#8 Ben Hobbs

Interesting.

I see genuine hope with all these kids coming through right now.

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I do not get it with Hobbs. Slow, can’t kick and not big enough/smart enough to play the role he played at junior level.

At least I know exactly what Guelfi and Kako are there to do in the forward line, even when they have quiet games. With Hobbs, I honestly have zero idea. Surely he’s a trade at the end of this year.

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Agree and even with the VFL with all the injuries we are being competitive as well. I think the recruits have shown that real potential and hopefully the 4 MSD will also show something. It might be injuries that has fast tracked the exposure of these young guys but it may end up being a real positive for us. What is key going forward is Caddy and Reid remain injury free.

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Whadd’ya mean not big enough? When he was drafted Adrian said ‘we finally got our big body mid our fans have been asking for’.

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He’s not getting picked up by an AFL club

Not good enough. If be happy for Lual to take his spot

Surely you can’t see a future with Hobbs.

I can see a solid AFL player in the right structure. I think he’s looked ok when we come up at the ball to repeat front on pressure to try to force forward half turnovers , and I think he provides a solid body in tight. Does he suit the makeup of our particular side? Not sure, he’s not going to get the stoppage attendances that he’s probably best suited to. But he looks like one of those contributors that all the good sides have and at 21yo and 50 odd games I’m not writing him off. He’s not going to be someone that drags the team with him, though.

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At his speed, how does he assist with this?

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??

There have been plenty of times when he’s come off his man at half forward to be next man in to pressure the escape off the back of the contest. It’s when our permanent mids allow the opposition to go through the front of the stoppage that this becomes irrelevant. Well, that’s what I’ve seen.

From memory , it may have been the Sydney game where he was an important presence at contested balls where others were tiring.

I could also think of plenty of situations where the ball has been moved past Hobbs with ease and little resistance.

He’s 1cm bigger than Libba and I think at his best Hobbs would be playing that identical role. Do you disagree?

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Then play Tsatas at half forward in the VFL.

Trade

Even me as a die hard Tsatas fan. Doesn’t want that I want a proper pressure forward in that role

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Love Hobbsy but if another club came to us with a pick in the mid to late 20’s you would jump at it.

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Libba has elite hands (possibly the best in the comp) and also amazing vision. He doesn’t rely on his size as Hobbs did at junior level.

Hobbs’ decision making has always been slow. Gets caught far too often. To me, he’s a tweener.

He’s made of the right stuff
Though me thinks he’s def still learning the role at hff and being a true pressure small forward. Given the logjam in the middle and our renewed focus on keeping it in the i50, he’s helping … but just not impacting enough yet this season

I hope he continues to get games and works on his kicking for goal … he’s depth for on ball now so he needs a decent couple of games before this bye.

Amazing what a few goals or even some decent goal assists can do for confidence.

I’m sure he’ll improve game awareness and positioning, but I don’t think he’s anywhere near quick enough to be genuinely good at that role.

There is just no way Hobbs makes it as a pressure HF. He’s too slow and not damaging enough…….

He’ll make a great midfielder in the SANFL or WAFL…… probably next year

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