Surprised it wasn't last year after losing his best ever sponsor in a flag winning year.
Hurn steps down as captain - Thank you Bunga
- Thread starter EagleJack42
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Dark Sharks
Premium Kent
Jar Jar Binks is the right age demographic to fill this role, that's all i'll say 
Bunga has been getting better and better as he gets older. To have his two best seasons at 30+ is remarkable from an Eagles player.
Could retire as a premiership captain and 300 gamer with a bit of luck. You never would have thought that when he was given the captaincy.
Could retire as a premiership captain and 300 gamer with a bit of luck. You never would have thought that when he was given the captaincy.
Come again?
Numero Uno
Club Legend
- Mar 28, 2019
- 2,645
- 3,939
- AFL Club
- West Coast
Premiership captain
and the true AA captain as voted by his peers
and the true AA captain as voted by his peers
Matera92
Brownlow Medallist
Wasn't convinced early on but wow has he grown into the role.
Exactly the kind of Captain you want to play for, honest, fair, hard as a cats head and isn't a mediawhore/flog like some others in the league.
Well done Bunga, you join an elite club as Premiership Captain.
Exactly the kind of Captain you want to play for, honest, fair, hard as a cats head and isn't a mediawhore/flog like some others in the league.
Well done Bunga, you join an elite club as Premiership Captain.
The wily weagle
Premiership Player
- Oct 16, 2014
- 3,288
- 7,541
- AFL Club
- West Coast
I might be in the minority, but I would be giving the captaincy to Yeo.
He's the right age to lead for a while, and more importantly he leads from the front: when the game is in the balance you can guarantee he will be at the coalface getting his hands dirty and tackling hard
I know he isn't exactly the most polished media performer, but who cares? It would be a throwback to have a guy leading us that isn't the best talker in front of the camera, but does his best talking with his actions on the field
Shuey is a legend of the club, and would absolutely make a worthy captain. But realistically, he probably only plays a few more years before calling it a day
He's the right age to lead for a while, and more importantly he leads from the front: when the game is in the balance you can guarantee he will be at the coalface getting his hands dirty and tackling hard
I know he isn't exactly the most polished media performer, but who cares? It would be a throwback to have a guy leading us that isn't the best talker in front of the camera, but does his best talking with his actions on the field
Shuey is a legend of the club, and would absolutely make a worthy captain. But realistically, he probably only plays a few more years before calling it a day
What a legend.
Shuey next, until the next gen is ready (Duggan, Allen).
Shuey next, until the next gen is ready (Duggan, Allen).
It's very hard to make a judgement being so far removed from the club, however (and this may be very unfair and certainly politically incorrect) Yeo doesn't come across as being the sharpest tool in the shed. His exploits on the field certainly have captaincy written all over him but I'm not sure whether he is the man to be the voice of the playing group.
Hurn didn’t seem that bright either TBH
It seems odd to eulogise Hurn like he's somehow gone when in actual fact he has a good couple years of football ahead of him, at least, based on current form.
I think nothing has defined Bunga's captaincy quite like the leaving of it. As others have said, the timing is inherently classy, selfless, and epitomises the way he values team ahead of club.
I remember there was quite a degree of doubt when he first took the captaincy - I personally wasn't amongst those who held those doubts, but understand why they did - he's not the most camera friendly of players and someone who seems to far value on-field football over off-field quotes and spectacle.
However, even as someone who thought he was right the role, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much he grew into the position. It's as if becoming leader of the team elevated his own personal ceiling as a footy player. He rose to an occasion that he himself had created by volunteering for promotion during a fairly.. transitional.. period in the club's history.
It turns out that Bunga was so much more than a night watchman captain. The most impressive thing, I think, about his captaincy was the clear evidence that he learned from our lowest points. The 2015 final, unexpected in arrival, was bloody awful and Hurn was humbled as much as anyone else that day. But I swear, my not-obsessed-just-a-fan friends, we may not have weathered the brutal first quarter of 2018 without the lessons Bunga and a few other senior players seemed to take from 2015. Good leaders lead, but great ones allow others to lead with them - and I feel like Bunga was a real example of that.
Not to be too dramatic, but I find myself uncommonly emotional about today's announcement. He could have rightly led until his retirement but chose not to. While I think that's fantastic as it lets his successor - seriously, it's Shuey you knobs, don't kid yourselves - have the time in the sun he deserves, it means we're deprived a couple of years more of a true, proud clubman, leading the Blue and Gold.
To you, Bunga, we salute you. You've been a genuine champion of the club on and off the field. We're lucky to have you mate.
