Interesting article on Hurley/Sidebottom

[Paddywhackers]

Apperently Essendon had intense discussion to pick either Sidebottom or Hurley at five. In the end they went with Hurley at 5. Sidebottom slipped to Collingwood at 11.

Essendon's big guns on notice
Jon Ralph | December 01, 2008 12:00am

MATTHEW Knights says he has no desire to force Dustin Fletcher and Scott Lucas into retirement, but warned them not to coast through next season. On Saturday the Bombers added another high-quality tall to a playing list now overflowing with young key-position players.

Draft selection five Michael Hurley (182cm) joins Scott Gumbleton (197cm), Paddy Ryder (197cm), Jay Neagle (191cm), Darcy Daniher (191cm), Tayte Pears (191cm), Cale Hooker (196cm) and Tom Bellchambers (200cm) as next-generation Essendon talls.

Knights is keen to continue blooding youngsters, but not at the expense of Fletcher, Lucas and captain Matthew Lloyd.

He has told the trio he will put no use-by-date on their careers as long as they train hard and remain valuable.

"I have said to those three guys I have no limitation on how long you play this game. That will be entirely up to you," Knights said.

"But I believe veterans need to have a hard edge to them with their training and their appetite for work because you have all these young punks chasing you and trying to take your position.

"As long as they do the hard yakka I am fine. I reckon that's their choice - how they can keep that hard edge, how they can mentor our young players, and how they can drive our vision of our game style. If they can do that they are very valuable."

Knights said all three had manageable loads in pre-season, but "if they are doing the cross-training they are doing it at a really hard level."

Fletcher and 30-year-old Lucas are on one-year contracts, while Lloyd turns 31 in April.

Former Northern Knight Hurley is a big, strong full-back in the Fletcher mould, and shapes as the perfect replacement when the 33-year-old defender retires.

Knights was extremely keen on Victorian midfielder Steele Sidebottom even before his 10-goal heroics in the TAC Cup grand final.

But despite some internal debate, the club decided last Wednesday that Hurley was the right recruit.

"Yeah, I guess I watched a lot of the TAC Cup finals and Steele was the standout in the finals and Michael didn't play," Knights said.

"Steele performed wonderfully, but Michael was always at the forefront of our mind. He has the capacity to play key back but also we believe he may be one of the best forwards in the draft.

"He kicked six goals in a TAC Cup game at under-18 level, and we really like his ability to play full-forward or centre half-forward.

"When you have that flexibility it's hard to ignore."

 

[Burzum]

I heard awhile ago that Knights was very keen on Sidebottom although I didn't think much of it but as draft day approached you heard more about us possibly taking Sidebottom. I can see why Knights was imipressed by him, very good skills off both feet and great endurance.

 

[The Donners]

I'm glad we didn't go Sidebottom, from what I've seen, not much but more than simply highlights, I can't see him having a great impact in AFL football. I also saw the TAC GF and although he kicked 10 goals, nothing really impressed me about him in terms of a reason for him to be coming to Essendon. Though I would've embraced whatever decision our recruitment team made, I was relieved it wasn't Sidebottom. I'm sure plenty won't agree with me but I've seen unbelievable junior footballs fizz out as they join the big time, I think Sidebottom will follow suit, just my gut feeling.

 

[stay true]

Draft selection five Michael Hurley (182cm) joins Scott Gumbleton (197cm), Paddy Ryder (197cm), Jay Neagle (191cm), Darcy Daniher (191cm), Tayte Pears (191cm), Cale Hooker (196cm) and Tom Bellchambers (200cm) as next-generation Essendon talls.

Geez Jon Ralph, get it together son.

 

[The_Young_Gun]

I'm glad we didn't go Sidebottom, from what I've seen, not much but more than simply highlights, I can't see him having a great impact in AFL football. I also saw the TAC GF and although he kicked 10 goals, nothing really impressed me about him in terms of a reason for him to be coming to Essendon. Though I would've embraced whatever decision our recruitment team made, I was relieved it wasn't Sidebottom. I'm sure plenty won't agree with me but I've seen unbelievable junior footballs fizz out as they join the big time, I think Sidebottom will follow suit, just my gut feeling.

