That goal from 60. OH MY
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Was excellent.
From a match up point of view he suits playing against Stefan Martin next week
But will not be capable on the really big rucks of the comp. Gawn, Goldstein, Jacobs, Hickey, Sandi etc.
I called it as soon as he received the handball. “He’ll kick this…He’ll Kick This!..HE’LL KICK THIS!!!..YOU F@CKING BEAUUUTTTTYYYY!!!”
It was something like that anyway. 
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I did the same. “He’ll kick this, just like the practice matches…YEAH!!!”
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Brought the house down with his goal. Everybody was high fiving. What a moment.
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best game by an essendon ruckman i’ve seen in a very long while
was one of the big reasons we got on top in the third with roving clearances and some amazing taps to parish
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So so so happy for him. Has a HUGE heart, works hard and never gives up. Love the guy and love seeing him doing well.
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It’s a decent turnaround.
When he got delisted last year, it seemed unlikely he’d play another AFL game. Even when we rookied him, it was really just as insurance. Best case scenario was that we never needed to upgrade him.
To think that he played round 1 and played well - so well, that he is even being considered as a possible best 22 down the track - is quite something.
‘They’ say you’re only as good as your last game, so he’s pretty good atm, but consistency has always been the problem, and next week looms large for him.
Is still proving to be a very astute late rookie pick by Mr Jackets.
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I thought he was fantastic. He always try’s his heart out but is a real confidence player. I think the fact that he’s got his body right is making a big difference. You can also see they’ve worked hard on his ruck craft purely by the fact that he didn’t give away a ridiculous amount of free kicks as he’s done in the past.
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Agreed.
Yeah - no doubt. Consistency is the only thing holding him back at the moment.
It’s going to be an interesting selection when Leuenberger and Bellchambers are both fit.
I don’t see belly and luey in the same side
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When Francis is fit and demanding a spot in the forward line, there will be no space for a second ruck (on any given day; they may alternate).
He has kicked some incredible goals from that pocket in the vfl too.
My only criticism of him was that he got caught out by McEvoy pushing forward on him a couple of times but he more than cancelled that out with his efforts going the other way.
He also crushed Vickery at on be point.
Will know a lot more once he goes head to head with martin kruezer, Jacobs and Grundy (though you would think tbell or luey will be back for at least one of those games)
It’s interesting that JD did the pinch hitting. I do wonder if woosh prefers one ruck two tall forwards in which case when luey is fit smack may get a kick in the guts.
It probably also creates allot of pressure on Langford who barely saw the inside of the square and was largely confined to a third tall role. If I was picking smack next week as 3rd tall/Ruck Langford is probably the guy to be squeezed out.
The more selection headaches the better though I reckon
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MRP a chance to suspend him for a sling tackle
90% TOG makes his game even more impressive; to hold down the fort for that long was invaluable. Everybody else’s minutes were well managed with nobody else over 87%
That’s because they are both injured at the moment
It’s because they are too slow and when one is rucking, the other has to be forward and they are both far, far better ruckman than forwards. They are too similar. Your second ruck is ideally, exactly like mckernans game on Saturday. Smack regularly hits the scoreboard too.
Belly and luey are competing for the 1 spot imo
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I really really really want McKernan to perform in a 2nd ruck role. He just can’t be the no.1 ruck especially with the around the ground taps, but his follow up work and goal kicking ability is elite. Use him in the centre bounces as much as possible. We have a very special player on our hands but we just need him to fit into a team role.
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Neither of them were in the side.
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