AFL Player #27: Mason Redman 🐕

[Lore]

Contract Status: Free Agent 2028
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 24, ghostdog

 

[staaation]

Why fix what ain't broken.

He is a gun in the making at Half back, so let's leave him there.

As an aside, I thought everyone on this board was pi**ed with our obsession of turning flanker into midfielders?

You don't think the midfield need fixing? Suggestions re: moving Redman to a wing come our lack of clean kicks/two way runners through the middle. The fact he's developed nicely as a defender just means that if he can't keep up in the middle or someone comes banging on the door for that spot; he can swing back to defense. He and Ridley could both rotate through wing/HB for example.

 

[MattyB3150]

Seems like a really nice guy. Always stopped to speak to people at the best and fairest and didn't brush them off. One guy was even talking to him at the urinal.
Thought his speech was good and feel like he has the right attitude to be a leader in our backline one day.

 

[owen87]

One guy was even talking to him at the urinal.

That's some very specific knowledge right there... were you that guy?

 

[owen87]

As an aside, I thought everyone on this board was pi**ed with our obsession of turning flanker into midfielders?

Yes, please draft some genuine midfielders or wingers. Meanwhile with our abundance of flankers, we should probably look at them and work out who could play another role to a high standard. Flankers who can play off Half Back are not dissimilar to a modern wingman in required attributes, they just need a bit more of an ability to read / stay involved in the play whereas off half-back the play largely comes at you.

Redman is a good athlete, combative, solid defensively, runs aggressively both offensively and defensively and has good disposal. Exactly the kind of player attributes we'd look for in a winger, which we lack.

Some like Ridley for the same role, he's a bit taller, not quite as fast or aggressive but also has plenty of transferable attributes.

The problem is when we draft flankers and try to turn them in to midfielders when they don't have any transferable attributes for that role, e.g. Langford in the midfield, has the physical size but lacks the natural aggression or play-reading to stay involved.

 

[Runk]

Seems like a really nice guy. Always stopped to speak to people at the best and fairest and didn't brush them off. One guy was even talking to him at the urinal.
Thought his speech was good and feel like he has the right attitude to be a leader in our backline one day.

I mentioned this a little while back from a BnF in 2017. He's incredibly approachable. Loves a chat. Happy to talk to anyone.
Clearly a kid who's happy with his lot in life, knows how much the club means to it's fans and loves what he does.

 

[VelvetSledge]

I just love him. Well on his way to becoming a 250 game player for the club. He's just so damn good.

 

[Vander18]

Is this he's currently not a 20 possession player? That's true.

Or is it he probably wont ever be a 20 possession player? Which would be putting it mildly.

He's the 7th defender in terms of seniority. He's competing with two of the most damaging counter attacking runners in the game and 2 key defenders who are basically the "spiritual leaders" and players who have been among the best key defenders of the last 10 years.

Ambrose is now clearly regarded as KPD1.

Gleeson is back and he outranks Redman.

There is a finite amount of possession for even our defenders. His numbers will be deflated by competition.

I'd also argue that the he's freed McKenna to increase his possession rate by 3 from just below 18 to just below 21 this year.

When was McKenna a 20 possession player before that?

Redman was getting 22 to 30 possessions a week playing 3/4 at half back in his "break through" run in the VFL in 2018 whixh resulted in him becoming best 22 (as evidenced by his early inclusion this year which was not doem related).

He averaged what - 16 or 17 possies a game from defence? Hardly a stretch to think he couldn’t add another 5-10 to that playing more time in midfield.

It’s pretty simple - we lack height, defensive mindset, two way running and clean ball use across our midfield group broadly. Potentially he helps on all fronts. If it doesn’t work, he can return to defence. It won’t ruin him.

Shows far more potential to work as a mid than guys like Langford or Laverde. Would be silly not to have a look at it.

 

[fairbump_playon]

As an aside, I thought everyone on this board was pi**ed with our obsession of turning flanker into midfielders?

Only when we actually do it.

 

[windyhill]

He's a nutter, I love the nutters.

 

[yaco55]

I would definitely play him on the wing - he's defending at times is a worry.

 

[bombreys]

I would definitely play him on the wing - he's defending at times is a worry.

What? He's our best non-KPP defender. Daylight between he and whoever is second.

 

[Old Stuckup]

What? He's our best non-KPP defender. Daylight between he and whoever is second.

Saad? McKenna?

 

[DapperJong]

What? He's our best non-KPP defender. Daylight between he and whoever is second.

Saad is a much better stopper.

Saad? McKenna?

If we are talking actually defending, Mckenna ain't that great.

 

[bombreys]

Saad? McKenna?

Saad's a good defender, McKenna's probably average or slightly below. Redman is a better defender than the two of them. I was also more responding to the 'his defending at times is a worry'-part.

 

[Old Stuckup]

Saad's a good defender, McKenna's probably average or slightly below. Redman is a better defender than the two of them. I was also more responding to the 'his defending at times is a worry'-part.

If we're referring to actual defending Saad is quite comfortably better than Redman. I'll give you McKenna though.

 

[eth-dog]

Saad's a good defender, McKenna's probably average or slightly below. Redman is a better defender than the two of them. I was also more responding to the 'his defending at times is a worry'-part.

I'd say it's:

Saad
Gleeson
Redman
McKenna

Mason's a good defender, but Saad and Gleeson are better stoppers IMO.

 

[Maddogm]

Saad's better, which is not a slight on Redman at all

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Love what I see from this kid on (and off) the field. The way he presents himself in media interviews and BTV pressers is just great to see. Future leader, without a doubt.

 

[Ambrosia]

I'd say it's:

Saad
Gleeson
Redman
McKenna

Mason's a good defender, but Saad and Gleeson are better stoppers IMO.

Not sure Gleeson is that good as a pure stopper. He’s a very good team defender though.

If Ridley failed as wingman/mid in the VFL last year surely the obvious solution is to move Redman up the ground. We have to try and fit the most talented guys into our best 22.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Like Smith, you'd prefer to play alongside Mase and not against.

If he's on and you're not, watch out.

 

[eDPS]

Me like

 

[owen87]

Me like

Think Redman is a flanker who could actually do this; good tank, good kick, good size and is aggressive around the ball.

 

[LB#16]

Me like

Why wouldn't you? Essendon have never taken a player out of their natural position in order to play mid and had it backfire.

 

[eDPS]

Why wouldn't you? Essendon have never taken a player out of their natural position in order to play mid and had it backfire.

Redman was a versatile player as a junior, he never really had a natural position to begin with