They should be, generally a lighter session Thursday with a few players sitting it out
1 Like
How often will he do this? Not sure how he isn’t a tall lumbering giant as a forward target?
Their is room for draper as a tall forward while he regains fitness before takes over full time ruck duties, and he would be the best forward out of our ruck options.
If Caddy/Jones provides decent option up forward then maybe we play 1 sole ruck Draper with Wright relief if his shoulder is good later in the year or at times to give Goldy a rest…
See, I don’t think he has all the attributes to be a great player. His lack of innate physicality in marking contests is everything, overriding other great attributes. If he can’t hit packs aggressively, and not have capability to hold onto contested marks, his attributes are not going to mean anything. He just doesn’t possess necessary attributes to be the player many think he could be.
I can’t be a single handicap golfer because I’m short sighted and can’t read putts. Weed isn’t physical and doesn’t hold marks. It ain’t going to happen for him after 9 years in the system.
6 Likes
I also put Jones in this basket. He’s a one trick pony with his fly in front of the pack mark.
4 Likes
I think we are sort of agreed.
1 Like
I hope it works in our favour, I guess we will find out as I do believe our plan is to have Wright, Draper and Goldy/Bryan in the side as soon as they’re all fit.
I would prefer Caddy/Jones in and Draper rucking with relief from Wright.
Langford is our most Dangerous forward.
Wright can now be a forward pocket/ ruck.
if we play Draper and Wright, Wright will need to play more of a CHF role, which i quite like as well. And Goldy is a serviceable ruck.
5 Likes
Its FEBRUARY, or, Injury Month…
Lets hope something changes for us this year.
6 Likes
I’m more worried about July/August, that’s usually when the wheels fall off.
1 Like
My money is on Gresham or Reid going down along with Stringer (obviously).
Gresham is our only good small forward, by that fact only, he’s destined to break down. Can’t have an Essendon preseason with out crucial injuries…
1 Like
This is the new and improved Ferret here. If you look at Cox’s first he was fabulous and Jones is definitely worthy of CHF. Still not a fan of Peter Wright/Wrong. I live on the Gold Coast so saw him at his worst.
I don’t agree on this. Jones can take a contested mark. Even with his light frame he’s proven he can fly and take a pack mark, in congestion. Weed can’t hold onto a mark, that’s the difference.
Jones is also athletic and good below his feet. Barring ongoing injury troubles, Jones will have a successful career as a marking forward. At Essendon or elsewhere.
7 Likes
IF he can replicate his 2021 form then I agree, Jones is perfectly capable of taking contested marks.
Every one of his contested marks is him flying in front of the pack.
This is a common view on Jones. And here’s why I think it’s unreasonable and short sighted at this point (I say this respectfully, I promise!).
If Jones has been injured and consequently unable to train and play, he is not able to develop, right? Being injured he can’t build a fitness base. Without successive preseasons he can’t build on the fitness base, build necessary size and strength, improve aerobic capacity and work on his craft and connection with teammates, right? His belief in himself is questioned, he loses confidence. That is, Jones hasn’t been able to develop… Development at Essendon and how this is coupled together is something that has held Jones and the club back for a decade. I could add Reid etc to this…
My point with Jones is similar to the path Mason Redman took. Redman was talented, but always injured, unable to train and play, unable to develop. Nightly groins slowed him down etc. Little Cameron from Brisbane led him a merry dance one night at Metricon and we wanted Redmans papers signed… His career was in limbo. Then, in his own words, he had two uninterrupted preseasons and his career took off. He hasn’t looked back since.
Now with Jones. We / you know and saw in 2021 he’s highly talented with some great attributes. IMO, as per Redman, if Jones can get through this preseason, play 15-20 AFL/VFL games this year and then have another strong uninterrupted preseason in 2024/5, Jones will be a totally different player in 2025 onwards. He will emerge as the key forward we saw glimpses of in 2021.
Only rider on this is his attitude (above shoulders). Does he want it enough? Will he make the sacrifices and live the ‘AFL lifestyle’? If so, he will get there. You wait and see! 
11 Likes
That’s fine. Buddy Franklin wasn’t good overhead either but he had other great attributes. Jones CAN take a mark in a pack situation, that’s why he’s different.
3 Likes
In front of a pack.
1 Like
Whatever. Jones is a better aerial prospect than Weed.
Which is fine. If Jones is going to be a third tall, he doesn’t need to be winning big wrestles in packs. That ability to float in front of them is suited to the role.
3 Likes