James Hird Combeback! 

 

Exclusive scoop by Rohan Connolly

 

 

Reproduced from The Rage (first edition) 24 September 2008*

(*not available online as it was pulled from The Rage website early that morning. Not printed in the second edition either.)

 

By Rohan Connolly

 

James Hird, Essendon's retired champion, is considering a stunning comeback to AFL football.

 

The former premiership captain, who retired at the end of 2007, is believed to be seeking a meeting with Bomber coach Matthew Knights this week to discuss a possible return next season after a year off.

 

Hird, 35, has kept himself in top physical condition during the past year, and hopes to convince Knights and the Essendon football department that he still has the physical capacity to play at the elite level.

 

While Hird was satisfied he had given it away at the right time, he is believed to have had second thoughts in recent months, and recently told Matthew Lloyd, 30, his teammate and successor as captain to continue playing as long as possible.

 

Lloyd and Hird were two of several Essendon players who shared a holiday to the United States recently. The possibility of a comeback was raised, and former teammates were keen.

 

If the Bombers' coaching panel believes Hird's remarkable about-face is worth pursuing, he would be required to nominate for either the national or pre-season drafts, which will be held on November 29 and December 16.

 

If another club were to select Hird and he refused, he could theoretically face action for draft tampering. But that seems inconceivable given his age and the fact that even Essendon will have to think long and hard about whether to follow through.

 

While he addressed Essendon's players before their Anzac Day clash with Collingwood early this season, Hird has maintained only a minimal involvement with the game this year after an emotional 2007 farewell he shared with the departing coach, Kevin Sheedy.

 

The gifted forward and on-baller played his last game for the Bombers, against West Coast, at Subiaco, in round 22 last year, leaving the field in tears. The week before, he and Sheedy made a grand MCG farewell at Essendon's last home game of the season.

 

Hird originally had to be cajoled into playing, even in 2007. But the decision to play on proved correct, the champion regularly carrying the Bombers on his shoulders, and winning his fifth club best and fairest. Essendon tried to convince him to continue.

 

Hird has pursued several business interests since retirement. He is a part-owner and director of a management and marketing company, the Gemba group, which was involved with a report into the potential move of North Melbourne to the Gold Coast last year, and Tasmania's bid for an AFL team this year.

 

Hird finished one of the great modern AFL careers, with 253 games over 16 seasons, highlighted by two premierships in 1993 and 2000.

 

 

Read more of this exclusive scoop!

 

Rohan Connolly: Hird return could be a gamble

The Rage, 24 September 2008

 

 

Now read Rohan Connolly's excuse:

 

Hird 'no' to comeback

The Rage, 25 September 2008

 

 

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