Rex James Hunt, an Australian television and radio personality, and former Australian rules football player, gained fame as a seasoned Australian rules football commentator recognized for his unique practice of creating whimsical nicknames for players.
Bio/Wiki
Age-74 years
Height- 1.91 m
Weight- 97 kg (214 lb)
Full name- Rex James Hunt
Born- 7 March 1949
Birthplace-Mentone, Australia
Spouse-Lynne Hunt (m. 1972)
Profession-Sports commentator, Radio personality, Australian Rules football player
Nationality-Australian
Original team(s)- Parkdale
Position(s)-Full-forward / Centre Half-Back
TV shows- Rex Hunt’s Fishing Adventure
Family
Born in 1949 in Mentone, Victoria, Australia, Rex James Hunt spent his formative years in the nearby suburb of Parkdale. His parents, Ivy and Edgar (Bill), along with his older brother Bill, were part of his upbringing. Rex’s early years were marked by a deep affection for the sea, and he began fishing actively from the age of seven, starting at the Mentone Pier and later the Mordialloc Pier.
Wife and Children
Rex is married to his spouse Lynne and is the proud parent of three sons and one daughter.
Education
Hunt’s place of birth is Mentone, Victoria, and he pursued his education at Mordialloc High School. Following his graduation, he embarked on a career in law enforcement as a cadet. In 1970, he received the call for national service.
Career
Football Career
Hunt was recruited from Parkdale by the Richmond Football Club and marked his debut in the Victorian Football League in 1968. He primarily played as a key position player, often stationed at either full-forward or centre half-forward positions. Later in his career, he transitioned to a centre half-back role. During his time with Richmond, Hunt was a valuable member of the premiership-winning teams in 1969 and 1973.
In the middle of the 1974 season, Hunt transferred to the Geelong Football Club, mainly due to his concurrent occupation as a policeman. With Geelong, he played as a formidable and robust forward during the 1974 and 1975 seasons, participating in 32 games for the club. Afterward, he returned to Melbourne and joined St Kilda. Hunt ultimately concluded his VFL football career at the conclusion of the 1978 season.
Despite retiring from VFL football, Hunt continued to play in the lower-level Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1980 and 1981, representing Sandringham. His remarkable performance during this time led to him being awarded the Frosty Miller Medal for kicking an impressive 110 goals in 1981.
Sports media and commentary career
Following his retirement as a player, Hunt transitioned into a prominent football commentator role at 3AW. He hosted Sunday morning panel shows on the Seven Network, including “Sportsworld Footy Panel” and “I’m Rex Hunt and You’re Not.” Notably, in the early 2007 season, he marked his 1,500th game as a commentator for VFL/AFL matches. However, on November 17, 2009, he announced his departure from 3AW to join Triple M.
In 2008, Hunt delivered a heartfelt poetic tribute to fellow commentator Clinton Grybas, who tragically passed away at the age of 32. Subsequently, in 2011, Hunt retired from mainstream metropolitan commentary but continued as a commentator for Crocmedia’s AFL coverage, alongside Peter Donegan. In 2015, he celebrated his 2,000th game as an AFL football commentator.
In April 2014, Hunt embarked on a new radio venture with SEN 1116, hosting a show called “This Is Your Football Life,” which delved into the lives and achievements of various VFL/AFL football legends.
In 2017, Hunt returned to 3AW as the host of a post-match talkback program. Additionally, during Richmond’s advance to a preliminary final against the GWS Giants, Hunt participated in a Richmond-centric “Tiger Radio” broadcast on AFL Nation, alongside former Tiger footballers Dale Weightman and Tony Jewell.
However, in July 2021, Hunt and 3AW parted ways following an on-air disagreement with the management.
Fishing journalist career
In 1981, Hunt began delivering regular fishing reports on the radio and ventured into producing two instructional videos on the subject. His inaugural television fishing program, titled “Angling Action,” was featured on the Ten Network. This show consisted of two series, each comprising 13 episodes, and they aired in 1981 and 1982, respectively. Subsequently, Hunt initiated his radio fishing show, “3DB,” in 1982.
Throughout the 1980s, Hunt continued his engagement in writing, contributing to various newspapers and magazines. In 1991, he embarked on the production of “Rex Hunt’s Fishing World,” which initially aired in Victoria on Channel Seven. This series expanded its reach the following year, going national as “Rex Hunt’s Fishing Australia.” In 1992, the program underwent another name change, becoming “Rex Hunt’s Fishing Adventure,” which remained on the airwaves until 2004. Additionally, Hunt hosted a radio show on 1116 SEN, titled “Off The Hook,” alongside his son-in-law Lee Raynor, further cementing his presence in the world of fishing programming.
