AFL Player #14: Jordan Ridley - Re-injured quad - 4 to 6 weeks - 11/4

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2029
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 3, Dave

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Absolute tragedy he didn't get minimum half a dozen games this year. If we are serious about winning flags he should play every game next year.

 

[Vander18]

Does anyone else think this guy is the most promising young kid on our list (yes even including Francis)? Tall, composed, terrific kick, versatile, finds the footy and speaks with maturity.

Absolute winner considering many thought he was a speculative pick...

I said the same thing last year - had him as our best young talent outside the best 22. Probably have Francis ahead of him now.

Balanced, tall, fast, good kick, good hands - there really isn’t a lot that can go wrong here other than injury. If he can become a tall running mid it will be glorious, it’s something we could use.

 

[eth-dog]

Just imagining him, Gleeson and Francis in seniors next year. Oh baby.

 

[DERO]

Just imagining him, Gleeson and Francis in seniors next year. Oh baby.

Intercept marks until the cows come home.

 

[footylover18]

Absolute tragedy he didn't get minimum half a dozen games this year. If we are serious about winning flags he should play every game next year.

Agree.

We have great depth, but reality is we finished 11th.

Ridley. 2 seasons in. played 3 games.
Redman. 3 seasons in. played 5 games.
Francis. 3 seasons in. 10 games.
Langford. 4 seasons in. 40 odd games.
Mutch. 2 seasons in. 3 games


I realise injuries and the like have played a part but those guys in particular shouldve been given some more senior games thus far. It's one thing if we're competing for a Premiership and want to err on the side of experience/caution but we aren't, and as such guys like Josh Green, Baguley, Ambrose, Hartley, goddard etc should not have been preferred over those above.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

I cant see all 3 of Redman, Francis and Ridley playing at once early on. Too inexperienced. Id like to see it happen, but the Coaches wont do it.

I don’t understand why. All of them performed when selected. Ridley was close to our best against Geelong, Francis was our best the last rounds and Redman was making Goddard look redundant while playing next to him. They aren’t kids that need protecting they are outperforming the likes of Dea and Ambrose.

 

[Mercuri Rising]

I get why people think that about him but personally I don’t see him that way. He makes too many self deprecating jokes for him to think his s**t doesn’t stink IMO.

i can't say i've read a heap of his stuff, but i feel like the problem is that he's sort of in the uncanny valley, in that he's a good writer for a footballer - sometimes it reads a little awkwardly and i guess i understand what people mean when they say he sounds pretentious :/

 

[DERO]

I get why people think that about him but personally I don’t see him that way. He makes too many self deprecating jokes for him to think his s**t doesn’t stink IMO.

He thinks really laterally, is charismatic and is obviously a quality person! Some times it is cool to hate...

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

Agree.

We have great depth, but reality is we finished 11th.

Ridley. 2 seasons in. played 3 games.
Redman. 3 seasons in. played 5 games.
Francis. 3 seasons in. 10 games.
Langford. 4 seasons in. 40 odd games.
Mutch. 2 seasons in. 3 games


I realise injuries and the like have played a part but those guys in particular shouldve been given some more senior games thus far. It's one thing if we're competing for a Premiership and want to err on the side of experience/caution but we aren't, and as such guys like Josh Green, Baguley, Ambrose, Hartley, goddard etc should not have been preferred over those above.

But are you looking at why these players weren't elevated earlier? Langford struggled at AFL level and only came good on the back of consistent, predictable games in the VFL where he could learn to perfect the role we wanted him to play in the team. Francis was unable to run out an AFL match at full intensity until this year on the back of injury interruptions and his mental health break from the game. Redman and Ridley went up a gear in 2018, they were barely in the conversation for games before. Mutch has been good, but not great, and seeing as Essendon has been in the frame for finals berths in both seasons he's been at the club, is it really worth giving it to a guy who's 50% of the way there when seasons are on the line?

At season's end, both Francis and Langford are firm best 22 players and Ridley, Redman and Mutch all would have played more games if they didn't sustain injuries at AFL level. That's the best outcome they can hope for, no? Also worth noting that Guelfi played 15 games this year and didn't miss a game after Round 9. McGrath has barely missed a game and Parish has played 50 in three years.

Seems you're posting with a healthy dose of hindsight, my dude. We were 100% competing for a premiership this year.

