#41 Saad El-Hawli - thru 2025

I can only talk on what I saw on Saturdays match sim but he’s definitely got something nobody else in our team has. There was one point in Q3 where he got the ball at HB, tucked it under his arm and sprinted through the corridor. I haven’t seen an Essendon player do that since, well, old Saad. He’s not an accumulator by any stretch but due to his uniqueness I think he plays round 0. I’d be fine if he was the sub.
He’s got that special something where he could have one of those games where he gets 25 disposals and 3-4 goals.

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Think he had good stats in the VFL didn’t he? Will be interesting to see how that translates to the AFL, very excited to see him in the side - was gunning for him to debut late last year.

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I look forward to the day when we have more smart footballers on the ground than not. This guy sounds like one of those.

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Is he not an accumulator? He literally gets 20-30+ disposals almost every game he plays?

If Brad Scott was smart he’d be playing him Round 0 off a Half-Back and usng his pace, smarts and kicking to open the game up for us. But as Brad Scott is a numbskull, Saad will be in the VFL for months whilst we try and find a way for Shiel to be decent down there.

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I agree in that in the VFL he gets a fair amount of the pill. I guess it’s still to be determined the AFL.

I’m 100% with you regarding him playing early. If he plays of either HB or HF we’ve got a potential difference maker. He’s got something the rest of our players don’t.

I hope he’s allowed to play with freedom

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If our back line transition is going to improve, we need new players in there. I am really looking forward to seeing what Sheil and Saad can provide us.

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He has been training for a wing spot and I think he would do well there.

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You would imagine adding Saad and Kako to our round 0 lineup should make us less predictable and look faster on field.

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Gonna need more goals from our midfield with stringer gone, saad provides that option. He originally played as a small forward years back, then became a half back, then a wing, so he fits into brad’s random flexibility requirement too.

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SEH has great pace, determination and an ability to bypass opponents. If he’s fit, and goes well in pre-season games he should be a lock. If we are going to improve we must try other options rather than the same old same old. Laverde has him for experience but not for pace, skill and especially his kicking.

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I only see Lav as a backup for Reid/McKay/Ridley, if those 3 are playing Lav should be keeping fit in the 2’s imo. And if he is keeping Saad out of the side this year then something is well and truly wrong with the selection committee. Which, yes, has been questionable at times.

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Change thread name to Saad El-Halawi please

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Or Saad El-Hawaii

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Like to see him on a wing bringing defensive pressure with Duursma on opposing wing

Something i notice about saad, he has nice hands below his knees. Was a bit quite yesterday and also from the training reports, so he might be too invested in playing to the structure, as opposed to on natural instincts like he was in the vfl last year.

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I kept craving Haloumi everytime I heard his name butchered

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Suds In-Hawaii

LET HIM PLAY

Brad Scott licking his lips at the prospect of using him as a sub for half a year, switching with Tsatas of course.