Coach James Hird and captain Jobe Watson celebrate Essendon's extraordinary comeback win over Fremantle at Patersons Stadium. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: Herald Sun
THE celebrated playing career of the man dubbed the AFL's "golden boy" ended at Paterson's Stadium in 2007, with James Hird signing off after another best-afield display.
Last night Hird returned to the west as a senior coach facing the greatest challenge of his professional life, one underlined by a question it was impossible not to ponder.
Was this Hird's curtain call as a senior coach, a budding new career swept away in the tsunami of allegations about his own conduct and Essendon's controversial supplements program?
If this was to be Hird's final game it was one of the most stunning even old heads at Essendon have witnessed.
Match report: Essendon produces stunning comeback
Hird vows to stay after fighting win
Down and out, Essendon climbed off the canvas to triumph in a stunning second half comeback, kicking nine goals to two in a drama-filled second half to win by four points in an instant classic.
Hird has suddenly become a man with a target on his back, and it is AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou doing the hunting.
Hird started the day defiantly, responding to Demetriou's urgings to consider standing down with an emphatic rejection.
Paddy Ryder scores the winning goal. Picture: Alex Coppel
"I won't be stepping down," Hird said.
The only real certainty in this whole sorry drugs investigation is that if the AFL wants your head on a platter, it tends to be delivered.
Hird received support from his senior assistant Mark Thompson, who was emphatic that Hird would remain as senior coach.
"He is a pretty tough lad. It's important he stands up and continues to coach. That's what we have encouraged him to do and that's what he is going to do and he is going to do it well," Thompson said.
Befitting Essendon's potentially gloomy future, Essendon ran onto the ground last night with rain bucketing down and poncho-clad fans looking miserable.
There was little apparent abuse, and no signs taunting Essendon. It didn't matter, because the pain soon started on the field.
A Bombers side which had proved so resilient for the first fortnight of the season had the life sucked out of it before rallying.
Diehard Dons fans were out in force, full of belief.
"We are really just carrying on as normal. Like it is any other week," said Essendon cheer squad co-ordinator Louise Gaetano, who admitted the club had gagged her from speaking about the drugs crisis.
But fans could not be gagged on social media.
@HarrysMistress tweeted: "Really proud of James Hird for not stepping down in a tough time, running away from a problem solves nothing #realtalk."
Last night's Essendon banner revealed an insight into the determination to succeed on the field: "In the west we have come to play, We will leave the Dockers in disarray". And they did.
"I have great faith in what they are doing.
"I can assure you they wouldn't be entertaining the thought of not making the finals. That was our thinking last year and the list has improved since then.
"They have an 'anytime, anywhere' attitude that will hopefully be seen tonight. And the strength of their list is they have like-for-like players ready to come in."
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