DURING his year in football exile Michael Hurley grew a beard.

Now Hurley is back, and on Monday the beard is coming off.

The 26-year-old who decided to stay at the Bombers in the wake of the supplements scandal has used his year off to raise more than $30,000 for a special cause.

Through his work with the MAD Foundation, Hurley has been raising funds to help five-year-old boy Rye Johnson who suffers from cerebral palsy. 

The money will be used to purchase a special bed for Rye to sleep in at night. 

As with recently retired Geelong veteran Jimmy Bartel's beard, which raised awareness of domestic violence, Hurley's shave is expected to cause a social media storm.

Organisers are using the social media #hurlsbeardoff which is sure to be the first place fans can see pictures of their freshly shaven hero.