24 Facts About Michael Hibberd

Michael Hibberd made his AFL debut during the 2011 season and in the same year, he was forced to miss the second half of the year after a club-imposed suspension due to an assault charge.

Originally from the small town of Somerville on the Mornington Peninsula, Michael Hibberd played with the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup in 2008, where he managed to play only half the season due to a groin injury.

Michael Hibberd finished fifth in the best and fairest count and was awarded the Dandenong Stingrays coaches award.

Michael Hibberd was drafted by the Essendon Football Club with their only selection and fourth overall in the 2011 pre-season draft.

Michael Hibberd made his AFL debut in the 139-point win against Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium in round six.

Michael Hibberd was omitted the next week for the match against West Coast, before returning in round eight in the thirty-six point win against Brisbane at the Gabba, where he recorded twenty-two disposals and was praised by then-Essendon coach, James Hird, in particular for his courage around the ball.

Michael Hibberd made his return from injury through the Victorian Football League, playing for Essendon's affiliate team, Bendigo.

Michael Hibberd played the next three matches before injuring his quad in the fifty point win against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium in round sixteen.

Michael Hibberd missed three weeks due to the injury and returned to the side for the twenty-four point loss against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium in round twenty.

Michael Hibberd played the remainder of the season, managing thirteen matches for the year and was rewarded with the club rising star award as the best young player.

Michael Hibberd's running off of half-back saw him compared to six time All-Australian, Corey Enright, by Rohan Connolly.

Michael Hibberd's improved season saw him finish fourth in the clubs best and fairest count.

Michael Hibberd returned to the side two weeks later for the seven point win against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium in round eighteen, before succumbing to a hamstring injury the next week and missed two weeks.

Michael Hibberd returned from injury in the three point win against West Coast at Etihad Stadium in round twenty-one, where he was named the best player for Essendon by The Age and AFL Media.

Michael Hibberd played the remainder of the season, including his first final in the twelve point loss against North Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the second elimination final.

Michael Hibberd played nineteen matches for the season and finished fourth in the best and fairest count for the second consecutive season.

Michael Hibberd played every match for the 2015 season apart from the final round match against Collingwood due to a knee injury.

Michael Hibberd was suspended for two years which, with backdating, ended in November 2016; as a result, he served approximately fourteen months of his suspension and missed the entire 2016 season.

Michael Hibberd played his first match in Melbourne colours in Melbourne's second match of the JLT Community Series, which was a fifty-four point win against Carlton at Casey Fields.

Michael Hibberd returned to playing via the VFL with Melbourne's affiliate team, the Casey, in the round one clash against Williamstown at Burbank Oval, in which he recorded twenty-five disposals and was one of Casey's best players according to elite performance manager, Dave Misson.

Michael Hibberd spent just the one week in the VFL before making his debut for Melbourne in the Anzac Day eve match against Richmond at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round five where he recorded twenty-seven disposals, eight rebound 50s, six marks and a goal.

Michael Hibberd was named Melbourne's best player by Herald Sun journalist, Sam Landsberger, and was named in AFL Media's team of the week.

Michael Hibberd played every match for the remainder of the season to finish with eighteen games and averaged career-highs in disposals and rebound 50s, the latter of which ranked second in the league; furthermore he averaged the highest metres gained per match in the league.

Michael Hibberd was highly praised for his debut season with Melbourne with the Australian Associated Press' Michael Ramsey writing Hibberd was almost certainly Melbourne's most valuable addition.