Picks Of The Draft - Michael Hurley

The Age

Tuesday November 25, 2008

EMMA QUAYLE

FROM: the Northern Knights, where he's played two seasons. Hurley made the under-18 All-Australian sides in 2007 and 2008, and was part of this year's Australian Institute of Sport-AFL Academy intake.

THE NUMBERS: Born June 1, 1990.

193cm, 92kg.

THE LOWDOWN: Hurley is a big, strong defender with a mean streak. He's a player with great control of the space around him and he reads the play brilliantly.

His long, accurate kicking is something to behold - he can hit teammates on the chest from 50 metres away - and his timing (he's a great spoiler) is impressive too.

RUNNING AND JUMPING: The question mark over Hurley is his pace off the mark - his 20-metre sprint time at draft camp was 3.11 seconds. He seems a natural full-back (although he could also play further up the ground and in the forward line) but clubs will be wondering whether his lack of burst will be a problem against fast-leading forwards, or if his many other attributes outweigh that. He's no athlete but he's a natural footballer who finds way to get the ball and involve himself in what's going on.

WHO NEEDS HIM: Essendon needs to add to its key defensive stocks and may pick him at No.5. Carlton likes the look of him too and, although it has a few young defenders starting to come through, could well do with adding Hurley to the mix. If he doesn't go to either of those clubs, I think he could end up at North Melbourne, at No.9.

IRRELEVANT YET INTERESTING FACT: Hurley played representative cricket growing up.

IF HE WAS A BISCUIT HE'D BE A: Butternut snap. A very tough cookie. Needs some serious dunking to break.

© 2008 The Age

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