I imagine playing footy in front of big crowds is a buzz; but given the (often ugly and abusive) obsession of (we) fans and the complete pondscum that is the media, I can see that the AFL furnace isn’t suited to every young player, even if they have enormous talent. Happiness might be found playing club footy with your mates and having a more low profile career.
Good luck to Aaron. Keep supporting the Bombers and that’ll mean you’re always one of us.
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But of course I remember a few years ago the AFL saying they cant afford Sydney to bottom out.
Not really. Tippett retired, Brodie Smith and Tyson Goldsack have done ACLs, we played last year minus Eades, pretty sure the suns had someone retire midseason a couple of years back. ■■■■ happens, that’s why you have 44 spots.
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Mid season draft baby
Eh?
We were going to trade our first rounder and Crameri for doggies pick 4 and something else I’m pretty sure. Then we copped the sanctions and got pick 26 for Crameri.
Did we pick up crameri with the Jenkins pick or something I’m forgetting?
Jenkins got us an upgrade from 41 to 31 and with pick 31 we got Jackson Merrett, which gave us the confidence to take Zach. I’m not sure that last part is true but it seems Cooney got us Stringer levels of true.
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Ah yes right. Although I do remember dodoro saying we didn’t pick zach just because we had Jackson on the list… but who knows. I do see how that’s tied in now 
Disaster really with Francis
Such a positive start to preseason and then that hip flexor issue derailed everything, and all the pressure he feeling at every level of his life came to the fore
You’d be hopeful the time away will allow him to recover from the injury, and also get his head right.
But reality is perhaps not nor will ever be mentally up to the challenges associated with being an AFL player, just needs to find happiness within himself and in his day to day life first.
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Honestly, who cares how this leaves our list? His health is more important. He’s not suffering a hammy, it’s a tad more serious and we should all hope he finds the strength the enjoy life again
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You are right about Cooney,Cooney said a lot of good things about our club to Stringer.
Would have been great in the Gleeson role.
Having concern for his welfare and being able to have a discussion about our list profile are not mutually exclusive. Having suffered from mental health demons myself, I genuinely feel for him. I’m also a mad Essendon supporter so I’m interested in our success as a team and a club so yes I do care about how it impacts our list.
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yeah, obviously in the grand scheme of things his health is more important, thats clear as day, but it doesnt mean the discussion around the hole he leaves is moot
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So do you mean he won’t play AFL ever again or just won’t play for Essendon again
I agree with this wholeheartedly, he was the one I wanted most in his draft year and our 22 would look amazing with a healthy Francis in it. But this isn’t the priority. Some comments above don’t seem to reflect this … perhaps it’s my interpretation of these comments
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We got Fantasia in the 50"s.
Got Tippa from nowhere.
Stringer Smith n Saad for overall a bargain.
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Nah the Melksham trade netted the pick we used on Redman (pick 25 before academy bids blew it out to a pick in the early 30’s).
Hopefully Fog is wrong on this. The kids a massive talent and I hope he gets in a good headspace this year.
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Talent will only get you so far in the AFL.
I’d be surprised if Aaron played more than 50 games of AFL with or without us.
He needs to get himself better first and foremost, football is only ever an after thought here.
I just wish he could see footy as his ultimate outlet to his illness.
I guess when that stops working for you because of injury, it just adds to it.