Karmichael Hunt says the arrival of the annual Rugby League Origin period has steeled his desire to help steer the SUNS to the finals in coming years so he can again experience big time football.

Hunt showed his immunity to pressure last weekend and was among only a handful of SUNS players coach Guy McKenna could walk away from the loss to GWS with their heads held high.

He said he loved playing Origin during his career in rugby league because it was played at an intensity that home and away club football could not match.

A taste of September action for the SUNS remains one of the few missing achievements in his remarkable career and Hunt said a finals appearance would be the closest match to his league representative experiences.

He said in any code, premierships had to be the pinnacle but that doesn't mean he wouldn't love to see the AFL re-introduce rep footy and believes it can be just as successful as it is in rugby league.

"Personally, I think winning a premiership with your team mates is at the very top but they are not that easy to do,'' he said.

"Rep footy gives everyone a chance to experience a truly big game with all the fanfare and crowds that come with them."

And finals and rep footy are played at an intensity that just isn't matched by home and away matches, they are the ultimate test.''

But he insists it would only work if the coaches supported the concept as they do in league where club's consider it a source of pride if they produce representative level players.

"If they did I'd do everything in my power to get a game,'' he said.

"There is no reason why State footy can't work, it would just take total commitment.

"It won't work if the best players aren't involved."