#36 Michael Hartley

[cul_de_sac]

Not named in the bests yesterday - but I thought he played a damn good game.

As much as we can laugh about the strategy of Hartley kicking it to the centre circle, a couple of times yesterday kicking with the wiind, he godamn nearly did. That being said; there was one kick out where he long bombed straight to a few Casey players on there own. The only saving grace in that passage of play was that Casey had to find a way back through Essendon’s defence from the centre square.

It’s stating the bleeding obvious when I say that Hartley; or anyone kicking out should be at the very least looking for a one on one competition. Obviously a player on his own or leading into space is a better option but a lot harder to do in today’s press up style game.

What would Hartley do with a goal square looking like this? What would Fletch have done?

https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/035fbfa4274416bfc78dae49ccce2b64?width=700

It’s pretty hard to find one on one matchups for a kick out that goes 50m+ unless you take it instantly. Teams are well drilled to set up their zone and by the time the ball has travelled to it’s destination people have had time to move into position to contest the mark

[Laverde2Langford]

So we are trading Hartley and Myers to Sydney???

Man poor Jayden Laverde and Trav Colyer are gonna cop it double as sweet in 2019.

[daf]

Hartley is good enough to play AFL and is a great back up to Hooksey and Hurls.

If he is happy to stay at the club then I would offer him a contract. If he wants to explore other opportunities than Essendon should help him.

[Davo]

Hartley is good enough to play AFL and is a great back up to Hooksey and Hurls.

If he is happy to stay at the club then I would offer him a contract. If he wants to explore other opportunities than Essendon should help him.

And he manages himself too so I guess if he wants to stay and we want him to stay it wouldn’t be hard to make happen.

[Houli_Dooli]

If they increase the goal square, we almost need to keep Hartley for this.

I can imagine it now.
long kick to the centre square, marked by daniher, plays on runs out on the arc and kicks it through the open goal square as everyone else pushed up the ground.

[magicalcharlie]

Hartley is good enough to play AFL and is a great back up to Hooksey and Hurls.

If he is happy to stay at the club then I would offer him a contract. If he wants to explore other opportunities than Essendon should help him.

And he manages himself too so I guess if he wants to stay and we want him to stay it wouldn’t be hard to make happen.

Ha really? Shirley that’s not the best decision…

[theDJR]

Well, you don’t want Dad having to make more road trips down here.

[Alan_Noonan_10]

Hartley is good enough to play AFL and is a great back up to Hooksey and Hurls.

If he is happy to stay at the club then I would offer him a contract. If he wants to explore other opportunities than Essendon should help him.

And he manages himself too so I guess if he wants to stay and we want him to stay it wouldn’t be hard to make happen.

Ha really? Shirley that’s not the best decision…

At least he’s not handling himself.

[choppsuey]

Hartley is good enough to play AFL and is a great back up to Hooksey and Hurls.

If he is happy to stay at the club then I would offer him a contract. If he wants to explore other opportunities than Essendon should help him.

I’d be gobsmacked if he’s still on the list next year…

[NiftyNev2]

Hartley is good enough to play AFL and is a great back up to Hooksey and Hurls.

If he is happy to stay at the club then I would offer him a contract. If he wants to explore other opportunities than Essendon should help him.

I’d be gobsmacked if he’s still on the list next year…

Ready made 25 yo KPD. Come on, we’d be stupid not to keep him as depth at the very least.

[choppsuey]

Ready made jobber.

This is not Matthew Scarlett incarnate we’re talking about… And with a plethora of tall defensive options I think he’s getting traded.

[cul_de_sac]

Hartley is good enough to play AFL and is a great back up to Hooksey and Hurls.

If he is happy to stay at the club then I would offer him a contract. If he wants to explore other opportunities than Essendon should help him.

I’d be gobsmacked if he’s still on the list next year…

“Gobsmacked”. Daily life must be a constant ride of surprises and unexpected adventure to you if keeping Hartley is going to blow your mind

[Alan_Noonan_10]

Not sure how Hartley is bombing it from the elongated square when Hooker, Hurley, Francis, Ambrose are all there to play defensive tall.

[choppsuey]

correct.
superfluous to requirements. Getting traded, surely.

[theDJR]

Knowing our luck Joe D will be in such great form next year we don’t be able to shift one of our seven* tall defenders forward.

*I lost count. Could be more than that.

[Eastie_Boi1]

I’ve never been a massive Hartley fan but surely he’s the Hooker back up until we get another 195cm defender to play on the more Gorilla-esque forwards, with Ambrose/Brown competing for spots against Hurley/Francis.

[Gwilty]

I’ll be amazed if Ambrose plays more than 5 games in 2019. Depth only.

[SiMFiR]

If they increase the goal square, we almost need to keep Hartley for this.

I can imagine it now.
long kick to the centre square, marked by daniher, plays on runs out on the arc and kicks it through the open goal square as everyone else pushed up the ground.

Cut to ad break. Ch7 happier. Rinse and repeat.

[samwoods]

I’ll be amazed if Ambrose plays more than 5 games in 2019. Depth only.

I’ll be amazed if he doesn’t play most games if fit.

Coaching staff just seem to love the big fella.

[redbull]

Wonder when he will give punting in the NFL a crack. Has to be an option for him.