Training in cold, showery, windy conditions at Tullamarine.
A smiling club official told us that the players were “precious” and so would be training in the hangar today. As a result we spent our time discussing a number of matters and I will put two of them forward here for discussion.
Firstly the possible recruiting of Aaron Heppell. There is feeling around the club that he is under consideration for 2017 but the proposition which was put was if he was recruited as a back pocket who out of the other seventeen clubs would you be confident of him playing on?
Secondly Patrick Ambrose (who I must confess I underestimated). The feeling around the club is a “horses for courses” argument: his main asset is his endurance and pressure. Most clubs have a tall high endurance player that needs to be matched e.g. Both Riewolts and while Ambrose is not a great mark or prolific ball winner he is very competent in this role.
Your thoughts are welcomed.
Joey Hits The Side Of A Barn!
The only action to take place outside today was Joe Daniher who successfully kicked the ball from the oval through the open hangar doors. “One small step,for a man one giant leap…”
He looks sharper than in previous years but is A HEPP quick enough to keep up with AFL standard small forwards? Rivoli, Puopolo, Betts, Cameron, Garlett etc etc
This is why I wondered if he could play as a defensive mid.
I’ve only seen him play a couple of times but even though people say he has worked on his speed he still looks far slower than you want in a modern small defender.
With the type of attack and desperation to win the ball that Aaron has I would be confident of him playing on any of the small forwards from the other 17 clubs. Shows the same sort of doggedness that Bags has and would be a good inclusion as Bags isn't getting any younger!
Merrett brothers, Heppell brothers and hopefully Parish brothers on the way!
Not sure about the Merrett brothers, doesn’t look like Jerrett’s going to get much of a run in the future.
I’d rookie HepA.
I worry he’d be a little slow for some of the gun small forwards, but then again Bags ain’t the quickest either. You can make up for that with body positioning.
A few years of full-time training might help a lot.
With the type of attack and desperation to win the ball that Aaron has I would be confident of him playing on any of the small forwards from the other 17 clubs. Shows the same sort of doggedness that Bags has and would be a good inclusion as Bags isn't getting any younger!
Merrett brothers, Heppell brothers and hopefully Parish brothers on the way!
My sentiments entirely.
If he’s a good player who consistently goes flat out for the whole of the game and gets a lot of the ball and uses it well, I couldn’t care less how big or small he is.
And he may be a defender now, but where’s the law that says he can’t be played in other roles?
He’s shown enough form over a long enough period of time to merit at least a rookie spot if not a senior spot. God knows, we’ve had enough draftees with supposedly desirable physical attributes who have never managed to get a kick in an actual game to make it worth taking a bit of a punt on someone whose main distinction is that he’s played a lot of excellent games in a senior professional competition.
He looks sharper than in previous years but is A HEPP quick enough to keep up with AFL standard small forwards? Rivoli, Puopolo, Betts, Cameron, Garlett etc etc
Remember last year, when people couldn’t work out where the hell you could hide little TIPPA in an actual AFL game?
There is absolutely a spot for another back pocket in our team, especially with the alternatives aging/injured/not allowed to tackle. It will be the main defensive hole to fill next year.
Training in cold, showery, windy conditions at Tullamarine.
A smiling club official told us that the players were “precious” and so would be training in the hangar today. As a result we spent our time discussing a number of matters and I will put two of them forward here for discussion.
Firstly the possible recruiting of Aaron Heppell. There is feeling around the club that he is under consideration for 2017 but the proposition which was put was if he was recruited as a back pocket who out of the other seventeen clubs would you be confident of him playing on?
Secondly Patrick Ambrose (who I must confess I underestimated). The feeling around the club is a “horses for courses” argument: his main asset is his endurance and pressure. Most clubs have a tall high endurance player that needs to be matched e.g. Both Riewolts and while Ambrose is not a great mark or prolific ball winner he is very competent in this role.
Your thoughts are welcomed.
Joey Hits The Side Of A Barn!
The only action to take place outside today was Joe Daniher who successfully kicked the ball from the oval through the open hangar doors. “One small step,for a man one giant leap…”
Stokes. If he changed clubs that is.
The majority i think he could at least break even on
Aaron Heppell has proved himself to be highly competent at VFL level. He has been one of the standout players in the matches I’ve seen (televised). He has improved markedly through last season, and into this season. Why wouldn’t you give a kid like that a spot?
Ambrose is reliable as a defender. As a forward, or a ruck, he was gone at the end of this year. As a defender though, you can argue he has a very important role to play.
Even though Rambrose has found his spot on the field, I feel he will only be kept on the list as a depth player. If we’ve got Hooksy, Hurls, Hartley and Francis available there won’t be any room for him. On the positive side for him, it’s not too often that you’ve got everyone available so there will be opportunity you would think.
I would put heppell on most opposition small forwards. E.g Adelaide - Charlie Cameron, Baguley on Betts. If Baguley can be more attacking then could give Heppell the most dangerous small forward if he is just a stopper. I also thnk Heppell will grow like tippa and become more than just a back pocket player if we draft him. I guess Betts is the only small forward wouldn’t put on him, and maybe lecras, im not sure about how good he is above his head, he could do a better job than hocking did though :). My idea of Heppell back pocket is he can release Tippa forward/ or mid, and we saw how good that could be.
I think Ambrose will stay on the list. Hurley & Hooker would love it as they don’t like to chase too much, and they are better reading the ball etc.
As long as the horses for courses thoughts are only as a defender matching up on forwards when necessary it sounds fine. Don’t want to see him as a forward again.
Could Aaron be molded into a tagger/defensive mid? I don’t know what his tank is like but his hardness, attack on the ball and defensive instincts are good. And Hocking is only 6 months younger than Baguley so we need to start planning beyond him too.
Thanks Jackie. Precious players… no one wants to do a hammy training in freezing conditions and you dont expect to play in conditions like these at Etihad or the somewhat sheltered G, where 6 of the next 7 games are to be played , so I am OK with that. This weeks is a 6 day break, so they are still actually in an extended recovery. I wouldnt disagree with the “club official”
HeppA. sure, he is a lock down. IMO HeppA has earned a chance at AFL level, to do an AFL preseason and see how much he can improve under those conditions. But what does the club need as a lock down ? Baguley is best 22 /2017, Dea would be ahead of Hepp and will be selected by someone in the draft , with Hepp as a potential rookie, I assume Ashby will be cut .
Ambrose. His worst performance as a defender was his first game as a defender on Tom Lynch who kicked 4 , which is 0.8 more than his average this year. Sounds like he will be on the list next year as depth, most likely.