AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has stopped short of labelling the Karmichael Hunt experiment a mistake, but concedes the code-hopper's legacy has been "tarnished" by the illicit drugs scandal that has engulfed Gold Coast.

The AFL and Suns pulled off an audacious coup in July 2009 when they convinced NRL and Brisbane Broncos star Hunt, whose Australian football experience was then limited to a handful of school games, to swap codes and play for the Queensland expansion club.

Apart from kicking the winning goal against Richmond in round 16, 2012, Hunt never reached any great on-field heights in his 44 games.

Sun out after drug claims

Nonetheless, he remained one of the club's most recognisable faces and was lauded for his leadership at the Suns.

Most notably, Hunt took Harley Bennell under his wing and helped 2010's No.2 draft pick overcome the homesickness and off-field discipline lapses that plagued him in his early days at the club.

However, Hunt's image took a hit when he pleaded guilty to four counts of cocaine possession in March after doing a deal with prosecutors in which the original, more serious, charges of supply were downgraded.

Reports then emerged this week that Hunt had told Queensland police Suns players used illicit drugs in his presence last year, while on Thursday News Ltd ran a photo purportedly showing Bennell in a hotel room with illicit drugs.

McLachlan told reporters on Thursday Hunt's contribution to the Suns had not been completely diminished by recent events.

"It's a start-up club in virgin AFL territory and it's easy to look through the lens of the last weeks and months to make that assessment (that poaching Hunt was a mistake)," McLachlan said.

"But he was a formidable brand who gave traction to this club, provided leadership in various forms to a number of young players.

"So I don't think it's right to characterise it as a mistake, but obviously his legacy has been tarnished in recent months."

Asked whether in hindsight Hunt had not been a good role model for Bennell, McLachlan said the former rugby league international had had some positive influence on the young Sun.

"We're all flawed. I don't think you can diminish the fact that Karmichael was instrumental in working through a number of Harley's challenges with him and helping him," the AFL boss said.

"It doesn't mean that there wasn't some other aspect of that that seemingly from the outside have some negative aspects as well, but I don't know the full details of all that.

"I think the role he has played in Harley's life is well known and he's provided leadership in a lot of areas, (although) maybe not all areas."