Sure, but when was the last time we shipped off a club stalwart to the VFL for the last two years of their career? The Essendon “model” seems to be, club stalwarts only get banished to the VFL at some point in their final year (e.g. Myers, Baguley, Stanton) - i suspect the same fate awaits Zaharakis and Hooker in 2021, but they’ll still be AFL mainstays in 2020 almost regardless of form.
Yes, sorry, 2008 rather than 2007. My point is more that the hammer tends to drop really quickly on the big/slow guys post 30 once the cumulative effect of 10+ years of being banged up catches them. Hooker will be 31 heading into next year - i think we’ve definitely seen his best, and the prospect of a rapid decline is real (may have already started).
Gives his all for the club and yes Father Time is catching up with him but he does look lost without Hurls. Both feed of each other and have a great understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Those calling for Hurls to be sold are getting a glimpse of life without him.
Just keep him in defence and we will easily get another 2-3 good years out of him
A lot of things wrong at the moment but writing Hooker off isn’t the answer. Six weeks ago we had a backline that I wouldn’t have swapped for any in the comp (maybe Tigers). Hooker/Hurley team is still one many sides would kill for and isn’t on its last legs.
Hooker’s age is not the problem. From the very first contest he winced in pain. Age hasn’t nothing to do with dropping 8 simple marks. The poor guy is injured and shouldn’t be out there. Better clubs would have given Zerk-Thatcher a go. There have been so many debutants this year across the league that have had big impacts. Essendon???
You’re right there, Cats have a couple of beauties. I only assume that ability, body strength and maturity are all present. Not saying Zerk doesn’t have that either but I trust the club/s to know best.
Doedee was too skinny, Lever wasn’t ready.
Plenty of other examples of kids being deemed not ready that have come in and surprised.
We have had numerous chances to give BZT a taste of it and I think it often gives them a bit more hunger to strive for it once they have a taste for it. Not everyone will take the challenge with open arms but some may.
We embedded the defensive gameplan under Hird. But didn’t have the energy to also score well enough. That was implemented because Knights gameplan had the attacking down pat, but didn’t have enough energy to embed the defensive gameplan.
We’re not fit enough to do both. Our best passage was when we balanced it this year in that 5 week patch. And by then, it was with a bad injury list and we were just keeping our head above water against pretty poor teams.
When players returned from their bans, that was the time to reset the club. Let more players go elsewhere and don’t overpay them, give extended contracts or any assurances they’d get games. It would have ■■■■■■ off fans but list wise we’d be far stronger and building.
We’ve failed to meet expectations two years and whilst there are many circumstances that caused it (injury, poor coaching, terrible fitness, etc) the results still speak for themselves.
And just as many examples where the skinny kid who doesn’t look ready isn’t ready, and gets thrown around - like Ham v Sydney or Long in any one of his games, ever.
If we do have Frang, Hartley and Ambrose fit, which seems likely, I think it’d be a very big call to pick BZT over any of them.
