Traded #25: Jake Stringer - 📦 Traded to GWS for Pick #53 - 16/10

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Whilst many of our players have had interrupted pre-seasons it sounds like Stringer is as fit as he's ever been in his time here

AFL 2020: Jake Stringer Essendon, best pre-season ever, Bombers injuries

In the midst of his club’s wretched summer injury run, Essendon gun Jake Stringer says he’s never been in better shape after experiencing one of his best and smoothest pre-seasons of his AFL career.

www.foxsports.com.au

In the midst of his club’s wretched summer injury run, Essendon gun Jake Stringer says he’s never been in better shape after experiencing one of his best and smoothest pre-seasons of his AFL career.

A host of key Bombers have, at different stages over the past few months, battled a range of injuries or suffered setbacks, including Joe Daniher (groin), Cale Hooker (hip), Dylan Shiel (knee) David Zaharakis (knee), Dyson Heppell (foot), Michael Hurley (shoulder) and Orazio Fantasia (hip).

However Stringer, who battled foot, knee and hamstring issues to play 19 of a possible 23 games in 2019, has not just been a constant presence on the track, but also one of Essendon’s best trainers.

In his eighth AFL pre-season, Stringer recently ran a personal best in the 2km time trial, slashing a whopping 20 seconds off his previous top time.

Asked on SEN Breakfast how he was going physically, Stringer cheekily said: “I’m borderline flying at the minute … nah I’m going well.”

The 25-year-old said it’d been “one of the hardest pre-seasons I’ve ever done”. He hailed the influence of the Bombers’ new head of strength and conditioning Sean Murphy, who’s come across from Hawthorn and “really tested us physically and mentally”.

“Not being injured is a massive part and I don't think I've missed a session the whole pre-season, which is all you can ask for when you go into a pre-season is complete as many sessions as you can. I’d be probably in the top one or two at the club that hasn’t missed,” Stringer told SEN on Friday morning.

Asked if it’d been one of his smoothest AFL pre-seasons yet, Stringer declared: “Yeah, by far.

“Last year was pretty good, but this year’s been taken to a new level with Sean Murphy coming across. He's really pushed the boundaries with me.

“It's been a hard slog and, don't worry, I'm looking forward to playing and getting out of this pre-season phase.”

Even though Stringer is “flying”, he said seven or eight teammates are still not in full training, but the “majority of them were running”.

“Not everything's gone to plan, obviously. There's been a few blokes that are still not quite into full training, but that's part of football and part of the pre-season. You’ve just got to deal with whatever comes,” Stringer said.

He later added: “We’re in a great position to able to springboard into the season and hopefully get a few more of these top echelon blokes back.”

The first-round draft pick kicked 98.55 for the Bulldogs in 2015 and 2016 before being traded ahead of the 2018 season to the Bombers, where he’s spent recent summers training with the on-ballers.

Stringer said the plan was still for him to play a mixture of midfield and forward minutes this season, but added he’d been training primarily with the attacking group this pre-season and “honing in on my craft as a forward”.

Stringer said Essendon’s succession plan, which will see senior coach John Worsfold gradually hand the reins to assistant Ben Rutten throughout 2020, was working well. He said Worsfold was at the club everyday and engaged with the players, but Rutten took charge of all tactical discussions and meetings.

“The work that John and Ben have done together has been absolutely outstanding and literally the smoothest transition that you could possibly ever see. It's a credit to both of them how well it's actually gone,” Stringer said.

“I couldn’t be happier with where the club is at the minute.”

Stringer said there’d be a noticeable but not dramatic change to the club’s game plan this season.

“It’ll definitely be a lot more consistent,” Stringer said.

“From a whole learning (process) and even in training, you’re seeing it more and more every time we’re doing bits of match ‘sim’. I think it’ll be very noticeable when people come to watch us.”

 

[ant555]

 

[ghostdog]

26 disposals, 20 contested and 4 goals v. Geelong. Probably coulda/shoulda spent more time forward but a solid game in all. Put in the centre to combat big bodies.

 

[naraku]

Maybe one of his best all-round games for us in a while if not THE best from Jake in that respect.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

7 games into the year, it's nice to have you back, Jakey.

 

[Nicholas61]

Whatever it is Geelong does to get guys playing with athleticism well into their thirties we should do to get a few more seasons out of this man.

 

[bacon buster]

Great game from Jake. Shame a few more didn’t come with him.

 

[Happyskeret]

Wish there were a few others that can generate the spark like he did today.

 

[Pleasedonot]

Whatever it is Geelong does to get guys playing with athleticism well into their thirties we should do to get a few more seasons out of this man.

Careful - we tried their methods a few years back...

 

[Alberto_Magnifico]

MuST bE CoNTraCt yEAr

 

[Pweter]

My boy got reward for effort today. He's putting together a solid run of games now, hopefully he stays injury free and continues this form.

 

[windyhill]

My boy got reward for effort today. He's putting together a solid run of games now, hopefully he stays injury free and continues this form.

Our boy.

 

[Lore]

It’s hype but it’s fairly well put together and I want more of this

 

[MattyB3150]

6 coaches votes. We would have got pumped without him!

