AFL Player #27: Mason Redman šŸ•

27 - redman.jpg

Contract Status: Free Agent 2028
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 24, ghostdog
 
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That's a pretty good midfield for the future. Don't know what all the "Essendon have the worst midfield in the league" comments are based on.
Bottom 4 in CP differential and bottom 5 in clearance differential in 2015.
 

Marley10

Cancelled
Dec 30, 2014
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The current plodders?
Bottom 4 in CP differential and bottom 5 in clearance differential in 2015.
For the future, not present. Some claim our midfield will be the worst in the league in 2-3 years, but I don't agree. Need to draft a contested ball winner in next year's draft (which I was hoping Oliver would fill) and some depth, but it isn't doom and gloom.

Of course it isn't too good at the moment. You can argue that injuries contributed to those statistics, especially our inside mids. No Hocking, Myers or Watson (and pretty much no ruck) means that we'll struggle to win the ball without the big bodies. If you can't win the ball, you won't get the clearance.
 

Marley10

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We currently have an average one, not the worst but pretty average. I think the public is generally 18 months behind what's currently happening though.
This is probably what's happening. The midfield is not our strength, but serviceable if we can limit injuries.

I'd back us to perform closer to our 2014 form rather than 2015. So much went wrong this year.
 
For the future, not present. Some claim our midfield will be the worst in the league in 2-3 years, but I don't agree. Need to draft a contested ball winner in next year's draft (which I was hoping Oliver would fill) and some depth, but it isn't doom and gloom.

Of course it isn't too good at the moment. You can argue that injuries contributed to those statistics, especially our inside mids. No Hocking, Myers or Watson (and pretty much no ruck) means that we'll struggle to win the ball without the big bodies. If you can't win the ball, you won't get the clearance.
Don't think it'll be all that desperate. The only thing we need to add to our midfield group is an inside player that can burst from a stoppage. That's why Prestia would be my #1 target next year.
 

Marley10

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Don't think it'll be all that desperate. The only thing we need to add to our midfield group is an inside player that can burst from a stoppage. That's why Prestia would be my #1 target next year.
Me too. Don't think O'Meara will go back to his best, so I think we'll have to do all we can to get Prestia.
 

BrunoV

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May 5, 2009
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For the future, not present. Some claim our midfield will be the worst in the league in 2-3 years, but I don't agree. Need to draft a contested ball winner in next year's draft (which I was hoping Oliver would fill) and some depth, but it isn't doom and gloom.

Of course it isn't too good at the moment. You can argue that injuries contributed to those statistics, especially our inside mids. No Hocking, Myers or Watson (and pretty much no ruck) means that we'll struggle to win the ball without the big bodies. If you can't win the ball, you won't get the clearance.


Midfield will get much better with natural attrition. Of course the decline of Watson, Goddard and Stanton looks bad on paper but our real problem is that because our best mids and 3 to 4 role players are all poor runners we never find the right balance of run and strength between the arcs.
 

Marley10

Cancelled
Dec 30, 2014
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Midfield will get much better with natural attrition. Of course the decline of Watson, Goddard and Stanton looks bad on paper but our real problem is that because our best mids and 3 to 4 role players are all poor runners we never find the right balance of run and strength between the arcs.
Yes. We've been quite slow in the midfield for a while. Parish adds some pace and I'm glad Dodoro, Woosha and co recognised that.
 

BrunoV

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Yes. We've been quite slow in the midfield for a while. Parish adds some pace and I'm glad Dodoro, Woosha and co recognised that.


To labour the point, assume that natural development remains consistent with the signs that have been shown.

The core of the midfield going forward will become Laverde, Z. Merrett, Heppell, Zaharakis, Myers, Fantasia, Langford, Parish and Francis. Just going to limit it to the most obvious players (who knows what new recruit takes off or a player like Jack Merrett, Long or McKenna ends up doing).

It's a much better balance of players than the current group is, even at its absolute best, into which you can add any type of midfielder without really changing the make up of the side. There is a balance of inside grunt, power to break away from stoppages, overall running power and skill primarily because Laverde, Langford, Z. Merrett and maybe one or two other players possess all of the attributes.

