Essendon is spending this week in Sydney as part of the AFL Community Camp program. The Bombers trained well and Hird was a standout - not for the first time.
""I think he is keen to play as long as possible and if we do it smart and Jim does – and I think he is learning that as he gets older – then who knows?"" Sheedy said.
""I don’t think Hird has ever not been keen (to play) but he isn’t a player you really coach as such. You just guide and advise and I think that is the story with champions.""
Sheedy said a decision was still to be made as to whether Hird would participate in the Wizard Cup.
""I will sit down and have a chat with Jim and see if he plays against Carlton (Wizard Cup, Round 1). But he played very well in the intra club match last weekend and his training has been exceptional to be quite honest,"" Sheedy said.
""We have got to consider whether we play him and how many games he has got left in his career. If he plays another two years, and hopefully finals, he might only have another 40 or 50 games left.
""He can’t play forever – why would Essendon fans want to miss it. He has performed that well in the finals, really the team has let him down. Even against Geelong in the finals, he was the reason we were in the game in the last quarter – we let ourselves down and we are working to address that over the summer.""
