The frustration was as familiar as the scenario for Essendon’s luckless Michael Hurley.

Falling awkwardly in his AFL side’s 29-point win over Richmond, he hobbled to the sideline so Bombers medics could assess him, then paced it miserably like a man sick and tired of being injured.

After battling soft tissue injuries last season, an ankle injury earlier this year, being knocked out last weekend, then lasting just a half against the Tigers with another ankle problem, Hurley is now in doubt for the Bombers’ clash with Sydney next weekend.

“He rolled his ankle against GWS in the NAB Cup (this season) and could have played the next week and we think it’s very similar to that,” Bombers coach James Hird said of the injury after Hurley was substituted at halftime.

“It’s a medial ligament in his ankle, we think. Hopefully we will get him up for Sydney.

“If we don’t then Scott Gumbleton was terrific in the reserves and Joe Daniher kicked five goals.

“We’ve certainly got players that can come in but we really hope Michael’s fit and ready to go because it will be disappointing for him if he’s not.

“He knows his luck will turn.”

At 7-2 and now cemented in the top four, the Bombers’ clash with premiers Sydney at the SCG next Saturday promises to give Essendon insight into exactly their place at the AFL’s pointy end.

Sydney’s big win over Collingwood suggests they are finding last year’s premiership form.

Hird was buoyed by his team’s defensive effort in seeing off Richmond, suggesting it is the best he has seen his side defend in his three years in charge.

“The second quarter was as good as I’ve seen an Essendon team defend in a long, long time,” Hird said.

“They value it (defence). They know it’s important. If you’re not playing well in other parts of the game, if you tackle and defend like that, you can stay in the game.

“The players should be very proud of that.”