He relinquished the captaincy duties but the ever-reliable defender never skipped a beat during another remarkably durable campaign. Hurn played every game bar one, when he was rested for the round 16 loss to the Western Bulldogs during the condensed fixture, and has now moved within four appearances of equalling club legend Dean Cox’s record 290 matches, with the 300-game milestone also within sight next year. If his performances in 2020 are anything to go by, Hurn is showing no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by another top-10 finish in the John Worsfold Medal. As the backline continues to evolve, the former skipper’s steadiness under pressure, team-first approach and big-game experience will again be invaluable to the next generation of defenders making their way.
Standout performance:
It was one of the strangest days of football you could imagine: no fans allowed to attend West Coast’s season-opening match, which was also the last game for nobody knew how long. But in typical style, Hurn’s focus never wavered as he went about his business collecting 23 touches, used at nearly 96 per cent efficiency, eight intercept possessions and five score involvements in the win over Melbourne. This performance earned Hurn maximum votes in the John Worsfold Medal, and narrowly shaded his outstanding effort in the cauldron of West Coast’s nailbiting elimination final.
Season averages:
Disposals – 15.9
Effective kicks – 10.5
Intercept possessions – 5.6
Marks – 5.1
Rebound 50s – 4.6
2020 AFL statistical rankings:
7th: Effective kicks
