Kenneth Ronald Hunter (born 28 April 1957) is a former

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...

er who played for the

Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club, nicknamed the Blues, is a professional Australian rules football club based at Princes Park (stadium), Princes Park in Carlton North, Victoria, Carlton North, an inner suburb of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. The c ...

in the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football competition in Australia operated by the Australian Football League (AFL) as a second-tier, regional, semi-professional competition. It includes teams from clubs based in east ...

(VFL) and for the

Claremont Football Club The Claremont Football Club, nicknamed Tigers, is an Australian rules football club based in Claremont, Western Australia, that currently plays in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and WAFL Women's (WAFLW). Its official colours are na ...

in the

Western Australian Football League The West Australian Football League (WAFL "waffle" or "W-A-F-L") is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The league currently consists of ten teams, which play each other in a 20-round season usually lasting f ...

(WAFL). A member of the

Australian Football Hall of Fame The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the 1996 AFL season, centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media pe ...

, Western Australian Football Hall of Fame and Carlton Hall of Fame, Hunter was a versatile and superbly skilled footballer who is best remembered for his courageous, if not reckless, aerial ability, frequently launching himself at various angles, often against bigger oncoming players, to mark the ball. When Hunter first arrived to play in the VFL, many questioned whether his style of play would stand up to the physical pressure, given his scrawny build (weighing in at only 76 kilograms). Hunter soon silenced the doubters and went on to play in three VFL premierships for the Blues.

Early career

Raised in Carlisle, he originally played at

Claremont Claremont may refer to: Places Australia *Claremont, Ipswich, a heritage-listed house in Queensland * Claremont, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart * Claremont, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth * Town of Claremont, Perth * Claremont Airbase, an ...

. He played 91 games for the club between 1975 and 1980, where he was known for his courage, sustaining three broken jaws within two years. Coming to Carlton in 1981, he had a near perfect induction into the VFL, with the Blues winning the premiership, and also being voted club best and fairest, playing mainly as a half back flanker. Quickly becoming a fan favourite with his high leaping ability and determination, he had another stellar season in 1982, with the Blues winning back-to-back flags. 1983 saw Hunter showing his versatility, playing more on-ball and in the forward line and ended up leading the Carlton goalkicking for the season. He also won the

Mark of the Year In Australian rules football, a player can take a mark by catching the ball from a kick, which earns protection from tackles. In the Australian Football League (AFL), the mark subjectively judged the best in each season is named Mark of the Y ...

that season, with a mark taken running into a pack with the flight of the ball, further reflective Hunter's reputation for courageous play. In Round 11 of 1984, he kicked eight goals against Footscray, and in 1988, kicked six goals from just eight kicks against the

Brisbane Bears The Brisbane Bears were a professional Australian rules football club based in Brisbane, Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, now known as the Brisbane Lions. Granted a Australian Football League, Victorian Football League (VFL), licence in 1986, ...

. In 1987, Hunter won a third premiership as a club veteran and vice-captain, playing under captain

Stephen Kernahan Stephen Scott Kernahan (born 1 September 1963) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) and for the Glenelg Football Club in the South Australian National Football ...

. Post-football, he was a board member for the Carlton Football Club, serving under presidents John Elliott (1993–2002) and Ian Collins (2002–2006). He is the father of former

Melbourne Football Club The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons or colloquially the Dees, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier comp ...

player Cameron Hunter.

References

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* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Ken 1957 births Living people Australian rules footballers from Western Australia Carlton Football Club players Carlton Football Club premiership players Claremont Football Club players Western Australian State of Origin players John Nicholls Medal winners All-Australians (1953–1988) West Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees VFL/AFL premiership players