Hurley - will he stay or will he go?

[Windy_Hill]

From The Hun

ESSENDON coach James Hird is confident Michael Hurley will resist the lure of big money from AFL newcomers Greater Western Sydney.
Hurley is among several big names who are out of contract at the end of this season.

GWS have two years of recruiting concessions and they have already signed uncontracted players Tom Scully (Melbourne), Phil Davis (Adelaide), Rhys Palmer (Fremantle) and Callan Ward (Western Bulldogs).

"I'm sure everyone is very hopeful that Michael will sign soon, but that's up to Michael, his manager and his club to sort out," Hird said.

"I don't think he wants any pressure from us, but obviously we would love to have him signed as soon as possible and I'm sure that will happen."

The Bombers hope their new $25 million training facility, next to Melbourne Airport, will encourage players such as Hurley to stay with them.

Hird today helped turn the first sod in a ceremony at the construction site.

"We're setting up an environment that players want to stay in (and) we're setting up an elite environment where they can get the best out of themselves," Hird said.

"That will be for Michael to weigh up - we're certainly confident he'll stay, but that will be for him to decide.

"Speaking to Michael, he's very keen to stay."

Hurley is now part of the Bombers' leadership group, but his pre-season was set back last month when he had some hamstring tightness.

"Michael's going very well, he trained with the full group yesterday, which went very well," Hird said.

The Bombers are planning to build a new headquarters that will be two and a half times the size of their spiritual home at Windy Hill.

It will feature two training ovals, one the size of the MCG playing surface and the other having the same dimensions as Etihad Stadium.

They aim to be training at the new facility by the end of this year, with construction of the buildings to finish next year.

They will share the centre with the Australian Paralympic Committee.

"The greatest advantage we're going to have over what we have at the moment is a proper football ground to train on," Hird said.

"Essendon in my time has been training on a postage stamp, you haven't been able to do the drills you want."

Hird added injury-plagued key forward Scott Gumbleton was recovering well from surgery he had late last year to fix persistent lower-back trouble.

The Bombers coach also is pleased with work they have done over the pre-season to improve their midfield depth.

"We have enough quality and depth in our midfield now," Hird said.

"There are a lot of guys who have had good pre-seasons - you look at some of the younger guys in Jake Melksham, Ben (Howlett) and Travis Colyer."

He said last year's Rising Star winner Dyson Heppell would "creep" into the midfield at times this season.

[Jazz_84]

I think he will stay but gotta ask why is it taking so long to sign something new?

im 25% worried

[BenDoolan]

I am completely 100% bored about this topic (it has been discussed before). There is nothing surer than Hurley signing with us.

[BERT]

I am completely 100% bored about this topic (it has been discussed before). There is nothing surer than Hurley signing with us.

x1

[robrulz5]

He didn't go to the Gold Coast so why would he go to Western Sydney?

[bomberdonnie]

He didn't go to the Gold Coast so why would he go to Western Sydney?

Because western Sydney is a much nicer place to live ... Oh wait on

[Gimps]

Barring something extroadinary, I think Hurley is a Monty to stay..

[ZeroEffect]

Only Hurley knows whether he will stay or go... I just don't want this saga to end up like Scully and be on the back page of the Herald Scum once every 2 weeks.

[Jazz_84]

I wonder what the guys on AFL 360 will call it....

[j-mac31]

I am completely 100% bored about this topic (it has been discussed before). There is nothing surer than Hurley signing with us.

x1

Don't you mean "+1"? x1 means nothing.

[j-mac31]

I'd like him to sign soon, just so the media ******** like Hutchison don't go on about it every week, despite nothing changing from the week before.

[ealesy]

The problem we've got is that even if right now Hurley wants to stay with us, with where he is at this point in his career, he would be stupid to sign a new contract until at least very late in the season, if during the season at all.

If he has a 60+ goal season as a key forward who on occasions goes back and stops an opposition key forward, all of a sudden his value goes up even more.

But if he doesn't re-sign soon then there is no doubt in my mind that GWS will be circling making offers to his manager, or parents or whoever the f*** they reckon will be in his ear (even though they aren't meant to be, the AFL has shown that when it comes to the start up clubs in new markets they are will to turn a blind eye to clear breaches of the rules) at every opportunity they get.

one can only assume that because he knocked back a big offer from GC, he will also knock back a similarly large offer from GWS, but who knows, their offer might just be too good to knock back.

Then again this is all assuming he hasn't already committed to GWS.

[Gimps]

They might offer his mum $100k to wash the uniforms..

[j-mac31]

The problem we've got is that even if right now Hurley wants to stay with us, with where he is at this point in his career, he would be stupid to sign a new contract until at least very late in the season, if during the season at all.

If he has a 60+ goal season as a key forward who on occasions goes back and stops an opposition key forward, all of a sudden his value goes up even more.

But if he doesn't re-sign soon then there is no doubt in my mind that GWS will be circling making offers to his manager, or parents or whoever the f*** they reckon will be in his ear (even though they aren't meant to be, the AFL has shown that when it comes to the start up clubs in new markets they are will to turn a blind eye to clear breaches of the rules) at every opportunity they get.

one can only assume that because he knocked back a big offer from GC, he will also knock back a similarly large offer from GWS, but who knows, their offer might just be too good to knock back.

Then again this is all assuming he hasn't already committed to GWS.

Great post.

Perhaps we should offer him a deal right now that can increase x% beyond 2012 if he kicks a certain amount of goals or polls a certain number of B&F votes this season.

[Windy_Hill]

The kid would be crazy to not consider a Sculley type offer - and thats the problem, Hurley is a rarer commodity than Sculley and will attract huge bucks. Perhaps he wasnt ready for Gold Coast, perhaps after another year at Essendon he may feel confident enough in himself to take on the responsibility and pressure that goes with $1Million a year salary.

I am sure we could scrape together a superb offer - and I am thinking he needs to be looking at at least $800K at Essendon next year along with the prospects of being a Top 4 side.

If we bomb this year, maybe the GWS cash will be enough to to tempt

[Gimps]

The kid would be crazy to not consider a Sculley type offer - and thats the problem, Hurley is a rarer commodity than Sculley and will attract huge bucks. Perhaps he wasnt ready for Gold Coast, perhaps after another year at Essendon he may feel confident enough in himself to take on the responsibility and pressure that goes with $1Million a year salary.

I am sure we could scrape together a superb offer - and I am thinking he needs to be looking at at least $800K at Essendon next year along with the prospects of being a Top 4 side.

If we bomb this year, maybe the GWS cash will be enough to to tempt

f*** the flight plan, let's start a Hurley Plan.. Bet he'd rake in more dough..

[s'dreams]

Gawd ... given the frivolities today at Norf (Hobart) and the club of choice for snow bunnies ... we should have made Hurley captain 2 years ago...

I recon a lot of the noise about Hurley and GWS is static/romanticism about Sheeds and his EFC connections - 'tis a pity that Hurley in reality never crossed paths with the great obstruficator...

Methinks Hurley's agent is holding out for more money and the EFC is holding out for a fuller season sans injuries ... suspect that should Hurley be relatively injury free, a deal should be struck by round 16.

[danstar84]

I don't think any amount of money could tempt me to live in Western Sydney!

[Windy_Hill]

I don't think any amount of money could tempt me to live in Western Sydney!

On $1Million plus a year, I am pretty sure it will be Mosman, Double Bay or Point Piper.

[BERT]

I don't think any amount of money could tempt me to live in Western Sydney!

On $1Million plus a year, I am pretty sure it will be Mosman, Double Bay or Point Piper.

And drive an hour to training every day fighting Sydney traffic.