HYMEL Hunt has reaffirmed his reputation as one of Newcastle's most valuable clubmen by offering to switch to the forwards when he returns from injury.
Hunt, a mainstay at centre and wing in his first three seasons with Newcastle, is yet to make an appearance in the NRL this year after damaging his knee in the pre-season, then suffering a fractured cheekbone when he returned in NSW Cup in April.
After surgery that involved inserting three metal plates to rebuild his face, the 28-year-old faces at least another week on the sidelines before he is cleared to resume.
Hunt faces a battle to dislodge outside backs Dane Gagai, Enari Tuala, Dom Young and Edrick Lee, and eventually Bradman Best, currently sidelined with a dislocated elbow.
But has put up his hand for a utility role off the bench that could incorporate covering the back row.
"Wherever the team needs me," he said.
"I'd love to play a bit of back row, just run riot and come off the bench.
"That'd be awesome. Second row, centre, wing, prop - wherever the team needs me, I'll go."
At 1.91 metres tall and weighing 99 kilograms, Hunt is built like a back-rower and was used in that role occasionally at his former clubs.
"I played probably 10 or 15 games there when I was in the under-20s," he said.
"Then I came off the bench [for South Sydney] in 2018 for about five games playing back row. I also played a bit of reserve grade there that year too, just to get some time there.
"It'd be fine. I'm about the same height and weight as most back-rowers, so it wouldn't be a problem."
Hunt said he had been eager to play in NSW Cup this weekend, when Newcastle's NRL team have a bye, to push his case for a top-grade recall against Penrith on Sunday week.
But Newcastle's medical staff suggested he err on the side of caution.
"I was pushing this week to get some time in reserve grade, just to get some minutes under my belt, but definitely next week I should be back," he said.
"We'll see what happens.
"I don't want to rush it to much, because if I was to crack it again, it's not going to be a pretty sight."
Hunt revealed that more than six weeks after his surgery, he is still struggling to chew properly.
"I couldn't train for two weeks because I couldn't put any pressure on my face," he said.
"Even walking was hurting my face.
"So I lost a bit of weight.
"I lost about four or five kilograms because I couldn't eat.
"Even now, I can't have a sandwich or a burger. It's a bit of a process."
Having played in 61 games for Newcastle over the previous three seasons, he said he felt "helpless" as a spectator.
"But that's the way it's been for us this year," he said. "There's been a lot of injuries."
When he is eventually cleared to play, he was confident of pushing the injury to the back of his mind.
"It is a bit nerve-racking, but when you're on the footy field, all the nerves go away," he said. "It's just all adrenaline, and fun."