Can't agree more...

I would've been more than devastated if we picked Sidebottom over Hurley... or Rich for that matter. I see Steele as a 1 game wonder. Don't get me wrong, he's done good things through TAC throughout the year I know. But IMO he was overrated to the max in which I believe most teams rated him mainly on his GF performance, which as most people would know playing on GF day is a pretty mixed emotioned experiance in which anything could happen... And on that day, the greatest scenario possible happened to Steele Sidebottom.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

It was always Yarran or Hurley for the Bombers.

We were never going to pick Sidebottom unless he slipped to 23 which could have been a possibility if he didn't kick 10 goals in the GF.

His pace is a huge concern with his 20m time of 3.22 seconds being snails pace.

Good luck with him.

 

[thebigboy]

I think Sidebottom got over hyped after the Grand Final.

He was probably always going to be a 1st or 2nd round pick but him going at 5 wasn't going to happen.

He'll be a good serviceable player for the Pies but he wasn't what we needed.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

I think Sidebottom will turn out to be a lot better than many of you think. I think you are being overly harsh. However, I am not disappointed that we got Hurley.

 

[Merv]

It was always Yarran or Hurley for the Bombers.

We were never going to pick Sidebottom unless he slipped to 23 which could have been a possibility if he didn't kick 10 goals in the GF.

Not true and the 2 choices that it came down to were Sidebottom and Hurley.

Trengove was going to be picked at 23 and the paperwork was filled out.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Not true and the 2 choices that it came down to were Sidebottom and Hurley.

Trengove was going to be picked at 23 and the paperwork was filled out.

No chance we would have picked Sidebottom. Another fluff piece with the multitude of rumours coming out from the club.

You can't add a bog slow midfielder to our inside group. It would be irresponsible drafting. Rich, Ziebell were rated higher by all and I'm quite confident that we would have taken either before Sidebottom.

 

[slugger]

I was told on Oct 11 it was Hurley or Sidebottom. Sidebottom played brilliantly in the other TAC Cup finals, just kicked 10 in the GF. He's a footballer who gets his hands dirty, gets his own ball and highly skilled off both feet.

 

[stugots]

i know its totally irrelevant but who would have SHEEDS most likely taken?

im guessing hurley, he always took a good big man over a good small, no?

& cuz would have got a gig with the last pick, just to piss the board off once again

 

[Burzum]

i know its totally irrelevant but who would have SHEEDS most likely taken?

im guessing hurley, he always took a good big man over a good small, no?

& cuz would have got a gig with the last pick, just to piss the board off once again

Yarran probably.

 

[Merv]

No chance we would have picked Sidebottom. Another fluff piece with the multitude of rumours coming out from the club.

You can't add a bog slow midfielder to our inside group. It would be irresponsible drafting. Rich, Ziebell were rated higher by all and I'm quite confident that we would have taken either before Sidebottom.

I know someone who was there in a capacity at another club, it isn't a rumour it's the stuff insiders find out after the draft is all said and done.

The 2 pieces of information concerning Essendon was what i mentioned.

 

[Gus2Gumby]

Sidebottom reminds me of Adaam Maric. And he is yet to show anything special.

Very happy with Hurley.

(although thought he was taller than 182!)

 

[Burzum]

He's nothing like Maric.

 

[Kong]

i know its totally irrelevant but who would have SHEEDS most likely taken?

either of yarran, motlop, jetta, hislop.

 

[Merv]

Sidebottom reminds me of Adaam Maric. And he is yet to show anything special.

Very happy with Hurley.

(although thought he was taller than 182!)

He is 192.5

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

I know someone who was there in a capacity at another club, it isn't a rumour it's the stuff insiders find out after the draft is all said and done.

The 2 pieces of information concerning Essendon was what i mentioned.

