Woah…Lets not get too excited, but agree could be the best draft pick in a long time
I’m on board with this. After his first year I’ve been totally convinced about his capabilities, along with being a competitive beast. Future captain in waiting IMO.
That being all said, a LONG way to go before he’s anywhere near the player Pendlebury is. If there was a 10year Brownlow - he’d have it around his neck.
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Parish vs Hobbs match up has been the main competitive ongoing little match inside training. The boys really get around these two especially as there always wearing opposite colour training tops.
The other on going battle has been Merrett v Perkins/Caldwell/Durham
Lately Setterfield vs stringer.
Setterfield also doing some work with defenders/attackers.
I think Setters could find his way to half forward or half back a fair bit this year to allow other players such as Hobbs more impactful minutes in ball.
Pretty exciting midfield depth
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How has Hobbs been going head to head with parish
At training in match sim.
The tackling drills
The contest/scuffles
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He likes your jokes as well.
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Genuinely forgot about him
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I love Ben Hobbs and I think he’ll be a star, but I have to say this: his decision making is appalling. If he’s in a pack, the chances of him grabbing a player at the wrong time or holding the ball too long seem extraordinarily high.
In 2023 he was our leading frees-against player, and had the second highest frees-against tally in the league (amongst those who have played 15 games or more). If he’s to become an A-grader, he really must work on this part of his game.
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I think part off that was him overestimating his ability to break tackles. As he gets a bit stronger and adjusts to the increased strength of his opponents the issue should become less pronounced. I hope so anyway
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Pretty impressive crop, Finn Callaghan and Jye Amiss are developing into top liners also.
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also adjusting to the “essendon factor” where umpires prepared to pay holding the ball against us for barely anything.
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I seem to remember him getting pinged for high tackles and in the back more than holding the ball.
He also draws free kicks for us better than most too.
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Agreed.
I also absolutely do not care if a player gets done holding the ball from time to time trying to take the game on in absence of a better option.
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Just this morning I watched the replay of the game against FCFC last season. Do yourselves a favour and watch that 3rd 1/4 again with Merrett tagged in the forward line and Parish missing. Everything you need to know about Hobbs, Caldwell and our future is right there.
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Rachele, Mitch Owens, Van Rooyen, Wanganeen-Milera.
Looks like a fairly stacked draft early days. If we were re-drafting I reckon i’d have Hobbs probably 8th/10th range.
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Just a bad habit. Every junior footballer is told to “keep your feet” but it’s obviously got him to where he is ie see ball, get ball (dive on it!) - personally I hate it as it not only takes you out of the next contest but in AFL its generally penalised and not “rewarded”
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Saints had a ripper, Windhager as well looks good.
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The trick is to faceplant into an oppo player’s arm/chest/hip/leg as you do it. That way you get a free kick for high contact.
With a fully fit midfield group we’ll have players miss out, Caldwell and Hobbs may not get the time we’d like in there because I doubt Parish and Merrett get moved out.
I’m probably in the minority but I don’t think Parish and Merrett are a good combination in the middle, sure they get 60+ disposals each week but their opponents also get 60+, I’d really like to see a more defensive minded midfield group.
I’d have…
1 of Parish/Merrett for ball winning ability and class (Parish can lift in the class area)
1 of Hobbs/Caldwell to sit defensive side of our opponents more attacking mid
1 of Setterfield/Stringer for size and strength
Perkins, Durham, Tsatas can rotate through all season when we need them.
Parish, Merrett and Stringer look awesome when we win the ball off the tap but if we don’t our opponents have all the time in the world.
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