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

 

[bjisgod9]

I'm not getting all the hate.

At all.

You did watch the game on the weekend???

I'm a big Hurley fan, I also am aware that he has always taken weeks to find his rhythm. He will work it out and get back to his best so I'm laughing at the suggestions to trade him but I'm also frustrated with his year so far, seems he isn't using his best asset which is his kicking as a strength, haven't seen enough of his 50m perfect pass to the advantage of a teammate to start an attack. He has been too conservative, lacking confidence and has also seemed to be average one on one this year (our failing structures and lack of midfield pressure doesn't help)

He is not alone but he needs to be playing much better than he has most of this year for us to be at our best as a team. People know this, hence the hate...

 

[jmoo wan]

meh, he’s been playing a little poorly but i would still totally do him.

 

[Runk]

You did watch the game on the weekend???

I'm a big Hurley fan, I also am aware that he has always taken weeks to find his rhythm. He will work it out and get back to his best so I'm laughing at the suggestions to trade him but I'm also frustrated with his year so far, seems he isn't using his best asset which is his kicking as a strength, haven't seen enough of his 50m perfect pass to the advantage of a teammate to start an attack. He has been too conservative, lacking confidence and has also seemed to be average one on one this year (our failing structures and lack of midfield pressure doesn't help)

He is not alone but he needs to be playing much better than he has most of this year for us to be at our best as a team. People know this, hence the hate...

Hi BJ.

Yes I was at the game. I saw every moment.

I’m not denying he didn’t have a great game but he had two weeks off due to injury and before that was actually playing ok. I find it really odd that there is a lot of vitriol being directed at an AA player like him. People have short memories.

It wasn’t his fault we lost. A lot of the time his options were so few he had no choice but to go sideways or hold onto to it. Sadly the Richmond players intent at the man with the ball was so great they created real pressure as well as perceived, just as we did against GWS and Geelong.

Sometimes, and I’m guilty of this, we need to step back from attacking players. Yeah we can be critical but sometimes we also need to consider more than the one game played, particularly in this instance when we are playing the reigning champions.

Cheers

 

[dougyboy]

Michael, I know your there. Were missing you.

 

[bjisgod9]

Hi BJ.

Yes I was at the game. I saw every moment.

I’m not denying he didn’t have a great game but he had two weeks off due to injury and before that was actually playing ok. I find it really odd that there is a lot of vitriol being directed at an AA player like him. People have short memories.

It wasn’t his fault we lost. A lot of the time his options were so few he had no choice but to go sideways or hold onto to it. Sadly the Richmond players intent at the man with the ball was so great they created real pressure as well as perceived, just as we did against GWS and Geelong.

Sometimes, and I’m guilty of this, we need to step back from attacking players. Yeah we can be critical but sometimes we also need to consider more than the one game played, particularly in this instance when we are playing the reigning champions.

Cheers

Yeah he has excuses, but I think its fair for people to have high expectations of the leaders of the football club and hold them to higher standards. He had some good games this year, however I don't think he was at all near his best before he was injured.
Obviously his game is so much better when we are playing well as a team, would have loved to have seen him play in the side the 2 weeks before Richmond game, think we would have seen a different Hurley in those games.
Even when he has very little options, I would have rather seen him take a really risky kick to someones advantage, rather than kick it sideways, although I think his confidence is lacking and even his kicking is not quite at the level we expect. There were a few kicks of Langfords, that would have been bad turnovers if they didn't reach their target, however when they did hit the target, it just created more offensive options through Richmonds defence. Hurleys role in the past was to hit some of these risky kicks and open up the ground. He hasn't really been doing this much this year. (that I have noticed)

 

[Doss]

People claiming he’s played no good footy since his return in 2017 are speaking rubbish.

Claiming he is anywhere near best form at present is also off the mark.

 

[jmoo wan]

People claiming he’s played no good footy since his return in 2017 are speaking rubbish.

Claiming he is anywhere near best form at present is also off the mark.

well then what do you want from us?!

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

We’re 2-0 without him and 2-7 with him. Forget Neeld it’s this bum!

 

[daffo]

Haha. This is silly. Hurley is a gun and one of our most important players. He always takes a game or two to get back to form.

Ambrose is an important out as well. Puts the rest of the defenders under more pressure.

 

[Andronicus]

I'm laughing at the suggestions to trade him

Trade him?

Have you read the last few pages? Couldn't give him away.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Barrett catching on to the fact that his loose playing style isn't compatible with our high pressure style.

Hope hurley can turn it around and adjust his playing style to match the side

 

[ant555]

I have questioned his form and how he has been used this year but the only way I would trade him would be for a stupid deal that favoured us in a massive way. Trading him out could not be the best thing for list stability either.
He has not been great this year but I would not be saying he can not get back to his best. It was one game back against the best team in the comp and we are still a side working out how we can play attacking footy against sides that are shutting our run and spread down.

