Hird family excited by Tom Hird's signing with Essendon as a Category B rookie, footy news from March 5, 2020
Essendon has signed the son of club great James Hird, picking up the youngster after he initially set his sights on a career as a professional soccer player - and his family are thrilled. Find out about the Bombers recruit.
The Hird family has spoken of its excitement at son Tom’s arrival at Essendon as the legendary football name lives on 80 years after his great grandfather’s arrival at the club.
Left-footed rising soccer star Hird is the eldest of club champion James’s three sons and was yesterday signed by the Bombers as a fourth-generation Hird on a two-year deal.
The league yesterday defended his Category B listing as within the spirit of the rules because he has never played representative football.
His mother Tania Hird last night told the Herald Sun she was thrilled at the opportunity presented to the 180cm soccer full back.
“Tom is excited and so we are happy for him. He is an exceptional boy and we are very proud,” Tania said.
The Herald Sun revealed last year Tom Hird was a left-field father-son target but despite training at the father-son academy named after his father, he did not nominate for the draft.
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Instead Essendon has been able to secure him using the same rookie category that is used for international players and elite sportsmen secured from rival codes.
Hird had not been listed at any AFL team for the past three years so was eligible.
The Hird family is part of football royalty but he could be recruited as a Category B rookie because he has never played representative football.
Hird has played for premier league club Port Melbourne and trialled with Stoke City as a 15-year-old before a recent trial in the Netherlands.
Port Melbourne football director Dario Serra said yesterday Hird had a senior contract with the club and had potential to play in the league below Australia’s A League if he had stuck with soccer.
“He is a lefty who plays as an attacking full back for us. He is five foot eleven (180cm) and he’s a bit of a stick so he needs to hit the gym but he is a mature boy and really coachable. He was playing a couple of years above his age group and had the potential to play National Premier League football.”
It is an inspired decision because Essendon does not have to pay him under the salary cap and he has two years to develop his AFL skills with little pressure other than his surname.
Former star and senior coach Hird’s younger sons Alex and William have also played with Port Melbourne, while daughter Stephanie was a developing rookie in Essendon’s 2019 VFLW squad.
AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan said last night Hird’s relatives at the club did not alter his eligibility for the Category B rookie list.
“The Hird kids have been the (father-son) academy but you have to be unregistered for three years.
“(The Category B list) encourages speculation. It can be used for international players or people from alternate sports and it provides extra opportunities for clubs to think outside the square,” he said.
“We encourage clubs to be brave and look at what they might find out there and there is nothing wrong with that. Essendon has used it on the three Irish boys who are there now. Clubs can be speculative and brave and try new things and it’s a bit of a free kick if you can get one.”
Allan Sr played 102 games at Essendon, Allan Jr four games with the Bombers and Hird became one of footy’s most popular players but was involved in the damaging supplements scandal.
Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro said the club would give Tom Hird time to grow as a footballer.
““We are really pleased to welcome Tom to the club as a Category B rookie signing,” he said.
“Tom trained with our club in early 2019 after being granted permission to train in accordance with AFL rules. We have been following him closely in the event he chose to return to football from elite soccer and pleasingly for our club, he has come to that decision.
“He is an athletic young sportsman with natural talent, but we will be taking a patient approach with his development as he begins to build his strength.”
Originally published as Hird family excited by Tom Hird's signing with Essendon as a Category B rookie, footy news from March 5, 2020