It has been a tough season for Bombers’ forward Michael Hurley. Scratch that, it has been a tough two seasons.
Hurley has struggled with injuries throughout 2012 and 2013. The lack of continuity has weighed on his form after a solid beginning to 2013.
Debate continues to rage whether he should be played as a forward or defender and the rise of Jake Carlisle as a legitimate swing player has only led to increased speculation.
Over the first four rounds Hurley was playing great football up forward, averaging 15.8 possessions and 3.25 goals/goal assists per game. These numbers are almost identical with Hawthorn’s Lance Franklin this season (15.8 disposals and 3.4 goals/goal assists per game). It looked liked Hurley was ready to take that next step.
However, since then the season has gone pear shaped with wrist and ankle injuries reducing his output, costing him games and presumably shaking his confidence.
Excluding the Round 8 loss to Brisbane, where he was injured in the first ten minutes of the match, Hurley is averaging just 9.7 possessions and 1.2 goals/goal assists per game since returning from injury in Round 7.
On form he should have a spell in the VFL but instead he has created another headache for the Bombers’ coaching staff.
In recent games, the Bombers have switched Hurley to the backline after performing poorly in the forward line. Hurley’s performance in defence has been stellar and in recent weeks he has probably had the better of West Coast’s Jack Darling and Carlton’s Jarrad Waite.
Essendon coach James Hird said there is compelling case to keep Hurley in the backline.
“I thought Hurley went back and was terrific as well. We’ll continue to switch them around, but the case is pretty compelling to leave them where they were at the end of the game tonight,” Hird said.
Nevertheless, both Carlisle and Hurley have been named in the forward line for Sunday’s encounter with an in-form Port Adelaide.
Hurley’s form highlights the importance of continuity to a player’s form across a season. Miss a game here or there and you may not notice, but an extended or series of absences can lead to a sustained decline in output.
Hurley wears his heart on his sleeve on game day and his personal frustration is easily visible on ground. He is as disappointed in his form and injuries as the Essendon faithful.
The decision on where to play Hurley and, by extension, Carlisle needs to be made soon. While being able to switch the players is a valuable tactical move which has worked on occasions this season, it is preferable to determine the team’s best structure moving forward.
The forward line remains the biggest challenge for Essendon. Their midfield is creating opportunities, with the Bombers averaging 11.4 more inside 50 entries than their opposition, the highest differential in the league.
But the Bombers are only ranked seventh for turning those inside 50 entries into goals, an indication of forward line inefficiency and poor disposal going forward. To match Hawthorn, Geelong and Sydney in September the Bombers will need to improve in this area.
If Hurley does not improve as a forward it seems inevitable that he will become a full-time backman. Dustin Fletcher will eventually retire, opening up a key defensive position that Hurley would be perfect for.
In addition, the first two games of Joe Daniher’s career indicate that he may become a very good forward over the next few years. He could permanently replace Hurley at full-forward.
However, if he is to continue to play in the forward line he needs to be played further up the field. Rather than playing deep forward, he needs to be pushing up the ground and taking possession between 40 and 70 metres from goal.
Hurley is generally an excellent field kick and he can provide value by creating quality inside 50 entries, an area where the Bombers have struggled this year.
Hurley’s early season form indicates he could become a solid forward but injuries continue to plague his development. Unless Hurley can develop some continuity with his football he may provide more value in the backline until the end of the season.
With finals approaching the Essendon coaching staff needs to determine his ideal position, particularly given that Essendon’s forward line is its weakest area at the moment.
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