It is good news for both the Bombers and Lloyd after a tumultuous year, particularly for the champion full forward who played only three games before a season ending hamstring injury.
Lloyd has played 212 games for Essendon and kicked 767 goals since being drafted in the 1995 Compensatory Draft.
The following is a transcript from his press conference today, where he addressed the media about his new contract and also the calf injury to James Hird.
Q:Three years, you must be wrapt?
A: It’s fantastic, I have been at the club for 12 years. Obviously after being so disappointing for this year, it’s a bit of good news knowing there is a bit of stability there for me and that I can just worry about getting my injury right. And I will hopefully give the club three good years of service in my late 20’s and early 30’s.
Q: How is your recovery going?
A: I have been running for the month and have started doing 200’s so a bit of speed work last night and felt fantastic. If we were in contention for the finals, I am sure I would have got back to play this year that is fantastic.
Q: Are you well advanced on your recovery than what you were doing a couple of months ago?
A: After the surgery, Jullian Feller thought that I would be able to play just because my hamstring was in such good condition. I had never done a hamstring previously so touch wood, everything feels really good.
Q: Do you think this contract will see you to the end of your playing days?
A: I hope not, I’ve just turned 28 and apart from what has just happened, my body feels really great. Hirdy has been through a lot and he is 33 and still playing so that will take me to just turning 31 so I hope to get another few years in after that. But who knows what can happen in the next three years.
Q: Do you think this will be your last long contract though, or it will now come down to one or two years?
A: There is no doubt football has gone to when you are past 26 or 27 you are looking at two years, so I am very lucky and fortunate to get three years because as you are seeing at most clubs, two is pretty much as you will get.
Q: Did you partake in an early morning swim this morning?
A: Yep I did do that.
Q: Is that part of the recovery?
A: It’s been a case of on the training track and also off field we are trying to doa lot more as a group and also keeping each other honest. There is nothing too much in it, but I think getting up its not fun, but once we all get there and amongst each other and we have a few laughs it’s the type of thing we are needing at the moment.
Q: It’s a punishing way to start the day, is it in direct reference to anything that has happened.
A: I think all clubs would have a few little things like players turning up late to training but I think in the position we are in, we are just trying to make a stand. It was actually a month ago we decided that every Tuesday we would do something different and next week will be something else. But it’s not indirect to something that someone has done. Its just a few team building exercises, but you will also see that out on the field our skill efficiency is poor so we are challenging each other on the skills department.
Q: How is James (Hird) at the moment, he is obviously very frustrated by his latest setback and what that could mean to his playing future?
A: Yeah, he was devastated last night. I know that when you have had a few injuries - I have started the last few seasons when I broke my arm and you ruptured your finger – and they build up. You can handle your first one or two but he has had so many over his time. He works as hard as anybody else, but thinks just seem to happen and he is unlucky considering what a great career he has had. It’s a calf- it’s not like Chris Newman who has broken his leg - it’s a three or four week injury with nine matches to go. So hopefully he has four or five games to go before he makes a decision on his future.
Q: This morning is he more positive?
A: Yeah it was great to see him there, because he was so disappointed last night, we weren’t sure even if he would come. He was a lot better this morning and now he has three or four weeks ahead of him just to get it right. He, when he gets out there, is still in our best two or three players so we right behind him in coming back and playing these last five games. And even he hasn’t made his mind up in regards to whether he wants to play on. So it is hard for anyone to speculate because the person himself has categorically said he doesn’t know what he wants to do yet.
Q: Is he going to need convincing from you and others at the club to play on?
A: I think we all agree that we aren’t going to - it is totally his decision on that. Only he and his family knows what he goes thought time after time with his injuries and what he is feeling mentally. He is one of those rare players who has so many options when he finishes, not just being an assistant coach or go in the media. He can write his own ticket because he has done so well in so many areas. Its upto him if he wants to go around for another pre-season or another season, obviously we would love him to have him but I wont be trying to twist his arm.
Q: Do you expecting to be a sounding board?
A: I spent a few hours with him last night talking about a few things, because he has always been the first person there for me when I have had a injury. So I was just there to talk to him, and whether you have been a champion and you are one of the greats of all time, you still need people there to talk to. And we talked about everything bar what he wants to do next year and just about how its disappointing you hurt yourself, but give yourself every chance to play the last five games which I think he is looking forward to.
Q: Is it hard to contemplate what life at Essendon would be like without James Hird?
A: He has definitely left a legacy on this football club and it’s been hard, we have lost Mercuri, Misiti, Alessio, Barnard, Wellman. The last three or four years have been big in terms of the change over and you do rely as a senior player on those sort of people. It will be a sad day when they go, but you just have to get on with things. But as I said I don’t want to speculate.
