Retired #18: Michael Hurley 🐻 - Staying on in a coaching and player welfare role! - 3/10

[Lore]

Contract Status: Retired
Last Game Played: Currently in the side
Injury Status: Comes back from injury to play his final game for the club this weekend - 18/8

Spoiler

2022
He's back! Playing a half in the VFL this weekend - 15/7
Joins main training in the next couple of weeks! - 15/6
Had a calf setback, now running again - 28/4
Wants to play a half in the VFL in the next couple of weeks - 30/3
Joined main training? - 3/3
Ahead of schedule, doing some big running loads - 16/2
Progressing well, R1 'too soon' to return, no time frame - 11/1
On track for playing return around Round 6 - 12/3

2021
Ahead of schedule, running soon - 15/12
Hip replacement surgery - 10/10
Placed on the inactive list, will not play in 2021 - 31/5
Hopes to play the last 6 weeks of the season if not sooner - 26/4
At the club daily doing 1-2 hours of exercise for recovery - 23/3
On the mend - 19/3
Apparently using the hot/cold pools at the club, progress? - 5/3
Limping on crutches with an IV at the preseason game - 25/2
Discharged, recuperating at home... again. No time frame on return - 17/2
Apparently back in hospital - 15/2
Discharged from hospital, recuperating at home. No timeframe - 9/2
In hospital with an infected leg - 4/2

My Boy Draft 2022: Claim here

 

[Swerving Irv]

He has been god awful ever since he came back from the suspension. An absolute liability. Goes from being incapable of locking down an opponent when Ambrose isn't playing and gaining 15 turnover possessions, to getting 25 turnover possessions when Ambrose is playing!

What does he actually contribute to the team? He's a terrible leader. Good leaders set good examples. He panics, turns the ball over, repeat after repeat after repeat. Thanks for the three good seasons, but get him out, please.

 

[Lore]

Nah he was getting hurt back then as well. He literally broke his wrist in his first game.

Difference being that a broken wrist didn't stop him charging into his opponents shoulder first in what, 2009? 10? The numerous surgeries he's had in the ten years since probably did.

 

[Kakkle]

Difference being that a broken wrist didn't stop him charging into his opponents shoulder first in what, 2009? 10? The numerous surgeries he's had in the ten years since probably did.

That game was late in 2012 from memory. Him running into opponents like that wasn't really a common occurrence though. What that gif doesn't show you is that right after the bump he drops the ball, hah.

 

[yaco55]

He was OK tonight, though he can do beter.

 

[eth-dog]

And he's contracted 2 more years after this ffs.

 

[Bjo187]

Hurley being captain sums up this club, has been cooked for 3 years.

 

[eth-dog]

Hurley being captain sums up this club, has been cooked for 3 years.

You mean he was cooked the year after he was an all australian?

 

[Bjo187]

You mean he was cooked the year after he was an all australian?

Yes 18, 19, 20, in 17 he got moved to a loose defender coz he couldn't defend one on one, some nice stats padding that year got him a.a but was definitely better than the last 3.

 

[BrunoV]

Whole different game when he doesn’t have to follow a forward in.

Does he play on an opponent? It hasn't been clear for 18 months.

It's like we have systematically disassembled his game. Moved him from no 1 forward, moved him from number 2 forward, played him small and finally played him on no one.

He's not that sort of player. He's always based his game on stopping an opponent. If i had to guess I'd say that is what gives him confidence. He's been aimless for at least 18 months now.

 

[BrunoV]

You mean he was cooked the year after he was an all australian?

Pretty much.

 

[Ambrosia]

He had some value last year. Gave plenty of mid sized forwards a bath last year but considering his disposal has continued to deteriorate there just isn’t value in playing him. It’s become obvious we should look to the future.

FB: Saad - Ambrose - Francis
HB: Redman - Zerk-Thatcher- Gleeson

 

[Bjchan13]

Does he play on an opponent? It hasn't been clear for 18 months.

It's like we have systematically disassembled his game. Moved him from no 1 forward, moved him from number 2 forward, played him small and finally played him on no one.

He's not that sort of player. He's always based his game on stopping an opponent. If i had to guess I'd say that is what gives him confidence. He's been aimless for at least 18 months now.

Sad but true. His last good game shutting down a dangerous forward that i can remember was in 2018 vs Sydney.

 

[yodellinhank]

It's disappointing that people have just now discovered he couldn't mind a baby in a pram, because it takes the conversation away from the bigger issue which his facial hair. It's little wonder Essendon struggle to win games with a captain so slovenly in appearance. We just don't learn.

