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

 

[DapperJong]

My comment re: Edwards, was more along of the lines that pure talent alone won't get you a long AFL career.

And in the case of Long, neither will no talent.

 

[Kakkle]

And in the case of Long, neither will no talent.

Yeah but having a cool dad might.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

My comment re: Edwards, was more along of the lines that pure talent alone won't get you a long AFL career.

Stupid comparison. Edwards didn’t show 1/10th of what Francis has at senior level - in just 13 games.

It’s not just talent. Francis has produced about as much as any player could in that small handful of games. His marking has been fantastic. Of course we should keep playing him to see where he goes. A couple of quiet games doesn’t change that - it’ll happen with any player early on.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Thought he was ok, along with Stringer brought the ball to ground with good regularity. Needed to take his chances and didn’t but was involved in a few goals with smart taps. Stays forward for mine and give him a chance to develop.

 

[Scottie65]

Thought he was ok, along with Stringer brought the ball to ground with good regularity. Needed to take his chances and didn’t but was involved in a few goals with smart taps. Stays forward for mine and give him a chance to develop.

totally agree shouldnt be dropped again...give him a chance to find his craft...hes gunna be a star...if they keep dropping him it wouldnt surprise me if he requests a trade.....parish also they just need to keep playing....ridley is a gun

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Almost unplayable at this point in time. Just the lack of any sort of second effort is a concern. We are pretty much a man down across the ground when he is out there.

Only position he can play at AFL level is defence until he gets the tank to roam forward and thats a stretch.

 

[Doss]

Don't think the forward line is for him quite simply.

 

[citizen-erased]

Needs to go into defence
So question becomes who can shift forward for him?

Hooker, Daniher and Stewart were a good force in 2017 with Tippa and Raz snapping around their heels
Surely Hooker, Daniher and Stringer is an improvement on that.

Might be time to rob Peter and pay Paul to get balance going.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I thought he was alright considering he was first-up and playing in a unfamiliar role.

 

[Resistor]

Don't think the forward line is for him quite simply.

In against the best defence in the league. Give him 1-2 more I reckon

 

[Howard Moon]

was totally gassed half way through the first

how does it happen? geelong were just sidestepping him and wandering out

 

[silkybombers]

Needs to be traded. Not gonna make it, can't get fit enough. The modern day version of Lance Whitnall

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

He’s barely played forward recently. Thrown there last VFL game. Should have kicked two, could have have had three if ball bounced his way in goal square and did provide some leads third quarter. Had an excellent run down tackle as well.

Yes had a lot of rebound off him but no more than if we played another ruck.

Had no choice, needed another tall.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

I don't think he missed a single set shot in the warm up and then his shots on goal during the game were poo.

 

[Dons4days]

If he had kicked his 2 set shots we'd all being saying it was a solid return to the firsts. He was wayward yesterday but he looked dangerous whenever he was near a marking contest. Just persist with, forward or back I don't care.

 

[citizen-erased]

If he had kicked his 2 set shots we'd all being saying it was a solid return to the firsts. He was wayward yesterday but he looked dangerous whenever he was near a marking contest. Just persist with, forward or back I don't care.

Hands are so good in the air, esp in a contest. There were times he pulled down marks i didnt think he'd get near the ball.
Still think we were better sliding him across the HB line and sending Hooker forward. Maybe against the Swans.

 

[Dons4days]

Hands are so good in the air, esp in a contest. There were times he pulled down marks i didnt think he'd get near the ball.
Still think we were better sliding him across the HB line and sending Hooker forward. Maybe against the Swans.

Depending on the match ups I wouldn't mind seeing them both moved around a bit. At least it makes us a bit more unpredictable to plan for. I felt like they knew exactly what we were going to do yesterday & shut down our plan & strengths perfectly.

 

[citizen-erased]

Depending on the match ups I wouldn't mind seeing them both moved around a bit. At least it makes us a bit more unpredictable to plan for. I felt like they knew exactly what we were going to do yesterday & shut down our plan & strengths perfectly.

Hooker forward would have thrown them.
Blicavs, Stewart and Taylor are a class outfit, but Hooker competes like a beast and he'll hit contests hard.
Add Stringer and they probably can't double team Daniher.

Midfield getting outworked didnt help the forward structures either. Nor did missing Raz again.

Francis was at his best last year in the backline. Gotta play him there.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Hooker forward isn’t a bad shout. And I’ve always been against it. We need that beast contested marking role. With McKernan out, Hooker might be the only option.

 

[citizen-erased]

Hooker forward isn’t a bad shout. And I’ve always been against it. We need that beast contested marking role. With McKernan out, Hooker might be the only option.

Ideal world, Hooker is in defence with Hurley and Francis is picking off the balls coming in.

It's not an ideal world. And Hooker forward makes more sense than a kid who has played 1, maybe 2 games up there at AFL level when we're up against the best team and defence in the comp

Hiding to nothing. Why we do this s**t i'll never know.

 

[Howard Moon]

Needs to be traded. Not gonna make it, can't get fit enough. The modern day version of Lance Whitnall

I just had a mini scoff then a moment of sadness... the whitnall jibe is too true - worse still, frang hasn't got anywhere near whitnalls output yet

 

[ant555]

He was on a hiding to nothing as Geelong have very good defenders and the way we play the forwards often end up in one on two situations. Should have kicked the two chances he had and his game does not look too bad.

The problem i see with him is not ability. The big issue is that 192cm and his athletic ability he has to be right on top of his game to see the best of him. It is almost like he is 5cm too short for the style of game he plays. Unlike Hurley who at the same height is much more mobile. I still have question marks on him. If he can just drift around and take marks in the back half then he looks really good. He has good skills and generally makes good decisions but his lack of mobility and poor second efforts are really hurting his game right now.

The plus side is he has really only had 1 pre season and this is the first time he has had a run of games from the start of a season so there should be room for improvement. Hope I am wrong but I just have this nagging doubt with his ability to get around the ground and stay in contests.

 

[NAB777]

This guy is a symptom of where this club is at. Lots of ability, but is being developed horrendously, and confidence is waning as a result.

 

[Zach Package]

Kicked 1, set up 5.

I’m exceptionally tumescent

 

[Howard Moon]

First time I've thought he looks a better fwd

Ohoh...