AFL Player 20: Peter Wright

[Lore]

Contract Status: Free Agent (?) 2027
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 21, TheGrizz

 

[Calthorpe14]

There are 50-goal-a-season guys & guys who've kicked 50 goals in a season. Right now, you'd be hard-pressed to argue that he's not the latter and it's on him to change that narrative.

Fair to argue that if he can't deliver this season, he's likely to be elsewhere in '26.

 

[jdstorm]

There are 50-goal-a-season guys & guys who've kicked 50 goals in a season. Right now, you'd be hard-pressed to argue that he's not the latter and it's on him to change that narrative.

Fair to argue that if he can't deliver this season, he's likely to be elsewhere in '26.

Given How our list is structured I’d say even if he does perform he’ll be elsewhere. Caddy has taken that CHF spot.

Probably gets around 8-10 games this year as cover for Bryan/draper and kicks 15-20 goals held together by a bag or two

Probably get a 3rp for him and have that move up after a bunch of bid matching with 2RP

Would imagine Hawks, Pies, Dees and Roos would have some interest in Melbourne. Maybe Brisbane as well depending on how they go this season

 

[wichidi]

Should've traded him to Melbourne this year. May their season burn in hell.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

I love Pete but the fact is you could say this about all but one of his seasons so far in his career - marking issues, easily moved off the footy. I don't buy confidence issues stemming from a suspension, I think this is just who he is. There's a reason he couldn't get a game at GC and came to us for a bag of chips.

Agree that our service to him sucks and he can/will do a lot better if we improve that, but in the end he is who he is.

Re the service to him, this isnt going to change overnight and its why i disagree with whoever was saying the other day that a "big bear" type forward isnt that big a need for us. Maybe its the wrong terminology but we 100% need a forward who can take a contested grab in a pack or wrestling 1 on 1 with a big full back because of how slow our ball movement was at times last year.
Too many of our key and medium forwards are lead up forwards and as soon as other teams slow up or transition from backline to forward line they lose their advantage. With Pete its an even bigger issue because once the ball hits the deck he basically out of the contest because his reflexes are so slow.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Should've traded him to Melbourne this year. May their season burn in hell.

I wouldve much preferred offloading Wright and keeping stringer but I guess Rosa's hands were tied by the contract decisions made by the previous list management team.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Cost us **** all so who cares? We got a decent season or two out of him, hopefully he can regain that form but it’s not like we burnt a first round pick

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Cost us **** all so who cares? We got a decent season or two out of him, hopefully he can regain that form but it’s not like we burnt a first round pick

he was the worth the gamble initially no qualms there. But the 4 year contract extension, when he still had a year remaining on his contract, off the back of one good season (im assuming with a big pay bump too) was unnecessary.
He is just one of many examples of why its so frustrating that we kept dodoro around for the first 2 years of Scotts tenure, all the talk of a new regime/rebuild but we had one arm tied behind our back because of backroom politics.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Based on what I watched last Saturday he is still struggling. Same marking issues. Easily moved off the footy. Also no ruck work in match sim. Early days but the finger is in n the alarm bell button.

sounds grim.........ill never understand how you can be 100kg+ & 6"8 and be easily moved off the footy

 

[Old Campaigner]

Nah, he looked like the answer to most of our prayers that season. The 4 years only looks bad now after his form fell away but knowing what we did at the time of signing it was fine

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Nah, he looked like the answer to most of our prayers that season. The 4 years only looks bad now after his form fell away but knowing what we did at the time of signing it was fine

One swallow doesn't make a summer, 1 dominant season out of 9 doesn't make a star key forward.

 

[ant555]

sounds grim.........ill never understand how you can be 100kg+ & 6"8 and be easily moved off the footy

Some big blokes are just not as strong. It happens. You see it with a lot with rucks . A lot do not make it despite them being 200cm and 100kg after a few years in n the system.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Some big blokes are just not as strong. It happens. You see it with a lot with rucks . A lot do not make it despite them being 200cm and 100kg after a few years in n the system.

Do you think the modern game trend towards 200cm + key forwards has seen a shift away from power forwards? They wouldn't have as low as centre of gravity as guys with jack darlings physique so would be easier to push off their line.

