If you read any of my comments on Francis in this thread you will actually find that I agree with everything you just said.
My intention was not to admonish Francis it was actually to point out the difference with Gumby, as I don’t feel they are a fair comparison.
And yes, there are better role models than you. Stones and glass houses and all.
I’m sure I don’t know what you’re referring to.
But my response was in relation to what I quoted.
I think it is ridiculously unfair, not to mention entirely speculative.
Like I said, my intention wasn’t to put Francis down.
Read my comments throughout this thread for evidence.
My comment was just poorly written.
Aside from Aaron Francis for a minute, I find it fascinating that there is a genuine undercurrent of anxiety within this discussion that Essendon has had some fearful proportion of top draft pick failures. This is just such a blinkered view and really only demonstrates a lack of awareness of other clubs drafting histories.
I hold out some hope for Francis, but honestly am pessimistic he will get there- but conflating this with some distorted appraisal of our drafting success is just confirmation bias.
STFU FFS
You could look to BSD, for example.
Of course a hip flexor injury isn’t attitude related.
But hasn’t there been a view that, despite his history of injuries, in the past he hasn’t presented in the shape he probably should have? And that not all of that could be put down to injuries?
This is a genuine question, I thought this was the case but I haven’t been paying close enough attention
FCK I hope he never reads this thread, I hope he makes it and if he doesn’t I hope he has a great life, football or not life is so much more important.
I have a 20 year old and a 19 year old son. I cant get either of them to move off the couch, let alone play elite level sport. I have faith that Francis will improve both mentally and physically this year.
This thread is the biggest pile of crap. Seriously some of the comments on here are bordering on game day threads insanity when the team gets belted.
Give the kid abit of leniency.
Look at the other talls in his draft, guess what most have done F $#k ALL too. Talls take time.
Curnow I think is the only exception.
■■■■ it, I’m panicking.
I think to totally pot him is ridiculous. I also think that to not ask questions and be a tad concerned is also equally ridiculous.
I seriously don’t get this ‘he needs to be in it’ ‘want it’ ‘mentally scared’ and therefore is done crap going around.
Every scenario that has a mental issues has a way around it just like a physical one.
You aren’t strong enough you do strength training
Your running endurance is low you put the kms in.
You have a competitiveness issue you find training styles that build your competitiveness (dogs doing a good job with Boyd and Schache throwing them in the ruck to do this)
You are having depression due to a significant loss you get a psyc on board and work the program to get yourself right.
Every scenario/problem has a fix and it’s the club and coaching staffs job to put them in place to maximise the players potential.
If Francis fails, it’s as much the clubs fault as Francis.
Having said all that I’m sure it’s all blitz panic merchant talk. He is fitter this year, put him at HBF and let him play his natural game and watch him flourish.
I have the same injury and I am NOT an AFL footballer.
Chronic pain and the inability not to be able to do what you want your body to do and even not as an competing athlete - doesn’t play with your head? It certainly does folks! There is only so much cortisone you can keep having, pain killers and anti-inflammatories.
Good luck young man, I hope it all comes together for you.
Some athletes are blessed with an inbuilt level of endurance and resilience against injury. Think Ambrose or Heppell or McGrath (so far, touch wood). Tippa, on the other hand, had to work long and hard to get that to the level required.
Even the scouting reports of Francis in his draft year said he needed work on his fitness. Clearly his natural level is poor.
The problem is that, unlike say Jobe, when he does the work required, his body doesn’t cope, and the strain injuries come. And so, his fitness levels stay lower than needed, and the cycle continues.
The ability is there. The attitude may or may not be good enough. I just wouldn’t know. I do know that I can understand how a level of frustration would affect body language and optimism.
At this stage (coming into his 3rd season and age 20), there is plenty of room for hope. Crow is proving very good at managing player training to avoid injury.
Let’s just give it the time it requires, and hope that a combination of Crow, Francis’ mental toughness (a question mark), and a gradual maturing of his body will do the trick.
What planet are you living on?
We should just retrain Francis for the ruck.
He’s getting taller and taller each preseason(has to be about 205 cm by now) and hey rucks don’t peak until about 27 so we should be good.
I hope it comes together for Francis too - he has monumental talent but his body is fragile and mental resilience even more so. He seems to struggle with physical setbacks and doing the work to recover.
I accept the loss of a brother 3 years ago may still affect him and can make allowances to a point. The fact is, everyone is dealing with issues all the time in their lives, some become public, others don’t. Whether he makes it or not as an AFL footballer he needs to build his “Adversity Quotient” i.e. mental resilience to much higher levels to deal with the general challenges that life will continually throw at you.
If your going to get offended by criticism of Francis then stay off the internet. He’s a top 6 pick who’s barely fit, mentally fragile and a poor work ethic. That draws criticism. Personal attacks arnt on, but there’s genuine concern about him succeeding, and fair enough. We all want to see him succeed because we want him to be a farking gun for our football club. But sometimes it just doesn’t happen. This is looking like one of them times