Josh Thurgood

Who is Josh Thurgood?

Josh Thurgood is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.

Drafted onto the Hawthorn Football Club's Rookie List for the 2004 season, Thurgood suffered a serious knee injury in Round 2 of the VFL season playing for the Box Hill Hawks. In 2005, he was elevated from the Rookie List by the Hawks for the 2005 season and made his AFL debut in Round 1 of that year. Noted for his exceptional courage and attack on the ball, Thurgood mainly played in defence for the Hawks. His weaknesses were considered to be his slight frame, weighing just 70 kilograms. Thurgood was also a cult figure for his appearance, which consisted of a thin build and red dreadlocks. His nicknames around the club included "Red Baron", "Scarecrow", "Otzi" and "Sideshow Bob", which are all borne of his appearance and added to his cult status.

In his third game in the AFL, Round 3 of 2005 against Essendon, Thurgood suffered injuries after Matthew Lloyd, in his return from a forearm injury, made flush contact with Thurgood's face. This led to controversy since Lloyd was wearing a forearm guard that may have increased the impact of the collision. Lloyd was later cleared by the AFL Match Review Panel of any wrongdoing as the forearm guard was approved by the AFL prior to Lloyd wearing it.