three-year deal with the Gold Coast Football Club.
While the 23-year-old will be in France for another month after helping his club side Biarritz qualify for the final of the Heineken Cup, a commentator calling Sunday's victory over Munster hinted there may be a counter offer on the table for Hunt to stay in Europe.
But Hunt put to bed any possible thoughts of a second defection in as many years, after signing a three-year deal last year to switch from the Broncos to the GCFC.
"Sounds like a commentator has gone out on a limb and speculated that I will be staying with Biarritz. False tweeps, I will return!" posted Hunt on Twitter.
"PS: Hopefully with the Heineken Cup."
GCFC football manager Marcus Ashcroft said along with coach Guy McKenna, he had kept in regular contact with Hunt, who has indicated his intentions to return to Australia.
"I email and text (Karmichael) weekly as does the coach and (those claims) are news to us," said Ashcroft.
"We know he is arriving back some time at the end of May or early June.
"We have no idea where those claims have come from but he is contracted to play for us."
With a host of rookies on their books, Ashcroft was excited with not only the skill but the experience Hunt would add to their squad, despite having only a handful of AFL games under his belt as a schoolboy.
"All of the youngsters who have played AFL their whole life, they know of Karmichael Hunt and they know he has been an elite player at state and national level," he said.
"His professionalism to actually come into our environment and teach these young kids what it takes to be a professional and full-time athlete will be enormous for our squad."
GCFC recruitment manager Scott Clayton, the man credited with luring Hunt from the NRL to AFL, believed their star recruit's form in rugby had further enhanced their thoughts he would have no problems adapting to AFL.
"The fact he has been able to show how adaptable he is to go from league to rugby and have an impact in such a short time gives us great confidence that the same adaptability can be shown with his forthcoming AFL career," said Clayton.