Traded #10: Aaron Francis - Traded to Sydney w. Pick 42 + Future fourth rounder for Pick 37. Thanks Frang!

[RedmanWasHere]

Heading in to his prime years and his 5th season.

5th season?

Gee that's gone rather quickly.

 

[eDPS]

I could switch the names Hooker and Francis and make the exact same post.

Especially the part about all the others being better defenders then forwards, Francis on exposed form is a better defender then forward.

On exposed form he has looked equally good at both. What he has done as a forward in the VFL is being incredibly underrated

 

[eth-dog]

On exposed form he has looked equally good at both. What he has done as a forward in the VFL is being incredibly underrated

Honestly think it's been a tad overrated.

I'm happy for him to play forward at times this year. I'm happy for him to play back this year. Personally; I'd start him in defence.

 

[eDPS]

Honestly think it's been a tad overrated.

I'm happy for him to play forward at times this year. I'm happy for him to play back this year. Personally; I'd start him in defence.

As someone who has seen a lot more VFL footy than myself can you think of many players in the VFL that have been able to do the things Francis has done. Not just that but from limited time there

 

[eth-dog]

As someone who has seen a lot more VFL footy than myself can you think of many players in the VFL that have been able to do the things Francis has done. Not just that but from limited time there

I'm not saying it wasn't good to very good; but I feel like it is mentioned every time this debate comes up.

 

[eDPS]

I'm not saying it wasn't good to very good; but I feel like it is mentioned every time this debate comes up.

Of course it's always mentioned since it's all that most have to go on. What he was able to do this year is the reason why he is training as a forward and will most likely play as a forward next year. There is a reason he is favourite for the rushing star and I highly doubt he would be if he didn't play forward in the VFL

 

[Liberator]

I think that if he was a music genre, Aaron Francis would be Heavy Metal.

 

[scanlon]

When did Aaron ever say that he prefers to play defence?

said that his favourite position is that third tall defender in last years draft trumps

 

[yaco55]

I expect Francis to be playing a mixture of back and forward in the VFL in 2017 - At times he had issues reading the ball in fllight at both VFL and AFL level in 2016 - I expect he will spend more time in the VFL than the AFL in 2017 - My ideal scenario is he turns into a McGovern type from the West Coast Eagles.

 

[Yoda_]

This thread hurts my head almost as much as the Morgan one. If you've seen Francis play over the past two seasons then you will notice the biggest barometer of his game is his confidence. The idea of 'pigeon-holing' is ridiculous considering that we've already played him at both ends of the ground in both the VFL and AFL. It's about letting him build confidence in himself at AFL level, which is easier to do when playing him in his preferred position, defence.

Agree with this. He will settle himself where his talent allows him to play. Be it forward or back, he could be a genuine top 50 player in the comp type.


Pair him with Zac Merrett, the return of Dyson Heppell and Michael Hurley and the evolution of Darcy Parish, Andrew McGrath and all of a sudden, we look like a genuine top 4 side for years to come.

 

[Rack Watts]

I think that if he was a music genre, Aaron Francis would be Heavy Metal.

and as a sub-genre he would be thrash.

 

[BrunoV]

On exposed form he has looked equally good at both. What he has done as a forward in the VFL is being incredibly underrated overrated

What you've seen in the highlights packages is essentially the total of what Francis has done as a forward. Admittedly it's an impressive highlights package but it amounts to parts of a quarter here and there. Connor McKenna played more good quarters as a forward in 2015.

Francis is being spoken about as though he is kicking three to five a week and dominating opponents, making them look bush league, like Daniher and Hogan were at the start of 2013, but that's not what has been happening.

Francis has these bursts during which the damage is done. Sometimes it's early, sometimes it's late but either side there has been virtually nothing resembling a sustained impact on a game. No presence working up to the wings and none of the grunt work that good forwards revert to when it's a struggle for scoring opportunities.

