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THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME HAPPIER ETHANSo fricken unlucky. Looked ready to be back in the seniors. At least it isn't an ankle injury.
Cheekbone fracture evaluated by a specialist, now considered a 4 week injury
https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2019-05-07/dons-cleared-to-play“Marty is obviously limited by the healing in the face, so he’ll have a specialist’s review before he returns. He is tracking towards round 10,” Crow said.
https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2019-05-14/dons-set-for-forward-boost“(Brown and Gleeson), with their different fractures, are having a specialist review this week and then we’re hoping to get the good news that they’re both then available to play the week after this.
“Both of those will be doing as much training as they can this coming week.”
Ridley + Redman + Francis + BZerk + Gleeson surely means one of them is trade bait. BZerk with no AFL experience is probably safe. Ridley and Gleeson currently not getting a game. All have upside.
Hooker or Hurley on the table suddenly looks possible as well, but if we still think we're finals possibility next year, perhaps we keep them for at least one more year (especially Hooker with question marks over Daniher).
The next three months will be vital for these players for an EFC future IMO. Two weeks ago I would have said it's Gleeson, then he makes the VFL TOTW.
I noticed that he was drafted having played on the wing and didn't realise he had great stamina. Might this be a key to keeping all of the young defenders?
I don't think Hooker or Hurley will ever be on the table either; we have Woosha, not Clarko.Hooker & Hurley will never be on the table. None of those players listed are even remotely the same calibre as those two in terms of ability or replaceability. Ridley will be shoehorned to play the 7th defender/wing/midfield along with Gleeson. Also how does making the VFL team of the week, change anything? It's a team selected by one guy who may or may not have watched the game.
Of the four, Gleeson is also the player I would be willing to trade, for much the same reason; Francis, Redman and Ridley have shown far more class and versatility. I would also like to trade into the first round, though, and would be unhappy though willing to trade Hurley to do it. We have enough talent to cover him and, although they may not be as strong now, Francis or BZerk will be in time. I would be really chuffed if he got a couple of seasons under Clarko and came back to us as a coach. Hurley + Gleeson + Zaharakis on the table would position us well over the trade/draft period.I think its an interesting discussion as to whether any of our half back options might be on the trade table. Unfortunately none of them are at peak value except Redman who I definitely don't want to trade. Gleeson I suspect will continue to be a bit injury prone in the near future and this is the first time in Redman's and Francis' careers they've been fit for any real length of time. So I don't expect us to voluntarily be parting with these guys, particularly as Ridley/Redman definitely could develop into midfielders.
Anyway if it were up to me and everyone plays well til the end of the season and doesn't get injured:
Keep: Redman (he's my favourite of the entire group and just a walk up start when he's fit)
Keep but switch to wing: Ridley (I actually think he can succeed on the wing but otherwise he's still very good down back because of his agility and kicking)
Keep: Francis (Hooker's near the end of his career and its only one injury and he's clear next in line down back + he's improving as a key forward which gives him more opportunity to play seniors in the short term).
Keep: BZerk: Cheap backup taller defender. If he left for more opportunity I couldn't blame him though, he doesn't look likely to get games anytime soon.
Trade: Gleeson (his role was really the 3rd tall intercept guy but honestly Francis can do the same thing, or Ambrose can lock down a player so Hurley can do the same thing and both are way stronger in one on one contests). I was never as much a fan of Gleeson as other's on here who really fell in love with him during his good half season in 2017. I always found him just too physically weak in one on one's (he's about as strong as Fantasia without being lightning quick) and his kicking is just OK, pace is just OK. So despite great ability to read the play and intercept mark I find him to be replaceable as a package.
I think its an interesting discussion as to whether any of our half back options might be on the trade table. Unfortunately none of them are at peak value except Redman who I definitely don't want to trade. Gleeson I suspect will continue to be a bit injury prone in the near future and this is the first time in Redman's and Francis' careers they've been fit for any real length of time. So I don't expect us to voluntarily be parting with these guys, particularly as Ridley/Redman definitely could develop into midfielders.
Anyway if it were up to me and everyone plays well til the end of the season and doesn't get injured:
Keep: Redman (he's my favourite of the entire group and just a walk up start when he's fit)
Keep but switch to wing: Ridley (I actually think he can succeed on the wing but otherwise he's still very good down back because of his agility and kicking)
Keep: Francis (Hooker's near the end of his career and its only one injury and he's clear next in line down back + he's improving as a key forward which gives him more opportunity to play seniors in the short term).
Keep: BZerk: Cheap backup taller defender. If he left for more opportunity I couldn't blame him though, he doesn't look likely to get games anytime soon.
Trade: Gleeson (his role was really the 3rd tall intercept guy but honestly Francis can do the same thing, or Ambrose can lock down a player so Hurley can do the same thing and both are way stronger in one on one contests). I was never as much a fan of Gleeson as other's on here who really fell in love with him during his good half season in 2017. I always found him just too physically weak in one on one's (he's about as strong as Fantasia without being lightning quick) and his kicking is just OK, pace is just OK. So despite great ability to read the play and intercept mark I find him to be replaceable as a package.
I don't see how Redman is part of the discussion. He's genuinely a small whereas the others are all 3rd talls and, excluding Ridley who does not have the dynamic run, nowhere near the same ground level players.