 

[fairbump_playon]

i can't say i've read a heap of his stuff, but i feel like the problem is that he's sort of in the uncanny valley, in that he's a good writer for a footballer - sometimes it reads a little awkwardly and i guess i understand what people mean when they say he sounds pretentious :/

He’s definitely pushing the emotional intelligence bandwagon - it’s his strength and the primary filter for his commentary. It’s interesting to me because in my playing experience footballers had to always be a pretty specific type of good bloke. Diversity and emotion were only tolerated if they were of an acceptable type.

He’s no J.D Salinger but for every one of Bob’s awkward missteps there are some great insights. Agree a little about the uncanny valley comment - but that’s only if you think of him as a writer and not a footy player writing on footy. Mark McLure gets to write. Robert Walls gets to write etc. At least Bob isn’t spinning the same old perspective.

I think Bob’s stuff is probably the natural evolution of all the leading teams stuff that got pushed through clubs 5-10 years back. Voice and accountability to the players, and let them drive performance through honest feedback. Your emotions need to be part of that honesty.

Vulnerability is Bob’s favorite word.. there is lots of interesting work outside footy over the last few years on how admitting vulnerability and uncertainty can benefit your performance and relationships. I like seeing that discussed in the footy context because I believe it’s true but it’s the opposite of the traditional harden the * up approach.

 

[carloss]

Vulnerability is Bob’s favorite word.. there is lots of interesting work outside footy over the last few years on how admitting vulnerability and uncertainty can benefit your performance and relationships. I like seeing that discussed in the footy context because I believe it’s true but it’s the opposite of the traditional harden the **** up approach.

Right on cue.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/af...o/news-story/490488bc68310eb6022a359f0f5f26dc

Murphy : We talk alot about the changing masculinity in the game, losing none of the strength and passion and fierce competitiveness. But this vulnerability........

No wonder the bulldogs only won when he wasn't captain.

 

[Doss]

All this is very well, but analyses of Robert Murphy's writing strengths and foibles really have nothing to do with Jordan Ridley. Happy to move posts to the non-Essendon thread.

 

[Yoda_]

Absolute tragedy he didn't get minimum half a dozen games this year. If we are serious about winning flags he should play every game next year.

Incorrect

Who's position does he take next year?

Our back 6 would be pretty settled imho, could be an opportunity on the bench as a utility/defender perhaps.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Incorrect

Who's position does he take next year?

Our back 6 would be pretty settled imho, could be an opportunity on the bench as a utility/defender perhaps.

Any position on the half back flank. Goddard played there all year. He would have been cherry ripe to go next year if we weren't so conservative.

Its pretty simple for me. We play 2 of Hurley, Ambrose and Hooker as lock down defenders. Francis and Ridley as players that can mark and kick. Both are decent pace. Saad and McKenna as the runners.

If he can stay fit Ambrose is our best lock down defender. Hooker is our best mark and reader. I reckon both Francis and Ridley offer marking and kicking ability that Hurley can't match. I'd play them both in front of him.

 

[ChampTurboBucko]

ha that's right, kelvin's moved on to hating Hurley now.

 

[fishardansin]

I think we can fit Ridley in the side next year.

KPDs Hurley and Hooker
Mediums Ridley and Francis
Smalls McKenna and Saad
Wingmen: Gleeson and Redman

Set up all 8 behind the ball .. got luck kicking into that wall of intercept! Also, Ridley can go with genuine smalls if needed. Francis and Hurley can play on Caddy/Stringer or Reiwoldt/Darling ect ect Hooker can take any beast. If we come up against a small forward line like Richmond's was this year (won't be next year with Thompson) then if we played Laverde up forward we could swing Hooker forward Gleeson or Redman back and one of Laverde or Stringer onto the ball.

 

[blitzer]

I think we can fit Ridley in the side next year.

KPDs Hurley and Hooker
Mediums Ridley and Francis
Smalls McKenna and Saad
Wingmen: Gleeson and Redman

Set up all 8 behind the ball .. got luck kicking into that wall of intercept! Also, Ridley can go with genuine smalls if needed. Francis and Hurley can play on Caddy/Stringer or Reiwoldt/Darling ect ect Hooker can take any beast. If we come up against a small forward line like Richmond's was this year (won't be next year with Thompson) then if we played Laverde up forward we could swing Hooker forward Gleeson or Redman back and one of Laverde or Stringer onto the ball.

