- Sep 22, 2011
- 44,248
- 98,176
- AFL Club
- Essendon
Good chance he’s delisted unfortunately
-
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Unrestricted Free Agent Ben Hobbs [delisted]
- Thread starter The Nostradamus
- Start date
- Tagged users None
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diddley1984
The biggest horse in all of Norway
- Sep 8, 2017
- 228
- 353
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
I still find it funny how many of us Saints supporters (including me) wanted Hobbs in the National & Rookie Draft 2021 forum in the Saints pages.
This was me moments before we drafted NWM.
This was me moments before we drafted NWM.
Tandy
Brownlow Medallist
Can't believe he's been delisted. He played 65 games in 4 years!
22: 17
23: 18
24: 12
25: 18
Literally any club could pick him up and he will play 200 games. Has limitations but still young.
22: 17
23: 18
24: 12
25: 18
Literally any club could pick him up and he will play 200 games. Has limitations but still young.
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Have you ever watched him 'play' football?
Could never understand why anyone wanted him TBH.
- Moderator
- #82
Would kill it in the VFL as a full time centreman. Very tom mitchellesque.
Tandy
Brownlow Medallist
i have. He's not the worst player getting around.
VinnieB
Norm Smith Medallist
- Oct 28, 2021
- 9,106
- 14,491
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
Does he want the phone number?
No but for a 4th year inside mid, he should be averaging way better than that.
Millsie69
Club Legend
Was he ever actually played as an inside mid? He seemed to always play as a forward, with no CBAs whatsoever?
Feel he gets picked up as a DFA or gets a train-on spot somewhere.
Feel he gets picked up as a DFA or gets a train-on spot somewhere.
He’s too slow, small and lacks the foot skills to make it as a mid at AFL level.
- Nov 1, 2021
- 4,590
- 7,640
- AFL Club
- Essendon
He was given a fair shake as an inside mid early on in his career, showed a bit of promise. But then he just seemed to stagnate, and even with our numerous injuries this year, he couldn’t break back into the midfield. Scott trying guys like Kako and Roberts over him. He’s playing mostly as a half-forward in 2025 and hasn’t been doing all that well in that role either.
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Millsie69
Club Legend
I seem to remember that that was the big knock on him, and why he slid on draft night, that he could only play inside mid and nothing else.
Hobbs has the potential. He's shown to be durable.
He just is too slight a body to impact in the middle just yet.
If another team has him, bulk him up, he may show more in a year or two.
He just is too slight a body to impact in the middle just yet.
If another team has him, bulk him up, he may show more in a year or two.
Doubt it. He's had 4 years as a full time AFL player to work on his size and hasn't been able to do it, unless he was specifically instructed to slim down, which would be weird but not unheard of(happened to Brayden Ainsworth at WCE, ended up ruining his career...).
Some players just lack the physical attributes to make it at the top level and don't have the footy nous to succeed in a different position.
Golumless
A bigger deal out west.
- Jul 12, 2013
- 40,504
- 51,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Colorado Rockies :'(, Colorado Avalanche
Got to play inside mid to have inside midfield numbers.
I'd take a free hit on him at Adelaide, especially as I couldn't imagine there are too many worse places for a prospect to end up then Essendon in recent times - seeing their strength and conditioning problems. Plus, there is short term considerations that makes Adelaide a good fit if Hobbs can work shit out in the gym, noting we would benefit from a meat and potatoes clearance winner.
Essendon are pretty desperate for inside mids, considering they took Tsatas the next year and he hasn't turned out yet either.
I suppose they've got Durrham and Caldwell but clearly Hobbs can't take the next step to be the guy, which is why they delisted him.
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Golumless
A bigger deal out west.
- Jul 12, 2013
- 40,504
- 51,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Colorado Rockies :'(, Colorado Avalanche
I don't know if there is much in Essendon's decision making that gives the impression they know what they're doing and/or making reasonable decisions.
Equally, the Don's aren't as desperate as Adelaide at the moment (also noting we did not manage to find a trade in this area). Matt Crouch retiring from injury left a giant hole which ended up costing us in our finals run, noting since that injury, we did begin to have periods of going ice cold in the clinches against the best teams (and these periods allowed both Collingwood and Hawks to land a KO blow). Not only that, but we're also a side that's been in a good place with strength and conditioning in recent years.
- Sep 22, 2011
- 44,248
- 98,176
- AFL Club
- Essendon
Unless he improves drastically (which could happen) I don’t see him having much success as a midfielder at AFL level. He played midfield early in his career and could find the footy okay, but it wasn’t anything out of this world. And the rest of his game hurts him - he’s slow, doesn’t cover the ground too well and has poor skills. We drafted him as an inside mid but others (chiefly Durham and Caldwell) went past him very quickly and have far better all-round games.
He got games this year as a small pressure forward as we were lacking in that area. He was okay, laid some tackles, but again… his lack of speed and skill really stops him from being able to actually hurt the opposition.
There’s not many spots in the AFL for pure extractors who really can’t do anything else.
craffles
Brownlow Medallist
Our development of youth has not been great but Hobbs has been fairly one dimensional (albeit played out of position 95% of the time)
What you can’t question is his work ethic, professionalism and toughness. Durable and hard at it. If clubs are looking for a free hit at an inside mid, there’s worse options out there.
Good luck Benny and thanks for your time at the dons.
What you can’t question is his work ethic, professionalism and toughness. Durable and hard at it. If clubs are looking for a free hit at an inside mid, there’s worse options out there.
Good luck Benny and thanks for your time at the dons.
HeHateMe
Norm Smith Medallist
- Nov 28, 2009
- 8,834
- 7,863
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
Sounds like Worps, no star but solid B grade mid. Surprised he hasn't went on with it.
Seeing as we have just let Worps go, maybe our game is moving away from that type of mid but personally wouldn't be against giving him a crack to fight it out with a few others over the last few spots in our line up.
- Jun 25, 2020
- 2,841
- 5,285
- AFL Club
- Essendon
problem is when we drafted him durham was a skinny flanker and caldwell was new to the club and injury prone. theyre both just alot better at playing his role and he doesnt have the versatility to play as an effective forward (I had a soft spot for him up forward though as he made up for his lack goal sense/speed with good attack at the ball once it hit the deck and good tackle pressure).
Was he actually that good at junior level?
