Hurley and Hartley down back would be more than my fragile health could take. He is a depth player and that’s fine.
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In the year of the bans he was elite level down back. Remember the GC game where he came back on after having his nose smashed into his ears, club hero for me and still think he’s got a much higher ceiling than people on here give him credit for.
Also his long kicking gives us another option over turning it over kicking it to to the wings over and over
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I like him too. He can definitely play. He just had a couple of stinkers, but I think they were games where the whole team did. Like anyone playing, he just needs some continuity. But I’m not entirely sure how he’s going to get it.
Ah, no he wasn’t. He showed some very good signs in some games and it was probably his best year for us so far.
But he also got pantsed a few times. Of course, that was partially understanble given the amount of ball coming in but it’s a huge stretch to say he was elite.
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Yeah, I’m a fan of Hartley and think he played well in 2016, but I wouldn’t say he was “elite”. I’m surprised one of the teams with defensive frailities didn’t convince him to go to them. His age bracket for example would suit Hawthorn to the ground.
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His biggest issue is his brain fades. He often goes off with the pixies. I don’t think it’s a coincidence his best year was 2016 when the ball was constantly in our back half.
At times he wanders around like he is on a Sunday stroll
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Can he ruck??
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Seems to me like the type who could go up a few gears if we just guaranteed him a spot and played him for a couple years. How much continuity did Hooker have before he finally went bang and became one of the leagues best KP players…
To me Hartley shows more promise than what Hooker did but the reality is I can’t see us having the luxury to pick and stick for long periods as we’re about to enter our premiership window. We need peak performances now.
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Yeah, but you really have to zoom in to see it. Great find.
I like him as a player.
On paper he should be one of the better fullbacks in the game.
- Huge frame.
- Not the slowest.
- Long arms.
- Great spoiler of the pill.
- Mamoth kick of the footy.
- Decent by both hand and foot.
Where Harts falls down is that he seems to not necessarily always have the awareness to make the correct decision to mark or spoil and will 9/10 times, spoil when he could have easily taken a mark. He doesn’t seem a confident marker of the footy either.
Also, he doesn’t find the ball enough for the team to be able to utilise his huge kicking to clear a zone.
He still has time but he needs to start hitting his straps this year and start making Woosha pick him through his performances in the VFL.
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I just have that vivid memory of him grabbing Hipwood when Hipwood was little chance of getting the ball.
And of not going to the ball when Rampe delivered to Rohan in the goal square. I know he just followed Buddy, but it would have almost been easier to grab the ball.
If he was 192cm tall people would not be so kind in their appraisal of Hartley.
Gets by largely on having a good looking physical profile on paper which footy fans love.
He’s not terrible and is adequate back-up, but he needs to be depth and I wouldn’t want him playing in a final.
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But being 200cm he still doesn’t get the “big blokes take longer to come on” like he should.
He’s 25 and he’s looking in great nick (based on my light Instagram stalking). No reason why he couldn’t really become something good next season.
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Ha thought you were talkin about the bird
He plays like he doesn’t believe he belongs IMO. Like Jerrett the last 2 or 3 years.
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Hawthorn won a premiership with Gilham, and Zac Dawson played in two Grand Finals and the respective finals campaigns. People overestimate how every player in the team has to be top level, and that more limited footballers can play roles that are still important.
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Joel Hamling another
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Hartley is levels above Jerrett in my view.
But nobody is picking Hartley in our backline unless we have injuries.
I quietly wonder what his offers were from outside the club, and why he chose not to back himself in. I’m pretty happy he stayed, but felt he would be more chance at playing AFL for a number of other clubs.
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Except role players have to be more like Ambrose, just put their head down and do the best they can for the entire game. Hartley makes a couple of mistakes and turns into a panic merchant. This is why he wouldn’t be trustworthy in finals pressure (at least not with the AFL for he’s shown recently).