Yikes
4 Likes
Ah, the old āJobe-like pre season.ā
Letās hope.
Iām in the ājust give him timeā camp.
A few adjustment issues, family issues, a few injuries, etc combined with the is still growing when drafted and trying to learn a bunch of different positions. All of this added up to āwill take timeā.
The problems with his tank are overrated I reckon. He was good late in the game a couple of weeks ago. Itās just a case of learning to keep his head in the game from play to play and quarter to quarter white he builds the tank to the level he hopes for (ie midfielder level). I doubt it ever becomes Stanton like, but it will be good enough.
The Curnow comparisons are pointless. Everyone knew he had an elite tank pre draft. We decided that the other components (slow, skills, etc) werenāt what we were looking for as much as we were looking for the power and intensity that Francis brought.
And now Iām thinking that the best comparison for his development might be Adelaideās Tom Lynch, who got the āMr Intensityā label in u 18s, but did little in his first few years, and was traded by St Kilda.
4 Likes
Pace yourselves. Off season hasnāt started yet
15 Likes
I wanted parish and weideman, but he hasnt done much either.
If only we could have got oliver and parish
Lynch is more like Curnow I reckon. Athlete who gets to many contests.
SEN commentator said it was a quad injury
2015 draft:
- Francis
- Hopper (obviously academy)
- Ah Chee
- Weideman
- McKay
- Milera
- Curnow
Looking back, none of these players have performed (due to injury or otherwise) apart from Curnow. Francis still looks to be a good choice and has the most upside out of the lot of them.
3 Likes
Outside looking in for most of us obviously but do you think heās 100% committed to be the best he can be yet?
Honestly, who gets homesick to return to Adelaide while living in Melbourne?
1 Like
Considering he lost his brother in his draft year. Might be missing that family element. Ordinarily Iād be with you.
1 Like
Relocate his family, We made 4M this year we can afford it. Scrap the AFLW plans. 
Few things I canāt say but there is a VERY clear program in place that has friends and club supporting him getting fit this off season. He clearly knows this off season is critical and very focused in turning fortunes around. From what I hear initially injury on weekend was very light. While players are having a break he will be working hard getting fit on a strict program that has been drawn out. Will only see family in Christmas small break.
Head in a better place and we will see come Feb 2018 on his condition. Just cant have hammy related issuesā¦needs consistency in gym and running next 3-4 months
44 Likes
I didnāt necessarily mean in terms of tank, just that it might take a players a while to get to the intensity required at senior AFL level. Lynch was 6 games over first 2 years, and 6 in his third after being traded to Adelaide. He was always pretty good endurance wise, but his defining quality as a junior was his intensity at the contest. Stepping that up the 5 or 6 levels to cope with the AFL level took a bit of time.
Obviously Francis needs to keep building a tank, but he also needs to keep building his ability to keep his intensity at the required levels for longer periods. Weāve all seen that his best is good. When he has the fitness and concentration and application and it all comes together, then weāll have a player.
1 Like
Perhaps itās not a tank thing. Perhaps itās just his genetic make regarding fast/slow twitch fibres.
You canāt train that. It is what it is.
1 Like
Not quite zero but in the bottom ten for skin folds, fitness and strength to weight ratio (in simple terms)
Scroll up and read acemans post.
I wrote off McKenna and heās proved me wrong. I wrote off Tbell and he has (kinda) proven me wrong this year too. I wrote off Ambrose who then went back and did nothing but impress me every game since.
He hasnāt had a great start to his career but I know there is a lot of potential to work with. I refuse to write him off.
1 Like
By the sound of it, it will be better for Aaron if you do hurry up and write him offā¦
21 Likes
The universe is trying to tell you somethingā¦
2 Likes