Welcome to Essendon - #49 Jaiden Hunter - cower before him, 2024

[Hird_m]

@Speedy_Gonzales

I’m believing based on his 2nd VFL game where he was launching at footy for marks, kicked 4 (including long bombs, boundary line dead eye set shots etc) and passed a few off as well

And how his WAFL start to season that had him in selected frame, Freo were close & we took him.

Got the talent. Can his body stand up though is the query.

You would assume playing WAFL in full view of Rosa that we have a fairly clear understanding of his ability by now.

If nothing else, he has 2 years to become a regular at senior level before he requests a trade to go home as part of the Reid deal.

[Tbone]

You’d hope so, he kicked 5.1 against there reserve side

[Houli_Dooli]

[Drapersmullet]

fk it I’m going early

Coleman 2026

[barnz]

thats not early 2024 you coward.

[Blummers32]

@Drapersmullet

fk it I’m going early

Coleman 2026

I’ll join in on the prediction.
If he doesn’t make it, it’s Dodo’s fault.
If he makes it, it’s because of Rosa.

[stir_fried_ewok]

in case you missed this when first posted.
I will celebrate every goal he kicks on this trumpet.
It’ll be bigger than Dursma doing that silly archer crap.

the hunter-intro

[chris_64]

@Tbone

At the moment he’s probably our most likely forward outside of wright and Langford to make something off himself in my opinion.
Which shows how poorly put together our list is

I suspect there may be plans to try and make either or both Draper or Bryan into something resembling a KPF. KPFs do not grow on trees, by trade they cost high end draft picks and if a club finishes around mid table its hard to even get one with their first round pick in the draft.

I hope we give Hunter a one season offer, we just need to watch out for list clogging decisions. we have cycled through many KP players recently; True, with poor success. But isn’t that why Dodoro has been replaced?

[Tbone]

Personally I don’t see it with Bryan or Draper as KPF neither have really showed they are capable.
Bryan could become a very solid ruck in time and Draper who knows so both may even been kept out by Goldstein for all we know.
Hunter on the other hand actually looks like a forward knows how to lead can clunk and can kick straight unlike Draper

[Houli_Dooli]

I can see Draper as Fwd/Ruck
say Goldy 70% Draper 30% and ruck all last quarter.
Would be a advantage for us.

I can’t see Bryan getting many games when Draper and Goldy are available though.
But at least Goldy is an upgrade on Phillips.
Given Drapers injury i’m not actually expecting him to be back until at least Anzac day.
So Bryan needs to try and get in the side before then

[Walla]

@chris_64

I suspect there may be plans to try and make either or both Draper or Bryan into something resembling a KPF

This is akin to drafting a HBF and expecting that will turn into a mid.

[Suspended]

Wouldnt the fact we keep searching for kpf suggest we are well aware neither of our ruckmen are capable of being 2nd forward?

[Blummers32]

@Houli_Dooli

I can see Draper as Fwd/Ruck
say Goldy 70% Draper 30% and ruck all last quarter.
Would be a advantage for us.

I can’t see Bryan getting many games when Draper and Goldy are available though.
But at least Goldy is an upgrade on Phillips.
Given Drapers injury i’m not actually expecting him to be back until at least Anzac day.
So Bryan needs to try and get in the side before then

During pre-season this year, ruck duties were split between Draper and Phillips. Draper would be the second tall target in the forward line and did it well.
Then Peter Wright got injured and we didn’t get to use Drapes that way. By the time 2MP returned, Drapes was out.

I think by the time Goldy is finished, Bryan will be ‘fully formed’ and ready for full time first ruck duties. And he’ll be mentored by Goldy who is one of the most resilient and durable rucks who has performed at a high level for a long period of time that has been at our club since Simon Madden.

I’m not sure where that leaves Jaiden Hunter though. Two tall targets, Langford, a resting midfielder (Perkins, Hobbs, Martin, etc.) and two small forwards would be the setup we go with.
Ideally, only one of Hunter, Jones or Weideman end up as the ‘third tall’ if we want to go that way.

[frosty]

Where does it leave Stringer as well?

I’d imagine Hunter would be expected to develop in the 2s for a while.

Jones can certainly play as the mobile CHF target.

My question is whether Perkins can provide enough speed and defensive pressure at ground level to take one of those spots you have pegged as “small forward”?

[G-Unit]

Why did we draft a guy in a mid season draft who was cooked prior to coming the club? Isn’t the value of this draft type that you can use it as an audition to trial before you buy? Just seems a little backwards to me.

[Blummers32]

@frosty

Where does it leave Stringer as well?

I’d imagine Hunter would be expected to develop in the 2s for a while.

Jones can certainly play as the mobile CHF target.

My question is whether Perkins can provide enough speed and defensive pressure at ground level to take one of those spots you have pegged as “small forward”?

No to Perkins.
Small forwards are a specialist role. Not a hybrid one.

I’m not sure where Stringer plays. Maybe he can be the ‘stay at home’ small forward role? I’m hoping by mid next year, we won’t be relying on Stringer in the forward line.

[Humble_Minion]

@G-Unit

Why did we draft a guy in a mid season draft who was cooked prior to coming the club? Isn’t the value of this draft type that you can use it as an audition to trial before you buy? Just seems a little backwards to me.

The club is on record as saying that the pre-draft medical screening the AFL did on Hunter (clubs can’t do their own medicals on would-be draftees) missed his back issues. It didn’t sound like we were happy about that.

[Houli_Dooli]

If we had of known about the injury I wonder who we would have taken.

Maybe Jack Buller.

[frosty]

@Humble_Minion

@G-Unit

Why did we draft a guy in a mid season draft who was cooked prior to coming the club? Isn’t the value of this draft type that you can use it as an audition to trial before you buy? Just seems a little backwards to me.

The club is on record as saying that the pre-draft medical screening the AFL did on Hunter (clubs can’t do their own medicals on would-be draftees) missed his back issues. It didn’t sound like we were happy about that.

Can the AFL pay is for the rehab costs? I think a priority pick as the start of the draft would be appropriate.

[Nocturnal]

Narkle and Poulter would have been good picks.