Justin Hunt (rugby league)

Justin Hunt
Personal information
Full name Justin Hunt
Born 20 September 1988
Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia
Height 182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 90 kg (14 st 2 lb)
Playing information
Position Fullback, Wing, Five-eighth, Halfback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2012–2013 South Sydney 13 7 0 0 28
2014 Parramatta Eels 1 0 0 0 0
2015– St. George Illawarra 0 0 0 0 0
Total 14 7 0 0 28
Source: RLP

Justin Hunt (born 20 September 1988) is an Australian professional rugby league player who plays for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League. The son of former Parramatta Eels premiership winger Neil Hunt and grandson of former South Sydney player Jim Hunt, his first grade appearances have been on the wing.

Early Career

Born in Tweed Heads, Hunt grew up across the border on the Gold Coast, Queensland and played his first junior football for the Tugun Seahawks, where he represented the Queensland Country side.[1] Hunt then moved to Sydney in 2008 to play in the inaugural season of the National Youth Competition with the Parramatta Eels. He played 3 games for the club before transferring mid season to the Wests Tigers, playing 4 games for them. From there, Hunt left the Tigers and played for a number of clubs in the following years.[2]

In 2009, he spent the season with the North Sydney Bears in the NSW Cup before moving back to Queensland in 2010, to play for the North Queensland Cowboys feeder club, the Mackay Cutters in the Queensland Cup. He trained in the off-season with the Cowboys but was unable to get a start in the first grade side.[3] In 2011, he signed for the Brisbane Broncos feeder side the Redcliffe Dolphins. Once again he trained with the first grade side but was unable to make his NRL debut. After a great season for the Dolphins, he and team mate Ryan Carr, signed one year contracts with the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2012 season.[4]

NRL Career

Hunt started the 2012 season playing for the Rabbitoh's feeder team, the North Sydney Bears. After 2 months of great form with the Bears, Hunt made his first grade debut for the Rabbitohs on the wing, in their round 11 victory against the St. George Illawarra Dragons. He scored his first try a week later against the Canberra Raiders.

In June 2012, he extended his contract at South Sydney for a further two seasons.[5] He played in 10 games in 2012, scoring 5 tries.

In August 2013 Hunt announced that he had signed with the Parramatta Eels. With the Rabbitohs having a number of preferred first graders, Hunt decided it was time to return to the club where his father starred at in the 1980s.

In February 2015, Hunt gained a release from the Eels to join the St George Illawarra Dragons on a one-year deal. [6]

References

  1. Steve Ricketts (2012-05-20). "Justin Hunt set to make his NRL debut for South Sydney Rabbitohs.". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
  2. "The NRL Club Network site of the South Sydney Rabbitohs". Rabbitohs.com.au. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
  3. "Rabbitohs sign Ryan Carr and Justin Hunt". Rleague.com. 2006-06-07. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
  4. "Rabbitohs sign Ryan Carr and Justin Hunt for 2012". Rleague.com. 2006-06-07. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
  5. "Rabbitohs extend Justin Hunt’s contract". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
  6. https://www.nrl.com/dragons-sign-justin-hunt-for-2015/tabid/10874/newsid/83792/default.aspx