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

 

[yodellinhank]

You’re right. Let’s never, ever contemplate hypotheticals.

i contemplated a hypothetical where Hurley had to mind a baby in a pram. Didn't end well.

 

[Doss]

wat

 

[Alfred E Neuman]

wat

Paul Roos said he wouldn’t trust Hurley to mind a baby in a pram or something very similiar in the early rounds.

 

[Doss]

Oh, right. Well thanks as always Roosy.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

If we are ruthless, serious and want to win flags we should be shopping him around.

There is no point paying someone 800+k thats not in the top 10 defenders in the league. We have enough cover down back with senior guys Hooker, Ambrose. Depth players Brown and Hartley and young guns coming through in Francis and Ridley.

You have to give up something to get something good in return and he's the only one I can see as a carrot. Use our picks + Hurley to get an established mid (Shiel) + best kid available or another trade. 2 mids straight into 22 sees us a much better side for the next 5 years than having Hurley.

No one is untouchable. Its about winning flags. Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney has all shown a ruthless streak and are still ticking along and getting most players to nominate them as destination clubs.

Its time Essendon.

 

[blitzer]

If we are ruthless, serious and want to win flags we should be shopping him around.

There is no point paying someone 800+k thats not in the top 10 defenders in the league. We have enough cover down back with senior guys Hooker, Ambrose. Depth players Brown and Hartley and young guns coming through in Francis and Ridley.

You have to give up something to get something good in return and he's the only one I can see as a carrot. Use our picks + Hurley to get an established mid (Shiel) + best kid available or another trade. 2 mids straight into 22 sees us a much better side for the next 5 years than having Hurley.

No one is untouchable. Its about winning flags. Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney has all shown a ruthless streak and are still ticking along and getting most players to nominate them as destination clubs.

Its time Essendon.

Did Geelong, Hawthorn or Sydney ever trade a multiple time AA who is only 28 and still likely has years of his best footy ahead of them? I also can't think of them ever trading their best key defenders.

They were ruthless in retiring off old stars in their 30s, true. Not ruthless in the way you are suggesting. In a way that could destabilise the team by putting someone up for trade that has no desire to leave and clearly has years of his best footy ahead of him. If Hurley came to us and said he wanted to leave that's another story but otherwise this is just fantasy stuff.

Hurley's salary isn't even that high relative to what he would have got in open market. Plus he was AA just last year and could get back to that level again.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Did Geelong, Hawthorn or Sydney ever trade a multiple time AA who is only 28 and still likely has years of his best footy ahead of them? I also can't think of them ever trading their best key defenders.

They were ruthless in retiring off old stars in their 30s, true. Not ruthless in the way you are suggesting. In a way that could destabilise the team by putting someone up for trade that has no desire to leave and clearly has years of his best footy ahead of him. If Hurley came to us and said he wanted to leave that's another story but otherwise this is just fantasy stuff.

Hurley's salary isn't even that high relative to what he would have got in open market. Plus he was AA just last year and could get back to that level again.

Pretty sure Hawks traded out guys like Thompson, Croad. Collingwood with Tarrant. Lots of examples everywhere. Hasn't hurt anyone except the clubs too conservative to make tough calls.

 

[yodellinhank]

Did Geelong, Hawthorn or Sydney ever trade a multiple time AA who is only 28 and still likely has years of his best footy ahead of them? I also can't think of them ever trading their best key defenders.

They were ruthless in retiring off old stars in their 30s, true. Not ruthless in the way you are suggesting. In a way that could destabilise the team by putting someone up for trade that has no desire to leave and clearly has years of his best footy ahead of him. If Hurley came to us and said he wanted to leave that's another story but otherwise this is just fantasy stuff.

Hurley's salary isn't even that high relative to what he would have got in open market. Plus he was AA just last year and could get back to that level again.

maloney trade was a pretty big deal at the time

 

[Yoda_]

One thing you are good for Kelvin is a good topic of discussion, I'll bite!

If we are ruthless, serious and want to win flags we should be shopping him around.

I agree, we should shop him around. The possible return on one of the best key defenders in the comp could be enormous and set us up perfetly with the depth in his position.

There is no point paying someone 800+k thats not in the top 10 defenders in the league. We have enough cover down back with senior guys Hooker, Ambrose. Depth players Brown and Hartley and young guns coming through in Francis and Ridley.

He is currently in the top 5 defenders in the comp. 1:1 he is up there with the best as evidenced by his All Australians (obviously not this year but that is no excuse. He is up there as one of the best).

Hartley would be the guy to come in and play KPD, the rest are pseudo KPD's who could chop out for a week or two, not play that role every week.

You have to give up something to get something good in return and he's the only one I can see as a carrot. Use our picks + Hurley to get an established mid (Shiel) + best kid available or another trade. 2 mids straight into 22 sees us a much better side for the next 5 years than having Hurley.

Answered this before, but he could garner us something pretty bloody good. Don't think what we would be asking is what we would get in return but the question could be asked.

No one is untouchable. Its about winning flags. Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney has all shown a ruthless streak and are still ticking along and getting most players to nominate them as destination clubs.

These clubs aren't going to trade out a top 10 player in there team just for a pick. They are destination clubs because they are location (Geelong, Sydney) or winning clubs (Hawthorn, GWS even).

For what it's worth, I wouldn't be trading him out. What he gives us is something unique in a way that he is both a KPD, and a rebounding kicker, something most teams do not have.