Controversies
Leon Davis controversy
In 2005, Hunt was embroiled in a controversy involving a racial comment during a game between Collingwood and Essendon. He referred to Collingwood’s Leon Davis, who is of Aboriginal descent, as ‘as black as a dog’s guts in the night.’ Hunt’s comment was made as he was trying to use a neon lights metaphor to describe Davis’s Aboriginal heritage, which he claimed was in line with other metaphors used by members of the commentary team during that match. Initially, Davis rejected Hunt’s apology, and it was only accepted later in the week after a face-to-face confrontation.
Byron Bay fight
In 2005, Hunt and his son were caught up in an incident in Byron Bay. Hunt asserted that he had been assaulted by local teenage girls. However, the teenagers involved countered that Hunt was heavily intoxicated during the altercation. They claimed that Hunt’s son initiated the physical confrontation by throwing the first punch at Hunt, who responded but inadvertently struck a 12-year-old girl in the face during the scuffle.
Airline incident
In May 2004, Hunt made a peculiar attempt to draw attention to airline security, which had been significantly heightened in Australia due to terrorist threats. His frustration stemmed from having to remove his pants after experiencing a visible loss of bladder control. Subsequently, he took ten metal forks from the Qantas Club and carried them onboard a Qantas flight from Adelaide to Melbourne with the intention of confronting the individual responsible for taking his pants.
A concerned passenger, unfamiliar with Hunt, alerted the flight crew, leading to Hunt’s detention upon arrival in Melbourne. He underwent approximately 4 hours of questioning but was ultimately released without any charges being filed against him.
Infidelity
On May 17, 2006, News Ltd brought to light a clandestine aspect of Hunt’s life, revealing a history of secret sexual relationships spanning 15 years. When confronted with the allegations, Hunt admitted to engaging in paid sexual liaisons with three women consecutively over this extended period. His last relationship, involving a beautician in her 30s, commenced in 1997 and incurred a weekly cost of $1000.
Hunt acknowledged his hypocrisy in light of his past criticisms of other media personalities for their own sexual infidelities.
Thief encounter
In December 2021, reports emerged of Hunt’s intervention in a situation where he confronted and prevented a potential thief from stealing a reporter’s laptop bag during an exhibition boxing match in Melbourne.
Road-rage incident
In 2009, Hunt was convicted of recklessly causing injury following accusations that he assaulted an Aboriginal cyclist by using the cyclist’s own bicycle in a road-rage incident in Melbourne. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid community work, and the conviction was not recorded.
Facebook rant about Daisy Pearce
He found himself at the center of a widely publicized feud when he posted a contentious Facebook rant, in which he advocated for the controversial AFL Hall of Famer Wayne Carey to take the place of AFLW champion Daisy Pearce in Channel 7’s live football coverage.
Net Worth 2023
Rex Hunt’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $18 million.
Rex Hunt Illness
Hunt candidly discussed his ongoing struggle with bipolar depression on Newman’s “You Cannot Be Serious” podcast in May. He revealed that his mental health started deteriorating approximately seven years ago, attributing the decline to his dependence on potent painkillers, opioids, following surgery for a severe neck injury.
Rex Hunt Health Update by Sam Newman
Renowned radio personality and AFL/VFL legend Rex Hunt has once again been admitted to a healthcare facility. Just last week, Hunt briefly appeared at a media event and seemed to be in good spirits. However, his ongoing struggle with mental health has led to his rehospitalization this Friday.
Former AFL star and controversial media figure Sam Newman, a close friend of Hunt, expressed concern about Hunt’s current mental state. Newman emphasized the need for Hunt to take a step back from public life and prioritize his spiritual, physical, and mental well-being. Newman, like many others, cares deeply for Hunt’s health and wishes him the best.
Another longtime friend, John Locco, expressed hope that Hunt would gradually make progress towards recovery and highlighted the strong support from those who want to see him improve.
Back in July, Newman had previously mentioned that Hunt, who battles bipolar depression, was not faring well and was under the care of an institution. Newman and others are sending their best wishes to Hunt, recognizing his talents and the love people have for him, and hoping for his swift recovery.
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