At 1.74m tall the Otago fullback can reach the milk at the back of the kitchen bench without using a stool.
He is a couple of good meat pies shy of 80kg.
And the 21-year is more Grant Batty than Jonah Lomu. His dimensions belong in a different era, really.
But what he lacks in size, he makes up for with courage.
He is more lion than lamb.
Hurley flings himself into tackles and charges at the line like he has forgotten he is the smallest player on the field.
He brings X-factor and you just know something is about to happen when he has the ball in his hands.
Fullback is a relatively new position for him. He played first five at school. But the space and time he gets at the back has been liberating.
"It’s quite nice to transition back there and just be free", he said.
"I enjoyed a lot more space in the game and you don’t have to drive the game as much as when you’re at 10."
Hurley is in his second year in the Otago lineup. He actually made his first-class debut for the Highlanders.
"Yeah, about 30 seconds off the bench", he chuckled.
But the NPC has proven a wonderful nursery for Hurley to learn and develop his identity.
"Last year, it took quite a few games just to get used to the level and the speed of the game, and just generally just playing against bigger men.
"I definitely feel a lot more comfortable nowadays."
"I just don’t have the size, but you can make up for it in a lot of other ways with the speed. And, yeah, you’ve just got to pretty much be fearless and just back yourself."
Hurley hails from Gore and grew up playing rugby alongside Otago team-mate Cameron Millar and Southland Stags loosie Hayden Michaels for the Albion-Excelsior Rugby Club.
The trio are all contracted to the Highlanders.
Hurley has kept his "dirty purple work shirt" accent where the Rs roll off the tongue in a way which is almost indecipherable to people living further north than Clinton.
But Dunedin is home now and he took the loss to the Southland Stags in round one to heart.
"The atmosphere you get down there is pretty awesome. But it’s one of the worst feelings, losing to them down there. Yeah, it was no good."
A defeat to Tasman in Dunedin today will hurt as well.
Otago need to win the game to keep their playoff prospects alive.
Tasman have helped out by naming a second-string outfit. But the Mako are undefeated in seven games and have set the benchmark this season.
Otago beat Manawatu 28-10 in Palmerston North on Sunday to break a four-game losing streak and revive their flagging playoff prospects.
Otago coach Donnelly has stuck with more or less the same group of players. The starting pack is unchanged but Ajay Faleafaga gets an opportunity at second five which means Thomas Umaga-Jensen and Hudson Creighton shift out a spot.
Otago will lean on their spine of Liam Coltman, Oliver Haig, Millar, Umaga-Jensen and the little master at the back.
"There’s nothing better than coming out under the roof, and with the hard ground you’re able to throw the ball around and just have a go."
NPC
Dunedin, 4.35pm
Otago: Finn Hurley, Josh Whaanga, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Ajay Faleafaga, Hudson Creighton, Cameron Millar, James Arscott, Christian Lio-Willie (captain), Harry Taylor, Oliver Haig, Will Stodart, Sam Fischli, Saula Ma’u, Liam Coltman, Benjamin Lopas. Reserves: Henry Bell, Rohan Wingham, Moana Takataka, Fabian Holland, Lucas Casey, Nathan Hastie, Joe Cooke, Waqa Nalaga.
Tasman: Kyren Taumoefolau, Cooper Roberts, Nic Sauira, Tim O’Malley, Jack Gray, Cooper Grant, Louie Chapman (captain), East Timor Viliamu, Braden Stewart, Johnny Lee, Tayne Hemopo, Hunter Leppien, Isaac Salmon, Eli Oudenryn, Monu Moli. Reserves: Josh Te Hira, Matt Graham-Williams, Sione Mafi, Matthew McCormick, Tim Sail, Mason Lund, Timoci Sauira, Maloni Kunawave.