We've seen this before with defenders who can be swung forward to take a grab, bust some packs and change a game and that it is not necessarily the early work of a champion forward in the making. Langford, Laverde and Redman, for example, look much more at home when I have seen them play as forwards, all be it less spectacular, because they get to the right spots and find easy ball in dangerous positions in and around forward 50. It's that ability to find easy ball when playing as a forward that separates the naturals from the others.

On the other hand, it could be that Francis did not have the fitness base for anything more than the few bursts. He would be gassed for about 5 minutes after a big passage of play.

For 2017 I would settle him at one end of the ground based on what I think is the best fit for the list and that is probably as a forward.

 

[eDPS]

What you've seen in the highlights packages is essentially the total of what Francis has done as a forward. Admittedly it's an impressive highlights package but it amounts to parts of a quarter here and there. Connor McKenna played more good quarters as a forward in 2015.

Francis is being spoken about as though he is kicking three to five a week and dominating opponents, making them look bush league, like Daniher and Hogan were at the start of 2013, but that's not what has been happening.

Francis has these bursts during which the damage is done. Sometimes it's early, sometimes it's late but either side there has been virtually nothing resembling a sustained impact on a game. No presence working up to the wings and none of the grunt work that good forwards revert to when it's a struggle for scoring opportunities.

We seen this before with defenders who can be swung forward to take a grab, bust some packs and change a game and that it is not necessarily the early work of a champion forward in the making. Langford, Laverde and Redman, for example, look much more at home when I have seen them play as forwards, all be it less spectacular, because they get to the right spots both and find easy ball in dangerous positions in and around goal. It's that ability to find easy ball when playing as a forward that separates the naturals from the others.

On the other hand, it could be that Francis did not have the fitness base for anything more than the few bursts. He would be gassed for about 5 minutes after a big passage of play.

For 2017 I would settle him at one end of the ground based on what I think is the best fit for the list and that is probably as a forward.

You touched on it late but fitness would be the main reason he couldn't be consistent. He didn't get much of a chance in the VFL to stay forward for the whole game aswell.

 

[eth-dog]

I think that if he was a music genre, Aaron Francis would be Heavy Metal.

Why would you insult Francis like that?

 

[carnthedons]

and as a sub-genre he would be thrash.

NWOBHM

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I'm happy at this point to give him the Hird licence.

 

[Don35]

If hooker goes forward then it's real simple, he settles back as a third tall and gets ample opportunity to develop his game without being thrown all over the ground.

Came into the club with some niggles and had multiple injuries which didn't allow him to get going.

He will be a star as early as this year. He's lost a lot of weight and is miles ahead of where he was 12 months ago.

If he doesn't play majority of games in seniors this year one of three things are happening.

- the club are kidding themselves
- he's kidding himself
- he's injured

 

[eDPS]

Holy **** imagine this at AFL level

 

[Bunk Moreland]

View attachment 316623 View attachment 316624 View attachment 316625Holy **** imagine this at AFL level

Cale you ****in pretty boy

Should know better than to **** with somebody who's lived with red hair.

 

[Alfred E Neuman]

View attachment 316623 View attachment 316624 View attachment 316625Holy **** imagine this at AFL level

Look at his legs. He is a ****ing beast.

 

[Liberator]

Hooker is generally pretty hard to do that to, being
a)strong
b)angry and
c)~98kgs ...

Very metal that kid. Gottendammerung!

 

[AngryLittle]

Are you more excited to see 2017 Francis or 2017 McGrath. #shouldapickedclugg

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[Doss]

Are you more excited to see 2017 Francis or 2017 McGrath. #shouldapickedclugg

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Welcome to the forum, Hugh.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

View attachment 316623 View attachment 316624 View attachment 316625Holy **** imagine this at AFL level

There should really be a warning for incoming Francis photos.

 

[AngryLittle]

Welcome to the forum, Hugh.

Why thank you sir. I do consider it a pleasure to be greated by a gentleman such as yourself. #brisbanesucksbutitsayshi

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[Vander18]

This guy....Rag dolling Hooker FFS....a total wildcard for 2017.

He could quite conceivably play a lot of VFL, be a regular best 22 member, tear the comp a new one, everything in between these scenarios.