 

[DERO]

i contemplated a hypothetical where Hurley had to mind a baby in a pram. Didn't end well.

Are you quoting Paul Roos? You're better than that Hank.

 

[DERO]

Pretty sure Hawks traded out guys like Thompson, Croad. Collingwood with Tarrant. Lots of examples everywhere. Hasn't hurt anyone except the clubs too conservative to make tough calls.

It is a crap idea Kelvin.

We'd be better off looking at the Dea, Ridley, Gleeson, Francis, Redman scenario where we have some depth.

Hurley is a two time all-Australian who was slightly down this year but was still a very good player for the most part. His work on Franklin underlined his ability. He ls also a genuine leader. Doing deals for the sake of doing deals is not going to bring us closer to a flag.

 

[Donakebab]

Pretty sure Hawks traded out guys like Thompson, Croad. Collingwood with Tarrant. Lots of examples everywhere. Hasn't hurt anyone except the clubs too conservative to make tough calls.

Croad hadn't done s**t when he was traded to Freo and Thompson was just an ordinary forward, both poor examples and s**t kickers in comparison to offloading Hurley.

 

[DERO]

Croad hadn't done s**t when he was traded to Freo and Thompson was just an ordinary forward, both poor examples and s**t kickers in comparison to offloading Hurley.

Tarrant was still a bit of a lad too. Moved on because of his behaviour.

 

[DapperDon]

We should 100% trade him as we never know what we could get!!!!!!

 

[yodellinhank]

Croad hadn't done s**t when he was traded to Freo and Thompson was just an ordinary forward, both poor examples and s**t kickers in comparison to offloading Hurley.

Croad was a pretty big name when the hawks offloaded him, supposedly would've been a bomber if player power was as big a thing back then

 

[mike14]

There is no point paying someone 800+k thats not in the top 10 defenders in the league.

Regardless of anything else, if the above is true then who is going to want him in a trade?

 

[Runk]

Thread has jumped the shark.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Pretty sure Hawks traded out guys like Thompson, Croad. Collingwood with Tarrant. Lots of examples everywhere. Hasn't hurt anyone except the clubs too conservative to make tough calls.

And who do we replace him with? blokes like Ridley,Francis,Redman etc aren't half the player Hurley is.

 

[srobbo]

If we are ruthless, serious and want to win flags we should be shopping him around.

There is no point paying someone 800+k thats not in the top 10 defenders in the league. We have enough cover down back with senior guys Hooker, Ambrose. Depth players Brown and Hartley and young guns coming through in Francis and Ridley.

You have to give up something to get something good in return and he's the only one I can see as a carrot. Use our picks + Hurley to get an established mid (Shiel) + best kid available or another trade. 2 mids straight into 22 sees us a much better side for the next 5 years than having Hurley.

No one is untouchable. Its about winning flags. Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney has all shown a ruthless streak and are still ticking along and getting most players to nominate them as destination clubs.

Its time Essendon.

Normally I agree with most of your post’s sentiments, because they generally reflect frustration at our mediocrity. Not this one however.

Hurley is top 5 KPD in the comp, so long as woosh plays him primarily man on man & not coach him away from being that. The way he took franklin apart showed exactly why we can’t lose him.

If we offloaded him, who fills in the breach? Hartley, Ambrose, Brown?? All twosman that aren’t in the same ballpark as him & players that would leave us exposed down back.

He was dual AA either side of the suspension year & apart from a s**t 1st half of this year, (which was role influenced) he finished the year resembling the player we’d been accustomed to in previous years.

Aside from the player, he’s a bloody good clubman & bleeds red & black.

I assure you we’d be no closer to a flag if he left.

 

[Doss]

The new stash is an utter disgrace.

 

[Jade]

Let’s all just remember how massively dirty Paul Roos when Hurley called his punk arse out after absolutely owning Buddy.

Good times...

 

[Jade]

If we are ruthless, serious and want to win flags we should be shopping him around.

There is no point paying someone 800+k thats not in the top 10 defenders in the league. We have enough cover down back with senior guys Hooker, Ambrose. Depth players Brown and Hartley and young guns coming through in Francis and Ridley.

You have to give up something to get something good in return and he's the only one I can see as a carrot. Use our picks + Hurley to get an established mid (Shiel) + best kid available or another trade. 2 mids straight into 22 sees us a much better side for the next 5 years than having Hurley.

No one is untouchable. Its about winning flags. Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney has all shown a ruthless streak and are still ticking along and getting most players to nominate them as destination clubs.

Its time Essendon.

Go home Kelvin, you’re drunk.

 

[freddy mercury]

If we are ruthless, serious and want to win flags we should be shopping him around.

There is no point paying someone 800+k thats not in the top 10 defenders in the league. We have enough cover down back with senior guys Hooker, Ambrose. Depth players Brown and Hartley and young guns coming through in Francis and Ridley.

You have to give up something to get something good in return and he's the only one I can see as a carrot. Use our picks + Hurley to get an established mid (Shiel) + best kid available or another trade. 2 mids straight into 22 sees us a much better side for the next 5 years than having Hurley.

No one is untouchable. Its about winning flags. Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney has all shown a ruthless streak and are still ticking along and getting most players to nominate them as destination clubs.

Its time Essendon.

That you, Brendon?

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Happy 10 years Michael Hurley's thread.

 

[Andronicus]

Happy 10 years Michael Hurley's thread.

Still think we should've taken Vickery.