As is still the case at Princes Park,the politics and drama run deep,and the hard-running midfielder who loved to snap a goal would have a good book in him should he ever want to pen the true tale.
Murphy,34,has been eased as the medical sub to his milestone match against the Power in Adelaide,and did not take to the fieldin the stinging loss to the Gold Coast Suns on Saturday. He was dropped for the first time in his career earlier this season - but that is just a blip on his journey and what he has meant to the club.
A two-time best and fairest,All Australian and AFL Coaches Association player of the year,he had opportunities to leave - the Cats were among several clubs on the radar in 2019 - but Murphy had faith the Blues were on the rise. The words of his father and AFL Hall of Famer John,who said he had wished he was a one-club player (214 matches with Fitzroy) before stints with South Melbourne and North Melbourne,also meant Murphy never really entertained leaving.
It shouldn’t be forgotten he could also have joined the Brisbane Lions in 2005 as a father-son but the then Oakleigh Charger was keen to remain in Melbourne. The Blues,having finished last,pounced. He was taken ahead of Dale Thomas (Collingwood),Xavier Ellis (Hawthorn),Josh Kennedy (Carlton) and Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood). As chance would have it,those four went on to taste the ultimate success,Kennedy with West Coast.
Murphy said his fondest memories were of playing in winning finals at the MCG,against Essendon in 2011 (Murphy had 37 disposals) andRichmond (26 disposals) two years later. In the ’11 campaign,the Blues lost by three points to the Eagles in Perth a week later,perhaps Murphy’s best shot at a flag.