 

[ant555]

Do you think the modern game trend towards 200cm + key forwards has seen a shift away from power forwards? They wouldn't have as low as centre of gravity as guys with jack darlings physique so would be easier to push off their line.

The less mobile ones yes

 

[eth-dog]

My boy this year. All of you will eat your words when he has a 40+ goal year again

 

[faible]

Do you think the modern game trend towards 200cm + key forwards has seen a shift away from power forwards? They wouldn't have as low as centre of gravity as guys with jack darlings physique so would be easier to push off their line.

Compare the shape of Hawkins to Wright; Hawkins is absolutely massive through the legs and hips, Wright is more long limbed but not as heavily built.

 

[Old Campaigner]

One swallow doesn't make a summer, 1 dominant season out of 9 doesn't make a star key forward.

You can’t just wait for a bloke to string together a bunch of strong seasons before offering a multi year contract. We had a former first round pick who was looking dominant now he was finally given the opportunity to be the number one guy in attack. You have to lock that shit away or else someone would absolutely swoop in and offer greater security regardless of the risk of him being a one season wonder

 

[ant555]

Wrights lack of strength is compounded by him being very slow as well. If he was more agile or had a bit ore leg speed you could set the game up more for him but one issue he has on the lead other than not being a solid mark is most defenders can close him down quickly on the lead due to his poor speed.
If he was not such a good set shot he would really be struggling.

 

[andleanback]

You can’t just wait for a bloke to string together a bunch of strong seasons before offering a multi year contract. We had a former first round pick who was looking dominant now he was finally given the opportunity to be the number one guy in attack. You have to lock that shit away or else someone would absolutely swoop in and offer greater security regardless of the risk of him being a one season wonder

He was never going to leave essendon, he came to a club that brought his career back to life and he was back living in the area he grew up. There was no need to give him an extra 4 years when we did.

 

[Bombers36]

2MP is fast becoming a whipping boy in here…
Sure last year wasn’t his best but as far as I know ruck/forwards who have averaged 28 goals a year over a 5 year period don’t exactly grow on trees..
We all hope Bryan comes on in 2025, but I wouldn’t write off 2MP to hit back hard this year..

 

[DrZed]

Long time lurker, first time poster! My take on 2MP is that he is a slow moving, slow thinking, dare I say laconic type of player. Footy has moved past that now and has no place for guys like him anymore. I love the way he takes set shots - but that’s his one and only wood. We need dynamism in the whole field not just the forward line. I think that Harry Jones is similar as well. Hope we can move past these blokes.

 

[ghostdog]

Long time lurker, first time poster! My take on 2MP is that he is a slow moving, slow thinking, dare I say laconic type of player. Footy has moved past that now and has no place for guys like him anymore. I love the way he takes set shots - but that’s his one and only wood. We need dynamism in the whole field not just the forward line. I think that Harry Jones is similar as well. Hope we can move past these blokes.

Okay, "Dr Zed."
View attachment Dr_Zaius_Planet_of_the_Apes.webp

 

[ant555]

My boy this year. All of you will eat your words when he has a 40+ goal year again

In the VFL

 

[eth-dog]

In the VFL

Draper thread

 

[fairbump_playon]

Long time lurker, first time poster! My take on 2MP is that he is a slow moving, slow thinking, dare I say laconic type of player. Footy has moved past that now and has no place for guys like him anymore. I love the way he takes set shots - but that’s his one and only wood. We need dynamism in the whole field not just the forward line. I think that Harry Jones is similar as well. Hope we can move past these blokes.

Agree on Wright, disagree on Jones

 

[Bjchan13]

We know he's a confidence player that is currently low on confidence. Its whether he can find it again from the VFL which is where i think he starts. He needs decent ball movement and space to lead in to and fairly clean conditions to be effective. Going off last year I think he'll struggle to ever kick 40 goals again. He doesnt have the tricks and we dont have the ball movement or fwd set up to suit. Hopefully the team has improved enough to find a spot for him but id be surprised (pleasantly) if we see drastic changes in form and efficiency in the forward half from last year. I think he's competing with Jones, and although my faith in Jones was lost since the wing experiment (failed), he does get around the ground well and applies decent pressure for a 'tall'. At the moment id be happy with Bryan (Ruck), Draper (FF/Ruck), Caddy (CHF) and Langford and Perkins (Medium Fwds).