Nice newsletter here from the EFC website.
Sounds like the 4th generation of Hirds are not entirely lost to football, and the little Lovett-Murrays, Hamiltons and others can still play together. I love the Essendon dynasties- looks like a few father-daughters coming through too.
Really want Taj and Cove to make it, so the McPhees dad jokes can keep rolling.
Also good to see NLM son takes after his old man with occasional ruck duties.
Taj takes after his dad with the long blonde locks flowing.
Oh, huh, Jake Firebrace is a NGA player. I saw him in the Calder game with Mason Fletcher that was broadcast earlier this year. Thought he was getting a heap of the ball until I realised that there were in fact two J. Firebraces playing.
Actually, reading that it sounds like the Hirds are gone. Apart from being listed on the possibles list, not a single other mention. Tom Hird is in that first group, where every other player got a box of description of where they’re playing etc. There was nada on Tom.
I think we have to face up to it, this is another cost of the Saga and move on. 
Just to be clear, I’m correct in saying none of these kids are available this year, right?
Where are you getting that from? None of them got a single mention other than the roll call. And everyone is on the role call simply by virtue of eligibility. Is that not right?
They’re Hirds. They can take three years off, get drafted as Cat B rookies and still win the rising star in their first season.
Why are we including Chris Johnson’s son (from lions)??
Indigenous player within our NGA area I’d guess.
If he’s any good he goes father son surely.
Probably, but it can’t hurt to have an opportunity if he decides not to nominate F/S for some reason. One of the other guys doesn’t even play football and he’s in there. Plus, seems the right thing to do to help whatever kids we can with development.
It would be his choice. The academy once running will work exactly like F/S, with clubs bidding on players and the academy club getting a 20% discount to match.
North has the same issue with Longmire’s sons - because he’s been coaching and living in Sydney, his kids are part of the Swans academy. So they will have the choice to go father-son or via the academy pre-draft.
I was more thinking they may be respecting the Hird’s privacy by not including what they are doing.
Oh ok. I thought the academy was if they don’t get drafted in the main draft, then we get first dibs on them in the rookie draft.
That’s the interim rules. Was aimed at stopping clubs picking up guys cheap they’d done no development with (since the system was just introduced).
You sure? That’s awesome if so
Unfortunately - from the Hirds’ point of view, probably fair enough. They’d have witnessed first hand the pain the whole saga inflicted on their dad, the fact it nearly broke him. I can completely understand if they want nothing to do with AFL ever again.
(Actually I read something a while back about them instead playing soccer)
Might not want to live in brizzy
99% sure.