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Career Profile

Hird was drafted at pick 79 in the 1990 National Draft and made his senior debut in 1992. He was part of the young Essendon side that won the 1993 premiership in only his 20th senior game.

In 1994 he won the first of his five Best and Fairest medals. He also won the award in 1995, the only season of his career in which he played every game, and again in 1996, 2003 (equal) and 2007. In 1996 Hird won football's highest individual honour, the Brownlow medal, sharing the award with Brisbane player Michael Voss.

In 1997 a foot injury caused him to hobble from the ground in Round 4 and he was restricted to only seven games for the season. It was an injury that was to threaten his career.

Hird was appointed captain in 1998 but problems with his hamstring restricted him to only 13 games. His run with injuries continued into 1999 when stress fractures of his right foot saw him play only two games for the season and he was replaced as captain by Michael Long. Yet despite these frustrations his leadership was unquestioned.

After a long recovery he returned in 2000 in the third game of the Ansett Cup, and what a season he had.
He led the team to their Ansett Cup Grand Final win over the Kangaroos then led the club to its best season in league history. The team won 23 or 24 games that season, won its 16th premiership, and Hird himself was voted best player in the Grand Final. He also gained All-Australian selection as captain, and was runner-up to Dustin Fletcher in the Crichton Medal that year.

He had another fine season in 2001, was again named captain of the All-Australian side and led the season into a second succesive Grand Final, only to go down to Brisbane. His horror run with injuries continued when he suffered serious facial fractures in Round 6 2002. But he returned after only eight weeks and justifiably win the Most Courageous Player award that year. He won his fourth Crichton Medal in 2003 (with co-winner Scott Lucas), and was selected in the All-Australian Team.

He played 20 games in 2004, missing games to an eye injury (one week) and then rib injury (three weeks). He once again showed his consistency as a top rated player in 2005, by again being Essendon's highest Brownlow medal vote getter.

Hird relinquished the EFC captaincy to Matthew Lloyd in 2006, and hamstring and calf injuries restricted the champion to only 13 games. The season was dismal for the Club, finishing 15th with only three wins and one draw. Hird considered retirement, but vowed to play one more season, with his goal being another finals series. The club fell just short.

Hird retired at the end of 2007 along with fellow Essendon great, coach Kevin Sheedy.

His father, Allan junior, played four games for Essendon, and his grandfather, Allan senior, was an Essendon player and committeeman for many years.

View James's profile in our Past Player database

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