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

 

[Lore]

I'm glad they're giving him one last game, but sad he won't make 200 even though the writing has been on the wall for a while. Hope he sticks around as a VFL coach and does more good things in footy in the future. I kind of want to go back now and watch that interview he did with the big mangy beard after 2016... and the R&R podcast he did a couple of weeks ago.

The only autographs I have are Hurley and Sheedy, which is kind of notable I think. I've had Sheedy's since I was a little kid, Hurley is the one I requested on the free guernsey in 2020 for pledging my membership. One of the few that always seemed like he really cared, even when it hurt.

 

[Nifft]

I'm just pointing out that sometimes things don't work out...but when you're getting paid 800k a year it can make accepting the situation a hell of a lot easier. Plus he signed that contract after the saga, so he knew what Essendon was.

Harsh. You don't expect a place to be in turmoil for a fair chunk of the time you sign on. They did a review after the saga and the place was supposed to get better not continue to be a s**t show.

Going by what you say the current players should look to get out as well because they know what the club is, they shouldn't expect it to ever change.

 

[Wangawuti]

One of the best in his prime. Loved watching him as a player and admire his class as a person. All the best Mick Hurley.

 

[WindyHillWarrior]

One last time: forward or back ?

 

[carnthedons]

18% off at the bombershop. We really do have a bunch of tonedeaf *******s running the joint don’t we?

 

[carnthedons]

Ps donate to the flight plan

 

[srobbo]

Remember him punching above his weight against Tredrea over there on debut Rd 1 2009 & knew we had a player, with his positioning & how competitive he was.

Best memory was this one below to get us into the finals later that year…

 

[Dave]

Thanks for everything Hurls, you were brilliant to watch.

 

[Stopher]

18% off at the bombershop. We really do have a bunch of tonedeaf *******s running the joint don’t we?

Good grief.

 

[bombreys]

One last time: forward or back ?

Has to be forward - will be absolute scenes if he dobs one.

 

[carnthedons]

Do not watch the retirement speech. This one hurts. Bad.

 

[Mercuri Rising]

This will sound mean-spirited but I genuinely want to see him steaming towards CHF at full speed and running under a pass one more time. Just imagining it threw me right back to 2011

Echo everything already said - huge heart, great servant to the club, didn't get back anywhere near what he deserved. Fantastic career given injuries/drugs, could've been even better

 

[fishardansin]

Remember him punching above his weight against Tredrea over there on debut Rd 1 2009 & knew we had a player, with his positioning & how competitive he was.

Best memory was this one below to get us into the finals later that year…

Yeah, that is the one that made my 9-year-old (at the time) fall in love with the big bear.

 

[Yoda_]

One of the best in his prime. Loved watching him as a player and admire his class as a person. All the best Mick Hurley.

Was genuinely on par with McGovern and Rance at one point in time.

Sucks to say but he is probably the biggest what if when the players were banned

Well done Bear, thanks for everything


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[andleanback]

A goal wheeling around on his left would be sweet

 

[naraku]

Will really miss Hurley.


Great he made it back and I hope he gets a VFL role with us.

 

[wilsonmatic]

Can someone tell me why he's retiring when he's finally just got over his injury problems? His VFL highlights looked ok? It's not like the bombers have a plethora of backmen raring to go.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Can someone tell me why he's retiring when he's finally just got over his injury problems? His VFL highlights looked ok? It's not like the bombers have a plethora of backmen raring to go.

If he wasn't retiring he wouldn't be playing this week, he's been ok at best in the VFL. There's plenty of KPDs on the list and it's doubtful Hurley would be ahead of any of them with another preseason under their belts. Even if he was, it would be important to get games into them as much as possible to help their development.

 

[Yoda_]

that retirement speech to the players was seriously tough to watch. A real tear jerker


I can't remember a player so universally loved like Hurley. Truly believe of all the 34, he was the biggest what if

 

[foj1]

Great career
number is 18 jumper needs to get into great hands Vander, Lloyd, hurls and Todd Ridley!

 

[fishardansin]

I hope he gets to towel up Jack Riewoldt one more time!

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Where did the nickname "Rick" come from, first time I've heard it.

 

[jmoo wan]

Where did the nickname "Rick" come from, first time I've heard it.

Rutton called someone else by a similarly incorrect name in another video - I think it's his "thing"

 

[Lore]

Stewart also called him Rick. Seems to be a thing

 

[Halloween Jack]

we stuffed up his prime years with the drug saga, and now ruining his last game after an inspiring come back from a major illness.

So sorry Hurls, we love you big bear.