#10 St Francis de Agressi - up to 2021 round 2

I think he should be playing every week.

No arguments from me.

We have plenty of inconsistent experienced players who get games every week.

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Francis certainly hasnā€™t been given the sorts of opportunities that some other senior players have been given to play. And apart from that, he has been ill and did take time away from footy to deal with those issues which were much more important to get mental/emotionally, physically and spiritually strong again. He has played about ten games fgs.

Last night he was not the only player whose performance was under par half the team could be on that list.

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Jeez.

He seemed to be trying to keep Alir Alir accountable, even acting as a decoy.

When they ended up kicking to him I thought he looked ok.

The best bit was he was one of only 2-3 players that didnā€™t boot the fk out of it going into 50. The other was Connor, and maybe Redman.

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Some of you people do realise their is an opposition out there? Other clubs are aware of Francis intercept marking ability and lack of tank. His direct opponent is instructed to run him ragged and to do their best to keep him away from aerial contests that he can impact.

Compared to most other teams both our key forwards and key defenders do very little blocking/screening at marking contests inside 50. It is either poor coaching or selfish players. Probably a bit off both. Need to get an A grade basketball coach down to the club to coach screening. They have been doing it in the NBA/NBL for decades and it is a recognised skill. Coach it and train it, and value it as a playing group. We so obviously donā€™t at the moment. Check out the first goal to the Swans in the last quarter to MCCartin and watch what Reid did in the marking contest.

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We have no tricks, what you see is what you get, its easy to figure it out.

Heā€™s played what 12 games of football? FFS heā€™s still a kid. Youā€™ll get more appreciation if you direct your your remarks to players that have been on the list for a few years and shown next to nothing. You know who they are, but itā€™s certainly not a kid who has more natural talent than anyone his size on the list. If he was played consistently and allowed to develop youā€™d see what us ā€œFrancis Loversā€ are talking about.

Got to hand it Blitz, especially some of the people that have been posting shitt in here for years now, just like you. If you really think a kid that has played 12 games of football is useless then you know SFA about football.

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Heā€™s a talent and I see no room currently for him down back.
Heā€™s not a KP forward ie the go to player, but he would be much better as the 6th forward as heā€™d be very hard to match up on. We need to get Joe, Fanta, Tippa & Brown fit and firing so that Ridley or Francis can slot into a well functioning system without being the main event.

He is an awesome talent, in the last two games he has got a couple of good hbs away in traffic to set up goals.

His presence in a marking contest can be enormous when he reads it correctly. He is capable of bringing down some huge grabs, the sort of thing that has the fans rising off their seat, and that can lift a team. He will get better and better.

He hasnā€™t trained as a forward, so it will take some time, but to cast him off would be as stupid as the owners of Takeover Target who sold him for $1400 and watched him make millions after.

He needs confidence.

Look at Tom Lynch ā€¦ pretty slow not much of a tank and arguably as useless as Francis, but he has 140 games and 5 or 6 more years under his belt, and well is considered pretty good.

This guy isnā€™t the problem, I think most of our problem is a lack of prescient execution when needed. Great players in tennis make difficult and great shots consistently. I think we are building to something special and every now and then you see it.

I think though, the coaching is a problem, Woosha has taken us here, but I really donā€™t think he is capable of taking us beyond.

He lacks imagination, energy and vision and is simply too controlling and is holding us back. Sometime I think I see fear in our players eyes, and it is not of the opposition.

His arrogance at press conferences is an embarrassment as well.

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Worsfold said heā€™s a great talent with his best position being behind the ball, but working towards the occasional swing man role.

So how many times has Francis actually ever been ā€œdroppedā€
Iā€™d say twice maybe? Once this year and once after his first game or two?

And who keeps saying heā€™s only played 8-9 games? Heā€™s played 18 (i know it doesnt change the point)

Twice that I can think of.

Heā€™s been tried in a variety of positions though and not having the luxury of gaining confidence and experience in a role.

At the end of last year he was excellent down back and now heā€™s first dropped and then forward.

I would imagine heā€™s a little confused as to where he stands right now.

I do get your point but surely the average footballer could still put in a reasonably committed effort?
I am one to complain about our coaches limiting some guys ability to perform at their best due to the role or position they are played in but they still put in 100% (Parish for example)
Imagine a guy like Matty Dea, put him anywhere on the ground and he would kill himself for the team

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Matty Dea is older though.

My biggest concern with Langers and Francis is how much they have been talked up by the club. Langers in particular gets talked up every preseason. Itā€™s a lot of pressure for a young kid only to be dropped after one or two bad performances.

I have real concerns about our development. The kids have talent but only a handful have shown that they are more than just potential.

These are guys that you need to step up to make you a contender. I personally think we should throw them in the deep end and let them sink or swim.

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The fact that he is in his fourth season, and his fitness is still nowhere near good enough, is worrying to me. If he still hasnā€™t signed a contract by the middle of the season, I would be watching this space.

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Totally agree re the deep end, I think our development issue has a bit to do with our nice guy drafting policy

We donā€™t seem to have drafted to many players with any mongrel in them for a long time

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Itā€™d be worrying for him

If canā€™t lift fitness/workrate will perennially be behind not just other listed players at EFC but also at other clubs

Talent only gets you so far

Doedee came 2nd in Rising Star IIRC and will be straight back into Crows 3rd tall spot post his injury. And heā€™s not taking Laird or Smithā€™s HBF spot.

Port iā€™m not following as closely this year but Hinkley has in past had them as a super hard running side. No chance of HBF. 3rd tall perhaps but Ryan Burton whose another who came 2nd in Rising star taken that role.

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I would have given Clarke more of a go by now.

I know people keep saying his kicking is no good but why have him on the list then. I rate every other part of his game highly.

Other than him we have a lot of small guys and most with questionable skills.

Itā€™s up to the coaches to form a gameplan around what we have though.

Yeah me too, I really like Clarke he probably has a bit more of the Dea type attitude of having a proper crack no matter what
Hard to see him providing less than someone like Myers if given some opportunities

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Yep, Clarke would leave nothing out on the ground.

I like Dea as well.

Other than Stringer, there is not a single Tat amongst our squad let along a sleeve. We need to toughen up