#10 Franga: IN OUT IN OUT

Port Adelaide offered us a third round pick for Fantasia last year. What do you think they are going to offer for Francis?

No chance a trade will get done.

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We should keep Francis and give him a pair of boxing gloves. After all, it worked for Jobe Watson.

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Weā€™ll take a 3rd round pick for a tarp.

I believe Francis being pushed out has truth to it.

It struck me as odd in Dodoroā€™s 1st interview for trade radio (not long after we were in the mix for Stringer) he mentioned; and paraphrasing from memory, ā€œFrancis is contracted, we see a lot of upside and its likely will still be at Essendon next year.ā€

I heard alarm bells at ā€œlikelyā€. I would have expected to hear an emphatic ā€œrequired playerā€ and shut down any trade talk immediately.

Then weeks later Francis wants to suddenly leave?

At a guess, I think Woosha wants him out and sees his value elsewhere (I.e. Trading).

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I donā€™t want him to go,. I wanted him from the start of draft talk & was stoked when we took him, and believe heā€™s now primed to become a star next year. But things have really shifted with our attitude to list management, and the mission to get a flag is in full swing, and with all the players that are coming, ā€¦ some really hard decisions will have to be made.
I donā€™t see how we can achieve what we are aiming for without losing at least one or two that weā€™d rather keep, ā€¦ I donā€™t think even Godoro has enough jackets to keep all the talent weā€™d like to keep, as well as bring in who is coming.

I hope Frang isnā€™t one to go, but it seems his circumstances put him in the most likely zone. Bugger it.

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Iā€™m not devastated by the situation. I think Woosha just isnā€™t impressed with this work ethic and wants hard workers. If we can get a decent trade then ok, will some trepidation that it may bite us in a couple of years should he reach his potential, because he could be huge.

Disagree. Current 2017 picks and a r2 next year will get it done imo.

Turning 11 into 2 picks will be pivotal.

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Wouldnā€™t say itā€™s being pushed out.

Club/player/manager had an understanding that happy to stay but if opportunity presented itself for him to go home they would look at it for him

Would say two things.

  1. You always trade a player who doesnā€™t want to play for.you.
  2. Itā€™s a shame Francis is still at potential stage as he wonā€™t command a really high return. That being said if he was showing whatā€™s required to be a 10 year gun, we would feel he is irreplaceable and.not want to trade him either. But see point 1.

If he genuinely wants out, trade.

Iā€™m assuming everyone commenting on this bloke, his record thus far, and why he might be in the frame for trading, is aware of his life circumstances immediately prior to the draft, and the ongoing recovery from them that has affected him to this point?

And that the resolution to them after 2 years, seems to just now be afoot?

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Your last sentence is certainly a possibility.

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Really hope we can get all three players in without using either of our first two picks in next yearā€™s draft.

11, 28, 46 and our 2018 third rounder should be enough if we can get creative.

Here is the thing to remember with Francis - he, right now, is one of the best prospects I can think of who might emerge in the next 1-2 years as a dominant key defender similar to Hurley/Rance. Iā€™m not saying thats what he will be but right now we know that key backs are hard to find, good ones cost lots (Lever) & we have a guy who has shown glimpses of brilliance but has obvious physical shortfalls holding him back. His potential value is MASSIVE. I 100% get right now based on output heā€™s not worth much at all but we would need to find a replacement for him this year or next so why hope we find something better by undervaluing him now? Look at Marchbank who prior to this year had only played 7 games, Carlton pick him up relatively cheap & he has a breakout year & looks like holding down a key defensive post for the next 8-10 years. Thats what we risk giving up. Hurley might only have 3 years left at his best then what? Are we going to hope a kid we draft in 2017/18 is ready in 2 years or persist with a guy weā€™ve already put 2 years into. Trading him now, without knowing what the club knows obviously, seems like panic trading, giving up stocks when they are at their lowest.

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Thatā€™s all well and good, but if he wants to go home, then best make plans to get something in return.

Now or next year we need to at least look at what he is worth.

If no one comes to the party this year, itā€™s unlikely his trade value will drop further.

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IMO by the comments by his manager, heā€™s not sure if he wants to leave. Aceman is saying that the club are the ones trying to push him out.

It definitely isnā€™t a Paul Connors client. As the club would be told, with a fire cracker, exactly what they are going to be doing with Aaron Francis. (Either fck you heā€™s staying or fck you heā€™s leaving)

I genuinely think he has no idea what he wants to do.

Its so obvious to me.

The play on Stringer and co has been some time in the works.

Francis trade is in consideration of what the club sees, irrespective of potential and why, dubious training standards.

Hes a ā€˜possibleā€™ trade to ensure the three targets get to the club.

Its pretty simple

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Agree. It seems Azza is happy & was planning to stay, (brother coming over to train etc), and now some opportunities for players coming in have arisen, and we really need to find something to offer for them, and the thought is Francis might be one to have some level of comfortability in moving, if it was heading back to Sth Aus,ā€¦ so the idea has been floated as a possibility for him to now consider.

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Unless of course he has another year like his first two, then weā€™ll be lucky to get a packet of twisties for himā€¦

Or itā€™s a pragmatic move? because they just donā€™t know, but they do know what he could land them.
I agree that heā€™s a big talent. But so is Stringer, so is Smith, Saad.

Maybe heā€™s just the eggs that need to get broken?

Crows would take that
Dons would take that
Brisbane would not

We would have to give them something else

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