Michael Hurley – 2008 AFL Draftee Profile
November 4, 2008 by Stewart Brown
After what seems to be the consensus Top 3 in this year’s AFL Draft comes the next group of players which is headed by Northern Knights key position player Michael Hurley.
Height: 192cm
Weight: 92kg
Position: Key Defender/Forward
Team: Northern Knights
Expected club: Essendon
Who we think he may turn out like: Nathan Brown (Collingwood) / Nathan Bock type who can pay both back and forward.
Who we hope he won’t turn out like: Modern day Simon Prestigiacomo.
Hurley is a very reliable defender who has been a rock down back all year for the Northern Knights. He has also shown the ability to go forward on numerous occasions which has included a couple of six goal hauls playing at Centre Half Forward. Hurley has the body to hold down a key position at AFL level and has great skills on both sides of his body (kicking 50 metres with accuracy). He has a very good football brain and is often seen leaving his opponent at the right time to help out his team mates.
Hurley has been rated as the best defender at the past two Under 18 Championships so it shows he can play well on a big occasion. He is very competitive in a one on one contest and is rarely beaten.
If there is one area of Hurley’s game that is a concern is his pace off the mark. He is certainly not lightning off the mark and this could hurt him with the fast pace of the game at the top level. The fact that he is so good at reading the game helps him to nullify this deficiency.
Leave us with your thoughts on Michael Hurley – Do you think he should be the next one picked after the Top 3?
I thought we would hope he would not turn out like the older Cloke brother who imo is even worse than Prestigiacomo imo.
Lets also hope he doesnt play like Bock who is useless and only good for playing loose. Ive only seen him play one good game playing on someone, rest of the time he gets easily beaten.
Would be a no brainer pick for the Bombers youd think. They are in need of key defenders with Mal Michael and Fletch retired or retiring soon.
Port could do with a descent defender as well and they have a pick before Essendon.
Hurley will go to Essendon with Melbourne taking Watts, West Coast taking Naitanui, Fremantle taking Rich and Port Adelaide taking Vickery. A ready-made replacement for Dustin Fletcher for Season 2010.
@Leigh – I am not 100% sure the Eagles will take Naitanui…
Jack watts will go to hawks and naitanui will go to the cats meowwwww
Why would the Hawks want a KP? They have enough already…
they want KP because they are looking to the long term
McCarty … I’ll have what you’re having
Hawks have half their list as KP players (rucks or forwards)…
Taylor, Muston, Buddy, Roughead, Boyle, Thorp and at least another 3 or 4 I cant think of names at the mo. Any KP players the Hawks need would be backmen with Croad aging and injury prone.