Hunt, Oâ€™Connor to rescue the Reds?

Will we see James O'Connor wearing Maroon next season? Picture: Steve Bardens Source: Steve Bardens / News Corp Australia

UNITING Karmichael Hunt and James O'Connor is the secret plan to reinvigorate the Reds backline with a potent double whammy next year.

The Gold Coast-raised O'Connor seems certain to play for Queensland, as his last chance saloon in Australia, with his strong desire to push for World Cup selection.

With the Wallabies in desperate need of pacy wingers, finding O'Connor a Super Rugby club is of critical national interest too.

Sources indicate Hunt has ruled out any move to a Sydney NRL club and wants to stay in southeast Queensland with his young family when his AFL career finishes at the Gold Coast Suns.

Karmichael Hunt has been linked to the Reds and Brisbane Broncos. Picture: Adam Head. Source: News Corp Australia

With Hunt's old Brisbane Broncos club always fighting salary cap limitations, rugby's Reds have an appeal that the Gold Coast Titans cannot match.

At just 27, Hunt could dive into a two-year deal with the Reds and reignite a possible pathway into the rugby riches of Europe or Japan for 2017 and beyond.

It is an exciting long-term career journey, not into the unknown but a lifestyle he and now-wife Emma lapped up in 2009-10 with French rugby club Biarritz.

Hunt's manager David Riolo yesterday declined to confirm whether the Reds had made a formal offer.

"There's stuff going on everywhere so I don't want to complicate things by speculating," Riolo said.

He was more willing to bite with a laugh when told Wallabies pin-up Israel Folau last month said Hunt would be "a great buy for the Reds and would fit in straight away."

"I respect Izzy's view. I wouldn't argue with it," Riolo said.

With Rod Davies (Biarritz) and Aidan Toua (Agen) signing for French clubs and three-Test finisher Dom Shipperley also leaving, the Reds have created openings for a top winger-fullback duo to enliven their playing squad.

When asked if Hunt and O'Connor were both recruitment targets, Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Jim Carmichael offered a straight bat.

"Despite speculation regarding our player retention, I reiterate we will announce the full picture at the appropriate time," Carmichael said.

"However, our fans can be assured we identified and addressed our recruitment priorities within the squad some time ago and are now well positioned for 2015 and beyond."

Signing O'Connor and Hunt would transform the wow factor at the club which cannot head into a new season relying on the Will Genia-Quade Cooper double act to sell the club yet again.

Coming to watch how the dynamic halves unlock the sparkle of new recruits O'Connor and Hunt