 

[Red Black and Blue]

I think he had one touch in the first quarter but I had him close to bog. His blocking and scrapping in the centre square set the tone for competing.

 

[ant555]

I think he had one touch in the first quarter but I had him close to bog. His blocking and scrapping in the centre square set the tone for competing.

Was that sort of game from him. Could not get a handle on the footy but his pressure and effort was really good.

 

[Nicholas61]

Would have been very easy being late in the game and tired to blaze for glory off the left in the wrong pocket. Selfless and smart. That was an inspired piece of play and another match winning input/assist for us. Also a bit earlier the quick awareness when he realised the Richmond player lapsed in concentration for a moment, played on and bombed a big goal to give us a sniff.

 

[MattyB3150]

I think he had one touch in the first quarter but I had him close to bog. His blocking and scrapping in the centre square set the tone for competing.

I thought exactly the same thing

 

[Pweter]

This is the Jake we like, we're seeing far greater consistency from him now that he's actually fit and that's a huge bonus for the side.

I really liked his kick to set up Duz at the end, would've been so easy to go for the impossible. Great composure, great skill, great result.

 

[Ati Tude]

This is the Jake we like, we're seeing far greater consistency from him now that he's actually fit and that's a huge bonus for the side.

I really liked his kick to set up Duz at the end, would've been so easy to go for the impossible. Great composure, great skill, great result.

Did he actually look or just throw it on his boot? I do assume he wasn't going for goal especially on his left, but did he not just throw it on his boot to top of square (right thing to do) and Durham happened to be there. Fairly soft effort from Rioli to spoil too. Not trying to pick on Jake, I like what he does, but not sure he even knew Durham (or another Ess player) was there. Loved his long goal in the 4th to get us back in it.

 

[Lore]

Did he actually look or just throw it on his boot? I do assume he wasn't going for goal especially on his left, but did he not just throw it on his boot to top of square (right thing to do) and Durham happened to be there. Fairly soft effort from Rioli to spoil too. Not trying to pick on Jake, I like what he does, but not sure he even knew Durham (or another Ess player) was there. Loved his long goal in the 4th to get us back in it.

The thing about playing a structural game plan is that he is taught to kick to the top of the square under that circumstance and we will always have a player whose role it is to be in that spot to mark it. As players develop that chemistry, they know and trust each other to play their roles – they don't have to look first and see who is there. And in that situation there will be other players whose roles are to open the space, block opponents and drag them out of the way, or jump over the top and take a hanger if necessary.

It's the same with a kick-in after a behind, or a throw in from the wing, or anything else. There are structures, they each have patterns to run, roles to play.

 

[Ati Tude]

The thing about playing a structural game plan is that he is taught to kick to the top of the square under that circumstance and we will always have a player whose role it is to be in that spot to mark it. As players develop that chemistry, they know and trust each other to play their roles – they don't have to look first and see who is there. And in that situation there will be other players whose roles are to open the space, block opponents and drag them out of the way, or jump over the top and take a hanger if necessary.

It's the same with a kick-in after a behind, or a throw in from the wing, or anything else. There are structures, they each have patterns to run, roles to play.

Fair enough. Was interesting how the last 90 seconds unfolded. Redman came on not long before that and headed straight to space in defence away from where the ball was at the time (around the wing). Don't think it was an accident that after Riewoldt soccered the ball (what an idiot - thanks) to Ridley that Redman and Hind were the ones dashing out of defence to set the attack up. And good call by Redman not to hand pass it to Hind given Redman better and more penetrative kick.

 

[Pweter]

Did he actually look or just throw it on his boot? I do assume he wasn't going for goal especially on his left, but did he not just throw it on his boot to top of square (right thing to do) and Durham happened to be there. Fairly soft effort from Rioli to spoil too. Not trying to pick on Jake, I like what he does, but not sure he even knew Durham (or another Ess player) was there. Loved his long goal in the 4th to get us back in it.

He didn't go for the miracle goal, instead playing the percentages, and it's most likely why we ended up winning. If anyone in our side could've goaled from that spot at that moment it's Jake though, which is probably why it's almost a surprise he didn't.

Agreed on his long bomb, was great.

 

[Nicholas61]

He is one we would want a succession plan for - but guys with that power, freak and big occasion factor aren't easy to find. Do wonder how many games we would have won the past few years if we didn't have him making him one of the most important figures post saga in helping toward a restoration of culture at the club. We think things have been bad it would have been so much worse without him.

 

[carnthedons]

He is one we would want a succession plan for - but guys with that power, freak and big occasion factor aren't easy to find. Do wonder how many games we would have won the past few years if we didn't have him making him one of the most important figures post saga in helping toward a restoration of culture at the club. We think things have been bad it would have been so much worse without him.

There are genuinely only a handful in the comp. Petracca, De Goey, Dusty, Danger, maybe LDU. All bar Danger are top 5 draft picks and even he was pick 10. Hard to get a succession plan for that.

 

[SydneyBomber]

Fairly soft effort from Rioli to spoil too.

Surprised more hasn't been made of this by the Richmond folks, was absolutely pea-hearted and avoidable for them.