The night served as a dual purpose: to reflect on past glory but to not let it shine too brightly. It was important, as pointed out by Hird, president David Evans, and captain Jobe Watson, that the club’s next premiership remained a focus. But that didn’t hinder any tradition last night.
For 50 minutes, as Ken Fletcher, David Shaw and Hugh Torney were inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame, and then Hird as a Legend, the past became the present and was also used as a lesson to the future.
Shaw, who described himself as one of ""Jack Dyer's footballers"" - a good, ordinary player - played 177 games for the Bombers between 1959-68. He went on to be president of the club for four years, including the 1993 premiership season.
Rather than talk too much about his own career, Shaw preferred to pass on some advice: ""To the new players, you are privileged to play football. Privileged to play for Essendon."" Fletcher echoed such sentiments.
Fletcher was presented his induction certificate by his son Dustin. The pair share a striking resemblance in their football mannerisms, the way they speak, and even Ken's story about debuting as a full-back, having never played there before. It's family, this club, highlighted not least by Fletcher-the-elder's parting words to ""spare a thought"" for his ex-teammate Alan Noonan, who is struggling with illness.
The night also served as a throwback. Torney, who played in the 1942 premiership, was representative of a time gone by when there weren't under-18s national tournaments or talent pathways. Torney was recruited from Patchewollock, a town, at last count, with a population a tick over 320. It just doesn't happen like that anymore.
But the night, of course, belonged to Hird. You get the sense, though, even if he wasn't being inducted as a Legend that he would have still been the main attraction after his side's promising NAB Cup campaign.
Mentor Danny Corcoran spoke of Hird learning to train, of him being told by coaches to prepare himself like Terry Daniher did. Sean Wellman, teammate of Hird in the 2000 premiership, told of Hird's pre-match address that day, of how he grabbed the players together and said ""In this team there are no Norm Smith medallists, only premiership players.""
Wellman, dryly, continued: ""Only two hours later 'Hirdy' had a Norm Smith around his neck!"" Wellman, who is back at the club as an assistant coach, also said Hird's leadership had changed in 2000. After suffering some shocking setbacks preceding that year, Hird had greater empathy for his teammates when it was needed the most. It's a trait he's taken into coaching, too.
Sheedy, Hird's only senior coach, was his charismatic self. ""James, he's a very good decisionmaker as a footballer. He made the decision to give ballet away,"" he said. But as Sheedy went on to suggest, everything that could be said about Hird already had been. There wasn't much more to add.
Hird's acceptance speech was stirring. Not least of all how he started. He credited his grandfather, Allan Hird, as a huge influence on his life. ""The Hird family,"" he said, ""is an Essendon family."" And it was a happy one last night.
But the night, of course, belonged to Hird. You get the sense, though, even if he wasn't being inducted as a Legend that he would have still been the main attraction after his side's promising NAB Cup campaign.
Mentor Danny Corcoran spoke of Hird learning to train, of him being told by coaches to prepare himself like Terry Daniher did. Sean Wellman, teammate of Hird in the 2000 premiership, told of Hird's pre-match address that day, of how he grabbed the players together and said ""In this team there are no Norm Smith medallists, only premiership players.""
Wellman, dryly, continued: ""Only two hours later 'Hirdy' had a Norm Smith around his neck!"" Wellman, who is back at the club as an assistant coach, also said Hird's leadership had changed in 2000. After suffering some shocking setbacks preceding that year, Hird had greater empathy for his teammates when it was needed the most. It's a trait he's taken into coaching, too.
Sheedy, Hird's only senior coach, was his charismatic self. ""James, he's a very good decisionmaker as a footballer. He made the decision to give ballet away,"" he said. But as Sheedy went on to suggest, everything that could be said about Hird already had been. There wasn't much more to add.
Hird's acceptance speech was stirring. Not least of all how he started. He credited his grandfather, Allan Hird, as a huge influence on his life. ""The Hird family,"" he said, ""is an Essendon family."" And it was a happy one last night.
