Essendon have expressed their support for former AFL coach James Hird, who was hospitalised on Wednesday night following a major health scare. The club confirmed Hird was receiving care on Friday, though details of his condition remain private.
Bombers chairman Lindsay Tanner released a statement on behalf of the club, saying: 'On behalf of the entire Essendon family our thoughts are with James Hird and his family. This is a personal and private matter and we ask the media to respect the privacy of James and his family. The club will continue to offer its support to James and the Hird family.'
The incident has revived memories of the supplements scandal that marred Hird's tenure as coach. The Bombers trained on Friday without senior players commenting, while Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley urged the public to avoid personal attacks on sportspeople, tweeting: 'The presumption that people who play sport well are bullet proof allows personal attacks hidden behind “public interest”.'
Hird resigned as Essendon coach in August 2015 after the supplements saga led to suspensions for 34 past and present players. Before the scandal, he was a celebrated figure at the club, playing 253 games and winning the Brownlow Medal in 1996.
