STAR Essendon defender Michael Hurley is tracking to play in Thursday’s sudden- death AFL final against West Coast in Perth after recovering from a shoulder injury.
Hurley was training with the Bombers squad on Monday with coach John Worsfold saying he was looking “really promising”.
The 29-year-old partially dislocated his shoulder in the final round loss to Collingwood but is one of a number of key players, including skipper Dyson Heppell (foot), expected to return for the elimination match.
Cale Hooker (illness), Orazio Fantasia (hip) and Jake Stringer (hamstring) also missed the Magpies match.
“He’s going really well and at this stage everything is looking really promising,” Worsfold said of Hurley.
“He has to say he thinks he’s able to play, the medical staff have to agree with that and we have to decide whether to pick him but at this stage he’s tracking really well.”
Worsfold said while Essendon haven’t been given much chance of knocking off the Eagles at Optus Stadium, he felt that at their best they were more than capable.
He said they took some belief from their 11-point loss to fourth-placed Collingwood despite fielding a weakened side.
“We’ve played some really good footy against the best teams in the comp this year so if we go out and play our best footy we think it will hold up,” Worsfold said.
© AAP 2019
