Hird happy to present AFL medal: report

Essendon AFL great James Hird is next in line to present the Norm Smith Medal to the grand-final player judged best afield and is apparently open to the idea.

Former Essendon coach James Hird

It is unclear whether James Hird will present the AFL's Norm Smith Medal this year. (AAP)

James Hird is open to presenting the Norm Smith Medal at this year's AFL grand final.

As the 2000 Norm Smith Medallist, the Essendon great is next in line to present the coveted award, for the player judged best afield in the premiership decider.

The ongoing fallout from the Essendon supplements debacle meant it was unclear whether Hird would be involved.

He has had no official involvement with the game since quitting as Bombers coach during the 2015 season.

It emerged earlier this month that Hird had started to re-establish ties with the Bombers, travelling to Hobart in June for a local club coterie function.

"He's next in the roster and we've written to him, but we're yet to hear anything back," an AFL spokesman told AAP.

But Hird, who is in Europe, told News Corp Australia he would be happy to be involved.

"If they (have asked me), I would love to do it," Hird told the Herald Sun.

Hird was a central figure in the supplements saga and it took an enormous toll.

In August 2013, the AFL suspended him for 12 months.

Regardless of the supplements debacle and its brutal fallout, Hird remains one of the most-revered figures in Essendon's history.

Hird captained the Bombers to the 2000 premiership, their most-recent flag.

He kicked the opening goal of the comfortable grand-final win over Melbourne and was clearly best afield, with a game-high 29 disposals and two goals.

North Melbourne's Shannon Grant, the 1999 winner, presented last year's Norm Smith Medal to Western Bulldogs defender Jason Johannisen.

For several years, former medallists have presented the medal in the order they won.

Geelong legend Gary Ablett Snr, the 1989 winner, is the only medallist in the past few years to decline the AFL's invitation.

Australian readers seeking support and information about depression can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.


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Source: AAP



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