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

 

[Alfred E Neuman]

Just finished my shift, who's up next?

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you sure that's him? Looks like prince Harry wearing EFC training gear.

 

[eth-dog]

Just finished my shift, who's up next?

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He's lost some weight

 

[DapperDon]

you sure that's him? Looks like prince Harry wearing EFC training gear.

unsure if racist

 

[Alfred E Neuman]

unsure if racist

Always.

 

[Fear Boner]

Just finished my shift, who's up next?

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Is this the only pic we have of him training ? I’ve never seen anything else

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Is this the only pic we have of him training ? I’ve never seen anything else

You’ve gotta be freakin kidding. How do you forget this??

BEAST

 

[Bomber_Dan]

Just finished my shift, who's up next?

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What disturbs me most about this pic is that Francis is last and about to be passed again by the main group lol.

 

[Longjohnmire]

unsure if racist

IMPOSSIBLE!! He’s a white male ha ha..

 

[dnbassador]

I’m going to take a stab and say the personal trainer is for different types of work out methods. Most people have preferred styles of working out. Some are weights, Some are CrossFit,Some are boxing and Some are sitting on the couch.

Finding him one that he can enjoy more than others is the key to unlocking the ranga imo

 

[Towno78]

I’m going to take a stab and say the personal trainer is for different types of work out methods. Most people have preferred styles of working out. Some are weights, Some are CrossFit,Some are boxing and Some are sitting on the couch.

Finding him one that he can enjoy more than others is the key to unlocking the ranga imo

Yeh nah, to be a better runner, he needs to run. You can cross train at certain times, but only running will get the job done.
A personal trainer can help him keep accountable over the off-season maybe, but gee personal trainers are overrated.

 

[eDPS]

You’ve gotta be freakin kidding. How do you forget this??

BEAST

That gave me over 40 likes when I posted it, good times

 

[Whispering_Jack]

Yeh nah, to be a better runner, he needs to run. You can cross train at certain times, but only running will get the job done.
A personal trainer can help him keep accountable over the off-season maybe, but gee personal trainers are overrated.

It's about accountability and motivation. That's what PT's are good at... They also do have skills in teaching how to train but overall their worth is the accountability and motivation factors.

 

[Runk]

It's about accountability and motivation. That's what PT's are good at... They also do have skills in teaching how to train but overall their worth is the accountability and motivation factors.

Agreed. Hardly overrated.

If you struggle re: motivation and guidance, plus you need someone to keep you accountable then PT's are a damn godsend.
Got me out of a massive hole 10 years ago. Changed my life.
Ultimately you have to want to change and there's no PT that can make that decision for you.

Aaron has definitely trimmed down and we should really get behind this kid.

 

[Alfred E Neuman]

Agreed. Hardly overrated.

If you struggle re: motivation and guidance, plus you need someone to keep you accountable then PT's a damn godsend.
Got me out of a massive whole 10 years ago. Changed my life.
Ultimately you have to want to change and there's no PT that can make that decision for you.

Aaron has definitely trimmed down and we should really get behind this kid.

Wait - do we really have pictures of him training already?

 

[Runk]

Wait - do we really have pictures of him training already?

Got a pic from the Crichton and couldn't believe how trim he was.

 

[calyam]

Got a pic from the Crichton and couldn't believe how trim he was.

Yeah, I walked past him a few times at the Crichton and thought the same.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

You’ve gotta be freakin kidding. How do you forget this??

BEAST

That's actually his stunt double.

 

[yaco55]

He was slim enough when I watched him play VFL in July. Could do with more muscle definition.

 

[kleanr]

He was slim enough when I watched him play VFL in July. Could do with more muscle definition.

agree, his modelling career will never take off with that weak-ass definition!

seriously, he's clearly worked on dropping weight while building strength this year all while having injuries.
This summer he needs to bathe in sunscreen and hit the running track!
get the tank up Son and smash 2018!

 

[BrunoV]

He was slim enough when I watched him play VFL in July. Could do with more muscle definition.

That's no surprise because he was fit by then.

He was unfit for the start of preseason in November 2016 and was not able to improve his fitness to the extent required to be able to earn a spot in the AFL side in the first half of the year. The form of Gleeson, in particular, then also worked to keep him out of the side.

All of this talk about the inability to build fitness and the obsessive negative commentary about his fitness is utter drivel. If you're a 20 year old playing catch-up in your second preseason and your not a naturally gifted endurance athlete you're going to struggle and it's not until your third preseason that you get the chance to make up groud.

He finished the season fit and in good shape. What he needs now is to have a massive pre-season to get his fitness to a level required to run out an AFL game. Hopefully the lack of interest in South Australia has sunk in and he is now going to work his arse of for a spot. It's going to take a massive effort for any of the second to third year players not already best 22 to get games next year.

 

[Saint]

I'm still on the positivity train, I think he'll crack the team this year (harder than last year with our trading) and begin to show his talent.

I've always believed he's one of those players who will do better with quality around him and probably not ever going to be the best VFL player. Getting his tank up and an uninterrupted pre-season is the best way to start, sounds like he's on the right track.

Looking forward to updates when Pre-season kicks off.

 

[daffo]

Round 1 Frang.

 

[Fridge16]

It disappoints me that I can't invest emotionally into Francis since his trade request. No matter how good he looks on the track pre season or on the field in the regular season I will always fear he's going back to Adelaide.

 

[Jade]

Look man, I've been on the Franga train since the day he was drafted, and I'm not getting off now.

I'm riding this sumbitch until it takes me to the promised land, or derails in the middle of shitsville.

 

[Charliebrow 16]

Look man, I've been on the Franga train since the day he was drafted, and I'm not getting off now.

I'm riding this sumbitch until it takes me to the promised land, or derails in the middle of shitsville.

I'll call a cab for you when it derails back in Adelaide. Wouldn't want you walking back.

In all seriousness, I'm still really confident. Homesicknesses was to be expected, and I imagine it's been harder for Aaron than most when you think about what he and his family had to endure before he was drafted. That couldn't have been easy and i'm sure it'll always impact him.

But I think the other factor is certainly lack of senior opportunity. You can argue and debate whether it's his own doing by way of lack of fitness, but it must be frustrating for him. Seeing Parish playing nearly every game for us since he was drafted whilst you're languishing and being thrown around in multiple positions at VFL level, that's bound to heighten the want to go home and explore other opportunities.

If he can put in a ripper pre-season and entrench himself in the seniors then that's when we're going to see Francis truly blossom into a tremendous player. Once he's in and playing without the fear of failure and being dropped every second week, look out. The confidence will rise, he'll feel like he belongs, he'll start enjoying his football again. I have no doubt he'll want to stay should that scenario unfold.

Ultimately, it's up to Francis. We as supporters can get behind him and ride the train as much as we want, the club can guide him and support him as much as they can, but Francis is the one that needs to display the unconditional commitment to his craft in order to take the next step. The talent is there - and I reckon this could be the year.