Nothing different to the rumours from all the other reliable sources.

 

[Merv]

Nothing different to the rumours from all the other reliable sources.

Believe what you like...

 

[Longy413]

It was always Yarran or Hurley for the Bombers.

It was Sidebottom and Hurley.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Sidebottom reminds me of Adaam Maric. And he is yet to show anything special.

Very happy with Hurley.

(although thought he was taller than 182!)

He's nothing like Maric.

Classic. Like clockwork.

 

[lemon chicken]

I'm glad we didn't go Sidebottom, from what I've seen, not much but more than simply highlights, I can't see him having a great impact in AFL football. I also saw the TAC GF and although he kicked 10 goals, nothing really impressed me about him in terms of a reason for him to be coming to Essendon. Though I would've embraced whatever decision our recruitment team made, I was relieved it wasn't Sidebottom. I'm sure plenty won't agree with me but I've seen unbelievable junior footballs fizz out as they join the big time, I think Sidebottom will follow suit, just my gut feeling.

Can't agree more...

I would've been more than devastated if we picked Sidebottom over Hurley... or Rich for that matter. I see Steele as a 1 game wonder. Don't get me wrong, he's done good things through TAC throughout the year I know. But IMO he was overrated to the max in which I believe most teams rated him mainly on his GF performance, which as most people would know playing on GF day is a pretty mixed emotioned experiance in which anything could happen... And on that day, the greatest scenario possible happened to Steele Sidebottom.

I have a feeling this thread could be getting bumped a lot in the future.

It was always Yarran or Hurley for the Bombers.

We were never going to pick Sidebottom unless he slipped to 23 which could have been a possibility if he didn't kick 10 goals in the GF.

His pace is a huge concern with his 20m time of 3.22 seconds being snails pace.

Good luck with him.

Has already come third in the Pies 2km time trial.

 

[Smyth94]

I have a feeling this thread could be getting bumped a lot in the future.



Has already come third in the Pies 2km time trial.

Thats not surprising, we knew he had top notch endurance, will be a quality player.

 

[ant555]

I'm glad we didn't go Sidebottom, from what I've seen, not much but more than simply highlights, I can't see him having a great impact in AFL football. I also saw the TAC GF and although he kicked 10 goals, nothing really impressed me about him in terms of a reason for him to be coming to Essendon. Though I would've embraced whatever decision our recruitment team made, I was relieved it wasn't Sidebottom. I'm sure plenty won't agree with me but I've seen unbelievable junior footballs fizz out as they join the big time, I think Sidebottom will follow suit, just my gut feeling.

Look he may not make it but why do people just think he made a big splash simply becasue of tha TAC Final ?
In the end i changed my mind on wanting him at pick 5 simply becasue i thoigh pace wise he was too similar to what we already have but thats not to say he is not a good player. He changed the result of a few Bushrangers games during the year including the first final against Rangers where it was his efforts that put his side back in the game after Rangers jumped them against the breeze. I have seen plenty of kids go well during the year only to fizzle out during a finals series. Steele did the opposite and stepped up to another level during the finals.
The only thing that will stop him at AFL level will if his lack of genuine leg speed puts him under pressure.

Can't agree more...

I would've been more than devastated if we picked Sidebottom over Hurley... or Rich for that matter. I see Steele as a 1 game wonder. Don't get me wrong, he's done good things through TAC throughout the year I know. But IMO he was overrated to the max in which I believe most teams rated him mainly on his GF performance, which as most people would know playing on GF day is a pretty mixed emotioned experiance in which anything could happen... And on that day, the greatest scenario possible happened to Steele Sidebottom.

I can tell you now that most teams actually rated his game in the first final his best performance. Those who have actually seen him play all year know he was not a one game wonder in the TAC Cup.
You don't make the AA side if you are a one game wonder based on a game played well after the Champ series
He may end up a complete flop at AFL level but to say he was a one game wonder this year show a complete lack of knowledge of what happened in under 18 footy during this season.