The age has Goldstein to Essendon.
https://x.com/agerealfooty/status/1708721122362216571?s=46&t=A5S-z5IJslFoC5SVN0Jodg
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Well I didn’t have him on my original post in this thread back in June! Tbh I thought he’d probably just quietly retire lol
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Like All Australian, but if you could pick a best 22 of the comp to play for 2024. would any essendon players make the cut?
b: J Howe D Moore B Maynard
hb: N Daicos H Andrews K Coleman
c: H McCluggage M Bontempelli E Gulden
hf: J De Goey C Curnow D Martin
f: C Cameron Larkey T Greene
r: M Gawn C Petracca T Green
int: Pendelbury Sheezel Cripps L Jackson
How many best 22s do you think you post a day?
I think you may have a problem.
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Sounds more like he has 22 problems.
But a final ain’t one.
I feel ratio’d
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So what are our thoughts on our best ruck combination moving forward? Are people still of the view Wright is useless, or is he actually probably our best forward ruck option?
I still think Draper/Wright is our best combination long term. Not sure what this means for Bryan and if he’d want to stay
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Draper/Wright is our best option. Goldstein retires. Bryan is great back up but if Draper/Bryan/Wright are all fit Bryan probably leaves. Visentini and Gerryn could fight Wright for the ruck/fwd spot. If Visentini shows enough in the main ruck role then that’s still plenty of ruck depth but if he looks like more of a forward we probably pick up another ruck who could fill Drapers spot if he’s injured.
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Short term…
- 2MP will be our forward and provide relief ruck duties.
- Goldstein will be the ruck.
- Visentini is more of a ‘forward ruck’. Think of him as an upgrade on Phillips. I do think we need to draft a ruck at the mid season draft so that he can develop at VFL level in that kind of role.
- That allows Gerryn to develop in his preferred position at VFL level without needing to be a backup ruck. It’s not necessarily a setback to experience playing ruck, but you’d prefer him developing as a forward.
Long term…
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If form permits, 2MP stays as the forward who can provide relief ruck duties.
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Bryan and Draper fight it out to be the first ruck.
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If 2MP’s form drops away, then push Draper forward and play Bryan as first ruck.
You basically only play two of them at a time. If their form drops off and Gerryn and Visentini develop well, then either can take 2MP’s or Draper’s gametime. We should be looking to either picking up an experience ruck that sits behind Bryan or another one to develop.
The ruck position the way it is (when they are aren’t injured) gives us the perfect flexibility to adjust as the game evolves. We cannot play all 3 of them in the 18 the way the game is played. Not with the forward press style that can work better than any other style regardless of your list. If the games becomes more of a slingshot out of the backline style of footy, then you can go with Draper and 2MP in our forward line. Main thing is, that style can bring back the ‘third man up’ or the loose man in defence defender which has historically been a problem because we need an extra player at the contest.
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Curious as to where this thought comes from. He wasn’t a forward at all at u18 level (kicking a single goal across both years).
Played forward alot last year in the VFL (due to Bryan being in the team) and showed some great signs, but he’s still 100% a ruckman first in my eyes.
Gerreyn is an interesting one. You seem to say his preferred position is forward, but the man himself disagrees. Fwiw I’ve been far more impressed by his forward work as well and think that’s his go. Id have him as the forward ruck of the pair.
Dreaming here, but it these 2 come on they’d make a brilliant duo in 4-5 years.
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Maybe it’s a bit of my bias involved with Visentini. I see him more as a hybrid forward ruck. Not a full time ruck like Bryan. He does need to develop up forward because I just think he’s likely to be wasted as a sole ruck option. There is a good chance he doesn’t make it. So I’d prefer him to work on his forward play so it’s not just ruck or bust.
With Gerryn, I’m thinking more forward simply from an AFL perspective. We have Ridley, Reid and McKay in our backline. In the seniors and I think Hayes is next in line. I think Gerryn can fit into our forwardline eventually. Have no problems him developing as a defender or in the ruck, but think he’ll have more opportunity in the forward line.
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Whereas I guess I see him more as a Bryan with some added forward ability. Plenty of time for it to play out.
A young ruckman capable of getting 20+ disposals and hitouts is promising indeed.
You 100% lost me with the Gerreyn defender talk.
I was talking about ruck (He’s openly said he sees himself as a ruckman as opposed to a forward).
Ultimately what we have is 2 very athletic big blokes with good skills. As someone that watches the VFL every week, I’m just happy to have something to look forward to.
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Apologies.
I missed out on that.
I thought he was shifted around between back and forward during pre-season. Didn’t think he’d settled into a position yet.
Didn’t notice him during pre-season in the ruck. And I don’t think that’ll occur when you have Goldy pretty much hands on training both Draper and Bryan during matchsims, etc.
He could go okay as a ruck, but with his skills, I’d be wanting him to develop in another position. And if he becomes a dominant ruck man, then all good for him and us. But I’d like them to develop another part of their game so it’s not ruck or bust with them. Gerryn definitely has the skills to play eleswhere.
He’s everything you’d want from a forward ruck.
It’s 100% his go.
Perfect foil for Vigo who I see as more of a ruckman.
I’d say we’re playing them both in the right spots in the VFL.
Grabbing another ruck in the MSD will complicate that. I understand and agree we need the coverage though.
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I agree bringing an extra just takes away from the development of those two.
We have plenty of coverage and we aren’t making finals look to fill other areas on the list
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Yep so true. I’d be happy to play nik cox for the rest of the year in the ruck.
I genuinely expect Cox to be playing some ruck minutes before the year is up.
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I’m really not sure what I’d be doing if in Bryan’s shoes. It was looking like he’d have a real shot to establish himself as our main ruck.
Now, if Wright solidifies himself as in the team, if Bryan re-signs he may get stuck in the VFL.
But other teams may be more leery of taking him and offer lesser contracts now he’s done his ACL. Would probably reduce his shot at getting to a team he might be #1 ruck in.
Really not sure which way he’ll go, or I’d go in his shoes.
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