Delisted #36: Michael Hartley - Joins Hawthorne via the preseason draft - 29/11

[Vindicater]

Great depth player.

Him and Zerk eyeing off Hooker/Hurley spots keeping those guys honest.

 

[Eleven 38]

The picked up Sam Collins as one of their State league priority players.

Bias aside, Collins was the premier peformed KPD in the VFL (arguably the best KPD at state level, country wide) this year and they got him for nothing as opposed to having to give something up for Harts via trade.

The Pies are the ones i am surprised at. Would suit their needs perfectly.

Maybe he didnt want to go there since they cut him once already. Or maybe they didnt want him because they cut him once already..

 

[blitzer]

Great depth at worst. Rule changes will suit him. If Hooker gets dragged up forward for whatever reason there may be a spot for him. Would not have blamed him if he left however. Definitely good enough to play seniors at some clubs.

 

[eth-dog]

Maybe he didnt want to go there since they cut him once already. Or maybe they didnt want him because they cut him once already..

He hates Collingwood with a passion. Not sure it's reciprocated but if they ever offered it he'd let them stew for a while then tell them where to shove it.

 

[BrunoV]

He hates Collingwood with a passion. Not sure it's reciprocated but if they ever offered it he'd let them stew for a while then tell them where to shove it.

Let's not overstate things.

Is he going to accept $400,000 over two years to continue his career and provide for his family.

I suspect that the disappointment he feels about being delisted would be overcome and I wouldn't even begin to judge him for it.

 

[Duckworth]

Could still make a move to Gold Coast if he is starved of opportunity next year (if EFC are still interested in Martin)

FWIW I would rather keep Hartley. Seems like a good insurance policy.

 

[daffo]

He is a good player who can play at the top level.
I hope for his sake he gets opportunity but that will mean injuries to hooker or Hurley.

 

[CBombers17]

Retained purely to destroy Mason cox in the 2019 Grand Final.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Let's not overstate things.

Is he going to accept $400,000 over two years to continue his career and provide for his family.

I suspect that the disappointment he feels about being delisted would be overcome and I wouldn't even begin to judge him for it.

Yes, most would overlook a fair bit I reckon. Can’t recall any instances where a delisted player is thrown a lifeline and refuses it on principle.

 

[Liberator]

Harts with the fisty spoil on the Zerk. Competing for the ball, but probably not competing for a spot .. yet.

 

[yodellinhank]

Just needs to be shown some faith by the coaches and match committee.

 

[kleanr]

What a ripping bloke, his latest in the 'mic'd up' on the EFC website I awesome.

Unleash the torp from fullback Harts!!

 

[Liberator]

Bloody legend. Love 'im the funny bastard

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/video/2018-12-13/btv-sounds-of-the-track-hartley

 

[eth-dog]

"It's a lot of mumbo jumbo"

 

[Blind Turn]

Seems like a great bloke to have around the club. Really hope he can find a spot because he has assets onfield and off.

 

[akiva]

Surprised no other club made a significant play for him. We'll be lucky to still have him around once Hooker's time comes to an end.

 

[ant555]

Just needs to be shown some faith by the coaches and match committee.

I think they have faith in him but he gets stuck behind Hurley and Hooker in the pecking order and has to play on the KKP forwards.
Still really glad we still have him as I rate him as a pretty decent player.

 

[Ambrosia]

I think they have faith in him but he gets stuck behind Hurley and Hooker in the pecking order and has to play on the KKP forwards.
Still really glad we still have him as I rate him as a pretty decent player.

The coaches seem to also have Ambrose as clearly ahead of him.

 

[eth-dog]

Still surprises me Geelong weren't all over him. They have nobody that can take monsters.

 

[ant555]

The coaches seem to also have Ambrose as clearly ahead of him.

Not really. Both played a bit of footy in 2016 and Ambrose always took the more mobile forward with Hartley taking the bigger bloke.
Both started in the side in 2017 before Ambrose got injured.
Hartley was already out of the side when Ambrose made his breif comeback last season.

 

[Ambrosia]

Not really. Both played a bit of footy in 2016 and Ambrose always took the more mobile forward with Hartley taking the bigger bloke.
Both started in the side in 2017 before Ambrose got injured.
Hartley was already out of the side when Ambrose made his breif comeback last season.

Ambrose played 2 VFL games when returning from injury and played 7 AFL games. Hartley played 4 AFL games and 16 VFL games. The coaches clearly rte them differently.

 

[BrunoV]

I'd say that until about August this year Ambrose was clearly more reliable, better and as far as I can tell was higher in the order.

If I think about Hartley's last 12 games, I'd say the gap has closed but he hasn't had an opportunity to prove it.

 

[Liberator]

Inspiration?

 

[blitzer]

I prefer Ambrose to Hartley if we were choosing in a vacuum but Hartley is a more logical Hooker replacement and makes more sense to pair up with Hurley/Francis. Most weeks he'll play on a resting ruck/fwd or one of those 200cm forward types. Hurley is not well suited to playing on those types nor is Ambrose.

 

[BrunoV]

Has a spot if he can convert the improvements he made last year into an AFL performance.

Thought he was poor last week, as did almost everyone else.

Was really just the same old reactive Hartley. He's a better player than that now.