2021 Player Reviews: #14 Michael Hibberd

[Demonland 64,398]

Played some very strong stopping games in the backline earlier in the year and, after a brief period out of the side, came back at the end to play a solid role at the business end of the season.

Date of Birth: 3 January, 1990
Height: 186cm
Weight: 94kg

Games MFC 2021: 17
Career Total: 173

Goals MFC 2021: 0
Career Total: 14

Games CDFC 2021: 3
Goals CDFC 2021: 4

Premiership Player

[Kent 2,574]

Love this guy So happy he is continuing

 

[Jontee 3,632]

A solid game in the finals.  Fortune smiled on him in terms of team selection but after the personal year he had who would begrudge him that.

Premiership player!!!!!

[Nasher 33,047]

I’m glad he managed to hang on to his spot in the flag side, even if it was by the skin of his teeth. Will be even harder next year, but he’ll always have that medal now.

Loved the cheeky moment of snatching the cup and running off towards the crowd with it… to where Bernie Vince awaited, in a Melbourne guernsey, cheering like mad like the rest of us. Cheers for your part in the rebuild boys. Both part of the MFC family now.

[58er 5,590]

Hibbo was charmed by Hunty and Smithy being injured and had to contest with Bowey for a half back/ back pocket vacancy after the Qual. Final.

As usual the Selectors made the right choice sndHibbo did not let us down.

Good stopping contested games saw him emerge as part of the best backline in the AFL/ VFL for many years and is now a premiership player.

Secretly I am glad he took his opportunity and that he will be there in 2022 to mind the bigger bodied forwards and mids of the opposition.

Maybe that same 23 will be named in Round1 and Hibbo can be part of that record for the AFL and our Club.

 

[58er 5,590]

4 minutes ago, Nasher said:

I’m glad he managed to hang on to his spot in the flag side, even if it was by the skin of his teeth. Will be even harder next year, but he’ll always have that medal now.

Loved the cheeky moment of snatching the cup and running off towards the crowd with it… to where Bernie Vince awaited, in a Melbourne guernsey, cheering like mad like the rest of us. Cheers for your part in the rebuild boys. Both part of the MFC family now.

Actually  a premiership player in our family doesn't get to be much higher !! 151 heroes now in the fold. Many more to come !!. 

2 Flags  maybe or legend status a touch above eh? 

Good work Hibbo ! 

[Demon17 4,531]

2 hours ago, Jontee said:

A solid game in the finals.  Fortune smiled on him in terms of team selection but after the personal year he had who would begrudge him that.

Premiership player!!!!!

A highlight for Hibbo in 2021 was his handling of Dusty in the win over the Tigers.

Media pundits after that were calling for other teams to "find their Michael Hibberd.." to play on Dusty, as if the Dees had unlocked the secret.

 

[DeeZone 7,658]

So happy that Michael Hibberd chose to come to MFC he has been such a great contributor and role model for our young ones. Tough, hard and is rarely beaten. Hibbo deserved his spot in the Granny and looked so happy running away with the cup, bought another big smile to our faces.💕❤️💙

[Deeoldfart 7,711]

It is a great credit to Hibbo that he even got back to play at the top level in 2021. Notwithstanding that he is probably in the twilight of his career, a position in the best defence in the competition is still his to lose, and I don't see him giving it up meekly.  Well done on a great achievement!

[WalkingCivilWar 31,121]

I’m so happy for Michael. A very deserving premiership player. Especially when you consider his experience at that other club (they who shall remain  unmentioned). He sure is at the best club now. ❤️💙

[Demonised 1,198]

What a great player to have ready to step up when injuries hit!

[dee-tox 4,772]

Has lost a yard or two but in the lockdown role he did what he needed to do. Ramming Weightman into the goalpost early in the granny was a bonus!

[Webber 9,964]

His classic one-on-one win against Johanissen in the GF, getting in front and keeping JJ away from the ball was worth the Premiership medal all on its own. Love that stuff. 

[mauriesy 6,783]

There are some good stories of players who have come from other clubs and are now Melbourne premiership players ... Lever, May, Langdon, Brown.

Hibberd is one of them, and he would never had reached that achievement staying at Essendon. It was great to see him become a premiership player towards the end of his career.

[Grr-owl 1,075]

Hibbo is a champ. Goodon'im.