Marc Murphy’s first AFL coach pays tribute to the Carlton midfielder

Marc Murphy’s first AFL coach says the Carlton star would have been “well within his rights” to leave the Blues to chase success.

Denis Pagan says he’s “full of admiration” for Murphy, who plays his 250th game on Thursday night, for sticking it out.

“I don’t think anybody realises what it was like (at Carlton when Murphy was drafted) – it was terrible,” Pagan said.

The two-time premiership coach said Murphy had shown a lot of character by sticking with the Blues.

“He would have been well within in his rights to say two years ago – “I’m having a spell boys, I’m going to try and win a flag somewhere else” – but it he stuck it out,” he said.

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