Yep, I’m all in on Hayes
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I think cox is the bigger concern. Rabbit in the headlights after he got added attention in the back end of 21.
I might not be a psychologist*, but he presents as sublimely gifted when no ones looking, and a quaking mound of mummy’s jelly when the kids are in the kitchen.
So to speak.
*I did a semester at UTAS. I think that qualifies me.
supp exam or not.
Yeah it’s almost like he was a 20 year old in his second year of footy.
Give the young guys some time to grow, it also comes down to the older guys supporting them
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I’m more concerned on their durability fitness wise than their ability. If they can’t stay on the park, or continually have interrupted pre-seasons, what chance have they got? Both are almost turning into myths. These great white hopes that we keep saying will come good and all we see of them is training in the modified group.
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Bit harsh on Cox. Bloke played nearly every game in his first season. Then has had some injury concerns in his second season. I hope like we all do that he doesn’t become an injury prone player - but I reckon lumping him with Reid is just a convenient way to vent some aggregated frustration. Has played ~50% of possible games as a 20 year old on the list = going OK.
I just did my hammy, can i get on the list? (very indefinite)
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Fair dues.
Hope I’m wrong.
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Reid is out for three months with his back injury.
Tsatas going to be three months too, no doubt Cox will be an extended absentee.
Three top ten picks cooked for half a season.
Never change Essendon
The Bombers were unsure of the recovery timeframe for Tsatas’ injury when he suffered an acute meniscus tear two weeks ago, but after he underwent surgery last week it is now expected he will be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks.
The longer end of that timeline would not have him back on the field until about round three, but he will likely need match practice before pushing for a senior debut.
Despite missing much of last season in the NAB League with a foot fracture, Tsatas was taken with pick No.5 in the draft.
Spearhead and reigning club champion Peter Wright resumed running on Tuesday after a minor calf injury and is expected to be back in full training by the end of the week, so too key forward Sam Weideman, who has been on a modified program after hurting his quadriceps.
Nik Cox will have an MRI in the coming days to assess his lower back, but the club does not believe it is serious.
Bad luck for the kid but looking more and more like a bust. He missed development years due to Covid and now 3 years of injuries in the foundations of the AFL system.
Hoping for his and our sake this is the end of the serious injuries for him but he’s starting to mold into the player we keep on the list until he’s 24 due to “potential” who players 18 games and never makes it.
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His injuries have all be stress related as he was still growing after he was drafted and also trying to put on weight. Once that all settles down and his body is used to the new weight im sure the stress injuries will stop (generally what happens to tall skinny players).
He will still play the majority of games this season (VFL or AFL) if he has no injuries after this one. Should be back around round 5ish after a solid training block
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IMO Cox is the greater risk out of him and Reid and that’s saying something when Reid is essentially a walking hospital ward. Cox now has some lower back pain. The club is not concerned. That is a massive red flag. Lower back pain in a 200cm 20 year old who is built like a goal post screams early stress fracture potential. Would not be at all surprised if ‘the club is not concerned’ becomes season over at some stage in the next few weeks. Cox is just not built for AFL. Dustin Fletcher remains the only beanstalk I can recall who actually made it.
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Surely the fact that moves were made months before it was complete tells you everything you need to know about the review?
Heaps who were beanstalks at 20yo have made it, though.
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I give you a certain S. Madden
Most talls, TBH.
Cox’s dad was a decent build, probably a better guide than anything else.
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I am not sure which is worse, a player with potential like Reid who hasn’t even shown how good he could be due to a string of injuries or Gumby, who played like a star, but just kept breaking down. Totally different body types, both plagued by injury. But the Reid story has not yet fully played out. Footy has a pantheon of potentially great players who might have been great, but whose bodies were not. its a lottery and we have to accept that.
Please Essendon just take him to another MRI scan place. The one we have been using for 20 years always brings us bad news.
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We probably have an MRI machine at Tulla, but we probably bought it from the same place as Dennis Denuto’s printer.
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very much hope this is the case.
In the older days, the tallest players were all rucks, and most really started being good around 24-25 and then played later than many in their thirties. Part of that was injuries, part was growing into their bodies.
It’s quite possible that guys who are 200cm are going to follow the same growth curve.
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