 

[Bjchan13]

Hurls had the most kicks for our team last night which was 14. If you were willing to go through the replay id bet that not only were most of them useless for us from an offensive point of view, up to half of them led directly to turnovers and opposition scores. If we are to go anywhere as a side Hurls kicking should be the teams last choice distributing out of defence. Why is he running around the back of packs looking for handball recieves? If he is going to salvage anything in the last few years of his career and be something other than a complete liability he has to go back to basics. It shouldn't be complicated. Give him a clear opponent. Stop opponent, if the ball ends up in his hands look for Saad, Ridley or Redman for the quick hands. Last option, if he has to kick, kick long down the line to a contest so the ball can be punched out and we can reset from the wing.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Ship has sailed on this one. He had value a year or so ago and we should have been ruthless and put him up for trade. Reputation was alway higher than his output and we should have sold an overvalued stock.

Must play BZT, Francis, Ambrose, Ridley in front of him and maybe Hooker as the senior guy that can mark. Hurley and Hooker in the same backline is past its used by date.

 

[cobra land]

Hurls had the most kicks for our team last night which was 14. If you were willing to go through the replay id bet that not only were most of them useless for us from an offensive point of view, up to half of them led directly to turnovers and opposition scores. If we are to go anywhere as a side Hurls kicking should be the teams last choice distributing out of defence. Why is he running around the back of packs looking for handball recieves? If he is going to salvage anything in the last few years of his career and be something other than a complete liability he has to go back to basics. It shouldn't be complicated. Give him a clear opponent. Stop opponent, if the ball ends up in his hands look for Saad, Ridley or Redman for the quick hands. Last option, if he has to kick, kick long down the line to a contest so the ball can be punched out and we can reset from the wing.

At the moment his ball movement when playing as the loose is too slow, also his lack of composure for a seasoned player is astounding !.
I think would be better served with Ridley as the spare, who has better disposal and composure.

 

[Bjchan13]

At the moment his ball movement when playing as the loose is too slow, also his lack of composure for a seasoned player is astounding !.
I think would be better served with Ridley as the spare, who has better disposal and composure.

Its one of the most frustrating things watching him go from competitive, aggresive lockdown beast to an unaccountable deer in the headlights getting outbodied by 1st gamers. He needs to play angry. He used to run in straight lines and thrive in 1v1s. Our success actually requires him to play the exact opposite way of what he is currently. I cant understand how our coaches cant see that.

 

[andleanback]

At the moment his ball movement when playing as the loose is too slow, also his lack of composure for a seasoned player is astounding !.
I think would be better served with Ridley as the spare, who has better disposal and composure.

Hes the worst ball user/ decision maker in our current 22. Can’t remember the last time his possession in the back half that then resulted in a shot inside 50.

 

[eth-dog]

Hes the worst ball user/ decision maker in our current 22. Can’t remember the last time his possession in the back half that then resulted in a shot inside 50.

Hooker would be pretty close.

 

[ant555]

Has never been a good one on one defender but has anyone watched how much one on one defending gets done in footy these days ? Unlike other sides we tend to leave our blokes isolated a lot rather than having a loose back to float in to help. The fact we can not hang onto the ball up the ground does not help the defense. I actually think they have done a super job in recent times given the amount of repeat entries we give up and the lack of pressure we have been prone to show in the forward half of the ground to stop sides running the footy in.
Hurley would look as good as Rance if he played in a side that played a better brand of team defense. The fact our defense is always under the pump it is no wonder he makes mistakes. Put anyone you want from any side in the league and they would be under pressure in our system.

 

[ant555]

Hes the worst ball user/ decision maker in our current 22. Can’t remember the last time his possession in the back half that then resulted in a shot inside 50.

Can not remember too many games where players gave him a lot of options to kick to or marked one of his licks either.

 

[andleanback]

Can not remember too many games where players gave him a lot of options to kick to or marked one of his licks either.

He has plenty of options. Go and watch the replay, always chooses long high towards the boundary when he’s marked it, or bomb over the shoulder from open play.

 

[ant555]

He has plenty of options. Go and watch the replay, always chooses long high towards the boundary when he’s marked it, or bomb over the shoulder from open play.

I do not need to watch the replay. One of the biggest issues we had last night was lack of run and spread. None of the defenders had a lot of options.
The fact that we have no one to bloody mark the ball forward of defense puts added pressure on. Go and learn something about defending flat out for 60% of every quarter.

 

[andleanback]

I do not need to watch the replay. One of the biggest issues we had last night was lack of run and spread. None of the defenders had a lot of options.
The fact that we have no one to bloody mark the ball forward of defense puts added pressure on. Go and learn something about defending flat out for 60% of every quarter.

I’m not talking about last night in isolation, Hurley has been doing it for 2 years.. no matter the opposition.

 

[ant555]

I’m not talking about last night in isolation, Hurley has been doing it for 2 years.. no matter the opposition.

And we have been totally ****ed defending as a team for over 10 years. We leave them isolated and under repeat pressure every week.
It is a bloody miracle they stand up as long as they do given the pressure they are under.