I could see Redman on the wing and he has VFL form there to support some midfield/wing play. Can't see Gleeson though. Can't even recall them trialing him there even for a single game and given he just missed an entire season I think its even less likely to make a positional change. Also where are Zaharakis and McGrath playing in your scenario (the guys that were predominantly playing wing this year)?

 

[BrunoV]

The point about Ridley is that, and I basically agree with kelvin_sheedy, he has the potential to be so good that how he gets into the side is fundamentally a problem for someone else.

Where I disagree with kelvin is that it's not Hurley who should be making way for Ridley.

Hurley is a very good 1v1 defender when he's tasked to do it. While he's not the athlete Ambrose is his body work on the leading forwards is sublime. We've seen a similar thing play out with Rance, it's like we end up valuing key defenders for the things that undermine their ability to perform their primary task.

The reality is that Hooker and Francis are both better intercept players than Hurley because of their respective marking ability.

Hurley and Hooker should be rotating on the number 1 forward each week based on match ups. Hooker plays on the likes of Hawkins and Tom Lynch while Hurley plays on players from Riewoldt to De Goey.

Ridley plays ahead of Gleeson every day of the week as far as I'm concerned. If it's not by round 1, by round 23 2019 there will be nothing that Gleeson can do, other than feature in the world's greatest gif, that Ridley can't do better.

 

[Yoda_]

The point about Ridley is that, and I basically agree with kelvin_sheedy, he has the potential to be so good that how he gets into the side is fundamentally a problem for someone else.

Where I disagree with kelvin is that it's not Hurley who should be making way for Ridley.

Hurley is a very good 1v1 defender when he's tasked to do it. While he's not the athlete Ambrose is his body work on the leading forwards is sublime. We've seen a similar thing play out with Rance, it's like we end up valuing key defenders for the things that undermine their ability to perform their primary task.

The reality is that Hooker and Francis are both better intercept players than Hurley because of their respective marking ability.

Hurley and Hooker should be rotating on the number 1 forward each week based on match ups. Hooker plays on the likes of Hawkins and Tom Lynch while Hurley plays on players from Riewoldt to De Goey.

Ridley plays ahead of Gleeson every day of the week as far as I'm concerned. If it's not by round 1, by round 23 2019 there will be nothing that Gleeson can do, other than feature in the world's greatest gif, that Ridley can't do better.

You’re applying the BigFooty mantra to the real world

It’s not that simple I’d imagine

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

I'm tired of playing favourites and giving name players games over the years while clubs win flags, play off in GF's, prelims , bottom out, rebuild and then are in a GF again while we still can't even win a final.

Enough is enough. Goddard was a waste of time this year. Josh Green.. really? Kelly the year before. Chapman, Stanton prior to that amongst a host of others. Could go on and on about it.

Ridley is a serious talent and should be played. Don't care who goes out. Reckon Ambrose has another gear to go at 50 games and ready to hit pick if he can stay on the park. Unfortunately we are too conservative and will never make a tough call on a "name" player. See Goddard waltzing around this year.

Round 1 next year will be very very interesting.

 

[Doss]

Kelly in 2017 was not a waste of time. Ridiculous call.

I absolutely agree that Ridley is a serious talent and I want him in the side. However he will not displace Hurley and nor should he. I suspect he could actually be a midfielder ultimately anyway. He'd have played more this year if not for injury anyway.

 

[Bombermania]

Agree with BrunoV, can see Ridley playing alongside Hurley instead of replacing him. I see him pretty much coming in for now retired Goddard.

 

[BrunoV]

You’re applying the BigFooty mantra to the real world

It’s not that simple I’d imagine

What's the real world, playing inferior players because they were recruited first?

 

[BrunoV]

Kelly in 2017 was not a waste of time. Ridiculous call.

I absolutely agree that Ridley is a serious talent and I want him in the side. However he will not displace Hurley and nor should he. I suspect he could actually be a midfielder ultimately anyway. He'd have played more this year if not for injury anyway.

What was the point of it?

It would be nice to get to the end of a season not wondering why we are playing certain players.

 

[Yoda_]

What's the real world, playing inferior players because they were recruited first?

No, current output at AFL level sees Gleeson start ahead of Ridley. Be this time next year it could very well be Ridley in that spot.