AIS/AFL Academy high performance coach Jason McCartney chats with new Gold Coast signing Karmichael Hunt about his background, rugby league beginnings and his rise to the top of that code.

Can you tell us a little bit about your family background?
I was born in New Zealand in Auckland and both my parents were born in New Zealand as well. But Dad has more heritage there, Mum has more Cook Island heritage so I was born and raised there until I was 11. I'm an only child which is a bit different for Polynesian families, who normally have a few siblings running around the house. But it wasn't to be in my family. Mum and Dad thought it was best to have just one and raise me the best that they could.

Tell us a little bit about your school background.
I did most of my primary schooling in New Zealand but when we moved over here it was straight to Brisbane and into the suburb that I still live and that's Algester. I did half a year of year seven down at Algester Primary School. Sporting-wise I played rugby league and a bit of cricket. As soon as we got over here Mum and Dad signed me up at one of the junior rugby league clubs – Acacia Ridge – which is about a 10-minute drive from where we stayed. I played at the club right from when we got over here to basically when I finished high school.

Were you playing a little bit of Australian football by this stage?
While I was at Churchie (Anglican Church Grammar School) in grade 11 and 12 I started playing a bit of AFL. In my final year I played in the GPS competition for a bit of fun with my mates. I thought it might be a good opportunity in my last year and maybe my only opportunity to play an AFL game, so I jumped in and had a bit of a kick around.

Did you realise back then that maybe there was a bit of interest in your talent?
Yeah, I got a letter from AFL Queensland and I was pretty surprised. I'm not too sure but I think it was about a clinic or something. But because of my contract with the Brisbane Broncos I pretty much knew where my future was heading after school so I pretty much ignored the letter. I guess I just put the AFL thoughts in a box and just moved on with my rugby league career.

How old were you when you started with the Broncos?
I was 17. I'd finished school at Churchie in grade 12 and the following year went straight into pre-season as a 17-year-old. I was lucky enough to train well and catch the eye of Wayne (Bennett) and he gave me a run in the first two trial matches and also the Rugby League World Sevens that we had in Sydney that year. I debuted the first game that year (2004) against the Warriors and didn't miss a game for the rest of the season. I've continued to play top-grade football ever since then.

What influence did Wayne Bennett have on you?
He is the master coach and he's been a major influence on my career and my life. I guess the way he's taught me through all these years, especially when I was younger, he taught me about life and taught me on the field and off the field as well. He's helped me grow as a player and as a person and I owe a lot to him. I continue to keep in touch with him and recently when he heard about my move to AFL, he had a bit of advice for me via a text message so it's good to hear that he's still looking out for me. He's been a great mentor to me and he continues to get behind me.

As a 17-year-old at the Broncos, who were some of the senior players in the team who took you under their wings?
Gorden Tallis was probably the player that took me under his wing in my first year, and that was his final year of playing football. But I'd always watched him play in the years previous to me making my debut and I guess on-field he led the team with aggression and he was club captain at that time and to come over as a 17-year-old and to run out alongside him, (Darren) Lockyer and Shane Webcke was pretty daunting. For most of my younger years I obviously played alongside them but also to be looked after by them when we were travelling and out on the training paddock. So I guess they showed by example work ethic and what I guess was expected of a professional athlete.

You grew up barracking for the Broncos. It must have been an amazing opportunity for you to not only play with them but also to win a premiership with them in 2006.
It was a massive thrill. To be part of their sixth premiership win was again a dream come true. I watched rugby league grand finals every year as a teenager and I always wanted to be a part of that Sunday afternoon or night and for us to go down to Sydney and beat Melbourne, who were red-hot favourites to win that game in '06 was great. I had been injured that year – I'd broken my foot – and wasn't overly confident coming back in shape in time for finals. But I did and got back on the paddock and started playing some consistent football. To run out there on the Sunday night and at the end of the game to hold the trophy up was a thrill and something I'll never forget.

As well as a premiership, you've been able to represent Queensland on numerous occasions in the State of Origin.
Origin is right up there with the grand final. I made my ambitions clear that I wanted to play for Queensland because New Zealand had selected me to play in their side. But the rules are that if you play for New Zealand you can't play State of Origin so I made it clear that I wanted to play Origin and copped a bit of flak from the New Zealand media and fans. But it was something I'd always wanted to do and when '06 came around I got my chance to debut and we won that series, so I had a taste for it then. The last four years we've been lucky enough to win the series against New South Wales and I guess it's been a dream run for us.

So you debuted in 2006 and since then Queensland haven't lost a State of Origin series.
I know! But it's not because of me, mate. There have been a lot of great players who have been consistently pulling that jersey on and we all understand the culture that comes along with it. Fingers crossed the boys can continue it next year. I won't be a part of it obviously but hopefully the boys can carry on and create some more history there.

And then of course you've had the chance to represent your country as well. Was that a dream of yours?
Yeah it was. Normally you play State of Origin and if you play well enough in the series at the end of the year you play for Australia but I managed to do it the opposite way and got picked for Australia in the Anzac Test before I even made my Origin debut. Test football is obviously the best footballers in the country and it's always something I've wanted to experience. I got to play alongside Andrew Johns, one of the greatest half-backs of all-time, in his last game. Then to get named in a few more sides – including the World Cup side last year, which we were unlucky not to win – was a wonderful experience. I've always wanted to play in a World Cup and to have played that many Tests at such a young age ... it's a dream come true.