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

 

[Vander18]

Jobe Watson didn’t have much of a tank.

He built one.

Not a 3km time trial king type tank but a give repeat efforts all day type tank....which is what Franga needs.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

And what's the difference between them and mids?

Did we have trouble keeping the ball forward when we could get it there?

Would Baguley playing instead of Francis have made a difference?

Do you mean a mid who can play forward? Do Francis and Laverde have similar traits to bigger mids? Each rely on marking especially Francis. Mids such as Cripps, Bont are better below the knees, quicker to react etc.

Bags couldn’t have done much worse. Who knows if he would have made any difference. You play horse for courses to give yourself best chance. I would have played D Clarke just for someone to get the wet ball and with the extra mid rotated them forward.

 

[The Donners]

He built one.

Not a 3km time trial king type tank but a give repeat efforts all day type tank....which is what Franga needs.

100% agree “he built one” which was my convoluted reference! Lol

 

[yodellinhank]

He built one.

Not a 3km time trial king type tank but a give repeat efforts all day type tank....which is what Franga needs.

Nathan Buckley said on the footy show something once about how he learnt about endurance by playing on Robert Harvey.

He said at first he couldn't understand how a player could run around like Harvey did and not be totally stuffed. But then he followed him around and noticed that Harvey was stuffed. But he just kept going.

 

[yaco55]

Yeah McKernan and Francis plus Laverde (191cm) and Begley (188cm) who are not much shorter than Francis.

Laverde and Begley dont play as talls - In fact, Begley was trying to play the Baguley role.

 

[BrunoV]

Laverde and Begley dont play as talls - In fact, Begley was trying to play the Baguley role.

Laverde was definitely playing tall.

He was often the long target and had Grimes on him which I'd say reflects positioning as much as it does match up.

He also had 6 tackles and 21 pressure act which, if from a pressure forward, makes all the difference.

Do you mean a mid who can play forward? Do Francis and Laverde have similar traits to bigger mids? Each rely on marking especially Francis. Mids such as Cripps, Bont are better below the knees, quicker to react etc.

Bags couldn’t have done much worse. Who knows if he would have made any difference. You play horse for courses to give yourself best chance. I would have played D Clarke just for someone to get the wet ball and with the extra mid rotated them forward.

See above.

Also, isnt the point of small vs tall when forward about the ability to keep the ball from bouncing out of defence?

The quality of Cripps' ground level ball handling makes little difference to whether or not he can keep pressure on an opponent when he doesnt have the ball.

 

[Burzum]

 

[VelvetSledge]

If it's Twomey, I'll take it to the bank.

Good news

 

[Andronicus]

Great news.

Means all the trade speculation can be put to bed. Someone like him needs to be able to focus on his role without the extra distractions that come with contract talks.

This mythical inside bull we were going to get will have to come from somewhere else. Perhaps we can trade some magic beans instead.

 

[Dons4days]

Great news! He's still got a long way to go but he keeps showing signs.

 

[eth-dog]

But he was guaranteed to go? Everyone said so!

 

[Bunk Moreland]

His best games last year were alongside Hurley and Hooker, he didn’t really need to be defensively accountable.

This year he’s played a more accountable role in defence (and struggled) then got dropped for Hooker, only to be brought back in as a close to last resort option up forward.

He’s excellent as a loose intercept defender given his read of the play and he can turn it in to attack reasonably well with his kicking. The defensive balance needs more time, but I don’t think too much harm will come from him playing forward for a bit while we have injuries.

If he attacks the ball like a forward while playing as a defender you have a McGovern-esque player. Just needs time.

Agree. Unfortunately we’re apparently unable to do this due to Paddy Ambrose.

 

[owen87]

Agree. Unfortunately we’re apparently unable to do this due to Paddy Ambrose.

Ambrose has been in good form as a stopper, and has a tank unlike many of our other defenders. I’ve no particular issue with him playing.

If Francis can’t dislodge Ambrose, Redman, Guelfi or similar types then isn’t that on Francis?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Ambrose has been in good form as a stopper, and has a tank unlike many of our other defenders. I’ve no particular issue with him playing.

If Francis can’t dislodge Ambrose, Redman, Guelfi or similar types then isn’t that on Francis?

I’m happy for him to play alongside Ambrose, many aren’t

 

[naraku]

Happy to be keeping Francis at the club. While he has underwhelmed a lot this year so far , we're all well aware of the ability he has. Two years is a good enough time to let him mature and develop more and see who he is.

 

[blitzer]

But he was guaranteed to go? Everyone said so!

Yeah he had to play a game or two in the VFL. Everyone leaves if that happens right?

 

[fairbump_playon]

View attachment 683556
Nathan Buckley said on the footy show something once about how he learnt about endurance by playing on Robert Harvey.

He said at first he couldn't understand how a player could run around like Harvey did and not be totally stuffed. But then he followed him around and noticed that Harvey was stuffed. But he just kept going.

Nice quote. To me this is exactly the difference - very relevant for Francis.

“Tank” actually has two halves... true aerobic capacity is only part of it. The other is a fierce desire to stay involved. Building the first opens a possibility to execute the second but not all players have both.

I suspect Watson had the second before he had the first. When he got fit enough it all clicked pretty quickly.

Highly skillled star juniors like Francis perhaps never had to work hard for their stats. I’m sure he’s getting coached hard on this now but when it’s not innate what looks like physical fatigue can actually be a lack of mental application and willingness to get to the next contest.

Francis does often look stuffed but as Hank says, when Robert Harvey was stuffed that’s probably when he got possessions 20 through 40 - and no one noticed his fatigue.

Can Francis get there (or somewhere good enough)? Never to the Harvey / Nick Riewoldt level.. but I believe he will get to a good enough place. Mainly because I see a kid who is a competitor - he wants to play physical, hard footy and is willing to put on pressure acts when he can. Those are team first traits and with constant coaching feedback (and continuing aerobic capacity growth) sooner or later Francis will understand that he can actually push himself harder for longer. Feel like that might be a 2020 thing. But some mega games coming when it happens.

 

[MightyDons4]

One goal in five games forward, it's back or bust for Franga.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

His first quarter was very good, used it well.

 

[Doss]

His targeted spoil just before half time that led to the Laverde goal - brilliant.

 

[Liberator]

Thought he played a good game today. Very creative by hand ... seemed to combine well with Parish, which was nice to see

 

[SherbertLemon]

Had some brilliant moments. Just doesn’t kick goals. Perhaps better behind the ball?

 

[Shane Heard]

He’s a very clever handpasser...good at selling the dummy fake and giving himself time to baulk

 

[HirdyLannister]

Without impacting the score board I felt his game was pretty good, was still involved in the last quarter and makes good decisions by foot or hand.

 

[eth-dog]

Maybe time to put him back into the two's.