This argument is getting old, but no less important at the same time... so my 2c:
I just don't get why we are persevering with Hurley up forward when he could be, IMO, the best backman in the land if left down there. (and before you start screaming stuff about "team balance", read the rest of my post first)
Even IF Hurley gets it together down forward, I still doubt that he'd be in the top 10 forwards in the competition... and in fact, he won't even be OUR best forward if JD is half as good as we hope he'll be.
The thing I find funny is that this whole "Hurley forward" thing is based on one quarter of football against Hawthorn.
Actually, no... it's based on 2 kicks. He kicks a couple of great goals and people start jumping up and down talking about "the next Carey" and all sorts of rubbish.
But really, apart from a couple of decent weeks last year, what else has Hurley done down forward? Yes, he attacks the contest... but he does that even better down back. I really feel that we're wasting his career up forward. Imagine the backman he'd be now if he'd played the last 3 years down there? Scary. And in a side that has leaked goals like no other during that time... well...
Hell, even Reimers kicked as many goals in the same amount of games as Hurley. And if people don't believe that goals are important when it comes to judging power forwards who are the F50 target more often than not, then they're kidding themselves.
With Fletch on his way out one day (maybe!) and JD on his way in (with Gumby also a possibility... along with Ryder and Bellchambers pinch hitting down forward) it's a no-brainer that Hurley plays down back where he is infinitely more relaxed, comfortable, and confident... and, dare I say, where the team need him most considering that the jury is still well and truly out on Hooker, Pears, and Carlisle.
All this is not to say that I don't think he should EVER play forward. I'm not saying that at all. But I think he should be primarily our key back who can pinch hit down forward when needed... rather the the other way around as it is now.