#20 Jackson Merrett

As much as it’s a bizarre decision all we can do is back him in and hope he finds some consistency. If he’s banging down the door it’ll just add to some pretty reasonable depth. Hope he makes a real go of it, definite last chance stuff

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Jerrett currently knows the game plan, the team, the club and is physically ready to slot in and fill a gap at AFL level.

Pick 48 in a weak draft gets you a kid with major deficiencies that need 1 - 3 years of work, and more than likely won’t be physically ready or you can pick up a state level player that will take time to adjust to the speed of the game and more than likely will require work on skills and structures.

neither player in each of these scenarios will know our game plan, the team or the club so would need time to integrate/learn these things.

I would go as far as to say that this is our club looking towards the next year and planning to ensure top 4/legitimate push for the flag by having back up players that can slot in at a moments notice for a short period.

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We struggled to cover Fantasia, Walla & Green when they weren’t all on the park. The players we brought in just couldn’t perform the same role. Our pressure dropped off when larger, slower players were brought in. Jackson may not be an elite backup small forward, but he’d at worst be serviceable and help hold our structure.

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There it is!

fixed

Then why did Ben Howlett not get the spot. He got selected for 7 games in 2017 for this very reason… Jerrett 0.

Then why did Heath Hocking not get the spot. He got selected for 2 games in 2017 (more likely for other reasons)… still Jerrett 0.

The argument itself in terms of having depth makes perfect sense. But why get rid of the guys you selected in 2017 and keep the bloke that didn’t get a game?

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Age, moulding the list according to Worsfolds vision

Agree- I think his age would have been the critical factor when choosing between Jacko, Buddha & Bobcat

Jerret was learning a new role according to the coach and VFL observers (Half Back). Was named multiple times as an emergency before breaking his leg. If, and it is a big if, he can add this string to his bow, he could be a very useful back up long term.

Hocking and Howlett are warhorses with skill suited to different game plan (contested inside football) as opposed to our current plan that focuses more on slingshot/quick transition from half back.

Neither Howeltt or Hocking were quick, nor are they elite by foot. I would hazard a guess that if they would have been, they would be on the list and Jerrett not.

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Also agree. But probably indicates where our list management think we are in the cycle – not quite there yet. If they believed that we’re really good enough to win it, I suspect we might’ve kept both Hocking and Howlett, even if just for depth.

Instead, I reckon that they’ve decided that we’ll be thereabouts next year but not quite up for a serious crack at it. Which suggests that the real tilt will be 2019. And I don’t think that either of Hocking or Howlett would be there by then anyway. Hence Jackson gets another year to prove himself. And you never know, he might be able to redeem himself.

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I dont think its as simple as saying we would have kept them if we thought we were a legitimate chance.

List management has changed a lot and even the best sides are continually regenerating their lists.

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Mooooooooooooooooooooose.

Donnington…pls

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If we have 40 players on the list and 22 in our best team, that means we have 18 players on our list that are not best 22.

Jacko is one of these.

The remaining 18 are up and comers or depth for injury coverage.

Jacko is one of the later.

If the list managers believe that its better to have Jacko on the list than a pick 80 in a weak draft, then that’s fine by me.

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When is Zach out of contract?

Since we will use pick # 48 anyway, it isn’t an either/ or issue. This point has more relevance to picks in later rounds.

Never go the full Donnington.

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I disagree.

Consensus seems to be to delist Merrett and Long (along with Howlett and Hocking) and to hit the draft to improve.

My point is you’re not going to improve the list this draft with picks we have based on the position the club believes it is in.

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Consensus here being based on convention. Our trading this year has been far from conventional.

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Mate, Jerrett was playing down back when Howlett got his games…then when Jerrett was playing well up forward and in line for selection on the back of Fantasia’s hammy, he broke his leg…hence why Hocking got games.

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