TCOB
Last year Snelling went past Smith.
Now both Hobbs and Guelfi have gone past Snelling.
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He’s never given off vibes that he wants to go home. Seems like someone who is close mates with all the boys, not particularly concerned about flight risk.
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Article on him now on codesports
I haven’t subscribed but it could be worth a look
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Glad hes getting the recognition. Hes one of the few guys who has put in the effort all year. Even when we were absolute rubbish. Would have to be one of the first guys picked every week.
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i feel like it’s been the first season he’s been allowed to settle into a consistent role and just play. last year he was a bit in an out and used as the sub a fair bit IIRC. in previous years he got bounced around between half forward, half back and wing.
we’ve finally giving him a role and it’s basically been his to lose owing to injuries in the forward line and he’s seized that opportunity and dropped anchor.
does that carry on into next year with tex and davey hopefully pushing up for selection? we’ll see i guess.
how we accommodate parish later this year will be interesting though. assuming snelling makes way for perkins then i think we are looking at hepp, phillips, jones, durham, kelly, or guelfi to make way for parish. that’s a pretty tough call. i’d probably lean towards hepp or phillips if we are focused on development.
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Essendon forward Matt Guelfi discusses his positional move and the wait for a new contract
A move forward has made Matt Guelfi an Essendon regular, as has his adherence to the three-word mantra written on tape around his wrist, writes DANIEL CHERNY.
“Do your job.”
It’s a simple message written on tape around Matt Guelfi’s wrist, a reminder to narrow his focus when he takes to the field for Essendon.
It has served the West Australian well in 2022. While the season has not panned out as the Bombers would have hoped, Guelfi has settled into a regular role as a small forward after years of being shuffled around the ground.
This was a case of back to the future. Guelfi had earnt his chance on an AFL list by dint of his form in that role on the field at Claremont in 2017, taken at pick 76 by the Dons.
But at that stage Essendon had Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Orazio Fantasia and Jake Stringer on their list. So Guelfi became an old-fashioned utility, playing in defence, pushing up through the midfield and occasionally drifting forward too.
Offered a one-year contract at the end of last season, Guelfi was keen for a change. He had spent a lot of his time in defence and had come to the conclusion that it wasn’t for him.
“Credit to Truck [coach Ben Rutten], giving me a simple role. It suits my game well. Going back to what I did in the WAFL days back at Claremont, playing a bit more of a small forward,” Guelfi says.
“At the start of pre-season. With a bit of a role to fill with Walla [McDonald-Tipungwuti sidelined], I asked Truck and he gave me that opportunity. I’m loving every minute of it.
“I’ve always hinted at it [to Rutten]. Playing down the backline’s probably not me, even though I do all those defensive acts. Probably better at it at the forward half.
“[Defence was] not natural for me. Never played there as a junior and I was a bit too much following my man around, and they could manipulate me. Whereas forward … it’s a bit more simple for me.”
The move has been productive. Guelfi has played all bar two senior matches this season, sidelined only after a hamstring injury against Richmond in round 10.
For a team whose lack of pressure has been ridiculed at times this season, Guelfi has prioritised harassing opponents. In Sunday’s win over Gold Coast, he laid a career-high 10 tackles. That he didn’t hit the scoreboard himself mattered nought as the Dons crushed the Suns by 48 points, winning their fourth match in five starts to continue to fulfil president Paul Brasher’s promise of an improved second half of the season.
“Credit to Truck, he doesn’t judge me on my goals, just on my defensive effort and my running ability,” Guelfi says.
Guelfi did play a key role in one noteworthy goal however. Ruckman Sam Draper’s final quarter run from the centre, finished with a graceless yet magical baulk and snap, was interjected with a one-two handball with Guelfi. It was another chapter of their increasingly storied relationship, one which featured a kiss from Draper to Guelfi during a celebration a week earlier against the Brisbane Lions.
“He’s my housemate. We get along very well me and Drapes,” Guelfi says.
“Both being interstate boys, he’s like family to me here. I looked up and saw I was giving the handball to him, and I was like ‘oh, no! This could go anywhere!’ But he pulls things out of his backside sometimes the big fella.
“He’s probably a bit different to how everyone sees. He seems crazy, the big mullet. He looks like a bit of a rough bad boy but really he’s a Pom, an Englishman, loves his mum, loves his girlfriend and loves cuddles so it’s a bit different to what you see.
“I wasn’t ready for that [the kiss] but we’ve obviously got a really good relationship.”
In the rooms after the match, Guelfi embraced with forwards coach Dale Tapping. The two have built a bond, with the low-profile assistant a trusted confidant.
“I call Tapps my weird Dad,” Guelfi adds.
“He’s really good. He’s a good relationship man, just puts confidence in me that I’m doing the right thing. I’ve felt like I’ve known him for a lot longer than I have. So I love the great man.”
While the headlines have focused on out-of-contract skipper Dyson Heppell, Guelfi is also waiting on a new deal at The Hangar. He wants to stay, and is optimistic.
“Yeah hopefully I can get one soon. But that’ll all look after itself at the end of the year,” Guelfi says.
“I’m expecting, I hope so.”
And on the back of the club’s recent showings, it’s understandable that he’d want to stay.
“We’ve been putting together four quarters and a bit of reward for effort. We didn’t get that at the start of the – year.
“It’s definitely not a waste of a season. We’re building and we’ll bring this into pre-season next year.”
One thing will definitely change, Guelfi promises. The peroxide blonde which has been his trademark for several seasons is set to be a thing of the past.
“It’s almost out so I think I’m going to go back to the natural. [Collingwood’s Jack] Ginnivan can have that one. He’s playing good footy, so he can have that one.”
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All good news, wants to stay, loves the new forwards coach and getting rid of the peroxide hair.
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I’d suggest more than a cameo. When “Draper’s Goal: The Musical” becomes a thing Guelfi’s up for best supporting actor
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Thanks Nino!
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I’m not a huge Guelfi fan I will admit but I have to say his last few weeks have been pretty top drawer. The endeavour and mongrel we’re always there but his decision making and understanding of his role/position have taken him to another level 
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#35 Matt Guelfi - Natural Roo
… whatever just change it already
JET
Harsh.
Snelling has had an aweful preparation. Go watch the last ten games of last year. Snelling was playing very good football.
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Oh good, it’s not just us.
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Pretty easy to do when he’s injured half the year.
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He probably had to drop the anchor to seize the opportunity.
He’s been legit fantastic the last month.
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I’m not having a go a Snelling and I’m fully aware of his calf issues. I’m simply stating that Guelfi and for that matter Hobbs (pendind his shoulder) have right now, put in performances that will keep them in the side. If room needs to be made in the team for Perkins, the common call of Guelfi to make way is a thing of the past.
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Isn’t it ■■■■■■■ amazing what a player can do when played in their best position, the one they were playing in when they caught the recruiters eye enough to get drafted. Draft him as a pressure forward, use him as a utility, mostly back and then wonder why he isn’t as effective as he was playing forward. The ■■■■■■■ insanity that is Essendon.
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Best 22 lock right now. Two absurd marks in a row.
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