Where was the question in my statement?
Itās interesting the training reports about Francis really feeling the effects of a long hard preseason.
I think the club needs to be careful they donāt push him too hard too early, he is still a kid and itās something that he could really struggle with.
All the talent in the world is not going to help a guy who has decided this AFL gig is just too difficult and is questioning whether he wants to be there.
If I was managing him I would be backing off on the extra running and smashing him cardio sessions and really trying get him to have some fun just playing footy for the next few months. Play him on people you know he can beat easily, really build his confidence.
5 Likes
I was thinking the same thing but didnāt want to post itā¦ knowing that the āharden up princessā brigade would be all over it.
I realise he has copped some injuries but from most reports, Francis has been doing a lot of cardio (yes needed) but at some point the kid also probably just wants to play footy and get into the flow of a game.
Lots of ex-AFL players talk of the drain of pre-season as being one of the main factors why they gave away the game. Iām confident the club knows what it is doing but you would hope they donāt push too far in trying to get his body right. It would become pretty stale having to do extra work all the time on cardio.
Its difficult to know the reasons for reactions like that. It might be something very transient, so unless a pattern of observations of that kind emerges its better not to read much into it. However, I think he would be very frustrated after 2 interrupted pre-seasons and a couple of games.
1 Like
Yep, it sounds like frustration at being kept from getting the fitness he needs, and discovering in the match sim he still canāt keep up, and is still further behind than heād hoped.
Trainer ā¦ āBack to some 400s champā ā¦
Frangs mind, ā¦ (if not verbalised), ā¦ "FAAAAAAAAAAARRRK!!
Not trying to be a negative nancy, but am I the only one wondering what sort of condition did he arrive in where he was that unfit it would take over 16 months and he still isnāt near where he needs to be?
4 Likes
Many wonāt recall, but I said heād take 2 years to get up to speed before we drafted him, ā¦ and he was still the player I most wanted in that draft.
Heāll be right. Heād be a lot closer if he hadnāt had the injury setbacks.
1 Like
Depends on how big and heavy the spoon is. Fair makes my eyes water.
He was also sick last week, just for some possibly relevant context
1 Like
He was cooked in his draft year too. playing sometimes 3 games a week at a high level (TAC, SANFL etc). Prodigious talent but requires a lot of management in relation to his physique. Now this is my speculation but hes put in a lot of effort to get fitter since being drafted and had quite a few set backs that there is not much reward for the effort hes put in. Maybe a few games early in the season and then say 10 back in the reserves and a few more at the end for a managed 6-8 game season could be doable and provide Francis with the carrot to persevere.
How is any of this dissimilar to how chubby and unfit Hurley looked for the first 5 years?
2 Likes
2018 is the time to look for Francis.
oh boy the same time as our proper challenge at finals.
1 Like
Yeah, but Hurley outmarked Tredrea and Reiwoltd in his first 7 games. Kicked 4 in his 9th game to put us into the finals.
9 Likes
You are selling yourself short. I have a āBloodstained Devils Said Francis Will Be Up to Speedā count down clock in my home. I thought we all did?
7 Likes
Lol. ^^ Very good.
Iāll use that myself. 
Iām not worried at all. He was always going to take 2-4 years and he loves the Bombers.
Itās completely understandable that heād be feeling a little sad after spending a decent amount of his break trying to get fit and still finding himself behind everyone else in terms of fitness.
If heās feeling flat, maybe he just needs some positive reinforcement from the fans about how much a part of the club he really is. Let him feel the love and mix that with a few scalps in the vfl and things will look rosy for him again soon enough.
Iām a bit old school at times and āharden upā is a valid option at times but having young kids has taught me the importance of picking the right approach at the right time.
6 Likes
2-4 years!! Jeepers.
People didnāt want McCluggage because of a perception he wasnāt āready-to-goā - or more that McGrath was.
After playing enough junior footy to be a top 10 pick, how are you not ready to play from a fitness perspective after a couple of preseasons?
Heās in a professional environment and his only real job at the moment is to get fit enough to play.
I know heās had injuries, but itās a bit of a worry.
3 Likes