 

[Maddogm]

Barrett catching on to the fact that his loose playing style isn't compatible with our high pressure style.

Hope hurley can turn it around and adjust his playing style to match the side

quoting Barrett? really??

 

[BigJoeD_]

I have questioned his form and how he has been used this year but the only way I would trade him would be for a stupid deal that favoured us in a massive way. Trading him out could not be the best thing for list stability either.
He has not been great this year but I would not be saying he can not get back to his best. It was one game back against the best team in the comp and we are still a side working out how we can play attacking footy against sides that are shutting our run and spread down.

I’d be amazed if he was traded.

He’s always seemed to me to be a real confidence player, one that is hard on himself to a fault.

Is it as simple as assigning him a predominantly defensive task, and making his attack on the ball and the man the focus? That has always been his strength IMO - he seems to be a bit confused by his role at the moment

 

[ant555]

I’d be amazed if he was traded.

He’s always seemed to me to be a real confidence player, one that is hard on himself to a fault.

Is it as simple as assigning him a predominantly defensive task, and making his attack on the ball and the man the focus? That has always been his strength IMO - he seems to be a bit confused by his role at the moment

Agree. Would be stunned if he was even mentioned outside a list management meeting as being a trade possibility . I can see why some on the outside would bring his name up as he should command something good and you have to give good to get good but it would not sit well with me. Not something I would do if I was list manager.

Also agree on the confidence thing. His role has been a bit all over the place and now he is just 1 match back in and played in as high pressure game as you will get. Just get him defending again. Forget the loose stuff and get him to back himself pushing forward. People forget he owned Jack for 4 seasons before he got rubbed out.

 

[Zach Package]

150 games.

I ****ing love you mate

 

[Wearybomber]

Fantastic achievment 150 games so far in modern day football is not an easy thing to do . Champion player.

 

[eth-dog]

Fantastic achievment 150 games so far in modern day football is not an easy thing to do . Champion player.

There are 124 players who have achieved it on current lists (if we include Hurley) with another 10 on 145 to 149. Let's assume all of those make it, and that there's on average 45 players a list (810 players total, no idea how accurate that is), that's the equivalent of 16.5% of all players in the league, which is very very high.

 

[Wearybomber]

There are 124 players who have achieved it on current lists (if we include Hurley) with another 10 on 145 to 149. Let's assume all of those make it, and that there's on average 45 players a list (810 players total, no idea how accurate that is), that's the equivalent of 16.5% of all players in the league, which is very very high.

Yes or 83.5% who don't make it also very very high.

 

[eth-dog]

Yes or 83.5% who don't make it also very very high.

Given that only 22 run out every week and many players haven't been on a list long enough to play 150 games but absolutely have the quality to do so... Again, assuming all 10 between 145 and 149 get their 150th this year, on average there are 7 players per list that have/will play over that 150 benchmark. I would say playing 150 games in the modern era would be far easier than of yesteryear.

 

[Wearybomber]

Given that only 22 run out every week and many players haven't been on a list long enough to play 150 games but absolutely have the quality to do so... Again, assuming all 10 between 145 and 149 get their 150th this year, on average there are 7 players per list that have/will play over that 150 benchmark. I would say playing 150 games in the modern era
would be far easier than of yesteryear.

Given that the game is a lot more demanding on the body and mind than it ever was in times gone by..... you know pre social media forums. Where now everyone quotes stats and numbers to show how smart they are I still think it's a great acheivment.
How many afl games have you managed to play ?

 

[Doss]

When he's at his best, he's still one of our very best players. Just hope we see him back at his best soon.

Congratulations on the 150, big grizzly bear.

 

[eth-dog]

Given that the game is a lot more demanding on the body and mind than it ever was in times gone by..... you know pre social media forums. Where now everyone quotes stats and numbers to show how smart they are I still think it's a great acheivment.
How many afl games have you managed to play ?

There's also the modern science, higher amount of games played in a season, players are generally a lot fitter than in previous years as well. Richmond as an example, have 65 players who have played 150+ games in their career. 7 are currently on their list, and another 8 who have played within the last 10 years. It's a great achievement, yes, but it's far more common nowadays than say, in the 80's (where Richmond had 10 in total across the decade as a comparison)

 

[Cold Sober]

Congrats Hurls great effort, lucky you didn't start your career under Woosha, you'd be 38 before you got to 50.

 

[Wearybomber]

There's also the modern science, higher amount of games played in a season, players are generally a lot fitter than in previous years as well. Richmond as an example, have 65 players who have played 150+ games in their career. 7 are currently on their list, and another 8 who have played within the last 10 years. It's a great achievement, yes, but it's far more common nowadays than say, in the 80's (where Richmond had 10 in total across the decade as a comparison)

Thanks for that extra info eth-dog I thought you were trying in some way to diminish the achievement..... but I can see in there that you did acknowlege it is a great achievement .
Didn't see the answer to how many games you have actually racked up yet though ?