If you were putting a side together from scratch you'd never end up paying the chuck of salary cap we have paid to Watson, Heppell, Goddard and Stanton (appreciate that it is different in the real world and that sometimes you just need to add quality). It's a very hard point to start from to get the midfield mix right.
 
To labour the point, assume that natural development remains consistent with the signs that have been shown.

The core of the midfield going forward will become Laverde, Z. Merrett, Heppell, Zaharakis, Myers, Fantasia, Langford, Parish and Francis. Just going to limit it to the most obvious players (who knows what new recruit takes off or a player like Jack Merrett, Long or McKenna ends up doing).

It's a much better balance of players than the current group is, even at its absolute best, into which you can add any type of midfielder without really changing the make up of the side. There is a balance of inside grunt, power to break away from stoppages, overall running power and skill primarily because Laverde, Langford, Z. Merrett and maybe one or two other players possess all of the attributes.

If you were putting a side together from scratch you'd never end up paying the chuck of salary cap we have paid to Watson, Heppell, Goddard and Stanton (appreciate that it is different in the real world and that sometimes you just need to add quality). It's a very hard point to start from to get the midfield mix right.
Is Zaka ahead of J Merrett anymore? I wouldn't be surprised to see Jacko play more games than Zaka next year because I have confidence that Woosha will put games into him in his proper position.
 

hepd

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Nov 5, 2015
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Me too. Don't think O'Meara will go back to his best, so I think we'll have to do all we can to get Prestia.

In Matthew Kennedy's AFL draft video, he said he was quite interested in playing for a Melbourne club :rolleyes:
 
In Matthew Kennedy's AFL draft video, he said he was quite interested in playing for a Melbourne club :rolleyes:

Just imagine, you're one of the best kids in the country, for years you've pictured yourself being drafted by a range of different teams and thinking how it would feel putting on the jumper etc........draft day comes around finally.......and you get drafted by the Giants! .......what a massive letdown.
 
Is Zaka ahead of J Merrett anymore? I wouldn't be surprised to see Jacko play more games than Zaka next year because I have confidence that Woosha will put games into him in his proper position.

Why does Jackson playing more games mean Zaka moves to the magoos? Play Merrett off the wing and Zaka as a HFF.
 

Vander18

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Apr 22, 2011
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To labour the point, assume that natural development remains consistent with the signs that have been shown.

The core of the midfield going forward will become Laverde, Z. Merrett, Heppell, Zaharakis, Myers, Fantasia, Langford, Parish and Francis. Just going to limit it to the most obvious players (who knows what new recruit takes off or a player like Jack Merrett, Long or McKenna ends up doing).

It's a much better balance of players than the current group is, even at its absolute best, into which you can add any type of midfielder without really changing the make up of the side. There is a balance of inside grunt, power to break away from stoppages, overall running power and skill primarily because Laverde, Langford, Z. Merrett and maybe one or two other players possess all of the attributes.

If you were putting a side together from scratch you'd never end up paying the chuck of salary cap we have paid to Watson, Heppell, Goddard and Stanton (appreciate that it is different in the real world and that sometimes you just need to add quality). It's a very hard point to start from to get the midfield mix right.
No Colyer?
 

hurlygurdy

Premiership Player
Apr 15, 2013
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Is Zaka ahead of J Merrett anymore? I wouldn't be surprised to see Jacko play more games than Zaka next year because I have confidence that Woosha will put games into him in his proper position.
Yes Zaka is still miles ahead. Zaka was one who clearly was WADA affected. He also suffered for being an attacking player in a team that had no teeth.
I'm not confident J Merrett will be played on the wing... He has too many players ahead of him when we are at full strength. He needs key injuries to his competition like Zaka, Colyer and Stanton.
IMO Merrett had best work hard on his forward game because he needs to maximise his chances of getting picked even if it's not his optimal place. Laverde, Fantasia, Parish and even Langford are starting to really threaten his future if he sits back waiting for runs on the wing. I think his 2015 was under rated, but he still badly needs to find a way to impress in 2016.
 
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