If he is cramping in 3rd quarter of a VFL level intensity match when ball wasn’t in defence much then still got a while to go fitness wise
But it’s great he back playing footy again and enjoying himself.
8 Likes
Surely would only take 2 full games to eliminate that?
If we get nothing else out of this season other than a top 4 pick and a handful of games into franga, it hasn’t been a complete waste of a year.
1 Like
Trade to Adelaide for SLOANE
I don’t think you need masses of ball to be a damaging intercept player. If you take it off them 8 times a game and your disposal hurts the opposition you have had a real impact.
Hurley at the moment is getting a stack of it but having little impact
5 Likes
Im trading you to the Adelaide equiv of blitz.
9 Likes
As long as he can get through games, he should be gaining fitness by playing in the seniors. I accept that this is not the fittest he’ll ever be, but as long as he’s not “civillian” unfit and letting the side down, he should be playing 1s IMO
2 Likes
Hold, he may be the player we build our list around. Him McGrath, razzle, joe, Ridley, Draper, parish, Clarke etc
When I state doesn’t read the ball enough it means getting more uncontested ball - Your second last paragraph fairly much sums up my thoughts - Needs to be more involved than only intercepting.
You need to be more than just an intercept player - You need to be involved when your team has the ball, be able to provide options and even link up plays - francis needs to win more uncontested ball.
Maybe but if be happy with him getting high teens. He didn’t need to be getting high 20s. If your backmen are routinely getting that much ball I there is an issue with your ball movement
1 Like
Someone that can use the ball like Francis you definitely want to get the ball in his hands.
I wouldn’t read to much into his possession count just yet though. He’s only just come back into the side and we dominated against North.
Hopefully he can remain injury free for the remainder of the year and get 5 or 6 senior games into him.
1 Like
If he makes it, it will be as a big moment player, not an overly big ball winner player. Which is absolutely fine.
13 Likes
Not many players his size that move like him. Looks so fluent with his running.
Just a shame his tank doesn’t allow it to happen more often. You can’t play him when cooked at end of 1st quarter at AFL level … liability onfield and more likely to injure himself late in game also.
Here’s hoping he can get consistency with his body and actually start having an impact at senior level later in year.
get him in against a ■■■■ club like carlton, give him an angry pill and just tell him to go for it.
we have NOTHING to lose by establishing new talent at the moment.
2 Likes
But we have plenty to lose by throwing a mentally fragile, physically unready player into the deep end just because we can. Appalling idea. Serves absolutely no ones best interest.
15 Likes
Ideally he turns into our Rance version, realistically probably not going to happen.
Does he play on his man in the VFL?
He’s never an extra man. In general play you won’t find him resting an arm on his man — he’ll zone off as he sees fit. He has good burst pace so generally gets away with that.
If you see him intercepting on his own then it’s because he backed himself to leave his man and make an impact.
8 Likes
It would be the best thing to happen his season if he comes into the seniors and plays well.
Go get Em Aaron
16 Likes