I agree on Langford… I’m looking forward to watching hime in the next few years.
1 Like
I have seen him a lot this year in the VFL and he looks class to me. I’m a big fan.
1 Like
Reckon Laverde was going to have a break out season this year but then got injured bloke has had a shocking run with injuries.
3 Likes
Yeah, I’m still hopeful.
I would like to see him play more off a wing rather than a forward that pushes up.
I like the three talls and three smalls structure up front. I think we need to apply more pressure up front to try and lock the ball in and having so many tall guys through there doesn’t work in my opinion.
If Lav can get through the summer without injuries then we will hopefully get an idea of what we have on our hands.
Saw Langford do a running 360 spin through a pack followed by a nice kick inside 50 in the VFL final. He’s actually becoming pretty decent as an inside player.
9 Likes
You need to change your Avatar
2 Likes
If I was coach would say the following to the 3 players at their exit meetings.
Langford - I will give you inside mid role in the preseason, you seem to have good spacial awareness and make the right decisions, just need to pick up the pace in the AFL. If you dont perform you will be playing mid/forward/bench. We are expecting big things from you. Dodoro rates you highly, and we have baulked at picking up tommy rockliff as a free agent given our expectations of you delivering in 2018
Laverde - At the moment your not in my 2018 starting forwardline or midfields. Get a good preseason under your belt. If your fit enough to run through the midfiled and play up forward there may be a spot for you on the bench. Work hard over the preseason, we need someone to take over Pears role for the Bombershop and calender shoot, but it will work out better for you if your a regular 22 player. Your a fan favourite already.
Francis - I have earmarked you for a 3rd tall defender role next year. But you need to improve your fitness to AFL standards. If you go above and beyond minimum standards we have set then we may even give you a run through the midfield in the preseason to give the fans some excitement.
If you come back to the club after christmas out of shape then you will be buddied up with ambrose and expected to complete all the preseason drills with/against him. It will be your third year in the system, you are competing with hartley and Ambrose, Ridley plus any other new blokes we bring in.
3 Likes
we need someone to take over Pears role for the Bombershop and calender shoot
Haha did chuckle.
2 Likes
It’d be nice if these three guys got together and formed a pact ala Zerret and JD in 2016.
4 Likes
Even better if the pact resulted in them getting to the levels Zerrett and JD are at.
3 Likes
We persist way too long on some players. But Aaron Francis is not one. Ensure he puts in a massive preseason and just play the kid.
I’d take a hard look at Langford, think tenuous. I’ve never been a massive fan and he’s had plenty of opportunity.
Im calling it early, lets wait and see. To me he is a natural footballer with all the tools to become elite. To me he “has it” in spades. He has only just grown into his body, struggled with fitness, injury in pre-seasons, and had a lot to deal with a lot in regards to the death of his brother. Bigger blokes usually take time Franga is no different in this regard, the talent is there, all he has to do now is keep putting in the work.
2 Likes
There’s all of eight months age difference between Francis and Langford.
6 Likes
All 3 are listed in the 191-193cm bracket assuming that’s still correct. It might take all 3 of them a little longer than a smaller guy.
I think all 3 will make it.
1 Like
all 3 would have to be on the chopping block come end of next year, if not drastically improved next season.
The only thing that might save lav and francis for the long term is their barracking for essendon as kids, which you’d imagine in theory clubs would start to value as a high commodity, esp in the above cases of players not setting the world on fire.
langford on the other hand (donno who he barracked for) you run the risk that If he ever gets to be a good player, it’ll be around the time he becomes a free agent, so we’d barely get any of the benefit of allowing him so much time to develop.
tricky slope to sky though.
F@rk me, they’ll get opportunities next year and we’ll see where they are at by years end.
Nothing to see, move on, and let’s draft a 20 something decent mid anyway.
1 Like
I don’t think they need to drastically improve. I just think they need to improve.
Yes, but that doesn’t always tell the full story. How much as Langford vs Franga grown in that time. Langford has had an extra pre-season with without injury interuptions.
Langford- 191, 90kg
Franga - 193, 92kg
Lav - 191, 88kg
Some say lav was drafted as a mid, but both he and lang have played as forwards since joining the club.
both are now obsolete in that position and surplus to requirements. I’d say they’d have to get a wriggle on and find an area that we need filling in and hope they can do the job, otherwise i’ll be out the door.
So i think it’s a bit more urgent that just needing to improve.
Ablett did