Agree
Won’t have a chance to play in a losing side until about 2028.
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That island looks remarkably similar to Andrew Phillips Island.
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Im still bearish but he did have a real good game.
Happy to be proven wrong and him have an outbreak year.
Consistency is key!
yesterdays game was how he used to dominate in the vfl circa 2016/17 as a floating backman. His reading of the ball into the defensive 50, positioning, marking and then disposal is absolutely elite when he knows he has a big KPD supporting him and is confident in himself
he is a pure confidence player, not having any forward of any real note to play on yesterday would have helped that, but this gives him a very solid platform to build off
Most ‘consecutive’ games - 8
Round 19, 2018 - Round 3, 2019.
I reckon the 2018 game against Port when he took 6 contested marks would be his best but this ones right up there
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For reference his current consecutive games total is three.
Most recently before that his consecutive senior stints have been:
1, 4, 1, 5, 6 and 5.
If only he could find some consistency. It’s quite puzzling.
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One of his best games, helped by having BZT in the side (along with some excellent pressure further up the ground).
His kicking, clean handling of the ball and decision making was outstanding. Good to see him throw some of that size around in a few really strong tackles and spoils, too.
The challenge now is for consistency - hopefully he takes a lot of confidence out of that game.
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Agree. He was terrific and worked really hard.
An out of left field question. He’s got a history of soft tissue injury. 5 day break upcoming. Should Essendon consider ‘managing’ him and resting him next week?
We can’t afford for him to go down for a month with injury and maybe we need to think laterally about how we manage / prevent injuries, especially with players with history.
I worry about him getting up in 5 days.
Legit question.
But I think this was his first full preseason?
Not sure, but if so he may have finally grown into his body & the loads required
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The way we defend suits his and lav’s attributes.
Explosiveness and licence to attack the ball.
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Well said.
Yes, this is how I read it watching at the ground.
Certainly no criticism could be made of Francis in that passage of play imo.
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Amazing when you play someone on an opponent the same size rather than a 2meter gorilla you get improved results.
Next step is for him to learn to moderate performance within the game. Round 1 and 2 he had bad starts (slipping over and handing his opponent goals) which he wasnt able to mentally recover from.
The tools are there though, highly skilled and physical…
Last year he stopped heeney. But they may put him on buddy.
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Only one game, but yesterday shows how important the right personnel is in the right spots. A big stopper comes in like Zerk yesterday and Francis excels in a different role. Ridley played better in a more familiar role. Nearly everyone on Blitz wanted Franger gone last week. This week he is a fave.
If Hooker is to stay forward we need either Ambrose or Zerk in there.
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Stewart, Hurley, Reid, Brand other options if and when they’re fit.
Buddy is Hurley’s bunny. Pity we don’t have him at the moment. 
think we may send Lav to Buddy to try lock him down, dont think we could send BZT, Rids and Francis for the floating interceptor role as usual
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Interesting match up Lav on Buddy. I can see it going surprisingly well or shockingly wrong.
My concern - and I am dead serious about this not trying to be Blitz-pessimistic or funny - is that Buddy loves playing us and if there’s one game he will destroy his body for just to try and kick one last big bag before his body gives way, it will be against EFC.
Lav is a great match up for Bud
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