List Mgmt. Welcome Matt Flynn (Unrestricted Free Agent)

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Like this signing.
As long as his role as No 1 ruck is clear, I'm looking forward to some swashbuckling performances.
#Erroll
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Not sure what the plan is here.

I know the club originally intended Williams to be a forward. But he's just had his best season as a full-time ruckman. Williams had similar stats to Flynn, averaging ~27-28 HO and around ~12 disposals a game. But Williams is 2 years younger.

I can understand if we were desperate to get Williams back into the forward line. But with the development of Maric, that doesn't seem critical. So Williams plays backup to Flynn who, despite being older, actually has marginally less experience? Or Flynn plays backup to Williams? In which case, did we just bring in a FA as a ruck backup?

At this stage, we're going into the season with Jack Williams, Callum Jamieson and Bailey Williams and who are all ruck/forwards, Harry Barnett who is (I believe) a pure ruck and Harry Edwards who is a defender/ruck and now Matt Flynn. Granted, all of them are pretty raw. But I can't see them all fitting in...

Doesn't look good for Jamieson?
The stats may look similar at first glance but there's one area where Flynn is significantly better than Williams

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Feels a bit like a Lycett/Sean Darcy/Jonathan Giles hybrid

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Not sure what the plan is here.

I know the club originally intended Williams to be a forward. But he's just had his best season as a full-time ruckman. Williams had similar stats to Flynn, averaging ~27-28 HO and around ~12 disposals a game. But Williams is 2 years younger.

I can understand if we were desperate to get Williams back into the forward line. But with the development of Maric, that doesn't seem critical. So Williams plays backup to Flynn who, despite being older, actually has marginally less experience? Or Flynn plays backup to Williams? In which case, did we just bring in a FA as a ruck backup?

At this stage, we're going into the season with Jack Williams, Callum Jamieson and Bailey Williams and who are all ruck/forwards, Harry Barnett who is (I believe) a pure ruck and Harry Edwards who is a defender/ruck and now Matt Flynn. Granted, all of them are pretty raw. But I can't see them all fitting in...

Doesn't look good for Jamieson?
Flynn is a good get as every season ruckman are naturally very injury prone. At one point we will lose one of our main rucks to some injury.

If we didn't have Flynn and Williams goes down we would be relying on Jamieson and a very raw Barnett. Having Flynn now means we have two ready made rucks and not relying on Jamieson or Barnett at all. Jamieson also may have plans to go backline as a third key defender possibly. Who knows but he hasn't cemented any position and isn't reliable to go into a season as our main ruck. Because that's what he would of been if a long term injury hits. You have to have 2 rucks at least that can play the role required.
 
Getting M.Flynn is a very good move.

Getting him for free is exceptional.


Flynn is a player I have admired since his 2021 season at the Giants where he averaged inside the top 10 in the competition for contested marks.

Is a more classical body-on-body type of ruck who will be outreached by more athletic opponents, but wins a high percentage of his taps to advantage because he positions his frame well and has soft hands.

What perhaps excites me most his his defensive background, playing most of his junior football at CHB, and he still has that ability to sit behind play and read where the ball is going.

Has all the traits to facilitate the role of the additional marking tall behind play as B.Williams takes ruck duties when possession is deep forward.

Spent the second half of the 2023 season in the VFL as a result of the rise of K.Briggs, sharing the ruck with B.Pruess and N.Madden in an odd three-way rotation. Despite the constant role turnover, he still averaged over 20 hit outs and 2.5 goals a game for the VFL Giants.


In 2023, the biggest deficiency for West Coast was around stoppage. Acquiring Flynn will improve that.

Due to injury and competition for places, he has never played more than 12 games in a season. If he stays healthy, gains a succession of appearances and gets his confidence up, I feel Flynn still has the potential to improve dramatically upon what he has been able to briefly show so far at top level.


Basketball background also.


A very tidy piece of business done by the club.


Welcome to West Coast, Matt.

Here's hoping the opportunity that you've been after to make a senior position your own pays off well for both you and the Eagles.
 

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