#10 St Francis de Agressi - up to 2021 round 2

Football Discussion Dustin Fletcher Hangar
2373

Aaron Francis plays full game in Essendon’s VFL win
TIM, Herald Sun
May 5, 2018 4:04pm
ESSENDON defender Aaron Francis was relieved to get through his first full match in the VFL.

Francis, who returned from personal leave in March, looked imposing across halfback in the Bombers’ VFL win over North Melbourne.

While Francis, 20, didn’t have a heap of the ball — eight disposals — his marking and positioning is what will please John Worsfold and the Essendon coaching staff the most.

He finished with five marks and popped up for a goal as he formed a formidable partnership with Michael Hartley.

“It was good to finally get back out there and play a full game,” Francis said.

“I cramped up a bit in the third quarter and tried to manage that over the last half, but the body is feeling a lot better than it did last year and the year before that.

“I have to get through some VFL games and really show to the coaches and the players my level of intensity, structurally setting up well and just playing my role for the team.”

Aaron Francis played a full game in the VFL. Picture: Jason Edwards
Orazio Fantasia looked at his dynamic best as he played the second half.

Fantasia’s season has been interrupted by knee surgery and a groin injury, but he showed he is ready for senior action as he helped the Bombers to a 19.19 (133) to 10.7 (67) win.

The man affectionately known as “razzle dazzle” finished with ten disposals, four tackles and 1.2, as well as dishing off a number of assists.

Aaron Francis

Dylan Clarke, 30 disposals, Jake Long and Kyle Langford, 25 disposals, and Mason Redman, 24 disposals, were all among the best for the Bombers.

15 Likes
2374

It’s getting to “just bring the ■■■■ in” point

10 Likes
2375

Couple more weeks.

I said on Twitter earlier.
If he gets into the senior side this season, it will literally be the greatest thing to happen in 2018.

25 Likes
2376

The guy has so much talent!

I’m still all in on him.

11 Likes
2377

Schwing!!

1 Like
2378

Puts a smile on my face.

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2379

Sounds like he’s in a happy place

Keep it up Franga

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2380

Reckon give him two/three more weeks in the seconds and bring him in and leave him in for the rest of the year. Tell him he doesn’t have to worry about loose ball and racking up possessions and any of that other pointless sh*t that the rest worry about, all we want him to do is beat his man. Just beat your man mate. I reckon he’ll do it and do it well.

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2381

We don’t do men. We do patches of grass. So frang had to beat his grass.

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2382

For someone so TALENTED, Francis never gets much of the ball - Doubt he reads the play well enough.

2383

Beat one of the two guys you are roughly in the vicinity of.

The Franga news is the highlight of the footy weekend.

2384

15 effective one will be just fine

2385

Let’s not rush him back. Season done. Take a long term view and let him play a solid couple of months of vfl.

Let’s face it. Playing seniors is hardly going to develop him. He’ll go backwards in no time like all our other young players

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2386

A rare good news story, go the big red one.

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2387

Reads the play well, hence his performance with interception. Give him time.

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2388

That went out about 10 years ago in case you hadn’t noticed…maybe try “win the contest” but that’s not enough to succeed in today’s football.

2389

That’s not the case. In fact his game is primarily based around knowing when to leave his opponent.

His possessions and one-percenters come very strongly from reading the play (especially leaving his man to make intercepts) and from one-on-one contests.

What he doesn’t do (yet?) is be the transfer or secondary player on the way out of the backline. Not sure if that’s him playing a particular role, or him preserving his legs once we have the ball. Because he likes to zone off his man, you’d think he would be available as the second in the rebound chain. Will have to Watch that and work out why it isn’t the case. You certainly want his long fast kicking to be a primary weapon in getting the ball from the back line to the forward line.

Yesterday’s game wasn’t a massive challenge for the key backs, but here’s some comparative stats:

Francis: 8 kicks, 2 handballs, 5 marks, no tackles, 2 rebound 50s, 1 inside 50, 1 goal, no frees for or against

Ridley: 8 kicks, 9 handballs, 2 marks, 1 tackles, 2 rebound 50s, 3 inside 50s, no score, no frees for or against

Hartley: 8 kicks, 5 handballs, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 1 rebound 50, 2 inside 50s, no score, 1 free for and 1 free against

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2390

Our key backs all walked around in tracky daks chatting to each other for the second half

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2391

Honestly, he plays well next week, bring him in the following week.

2 Likes
2392

I would give him 2 more weeks in the 2s then bring him straight in