#27 Jonathon Giles

The reason we played with no ruckman is: 1. Belly's form was so bad, he just had to be dropped. 2. They intend to go with McKernan medium-term, and he could not be elevated until next match. 3. Why pick Giles and drop him the following week? 4. Giles would have got spanked by Nic Nat in the hitouts, so it made sense to try to level the ledger around the ground with Carlisle. 5. Giles tested abysmally in preseason running drills and subsequent GPS data confirms this, so he would've struggled on the large expanses of Subi anyway.

How is that a reason? We’ve picked Gwilt a couple of times only to drop him the following week. That’s what ‘back-ups’ are for.

Because Giles isn’t in our long-term plans, and it would have denied someone else a game I suppose. Also, they probably thought that giving Carlisle a run in the ruck maybe would have given him the opportunity to get his hands on the footy playing on-ball, and release some pressure. As it turned out, Buckets did SFA around the ground, but I can see the merit in trying it.

The reason we played with no ruckman is: 1. Belly's form was so bad, he just had to be dropped. 2. They intend to go with McKernan medium-term, and he could not be elevated until next match. 3. Why pick Giles and drop him the following week? 4. Giles would have got spanked by Nic Nat in the hitouts, so it made sense to try to level the ledger around the ground with Carlisle. 5. Giles tested abysmally in preseason running drills and subsequent GPS data confirms this, so he would've struggled on the large expanses of Subi anyway.

How is that a reason? We’ve picked Gwilt a couple of times only to drop him the following week. That’s what ‘back-ups’ are for.

He’d get a game at GWS next week.

Ryder moving to Port was bad for everyone.

The reason we played with no ruckman is:

  1. Belly’s form was so bad, he just had to be dropped.
  2. They intend to go with McKernan medium-term, and he could not be elevated until next match.
  3. Why pick Giles and drop him the following week?
  4. Giles would have got spanked by Nic Nat in the hitouts, so it made sense to try to level the ledger around the ground with Carlisle.
  5. Giles tested abysmally in preseason running drills and subsequent GPS data confirms this, so he would’ve struggled on the large expanses of Subi anyway.

Ryder would have freed up a fair bit of coin. Putting Giles on the list helps use up $100k+ (assuming he’s on the senior list EDIT: yes he is) and keep it as essentially cash we can throw at someone at this year’s draft or FA (and de-list Giles obviously).

Journos are making assumptions based on us gambling on playing no ruckman over Giles when Belly needed to be dropped

No they are not. Giles not rated internally at all. Club will elevate McKernan, and Giles will just wither away in the magoos.

I guess the question is then, what is it that we don’t rate about him now that we did before? His ability to play as ruck in the senior side as required.

He is slow, but then we always knew that. He also has barely missed a shot on goal in the twos and still seems to be a natural competitor. In other words, he seems to be what everyone expected him to be, what has changed? our opinion of his ability to ruck in the senior side if required.

why do people keep asking stupid obvious questions and making ill-directed allusions?

Is it because this is an understandable and low cost recruitment that didn’t pan out so we’re making it out to be all mysterious to give it more surface area when we throw it at the club like a rotten vegetable?

As if this year wasn’t going poorly enough we’ve become the first ever club to recruit a player on the best available evidence but with the benefit of hindsight the player doesn’t end up playing a senior game for the club.

When it rains it pours… or just dirzzles a bit or stops… basically it follows normal weather patterns.

Journos are making assumptions based on us gambling on playing no ruckman over Giles when Belly needed to be dropped

No they are not. Giles not rated internally at all. Club will elevate McKernan, and Giles will just wither away in the magoos.

I guess the question is then, what is it that we don’t rate about him now that we did before?

He is slow, but then we always knew that. He also has barely missed a shot on goal in the twos and still seems to be a natural competitor. In other words, he seems to be what everyone expected him to be, what has changed?

Well if it’s true, that’s mildly disappointing. But at the cost of pick who-gives-a-crap, it’s hardly Robbie Warnock or Shaun Hampson disappointing.

Journos are making assumptions based on us gambling on playing no ruckman over Giles when Belly needed to be dropped

No they are not. Giles not rated internally at all. Club will elevate McKernan, and Giles will just wither away in the magoos.

Makes you wonder what will happen with him at the end of the season.

Will he have any interest in him for a trade or will the club just delist him?

Strange considering we targeted him and persuaded him to come to us and now we magically “don’t rate him.”


strange? magically? “quotes”

do you even know what you are trying to imply?

Queue Eric Cartman "I'm just asking questions" plausible deniability.

I would still rather he get a game before bellchambers. Bellchambers needs to learn about work-rate and effort before he can even think about coming back into the side.

Im still a giles fan. Big aggressive ruckman who can take a grab and kick a goal. Play him against hawthorn with mckernan as his backup and see what he can do.

Journos are making assumptions based on us gambling on playing no ruckman over Giles when Belly needed to be dropped

No they are not. Giles not rated internally at all. Club will elevate McKernan, and Giles will just wither away in the magoos.

Makes you wonder what will happen with him at the end of the season.

Will he have any interest in him for a trade or will the club just delist him?

Strange considering we targeted him and persuaded him to come to us and now we magically “don’t rate him.”


strange? magically? “quotes”

do you even know what you are trying to imply?

Journos are making assumptions based on us gambling on playing no ruckman over Giles when Belly needed to be dropped

No they are not. Giles not rated internally at all. Club will elevate McKernan, and Giles will just wither away in the magoos.

Makes you wonder what will happen with him at the end of the season.

Will he have any interest in him for a trade or will the club just delist him?

Strange considering we targeted him and persuaded him to come to us and now we magically “don’t rate him.”

Journos are making assumptions based on us gambling on playing no ruckman over Giles when Belly needed to be dropped

No they are not. Giles not rated internally at all. Club will elevate McKernan, and Giles will just wither away in the magoos.


So you’re saying they are trying to get Giles to drop some weight to improve his mobility?

(yes, I know…)

Journos are making assumptions based on us gambling on playing no ruckman over Giles when Belly needed to be dropped

No they are not. Giles not rated internally at all. Club will elevate McKernan, and Giles will just wither away in the magoos.

Journos are making assumptions based on us gambling on playing no ruckman over Giles when Belly needed to be dropped

Strikes me as an old style crash and bang ruckman, would’ve been far more effective in the 70s and 80s.

Much more of move towards ruckman being agile and athletic to offer more around the ground, which is why we will upgrade McKernan and play him the moment we can.

Seems pretty effective up foward, and can still see him playing a role in the forward line/2nd ruck in the Seniors if the right match ups eventuate.

And to think historically ruck was an area of strength for the EFC

October last year were pretty clearly desperate times.