Delisted # 8: Martin Gleeson - Not offered a contract, finishes his Essendon career on 97 AFL games

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Not offered another contract in 2022
Last Game Played: Elimination Final, 2021
Injury Status: n/a

 

[Zach Package]

As much as I don’t like to cut people down for their opinions everyone who thought he was expendable needs their head checked.

Exceptional at reading the play and intercepting, as composed as anyone we have and fast becoming one of our best ball users.

 

[Vindicater]

People spending the last 18 months saying he would not come back into the team now crawling back...

 

[TheFrenchCut]

Just feels Enright to have him back.

 

[Jacques_]

Flexible & dependable, his positioning for spoils yesterday was first class. Great to see him get involved in some attacking chains off half back too, his agility and little burst of speed is underrated.

 

[JETTA7]

How can you not love this guy!

 

[Vander18]

I’ll put my hand up and say that I saw Gleeson as trade bait and I was wrong.

Has shored up the defence and is playing very solid football right now. Clearly ahead of Ridley right now who was one I thought had passed him by.

 

[VelvetSledge]

Just feels Enright to have him back.

Very good

 

[dnbassador]

The courage this bloke has

 

[eth-dog]

And people were saying that he wouldn't break into the side. His ability to play on mediums and smalls is so important.

 

[Vindicater]

Was at the game tonight.

The amount of work he does covering ground and covering other players is absurd.

Can see why he is one of the first picked.

 

[Donakebab]

Was at the game tonight.

The amount of work he does covering ground and covering other players is absurd.

Can see why he is one of the first picked.

A recent video about a vital 2 minute period at the end of the GWS(?) game highlighted his work rate.

Been a huge inclusion.

 

[eth-dog]

A recent video about a vital 2 minute period at the end of the GWS(?) game highlighted his work rate.

Been a huge inclusion.

He and Redman are genuine mediums. They can both take your Lynch types but also your secondary small like Lincoln McCarthy from Brisbane.

 

[blitzer]

Gleeson has been excellent these past 2 games in particular. However playing devils advocate, he's really not that far ahead of the likes of Redman, Ridley, Francis and Ambrose who if we had a fit 22 would be the blokes he'd be competing with for a spot. Don't get me wrong he's well and truly deserving of his spot at present but we do have some genuine quality that can play the 3rd tall/medium defender type roles as required.

 

[eth-dog]

Gleeson has been excellent these past 2 games in particular. However playing devils advocate, he's really not that far ahead of the likes of Redman, Ridley, Francis and Ambrose who if we had a fit 22 would be the blokes he'd be competing with for a spot. Don't get me wrong he's well and truly deserving of his spot at present but we do have some genuine quality that can play the 3rd tall/medium defender type roles as required.

I don't think any of them play small as effectively as Marty though IMO.

 

[quotemokc]

Gleeson has been excellent these past 2 games in particular. However playing devils advocate, he's really not that far ahead of the likes of Redman, Ridley, Francis and Ambrose who if we had a fit 22 would be the blokes he'd be competing with for a spot. Don't get me wrong he's well and truly deserving of his spot at present but we do have some genuine quality that can play the 3rd tall/medium defender type roles as required.

Ambrose has proven that he can take a teams best forward, hes no longer a 3rd tall.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Ambrose has never been a third tall, he doesn't have the intercept game or the disposal. Third-best tall is something different.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Anyone who said this guy wasn't in the pecking order anymore hang your head.

The most perfect case of footy Rd an goldfish syndrome ever.

Kid's a gun

 

[HirdyLannister]

Proving me wrong, I had doubts not in his ability more about his recovery coming back from that horrible ankle injury.

 

[BrunoV]

And people were saying that he wouldn't break into the side. His ability to play on mediums and smalls is so important.

This is a strawman.

He got a gig due to injury and was never forced to compete with Ridley (who was dropped playing football at the same standard).

That was the discussion, whether he would fit into the side with Redman and Ridley, where Ridley was starting in the side and was then inexplicably dropped. It's very hard to predict the point at which we'll "bite the bullet" and just start playing some of our best young talents - that's basically chook lotto.

 

[MiguelM]

This is a strawman.

He got a gig due to injury and was never forced to compete with Ridley (who was dropped playing football at the same standard).

That was the discussion, whether he would fit into the side with Redman and Ridley, where Ridley was starting in the side and was then inexplicably dropped. It's very hard to predict the point at which we'll "bite the bullet" and just start playing some of our best young talents - that's basically chook lotto.

Miles ahead of Ridley IMO. Ridley has plenty if time.

Think we are playing most of the kids now? Would be dumb to play too many

 

[DERO]

This is a strawman.

He got a gig due to injury and was never forced to compete with Ridley (who was dropped playing football at the same standard).

That was the discussion, whether he would fit into the side with Redman and Ridley, where Ridley was starting in the side and was then inexplicably dropped. It's very hard to predict the point at which we'll "bite the bullet" and just start playing some of our best young talents - that's basically chook lotto.

I'd rather we play our best talent any day. Ridley has showed a bit and is definitely a player for the future but he has never come to close to demonstrating the same level of consistently good defensive ability that Gleeson has. Ridley may even end up on a wing.

Gleeson reads the ball beautifully and deserves to be picked before Ridley on form and demonstrated ability as an intercepting/ rebounding defender. I'd have Gleeson in front of Francis as well. BZT will also get his chance but this may not be until next year as well.

Gleeson Hooker Ambrose
Saad Hurley McKenna

Back-up: Francis, Ridley, Guelfi, McGrath, Hartley, BZT, McNeice, Dea, Mitch Brown

 

[Darealrath]

This is a strawman.

He got a gig due to injury and was never forced to compete with Ridley (who was dropped playing football at the same standard).

That was the discussion, whether he would fit into the side with Redman and Ridley, where Ridley was starting in the side and was then inexplicably dropped. It's very hard to predict the point at which we'll "bite the bullet" and just start playing some of our best young talents - that's basically chook lotto.

How can you say he's not competing with Ridley? They've both been fit, play a similar position and Gleeson is now getting the nod.

 

[BrunoV]

How can you say he's not competing with Ridley? They've both been fit, play a similar position and Gleeson is now getting the nod.

Because Ridley was dropped seemingly to develop him in the middle of for one of the other gems we use when we find ways not to play our most talented players.

I take it that everyone saying Gleeson is miles ahead of Ridley were satisfied when Ridley was dropped after round 1 and then dropped again. They were the guys being critical of his JLT performances?

I take it you all watched the VFL games they were playin, too.

Beats the hell out of me if I noticed a difference between Gleeson and Ridley. Gleeson played 1 good game and then got a game as a result of injuries.

It's reading like Gleeson is dominating games.

 

[Towno78]

How can you say he's not competing with Ridley? They've both been fit, play a similar position and Gleeson is now getting the nod.

Because that would indicate his original stance was wrong. Lol

 

[Zach Package]

Ridley isn’t nearly as defensively sound or as good at intercepting or supporting in the air. And that aerial support is really important given the Hooker, Ambrose and Hurley combination can’t jump. Gleeson and Francis being right at the pointy end as interceptors stiffen the backline right up.

Ridley’s attacking stuff is basically as good as it gets but his defensive side continues to need work, hence his place in the pecking order. He’s not playing for the same reason we could afford to let go of Goddard who still had petrol in the tank. The defensive group is as stacked as any club in the comp.