Hurn, selection No.13 in last year’s national draft, has been in eye-catching form for Peel Thunder, particularly in the last fortnight when he has kicked several long goals while playing in the midfield.
A mature player for his tender years, he played in senior premierships with Central District in the SANFL competition as a 17 and 18 year-old. With a September birthday he had only just reached those milestones before playing in SA football’s biggest day.
Hurn has been in sparkling touch for Peel recently and comes into the team at the expense of another exciting young defender – Mark Nicoski, who has been ruled out with a calf injury.
Nicoski suffered a slight calf strain in the match against the Kangaroos in Canberra last week and has offered the club important defensive rebound in the opening few rounds of the season.
Hurn is capable of stepping straight into Nicoski’s position, offering similar qualities, particularly through his thumping kick.
While the promotion of Hurn is the good news, the bad news is that star midfielder Ben Cousins will sit out another week.
Cousins missed last week’s game against the Kangaroos with a tight hamstring and was hopeful of resuming this week, but that was not possible. West Coast goes into this match unbeaten, but will be expecting a tough challenge from the team which had dominated the first half of this decade.
The Lions have great pride and are expected to rebound strongly. Just as West Coast needed to stave off a spirited challenge against the Kangaroos last week, they can expect a similar start from Brisbane.
One of the key platforms in the performance of the Eagles in the last four seasons or more under John Worsfold has been the ability to secure Subiaco Oval as something of a fortress.
And that will again be the objective against the Lions. West Coast has rarely been beaten on home turf under Worsfold’s direction, particularly in the last couple of seasons.
A midfield unit capable of high output has been central to that plan. Speed and endurance are qualities found in all of the midfield players – Chris Judd, Chad Fletcher, Andrew Embley, Michael Braun and even ruckman Dean Cox. Cousins has rarely missed matches during his career and of course the 2005 Brownlow medallist has also been integral to the group.
Defensively West Coast has been miserly during that time as well, particularly since Darren Glass and Adam Hunter have emerged as more than capable in the key positions.
Hunter has also shown a propensity to kick a goal when thrust in attack, as he did last week at Manuka Oval in the Australian capital.
With Quinten Lynch, Brent Staker and possibly Jaymie Graham offering tall options up forward there has been no shortage of players capable of having a heavy influence on the scoreboard.
The secret to West Coast’s success has been an even contribution right across the ground and that remains the modus operandi for this clash with Brisbane.
