James Hird was born in Canberra and was a resident until 1990 when he was drafted from Ainslie Football Club to Essendon Football Club in the AFL draft.
Hird’s football career started in the ACT competition where he played for Ainslie and won numerous club and representative awards as a junior.
Hird played all his junior AFL in the Canberra region and progressed through to the senior ranks with Ainslie. He played his first Senior game in 1990 at the age of 17 and was a member of the 1990 Premiership side. In 1990 he played 7 Senior games and 5 Reserve games. He kicked 17 goals in the 7 Senior games. He was also a member of the 1990
ACT Representative team.
1993 Essendon premiership player
2000 Essendon premiership captain
1998–2005 Essendon captain
1996–1997 Essendon vice-captain
1996 Brownlow Medal
2000 Norm Smith Medal
No. 3 in Champions of Essendon
Essendon Team of the Century (Half-Forward Flank)
1994–1996, 2003, 2007 W.S. Crichton Medal
1995, 1996 Essendon leading goalkicker
1993, 1994, 2000 AFL Pre-Season Premiership player
1993 AFL Rising Star nominee
1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003 All-Australian team
2000, 2003, 2004 AFL Anzac Medal
2000 Jim Stynes Medal
2007 Football Achievement Award
2007 Personal Development Award
James retired from playing with the Bombers in 2007. In September 2010 James was appointed the Coach of Essendon Football Club.
AFL
Born: 4 February 1973
Inducted: 2012
Full Member