Team Mgmt. 2021 starting 22

There's nothing in that article that changes my opinion of him not being up to AFL standard.

All that article is doing is having a crack at Dew's coaching for not developing Wright into a passable AFL forward & doesn't really focus on him as a player at all.

It does mention him as a confidence player, who in a building team at GC, had more down games than good.

He's lobbed into another 'building' situation here and it doesn't bode well for him or us.
We picked up Wright for 2/5ths of * all so the output required to make the pick up work in our favour is just for him to keep a clean bill of health, nothing more. If not a passable AFL player, he at least provides a mature body as depth in the forward line to prevent against situations where players like Jacob Townsend become the de facto tall forward by way of last man standing. Jones/Cox/Eyre are miles off being asked to stand in at full forward in the seniors.
 
Hooker looks extremely fit from some of his and other players Insta pics.

Seems everyone has written him off?
Yes because he still looked ripped in photos last year but couldn't out run a toddler.
 
Dec 2, 2014
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Yes because he still looked ripped in photos last year but couldn't out run a toddler.

Hmm I don't know, he looks like he's lost a bit of weight to me, and he still had some issues with his back last pre season, He may be in a position to complete all of this one.

I'm not sending him to the glue factory just yet.
 

ghostdog

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Hooker & Hurley are older than Father Xmas and will need managing for significant periods every season from here out.

Wright is no good.

There's 3 opportunities for Cox to play his natural spot, which I think would be more beneficial to him than out of position.
4 opportunities. Cutler sucks.

I'm holding my breath re: Wright.
 

nonamehack

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I think the point most agree on is that he no longer has the capacity to remain fit through 23 rounds. He'll get games, no doubt, but we'd be shooting ourselves in the foot gifting them to him. The Chook is cooked.
I think 2021 Hooker might actually surprise. 2020 was not a season for the older players especially Hooker. Had a delayed preseason. Then preseason was thrown into chaos. Season was not the regular 5, 6,7 day breaks. There was no fluidity to the season at all. For someone to start behind the 8 Ball with fitness and then have to endure the dogs breakfast of 2020, it would have been a struggle for anyone.

I believe on the back of an uninterrupted preseason, he holds zerk out of the team until the last 1/4 of the season if he and the club have decided on retirement.

If form permits and he's not injured I think zerk plays VFL for the foreseeable future.

But preseason will tell us a lot about where's his heads at. Because I can't see Hooker prolonging his footy career if he's stuck in VFL. He'd be likely to do a Sandilands and retire mid season to give another spot on the list through the inactive clause.
 

TheWeapon

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I think 2021 Hooker might actually surprise. 2020 was not a season for the older players especially Hooker. Had a delayed preseason. Then preseason was thrown into chaos. Season was not the regular 5, 6,7 day breaks. There was no fluidity to the season at all. For someone to start behind the 8 Ball with fitness and then have to endure the dogs breakfast of 2020, it would have been a struggle for anyone.

I believe on the back of an uninterrupted preseason, he holds zerk out of the team until the last 1/4 of the season if he and the club have decided on retirement.

If form permits and he's not injured I think zerk plays VFL for the foreseeable future.

But preseason will tell us a lot about where's his heads at. Because I can't see Hooker prolonging his footy career if he's stuck in VFL. He'd be likely to do a Sandilands and retire mid season to give another spot on the list through the inactive clause.
The reduced no of games and length in 2020 should have suited older players. I think Hooker will need to have his game time carefully managed
 
The reduced no of games and length in 2020 should have suited older players. I think Hooker will need to have his game time carefully managed

We wouldn’t have seen that Hooker if we had a shred of selection integrity and we wouldn’t be having this discussion.

Should not have been playing, therefore I’m not really judging
 
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ghostdog

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I think 2021 Hooker might actually surprise. 2020 was not a season for the older players especially Hooker. Had a delayed preseason. Then preseason was thrown into chaos. Season was not the regular 5, 6,7 day breaks. There was no fluidity to the season at all. For someone to start behind the 8 Ball with fitness and then have to endure the dogs breakfast of 2020, it would have been a struggle for anyone.

I believe on the back of an uninterrupted preseason, he holds zerk out of the team until the last 1/4 of the season if he and the club have decided on retirement.

If form permits and he's not injured I think zerk plays VFL for the foreseeable future.

But preseason will tell us a lot about where's his heads at. Because I can't see Hooker prolonging his footy career if he's stuck in VFL. He'd be likely to do a Sandilands and retire mid season to give another spot on the list through the inactive clause.
As I said, he'll get games, no doubt. He doesn't have the capacity to play 23 rounds anymore though. We're about to go back to 20 minute+ quarters. Hooker will be managed.
 

freddy mercury

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If Essendon have a fully fit list round one and pick Hooker, then they'd instantly be going backwards. He should be an insurance player. Nothing more
 

BrunoV

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I think we all need to be prepared to distinguish between the aggressive development of the team we all know is required and the reality that Hurley and Hooker will likely be the two key defenders until finals are not realistic possibility.

It gets better, we've got Zaharakis to look forward to. Heppell probably has to play as our "big bodied" inside mid and Smith could well be lining up in the retirement home at half back.

Next year has the potential to be excruciating.
 
I think we all need to be prepared to distinguish between the aggressive development of the team we all know is required and the reality that Hurley and Hooker will likely be the two key defenders until finals are not realistic possibility.

It gets better, we've got Zaharakis to look forward to. Heppell probably has to play as our "big bodied" inside mid and Smith could well be lining up in the retirement home at half back.

Next year has the potential to be excruciating.
Heppell isn't playing mid
 
Heppell isn't playing mid
Not full time anyway. Rutten flagged that he’d spoken to Heppell about spending some time at half-back (for his leadership and ball use) in the members forum iirc
 
Feb 11, 2010
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Happy to roll with this round 1...

Ridley Ambrose Francis
Heppell Hurley Redman
Langford Shiel Merrett
Perkins Stewart Jones
Stringer Wright Tippungwuti
Draper McGrath Parish
Caldwell Smith Snelling Hind
 

Draftables

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Have a new series going on our website in preparation of the 2021 season. Running through all the club's lists and best 22s and Essendon has just dropped. Always feel like a supporters' judgement is one of the best going around so give us a follow, check it out and let us know your thoughts!





 
Have a new series going on our website in preparation of the 2021 season. Running through all the club's lists and best 22s and Essendon has just dropped. Always feel like a supporters' judgement is one of the best going around so give us a follow, check it out and let us know your thoughts!






I'd have Ambrose in there for Hooker or Zerk-Thatcher and Zaka out for Perkins but pretty good
 
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