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

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2022
Injury Status: n/a

My Boy Draft 2022: Pick 29, Mr Bultitude

 

[onthemove77]

Taller version of ricciuto. Absolute bull - get out of my way approach to his game.

Roo is definitely the best comparison. Good news for the bombers

 

[srobbo]

Great news. Hope we play him HB in 2017 where he can use his marking & run/gun prowess.

 

[JayJ20]

You know what our real problem is? Getting players that are actually better forwards than defenders. Every time I have hope and every time it gets crushed.

Let me dream!

 

[tperks]

I'm hoping he can turn into a Roughead type. Dominating up forward and if we are struggling to get it up there, give him 5mins on the ball or floating behind play.

 

[table tennis]

I'm hoping he can turn into a Roughead type. Dominating up forward and if we are struggling to get it up there, give him 5mins on the ball or floating behind play.

I call that type of player "the robert walls" prototype.
Just throw him in the ruck

 

[astrowizzle]

I'm hoping he can turn into a Roughead type. Dominating up forward and if we are struggling to get it up there, give him 5mins on the ball or floating behind play.

Exactly what I was thinking

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Half back flanker for mine

But I'm not fussed

 

[freddy mercury]

I hope we get 10 or more games into him. Hes an elite talent in the air as we've all seen. Could slot nicely across half back taking maybe ambrose spot? Or maybe play 7 defends and leave him loose? Either way we need him to play consistent footy cos blokes like him don't grow on trees.

Only downfall is he's insurance which I am sure will get better this preseason, looks of things he's lost some of that puppy fat he carried last season already. which is a fantastic sign.

Also wonder how he will go playing on an opponent each week in the AFL. Being the AFL you hardly defend one on one anymore so that could help him.

Francis Hurley Hartley as our 3 key backs, im pretty happy with that.

 

[Saucy]

If he's really 194 cm and 94 kg, surely he will play as a key forward.

 

[Rack Watts]

Yup, we need forwards. Half our list can play back. FF for mine.

 

[eth-dog]

With a guy like Francis, why pigeon hole him?

 

[Rack Watts]

Because we need to kick goals? Tired of having players unsettled in positions. Hurley would have come on earlier than he did, if he was kept down back, he was a back. Francis has elite forward attributes, just put him there and have him mirror Jarryd Roughead.

Hooker, Hurley, Hartley, Ambrose, Brown.
Compared to
Daniher, Stewart... Bellchambers.

 

[onthemove77]

Hey lads, can someone tell me who is lighting up the track at bomber land and is expected to have a break out year. I've read a bit about Langford doing the hard yards on his break is any of the other young brigade doing the same?

 

[eth-dog]

Because we need to kick goals? Tired of having players unsettled in positions. Hurley would have come on earlier than he did, if he was kept down back, he was a back. Francis has elite forward attributes, just put him there and have him mirror Jarryd Roughead.

Hooker, Hurley, Hartley, Ambrose, Brown.
Compared to
Daniher, Stewart... Bellchambers.

Pigeonholing him as a forward robs us of his biggest and best attribute: the ability for him to influence the game from any position on the ground. It's like having Brendan Goddard play one position for his entire career.

 

[WEEVZ]

Pigeonholing him as a forward robs us of his biggest and best attribute: the ability for him to influence the game from any position on the ground. It's like having Brendan Goddard play one position for his entire career.

Agree that he shouldn't necessarily be pigeonholed in one particular role or another, but I do think he can be settled into a position and still be capable of helping out in other parts of the ground. Personally I probably wouldn't make him our full-forward (though I'm sure he'd excel in that role given the opportunity), but I would use him as a high half-forward/half-back/3rd tall and utilise his mobility that way.

For mine if you're shifting players around too much and not giving them the opportunity to settle in and get comfortable in a role, you'll severely limit their development potential. Hell if Francis is settled into one position for another he'll be great regardless.

 

[Maddogm]

Tired of having players unsettled in positions.

You're tired of modern football?

 

[Westlo]

Yeah while he could be anything.... he needs to be settled into a position this season. 3rd tall down back would be a great way to introduce him to the game for real after the glimpses of this season. His career could mirror Pavs....

 

[Saucy]

Daniher, Fantasia, Laverde and Francis will make a dangerous forward line.

 

[Rack Watts]

You're tired of modern football?

Do Franklin, Kennedy, Lynch or Cameron play anything other than forward? Francis has three attributes of a dominant forward, we already have dominant backmen. Just keep him there, and let him develop.

 

[The Fact]

With a guy like Francis, why pigeon hole him?

Because we need a ff and he looks like a powerful ff something we haven't had for a long time.

Daniher, Fantasia, Laverde and Francis will make a dangerous forward line.

Don't forget Langford.

Do Franklin, Kennedy, Lynch or Cameron play anything other than forward? Francis has three attributes of a dominant forward, we already have dominant backmen. Just keep him there, and let him develop.

Agreed and its the same thing with langford and laverde they look to be natural forwards lets not try and make them something their not. Personally i think our drafting has confirmed the position of these 3 boys. Its starting to sound like a pretty good forwardline with them and joey

 

[boncer34]

Didn't Francis play back as a U18?

 

[Rack Watts]

Didn't Francis play back as a U18?

Yeah but like..

and that one where he smashed that backman v Geelong VFL, then nailed it from 55, exactly the aggression our forward line needs.

 

[boncer34]

Sooooo his junior career was back but based on 2 plays if we don't have him forward he's unsettled?

 

[Maddogm]

Yeah but like..

and that one where he smashed that backman v Geelong VFL, then nailed it from 55, exactly the aggression our forward line needs.

iirc he spent most (maybe half/half) of that werribee game in defence

 

[Rack Watts]

Sooooo his junior career was back but based on 2 plays if we don't have him forward he's unsettled?

He has crazy upside at both sides of the ground, forward is where our needs are.
Why not play him there, when he's shown glimpses of being a superstar there?
I didn't say that having him down back would unsettle him.
We have Hurley, Hooker, Brown and Hartley, whom are all better backs than forwards.
Francis is now 194cm, we need a partner to Daniher, Francis has the talent, put him there.
Why do we need another backman?