We have no depth or other good options to play Redman's role and we don't have that style of player either (i.e. hard running, quick, skillful and capable of playing small and even stretched to 3rd tall). If we don't have Redman we're relying on "Benny McNeice's...really good footy" as a small defender and we've seen more often than not how good that actually is.
Gleeson, Francis, Ridley and Zerk-Thatcher are very much similar players as defenders, each with his respective strength's and weaknesses.
Gleeson has hardly set the world on fire in his game time this year, and he had a run of 5-7 games (including the VFL practice matches?). His run at the end of 2017 was great but I don't think it is relevant to whether or not we keep him. What we need to focus on is what is happening now and what I see now is very little difference between Gleeson and Zerk-Thatcher. Zerk-Thatcher has Gleeson covered in terms of raw pack marking ability and as a 1v1 defender. Gleeson is currently a smarter player who is better at playing angles, cutting the ball off, etc. Gleeson is a better kick without being a great kick but then BZT turns no more over than anyone else but he looks a bit awkward and his kicking probably lacks penetration.
Francis should be in the discussion because I still can't shake the feeling that his best is not really sustainable and not really going to be more than good quarters (as opposed to dominant games).
Difficulty is that I also see no value in trading Francis for anything outside of the first round as I'd just as soon continue the project with a 22 year old who may well turn those quarters into full games.
You could also question whether we are really gaining anything if all we can do is turn Gleeson into a pick which is >30. I wouldn't go out of my way to trade him unless it was for a player that really adds something to the list (e.g. someone like Sier for the middle) or a too good to refuse deal for picks.
I personally would regard Redman as a medium sized back who has the pace to play on smalls and I agree that with what you said that he's a stretch option for 3rd tall. To me he's different from Saad and McKenna who I would class as small backs. He would beat Gleeson and Ridley in a one on one marking contest more often than not despite them being taller.
I agree with your points about putting up Gleeson/Francis for trades. It would have to be for something that we clearly need. I doubt we'd get enough currency for it to be worth it for us. Of course there is the other perspective of freeing up salary cap for a free agent potentially which does blur the equation.
I actually didn't realise Redman was that much shorter. He must be able to play taller than he is or something because that's the impression I had.I don't see how Redman is part of the discussion. He's genuinely a small whereas the others are all 3rd talls and, excluding Ridley who does not have the dynamic run, nowhere near the same ground level players.
We have no depth or other good options to play Redman's role and we don't have that style of player either (i.e. hard running, quick, skillful and capable of playing small and even stretched to 3rd tall). If we don't have Redman we're relying on "Benny McNeice's...really good footy" as a small defender and we've seen more often than not how good that actually is.
Gleeson, Francis, Ridley and Zerk-Thatcher are very much similar players as defenders, each with his respective strength's and weaknesses.
Gleeson has hardly set the world on fire in his game time this year, and he had a run of 5-7 games (including the VFL practice matches?). His run at the end of 2017 was great but I don't think it is relevant to whether or not we keep him. What we need to focus on is what is happening now and what I see now is very little difference between Gleeson and Zerk-Thatcher. Zerk-Thatcher has Gleeson covered in terms of raw pack marking ability and as a 1v1 defender. Gleeson is currently a smarter player who is better at playing angles, cutting the ball off, etc. Gleeson is a better kick without being a great kick but then BZT turns no more over than anyone else but he looks a bit awkward and his kicking probably lacks penetration.
Francis should be in the discussion because I still can't shake the feeling that his best is not really sustainable and not really going to be more than good quarters (as opposed to dominant games).
Difficulty is that I also see no value in trading Francis for anything outside of the first round as I'd just as soon continue the project with a 22 year old who may well turn those quarters into full games.
You could also question whether we are really gaining anything if all we can do is turn Gleeson into a pick which is >30. I wouldn't go out of my way to trade him unless it was for a player that really adds something to the list (e.g. someone like Sier for the middle) or a too good to refuse deal for picks.
BZT doesn't have the currency, so he's out. Both Redman and Francis have shown themselves to be more talented, and those two and Ridley are more versatile. Redman can play back, wing and possibly in the middle. Francis has shown he could play forward or back and will possibly replace Hooker. Ridley can play back or wing, and some think he could also play through the middle.People suggesting they’d trade Gleeson before any of Ridley, Redman, BZT or even Francis is laughable. Gleeson has shown he is capable of making an impact on AFL games where as the other guys have either (i) shown glimpses at AFL level or (ii) or done nothing to suggest they will be better than Marty.
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People suggesting they’d trade Gleeson before any of Ridley, Redman, BZT or even Francis is laughable. Gleeson has shown he is capable of making an impact on AFL games where as the other guys have either (i) shown glimpses at AFL level or (ii) or done nothing to suggest they will be better than Marty.
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Probably better hanging on to him at that point then.Would trade Francis before Gleeson provided Marty returns to some semblance of the form he showed in 2017 and the 2018 pre season. Marty can also play on smaller, quicker players which Franga cant
Francis is 4 preseasons in and still cant develop a tank to play either end at AFL level, which is a worry. Also if the club was bent on him making it as a defender, they wouldnt be playing forward with Brown available.
Francis would have the most currency, probably a pick between 25-35 at this stage and so for a pick around there i would be very tempted.