Thank god some of you blokes weren’t around in 1981, Shane Heard would have been out the door and gone.
That’s really good to hear but worries me is that this exact same thing happened last year. There was pictures of him doing extra work before pre season begun etc. why, one year later, are we in the same position and Aaron pretty much no fitter?
It seems to me he’s no fitter than when he came to the club and has made zero progression. Now there has to be a reason for this. Is it him, or is it the club?
He isn’t even from Adelaide is he?
He’s like a 4hour drive from Adelaide. Moving to Adelaide hardly gets him that close to his family.
Just get Little’s jet and fly him home every 6 weeks. Say hello, get a home cooked meal, sleep in his old room, say bye, fly direct to training.
Problem solved.
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Is “natural footballer” slang for “lazy but talented”, the same way “excitement machine” means “indigenous”?
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SG, this “cooked by the second quarter” certainly applied a year ago. However, about 6 weeks ago Harvey publicly said that Francis GPS numbers were up to the level where he could start playing AFL
I am going to accept what Harvey said as being fact, fitness is not the dire issue it was 12 months ago, but no doubt it needs further improvement.
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more on him. He was actually doing quite well but near Christmas break I don’t believe he came back as well. Much more emphasis on this aspect. It resulted in hammy and calf tightness issues…missed 3-4 weeks in Jan/Feb. and was back to square one.
I genuinely believe he is fitter now and starting from a better base…but needs to accelerate that. Up to him really…from reports I hear he knows it has to come from him and he is in a better headspace to put in a lot of hard work.
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This is somewhat true. I suspect it’s the genetics thing. You actually can train the body to reduce fast and increase slow twitch fibres.
You can’t train the other way though.
The hard balance is you don’t want to turn him into an endurance athlete because he will lose his power. That’s why Richmond were so careful with Dusty and likely Adelaide with Danger. It was a slow build to play midfield because there greatest asset is power.
Francis is the same I feel.
But also a penchant for soft tissue injuries. So it’s a double whammy!
He has changed his body shape siognificantly since drafted. One more pre-season before he unleashes next year.
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Never wanted a red head to succeed this much before.
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So in other words, he needs to pull his finger out
We appreciate your insights mate, thank you. Encouraging to hear he knows what he needs to do, but also a bit disheartening to hear that a top pick really hasn’t been putting the work in that’s required consistently
Let’s hope he smashes next pre season
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Has anyone suggested a supplements regimen to speed up the process? 
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whatever it takes
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I’m glad you didn’t write “tacos”, because that’s not the sort of thing Aaron needs right now.
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CROSSFIT.
Do it.
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Why would we want to turn him into a tool?
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Possibly need to educate his family and wider circles on nutrition, diet and fitness. I don’t think they are world beaters in the fitness category, so it would be ideal that when he does visit home, post season, xmas time etc he doesnt fall into bad habits.
I’d say after two years he’s had plenty of education. All above the shoulders for now.
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It sounds like, the man has the potential but lacks the application. Is that what you are saying?
I was kind of keen for Woodforde to win the 1996 Australian Open semi-final.
Unfortunately he got out-ranga’d.
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Pretty much how it reads. That’s how Jobe was at the start until he suddenly realised he needed to pull his finger out if he was going to make it and the rest is history. Whether Aaron has the mental fortitude to get on with it is anyone’s guess, some do, some don’t.
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