I’d love to see him turn into a forward/mid utility a la Pavlich/Hird. Get him big and strong enough to crash packs and just float around half forward.
Hope he’s working his backside off. I heard Dodoro say in an interview that he has a personal trainer. Does any one know who this is?
My biggest concern with Francis as a backman is his disposal.
He is prone to turning it over just like Hurley or Goddard can at times.
Just like both of those guys its because he’s putting more heat on it.
In time it will be a strength.
Every player in the league is prone to this issue, there are no exceptions, some more than others. It is a statement that doesn’t mean very much.
I wasn’t saying it as a slight on those two players. I was merely pointing out that those two guys are in our better kicks because of what they can do with the ball but are prone to turning it over.
I would prefer guys like those two and Francis go for the tough kicks because I know that they will hit it more often than not and it really opens up the play.
I get more frustrated with some body like hartley who is beautiful kick of the footy but he just doesn’t go for it enough for fear of the odd turnover.
Our biggest problems are guys like Colyer and Myers who consistently turn it over.
I’m kind of getting fatigued if these types of comments when speaking about Francis, Langford and Laverde.
If they are good enough they’ll get a game. If they are not they won’t.
We can’t be prioritising the development of these players over winning now. We pick the best team, if they aren’t in it they are not in it. If they are not in it after 4/5 years because there VFL form doesn’t warrant it then move on.
For mine that third tall role is critical and I personally don’t think Gleeson is the longterm answer so I think we definitely need to continue to develop Francis there.
Francis himself has stated that his bet role is to plat that third tall role and I think his physical gifts make him suitable for it also. I do agree that you can’t pigeonhole players and especially the most talented ones in just on position but he should at least be given the opportunity to settle in one role for now and try and dominate it.
I’m not sure I agree on the whole defenders covering more ground than a forward argument either. In the the Geelong v Richmond prelim Hawkins was consistently in the top three throughout that contest and thats not necessarily something I would associate with him.
Guys like Stewart and Joey for example regularly push up and down the wings but more often than not the defenders will drop off them to guard space and allow the midfielders to pick them up on the way through.
Fitness is critical for any player on the ground but in my opinion defenders would cover the least of any on the ground except for the running half back types. Mostly because they are guarding space rather than an opponent.
I have no doubt that Francis longterm can play forward but for the sake of the side and his own personal development I believe he should be settled in one role and allowed to gain confidence.
Not enough likes for the agreement I have with this post. I’d love Francis to grab the 3rd tall defender role for round 1 next year. Hurley should be better for the year back and re-learning his body touch to be back to his best one on one.
Gleeson was our best player in the last final we played???
Francis would be competing with Hartley or Ambrose, I would think.
Gleeson is a great long term player I reckon.
And I think you were confused by the fitness and position discussion.
Thanks for the detailed response.
With regard to this I just don’t think Gleeson and Francis are competing for the same role really.
If Francis is a defender he needs to push Hurley back into the main defender role rather than 3rd defender.
One of the best, yes.
I know he’s a bit of a fan favourite and he has earned that right because he appears to be very coachable and a hard worker. I personally would like to see far more out of the role he plays and I dont think he has the tools to perform it.
He’s not anywhere near attacking enough for a player in that position and he’s very suspect defensively. Not only that he spectates too much when the ball is in dispute at ground level. The only thing that I would consider a strength of his is his ability to cut off the ball in the air.
I would consider the tools that he has at his disposal to be vanilla and in the current game that third tall role is one of the most critical in the game.
We now have Gleeson, Francis and Ridley and Brown to fill that position and I’m tipping Francis to come out on top within the next year or two.
Gleeson is ot quick enough or strong enough to play on the quick/small types like Eddie Bett and he’s not strong enough to play on key forwards. That means he has to play that third role and although he’s doing a serviceable job I think it can be improved.
Hurley will never perform that purely defensive role again, he’s just way to good playing the attacking role. Gleeson in fact should be doing what Hurley is doing but he doesn’t have the tools to do it. Francis does.
This is how I think it will look for 2019.
*require a replacement for Bags.
B: Conor McKenna, Patrick Ambrose, Mark Baguley
HB: Adam Saad, Michael Hurley, Aaron Francis
I’m a little confused because you have moved Hurley to CHB as I suggested Francis needs to make happen…
Ambrose is our only pure defensive player really, that is Hartleys problem, they want him to be more attacking. I d8dnt say for Hurley to stop Atta king,I just reckon he plays genuine CHB if Francis develops and we want to play him in defense.
I also rate Gleeson a lot higher than you it seems. But Gleeson is 3rd small 4th tall defender. Not a 3rd tall. But that is my opinion.
I think Hurley has to go back to being defensive.
With Saad and McKenna, I don’t think we can afford to have too many guys just zoning off.
Hurley needs to put muscle back on though.
You can’t be serious?
Gleeson has shown miles more than Francis. It’s not even a conversation.
Given Gleeson was drafted three years earlier than Francis, if it’s a conversation then it’s a very silly one.
Of course you are right.
And yet some people see Francis taking is spot next year.