Hartley Drafted to Bombers!
Coburg Football Club are delighted to announce that star key defender Michael Hartley has been drafted to the Essendon Football Club with Pick 68!
It completes a remarkable comeback to AFL ranks for the 22 year old from Western Sydney, who had spent two seasons on Collingwood’s Rookie List without managing a senior game due to reconstructive shoulder surgeries in both years at the Westpac Centre.
Having being delisted at the end of 2013, Michael opted to remain in Victoria and trained with Coburg as well as fellow competition standalone sides Williamstown and Port Melbourne. Ultimately Hartley chose Coburg in the end. Michael managed 15 games for the Lions in 2014 and was awarded the clubs Trevor Price ‘Team Sprit’ Award. Despite having competed in the AFL Draft Combine at the end of 2014, he was passed on by all 18 AFL clubs.
Michael returned to Coburg for 2015 determined more than ever to prove his worth again and build on his 2014 season. He would be approached by Essendon as a top-up player for its NAB Challenge matches, however was ruled out after failing a medical. Having being named in the clubs leadership group to start off the season, Michael overcame the disappointment and would shut down some of the big name AFL listed forwards, including the likes of Tyrone Vickery, Liam McBean, Tom Boyd and Aaron Black, as well as Port Melbourne’s Khan Haretuku. It resulted in him receiving recognition being named at Centre Half Back in the VFL team of the year. He would win the prestigious Jim Sullivan Medal for the clubs best and fairest, tying with Vice-Captain Daniel Venditti.
Coburg General Manager Craig Lees was stoked with the outcome.
“This is why the Coburg Football Club is here, to further develop players and continue to educate them about the standards required to play AFL Football. We are a great pathway to the AFL system, highly resourced, with terrific coaches. We develop footballers as well as people, and this is an important foundation to our culture, and Michael has benefited immensely from this. He has demonstrated the resilience and mental toughness to play AFL and we wish him all the best at Essendon.” Craig said.
Hartley becomes the second Coburg player to have been drafted since going stand alone, after last years success of Adam Saad. He is also the first Coburg player to have been taken in the National Draft since former club best and fairest winner Michael Rix in 2005.
We all wish Michael the best of luck with his AFL aspirations.
