Taylor Hunt looking to restart his AFL career at Richmond after being delisted by Geelong Jon Ralph
Herald Sun
October 28, 2014 8:00PMA YEAR ago Taylor Hunt knocked back Brisbane’s three-season deal and instead pledged loyalty to Geelong.
Today the player who grew up as a Richmond fanatic will meet with the Tigers to plead for an AFL lifeline.
The 63-game Cats tagger took down the likes of Patrick Dangerfield and Marc Murphy in his time at Geelong but injuries bit hard in the past 18 months.
As a result he was delisted by the Cats, meaning Hunt’s meetings with Richmond and Brisbane this week will decide his AFL career.
Both clubs are also interested in dumped Carlton midfielder Mitch Robinson.
And if Robinson is the inconsistent constantly-suspended firecracker, Hunt says his ability to tag and also play as a small defender gives him hope he can keep his career alive.
“I am really keen on finding myself a spot on a list at pretty much any club,’’ he told the Herald Sun from Bali on Tuesday before jetting back to Melbourne.
“I feel like I have got a lot to prove to myself. Going into the trade period was tough not knowing about my future and hearing the news I was no longer required at Geelong, but hopefully I interview well and hopefully find myself on a list out of those two clubs.”
Hunt’s breakout 2012 season saw him play 21 quality games as a tagger and after 15 matches in 2013 interrupted only by a shoulder injury he believed he was emerging as a Cats regular.
It was then Brisbane came calling, but he says he has no regrets with passing up their offer.
“That (offer) all came as a bit of a shock. I had just played my best 10-game stint at the start of that year and felt pretty settled at Geelong,’’ Hunt said.
“I felt like I was good enough to be in the best 22 at Geelong and felt like I was an established player
“In hindsight things change really quickly in 12 months. I guess some people would be kicking themselves but the dream is still alive for myself.
“If I can find some of that form again the rest of my career will look after itself.”
Hunt turns 24 this week and while he battled with a groin injury that came from running himself into the ground this year, he is back to full fitness.
If he did land at Richmond, only his family would be more thrilled than the player himself.
“My family is massively Richmond, I used to go to every single game from when I was four years old,’’ he said.
“I would be really pumped to end up there, but I guess I am not in a position where I can choose.
“My partner sent through a photo of my at five years old with a no. 6 painted on my face and it was Chris Naish. I was a diehard and my mum and nanna are diehards too.”
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