ESSENDON could be without small defender Martin Gleeson for its much-hyped clash against Hawthorn on Saturday night.
Gleeson, who’s played in 42 of his club’s past 44 games, was named in the Bombers’ 22-man team on Thursday night.
However the 22-year-old trained on Friday morning with a heavily-strapped thigh and didn’t appear to move with great freedom.
Gleeson’s potential withdrawal could be a big blow for the Bombers, who’ll have to contend with a star-studded group of Hawthorn small forwards in Cyril Rioli, Paul Puopolo, Luke Breust and Jack Gunston.
But should the Bombers need to replace Gleeson, they can call upon top-up Don turned permanent Don Matt Dea, who is on the emergencies list.
Dea, 25, thrived with the extra responsibility put on him in 2016, playing 21 games and averaging career-high disposals (17) and marks (6.3)."
Apologies if you took offence. I just couldn’t resist translating your handle “cul_de_sac” from French into English.
As for the rest of your post — you make a lot of good points. You’re probably right about Begley and Francis — like many other Essendon fans, I just can’t wait to see them run out in the Ones but it’s most likely too soon for them.
On the other hand, I still think McKenna should be a lock for HBF, and that Baguley should not be playing yet. Throwing the cousin McGrath in at the deep end is a dodgy tactic: let’s hope the 18-year-old really is up to it, and won’t be overwhelmed, as I fear he might be.
As for the real ruckmen — we only have two — Leuenberger and Bellchambers — with the rookie Draper the next best thing in that department. I can’t understand why the Club let our ruck stocks get so low after Judas left, and to make it worse why they didn’t go looking for another ruckman in the draft. As a final desperate move, they could even have offered the Russian one more year. They’d rather follow Knights’ example and play without a ruckman at all.
If we get done tonight, it will be because we had no tap ruckman. I know SMacK and Ambrose and Joe and maybe Stewart (if he replaces Gleeson) and even Hooker might do their best at covering for the lack of a ruckman, but they might as well put Jobe in the ruck or Hartley.
Ah well. I hope we cream them tonight, anyway, but I can’t help being ■■■■■■ of at the Club for yet another stuff up.
To be fair on Knights, Hille and Ryder were injured and Belly was in his first season. Taking a wild card option wasn’t the worst idea, we were always odds on to be pulverised in that final.
Whereas Hird actually had a fit mature-aged McKernan and decided to play Ambrose…
How many ruckman do you think clubs carry that are genuine ruck? Name me a club that has more than 2 genuine ruck and a developer. I would say our ruck stocks are adequate. Quality and age is where we could improve, but ruck take years to fully develop and clubs are not keen to take that on. We recruited Leuy when Ryder left. I would say we are in a good spot with Ambrose and McKernan who can pinch hit and fill the void.
We drafted Nyuon and draper as rookies. Nyuon was the AA ruck in year and it didn’t pan out. Jeremy Goddard was touted as potential top ruck and he didn’t even get a look in last year.
As for the tap ruckman, that is a dying bread. A ruck needs to do more now than just tap it down the throat of their on ballers. McKernan is proof of that. Yes he might not be damaging at the center bounce, but he can score a goal as a forward and move around the ground well.