Kudos to Francis as a late call up also having played a full game last Sunday, so only a 4 day break
Opportunity has arisen. Quads aren’t a 1wk injury so time to shine lad.
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Brilliant effort Franga. wouldn’t have been warmed up to play but came out had was fantastic.
please keep this man in the team.
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2 full games in 5 days, and he didn’t stop trying to play his role in both games. Love him, now leave him in!
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Great game, stays in.
Gives us some good options, in that he could be swung forward.
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Yes. Loving him in defence.
Offers something different to Ambrose obviously and I don’t mind it
Was goodish in my opinion. He took a nice Mark, read the play well and did a few excellent 1%s.
On the flip side was pushed easily under the ball. Had a super short break.
We need to persist.
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After watching the replay again…Gee he had a few moments where he didn’t impact a contest or was easily beaten.
Hopefully he keeps his spot, and gets more of the pill next week.
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With Ambrose out there’s no doubt he’ll keep his spot. It’s his time to shine now in his preferred position. Give him time like last year and after a few game in a row he’ll be back to what he produced in round 23 last year
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Just looks so much more settled and confident when playing down back. His kicking was really good too. Needs to work on being a bit stronger in the one on one contests when the ball comes in high.
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Hate to say but he looks a little soft
So do you, not only in the head.
Hope he proves me wrong
But needs to get more physical one on one
I think Francis was bound to struggle in the half coming off a 4 day break. His opposition were coming off the bye, his team mates coming off a 6 day break. Makes sense that he faded a bit, but I saw a few moments late that had a big impact on the game.
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I get very annoyed at Blitz experts saying any of our players are soft. For me that is equivalent to calling someone a pedofile or wife (or husband) basher, and is an attacking on their character.
I have watched VFL/AFL football for nearly 60 years and the courage that it takes to play this game at this level is beyond me or most normal people.
You can have your opinion, but what are your credentials to abuse our players.
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If your reading that kind of moral equivalence into someone making a suggestion of softness, I suggest you dial it way back. You’ve gotten a bit overexcited in your attempts to draw parallels.
Given the standard in the game for not being soft is Hird getting his face caved in, see it as something more akin to “that player has a commonsense approach to workplace safety”.
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Of course the view is extreme, as are most onerous comparisons, but any comments on soft and squibbing are just appalling.
Not being soft means playing the game at this level. Players should take steps to protect themselves in all contests, your comment on Hird is just nonsense.
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No. To me it looked like he’d been told to not get drawn into the contest when there’s 2 other EFC players already flying. Other times he just seems to be a bit lost.
Legit talent tho, so just keep playing him
Sorry to say but I think you are taking the comment “soft” way out of context. It was never meant to
mean that a player lacks courage or is afraid. It is incontrovertible that some players are harder and more aggressive at the contest than others. I think Francis showed enormous potential last year. I just feel he should play tighter and be more physical in a one on one contest. Take a look at Patrick Ambrose’s body work on an opponent for example. Tinhillterror maybe correct about the coach’s instructions. Having said that I still feel Francis is a works in progress and should now make the most of the opportunity with Ambrose out injured .
In the Port Melb game (four day prior to the GWS game), Francis was physical and tough at the contest. He was being sniped out all game, and still he played his role. At one stage he fought back and had to fend off a couple of Port players, a melee ensured very close to the boundary line near the grandstand. For those that know the Port ground, that is a very dangerous spot to be. He is 21yo and these Port players weren’t going lightly - he isn’t soft.
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I get what you were trying to say. Personally, I think it’s a fine line with some comments. An individual effort can look what some might term ‘soft’.
I agree with Bacchus that no player at this level (or most levels) could be considered anything near soft and that’s why some of the rubbish in the Myers and Zaka threads this season has been hard (for me) to ignore.
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