Possibly he has just been confused as to what is expected of him at certain times in a match.
Heās clear about whatās expected of him. Just needs to get better at it and make better decisions. Ohā¦fitness also!!!
Anyone who saw him play the final game in 2018 against Port can see that he has talent. However, in that game he had a license to play a loose intercept role. Since then he has been reined in by the coaches and made to play a shut down game in key positions filling in for Hooker and Hurley.
In my opinion he does not have the size to play that role. I think he would make a good HBF, or god forbid another role upfield. This sadly is probably not going to happen as coaches seem to typecast players and are reluctant to experiment.
2 Likes
Doesnāt have the fitness to either.
Where is the proof of this? That was certainly the case in his first two years at the club but my understanding is that he reversed this in 2018. Since then there has been no indication that he lacks fitness. There has been no statements from the coaches that his fitness is now a problem.
I think that many on this site are judging him from his first two years and dont realize that he underwent a very heavy pre-season in 2018.
1 Like
And he still canāt run out games.
Put him in a position where heās playing on more aerobically fit players on the flank or midfield, heās going to be shown up again and again. He simply isnāt that sort of player.
2 Likes
Heeney?
Would have dominated in the 70s and 80s. Wouldve been tall enough to be kp and fit enough to run as much as they did then. Game is less about skill and more about physical sacrifice
1 Like
Or maybe he will get fitter?
IMO he plays key back and we send Hurley forward and or trade one of Hooker/Hurley.
If tried as inside midfielder, maybe his reading of the play could make up for his lack of speed/endurance. i.e he stays in the square / creates the wall if ball in forwardline / or rolls back into defence as the extra sweeper.
allows others like Shiel, Merrett etc to run forward.
And gives us a tall in the midfield in transition, and another marking option out of defence if we go long.
Also gives us another marking option in the midfield other than langford
4 Likes
Could he pinch hit in the middle like Stringer?
Itās not impossible, but thereās a fair gulf between the two.
2 Likes
If a Genie said you could wish for 2 essendon players to be in peak fitness after 2021 preseason
My Answer would be Stringer and Francis.
7 Likes
With the way he plays and his attributes, he will feast on our midfield and forward pressure.
Ummmmā¦
Wasnāt Francis recruited as a Goddard-esque utility (seems laughable now)? So he mustāve had some midfield chops as a junior. That he has / or we have developed/devolved him into a lockdown defender is kinda bizarre and worrisome.
1 Like
Heās contracted for 2 more years, heās talented and he plays in an area where our best players are coming to the end. I donāt think we are turfing him out the door, especially for nothing.
1 Like
If their fitness is still an issue come this time next year, then move both of them on.
Honest question. How many people really think it will not be an issue this time next year?
1 Like
Very good question and I canāt stand the answer
1 Like
Wob I agree with your point.
But can you stop saying 6 years for this guy. He just finished his 5th year
1 Like
Play him in the farking middle. He is an oversized mid whoās been asked to play defense.
5 Likes
There is every chance this bloke has reached his aerobic ceiling and just doesnāt have the fitness tools for repeated efforts and modern footy.
Weāre all different in terms of aerobic capacity. Otherwise the only difference between Eliud Kipchoge and me would be the volume and intensity of training!
No way could he go through this many seasons of conditioning and not get to somewhere near his peak - even allowing for injuries.
Iām in the ācut him freeā camp. Just take what we can get and call it a failed experiment.
3 Likes