I think nothing has defined Bunga's captaincy quite like the leaving of it. As others have said, the timing is inherently classy, selfless, and epitomises the way he values team ahead of club.
I remember there was quite a degree of doubt when he first took the captaincy - I personally wasn't amongst those who held those doubts, but understand why they did - he's not the most camera friendly of players and someone who seems to far value on-field football over off-field quotes and spectacle.
However, even as someone who thought he was right the role, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much he grew into the position. It's as if becoming leader of the team elevated his own personal ceiling as a footy player. He rose to an occasion that he himself had created by volunteering for promotion during a fairly.. transitional.. period in the club's history.
It turns out that Bunga was so much more than a night watchman captain. The most impressive thing, I think, about his captaincy was the clear evidence that he learned from our lowest points. The 2015 final, unexpected in arrival, was bloody awful and Hurn was humbled as much as anyone else that day. But I swear, my not-obsessed-just-a-fan friends, we may not have weathered the brutal first quarter of 2018 without the lessons Bunga and a few other senior players seemed to take from 2015. Good leaders lead, but great ones allow others to lead with them - and I feel like Bunga was a real example of that.
Not to be too dramatic, but I find myself uncommonly emotional about today's announcement. He could have rightly led until his retirement but chose not to. While I think that's fantastic as it lets his successor - seriously, it's Shuey you knobs, don't kid yourselves - have the time in the sun he deserves, it means we're deprived a couple of years more of a true, proud clubman, leading the Blue and Gold.
To you, Bunga, we salute you. You've been a genuine champion of the club on and off the field. We're lucky to have you mate.
Last edited:
Hope this doesn't mean he's decided to retire next year. We need 300 games, Bunga!
- May 5, 2006
- 62,726
- 70,017
- AFL Club
- West Coast
What is it with selfless acts at WC?
Hurn steps aside as captain after 123 games, 15 more (and he's barely missed one in 5 years) and he'd be #1 on the list ahead of Worsfold.
Glass retired after Rd 12 2014 on 270 games with 129 as captain. He'd be #1 on the list had he eeked out the last 10 of the year, and would've passed Jakovich for games played.
Cox retired at the end of 2014 on 290 games. Only needed to stick around and play half the games in 2015 to be our first 300 gamer.
Hurn steps aside as captain after 123 games, 15 more (and he's barely missed one in 5 years) and he'd be #1 on the list ahead of Worsfold.
Glass retired after Rd 12 2014 on 270 games with 129 as captain. He'd be #1 on the list had he eeked out the last 10 of the year, and would've passed Jakovich for games played.
Cox retired at the end of 2014 on 290 games. Only needed to stick around and play half the games in 2015 to be our first 300 gamer.
Forward Press
Hall of Famer
Team is more important than the individual.
Won't ever find a West Coast captain fixing up his man bun while play is ongoing right in front of him.
*cough*
I think it partly reflects the values that the club has focused on in our current post 2007 era. Rebuilding the culture of the club is a slow process, and I don't think either Glass or Hurn were considered by a lot of fans as the ideal candidates at the time they were chosen, but they had the grounded temperament and consistent, team first play that set the standard for the VCs and younger players joining the club.
I think Shuey is the perfect follow on to this, as a player who bleeds blue and gold perhaps more than any other at our club. Brilliant big game player, good in the media, and loved by the players. I'd actually be pretty shocked if someone else was voted in by the players.
If anyone else puts their hand up they're a bloody clown. Shuey is absolutely the right choice.
Dark Sharks
Premium Kent
Personally i don't like it.
Hurns leadership has been outstanding the past couple of seasons.
I thought maybe 2021 would be the year to relinquish the captaincy with JK likely retiring and Hurn potentially not far off. The new era.
He's gone early IMO.
Hurns leadership has been outstanding the past couple of seasons.
I thought maybe 2021 would be the year to relinquish the captaincy with JK likely retiring and Hurn potentially not far off. The new era.
He's gone early IMO.
- Jun 14, 2012
- 3,628
- 2,891
- AFL Club
- West Coast
- Other Teams
- Royals, Wildcats, Warriors
Was one of the best...
Met him a few times and is a genuinely decent bloke - only too happy to sign a jumper.
Hopefully can concentrate on the game and hand the reins over toa younger player Shuey
Met him a few times and is a genuinely decent bloke - only too happy to sign a jumper.
Hopefully can concentrate on the game and hand the reins over to
Dark Sharks
Premium Kent
What kind of captain do you want to be?
"Hopefully a premiership one, be nice..." - Straight up fire from Bunga back in 2015
"Hopefully a premiership one, be nice..." - Straight up fire from Bunga back in 2015
