#18 Michael Hurley -- now coaching

He’s started to come good since finally losing it last week in the 2nd quarter and unloading all his frustration on a poor st Kilda player.

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Watch his disposal - shocking at times and rushed in a very similar way that Goddard was at the end. Dreadful to see his demise. Lost the power in his game. He may stagnate a bit more which some will say is regaling form before he regresses further. My concern is that we aren’t prepared for how quickly the end will come and will be forced to play Ambrose and even potentially Hartley.

Rance will still make the team.

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Looking very beastly.

Did very well last night.

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Agreed.

I thought the past two weeks have been two of the better games he has played in the past 2 years.

Not getting a lot of cheapies but is manning his opponent and negating them far better than previously.

There was a play on the boundary where the ball was up for grabs, Hurley charges in at full pace and grabs it with two players bearing down on him, shrugs one off and goes to barge through another which he does but he just steps out of bounds.

I hadn’t seen that from him since 2015.

He seems to be gaining more confidence and playing far better. Maybe Rutten has really helped him?

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I reckon he was okay.

I mean he should be dominating against Melksham. He did get beaten in a few contests.

I prefer when he plays on the oppositions best forward. Sometimes he can look a bit vulnerable up against some mediocre players for some reason

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I think it’s because the second/third forward tends to be a lanky guy with some pace. Sorta a hedge your bets type player, not dominant overhead or off the deck, but good enough at both.

Hurley isn’t explosive off the mark (and he dropped down in his draft because he was “slow”, from memory) so that can be exploited by those kinds of players. Even if it is not a lead up, they can get into position quicker and get set.

Melbourne has a better forward than Melksham post-Hogan?

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one of our best again. Complete lot of bullshit about him cracking it because he wasn’t in the leadership group

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Even though their whole forward line is playing poorly/out of form, I would definitely say that Mcdonald and Weideman are better forwards.

Would have loved to have seen Hurley go to Mcdonald (who did get injured in the second term)

Send him to Hipwood this week, love to see him be really physical against him too

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Hipwood is so dangerous at the moment. Is Hurley tall enough though? I think Hipwood has about 12cms on him.

Probably doesn’t have the height nope, but I feel a big job like this will bring the best out of him, backing him in for a big game. If we can have a Francis type peel off maybe as that third man type it may nullify he’s aerial advantage. I really like our matchups this week against their fwd line, and stopping Hipwood will go a long way to winning

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He had one of the highest sprint rates during the last game. 33.4kph, if I remember correctly. That is sprinter speed. Of course, he couldn’t do this regularly, but he is not ‘slow’.

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Ambrose should get Hipwood (and be supported in the air by Francis and co.)

I just wanna see Ambrose snap the twig in half.

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Hurley is not a body on body defender. He’s an interceptor. Without Hooker in the side Hurley suffers. I’ve actually been quite disappointed in him.

Michael Hurley - Warrior. Looks like a warrior, plays like a warrior.

Certainly appreciated his old mate Hooksey back in defense today.

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Beast Mode is back. Seems to be over the hesitant will I/won’t I mindset when it comes to hitting a contest. Now he’s looking to hit them hard and split a few open like he was a couple of years back. Love it.

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Was very good today. Lifts his game with General Hooker by his side.

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