The die-hard league fan has had a rough start to life after contracting meningococcal septicaemia as a seven year old, with his family being told he would be lucky to survive. 

Somebody forgot to tell Hunter about the odds against him as he survived and lived a relatively normal life but the disease's impact on his body is still being felt four years later. 

“He wasn’t meant to make it home but he’s had some complications because of it,” close friend of the McMurtrie family Mick Brown said. 

“He has no growth plate in his right leg, so they have to do an operation called a tibia leg lengthening, where they cut the leg, put him in a brace and stretch his leg for six months. 

“He also has to have a full reconstruction of his right ankle, because his right leg is three centimetres shorter than his other leg, so that needs to be done as well.

“If they go through Medicare the specialist said there is no guarantee they can finish the operation. 

“So to ensure he can get the best care money can buy, we have to pay for it ourselves.”

In a bid to help the family, Brown is hosting a charity bowls day at Club Mudgee on April 11 from 4pm, with all proceeds going to Hunter and his upcoming surgery. 

Brown says around $15,000 needs to be raised in total for the operation and the care Hunter will need on an ongoing basis. 

“His parents have got to travel to Sydney once a week for the first six weeks for ongoing treatment,” Brown said. 

“He will need a wheelchair and a special bed and a few other things after the operation itself. 

“They are pretty certain that the operation will fix him and he will go back to having a normal life again.” 

His right arm will also need an operation in time but Brown and Hunter’s family hope that by having the operation now on his right leg, he can continue his great passion – rugby league. 

Hunter, amazingly, could be back playing full contact league in around two years according to the specialists’ assessment of his condition. 

“He wanted to put the operation off so he could play his first club game on the weekend and now he is at Western Trials today (Monday),” Brown said. 

“He won’t be able to play again after today, because the operation this month, but we brought him across to the trials so he could have another game of footy before he goes to hospital.” 

People can register for the charity bowls day by contacting Club Mudgee with teams of four men and women’s teams, befitting the battle of the sexes format of the day, costing $5 a head with teams needing to be finalised by April 9. 

Signed sporting memorabilia and other items will be auctioned off on the day and for more information call Mick Brown on 0499729413 or Tash Brown 0488 729 413.