Essendon have emphatically ended speculation around the future of Michael Hurley, signing the defender up with a five-year contract extension.

Hurley, 26, now has tenure with the Bombers that most players could only dream about, with a deal that lasts until the end of the 2022 season.

“I took the time I needed to come to this decision, and to be honest I couldn’t see my future anywhere other than Essendon,” he said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.