If we are wanting forwards to bring the ball to ground he could be useful. He is not marking well at the moment.
Plus, you look at the aggression Draper showed during the Cats game to attack the pack and bring the ball to ground (which allowed Kako to swoop on and goal).
If 2MP isnāt going to mark it, he needs to at least create a contest - which he doesnāt do.
So our forward line is likely to see Caddy, Langford, Draper/Bryan, Kako, Gresham and a mid in rotation?
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- 1 or 2 of Durham/Martin/Perkins at any 1 time
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Feel like 2MP has become like a better paid version of SMACK Sean McKernan This latest injury wonāt help 2MPās chances of senior games in 2025 - and it seems heās destined to spend most of this year in the reserves unless one of Draper/Caddy/Langford or Bryan go down injured - much like SMACK who was in the reserves towards the end of his time at the Bombers before being picked up by the Saints. Outside of the one outlier 53 goal season in 2022 2MP hasnāt really done anything to demand a spot in the seniors - especially now with the likes of Bryan & Caddy coming throughā¦Still - heās a decent depth option as a forward/ruck should one of our key talls go downā¦
Heās always been soft. Itās why heās played 2ās at 2 clubs.
Heās 200cm and basically needs the ball lace out to jump at the highest point to mark, with little to no contact.
Heās one of the best shots for goal in the league but he simply doesnāt get enough of the ball, or being it to ground often enough to be a KPP.
Heās been in the system for 10 years and heās realistically just a giant soft boiled potato
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He might struggle this year, but what happens at the end of the year when we have to make a call on Draper or Bryan. Theyāre both no. 1 rucks so one will likely go if the other claims the mantle.
When that happens weāre short on ruck depth and thereās a spot for a fwd who pinch hits.
EDWARDS
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Heās a depth player and a very good one.
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While I agree you need depth.
āA very good depth playerā has never made much sense to me on the basis if they were that good they wouldnāt be depth!
I can understand how the term would seem foreign to an Essendon supporter, been a long time.
Did you have him in your best 23 ?
I feel Blitz is overly harsh on Wright, because heās less than most want. Heās rated against what Blitzers want him to be, rather than his actual output. Heās played plenty of good football, with the suspension last year obviously wrecking his confidence. To recap:
2021: had to play ruck early, but kicked 28 goals in last 16 games.
2022: avg 2.4 goals despite EFC being rubbish and finishing 15th.
2023: missed until round 13 with a shoulder injury. Despite that kicked 18 goals in the last 10 games. Despite us being pretty diabolical over that period (4-6 with several thrashings).
2024: kicked 2 goals in both first two games and then suspended. Struggled when came back, only scoring 15 in the last 12 games. Was playing far more in ruck than in 2022 or 2023.
1.5 goals a game has you ranked in the top 50 players by goal average every year from 2021-2024. So on goal kicking, heād have been in the top 50 goal scorers in 2021 after stop being full time ruck, up until the suspension. While giving a ruck chop out.
Wright has his flaws, and is frustrating in how close he is to being so much more. But he doesnāt deserve the level of derision he gets on Blitz.
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Cool stats, Is he in your best 23 right now ?
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At what club is Bryan #1 ruck? Heās probably going to get more opportunity at EFC than anywhere because Scott is wedded to the idea of playing two rucks.
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Not when he closes his eyes when going for the ball in a contested situation
Devils advocate - he would definitely get a game at the crows, and eagles might prefer his style over Williams/Flynn. I also think he might end up #1 at Geelong if he went there, I personally think heās better than Conway
But yeah outside Adelaide, heās not in a ābetterā position anywhere than with us
He was coming out of contract at the end of 2023.
There were no negotiations with him at the end of 2022 because we had other ā ā ā ā to deal with.
We waited through the pre-season to gauge his progress. Then opened up negotiations and signed him.
He then does his shoulder only a week after it was announced. He struggled since.
Heās not a pack marking forward. There are very few of these players going around.
Heās a lead up forward.
Weāre not using him that way. Weāve tried a āresting ruckā to at least contest the marking contest in the forwardline but with limited success.
Mainly because our smalls arenāt creative enough and fit enough to get from contest to contest.
At the time of the contract extension I had no problems doing it.
Three years is less than what weāre used to nowadays and the money isnāt an issue as weāve been front loading contracts because no great player in their right mind would want to join this shitshow of a team based on the last two decades.
Heās a good leading forward. And an absolutely excellent kick for goal. Playing in a team that doesnāt use him to his strengths. Good teams would want someone like him in their forward line. Every player has liabilities, itās more about having a group of six players who complement each other. Offensively, defensively, etc. We donāt have that. Thatās why heās fallen out of our best 22.
Heās still 2021 / 2022 2MP. We just donāt honour a leading forward setup. And mainly because it brings with it the āloose man in defenceā that weāve had problems with in the past. Weāre in a rock paper scissors situation where whichever one way we choose to play, the better teams can find alternative ways to exploit our weaknesses.
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Probably not. Iād definitely prefer to focus on the future, and heās no spring chicken. However, if he was fit and one of Bryan/Draper were injured, I think heād be straight in.
Iām not saying Blitzers have to put him in their best 22, or consider him a superstar. Itās fine to call him depth. Iām an saying many are incredibly dismissive and critical of a player who has put together a pretty good three year period until the AFL gutted his confidence with the suspension, and maybe they should consider if theyāre being overly harsh.
Such a cop out
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Agree with most of your post but please donāt blame the AFL on the fact that his career has declined, if heās that mentally weak then he shouldnāt be playing professional sport.
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I think heās a serviceable 2nd tall in a decent team. I donāt want to see him playing if we have Draper and Bryant in the team already, but could see a role that he would perform well (enough) in once our forward line matures.
More defensive draw to another tall, to Caddy and to cover a better F50 game style.
Hope he recovers well.
Be Great to have him as back up / playing VFL.
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