Think Tank Mofra's Lazy Bottom 40 for 2025

[TheGoatBaron]

Looks like a wimpy Ben Stokes

Most rangas look alike

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Player #21 - Aaron Francis
View attachment 2488980
Pictured: Francis evades a blonde Geelong player with a headband, which narrows it down to 35 players

Aaron Francis was a lifelong Essendon supporter and a ranga who was drafted with pick 6 in the 2015 AFL draft, meaning he was doomed from the start.
He asked for a trade at the end of 2017, but neither SA based AFL team has any interest, so Aaron stayed at the bombers until 2022, where he played a total of 54 games (0 finals wins) and was then traded to the Sydney swans.

At Sydney he didn't quite nail down a position, having been delisted at the end of last year then placed on the rookie list this season. Considered a decent one on one player, Francis could play both ends almost well enough to keep his spot.
This season he managed 5 goals from 10 games, however 3 of those goals came in one game against Port Adelaide. Port fans were so traumatised by this development that some described it as "the worst non-finals game in our club's long proud history stretching all the way back to 1997".
Swans fans were just upset that 6 of their players registered 9 behinds (no goals) between them, somehow blaming the umpires.

Back to Aaron. They guy could play as long as the quarters were only 8 minutes long. He just never developed the big enough tank required to run out the game at anywhere near his best. He also didn't quite grasp the AFL landscape, nominating for the 2025 draft and being one of only 3 guys out of 985 to put "financial terms" on any potential contract.
The other two players to nominate terms (Ah Chee & Jake Stringer) were picked up, Ah Chee in the PSD and Jake Stringer at the rookie draft then at schoolies.

Fun fact: Francis took a mark of the year contender in 2018, over former Essendon player Paddy Ryder. The award eventually went to Isaac Heeney.

Aaron, good luck next year. Welcome to the Bottom 40 for 2025.

Poor bloke never really got a fair chance of having a succesful AFL career, injuries and the tragic death of his older brother really knocked him back (understandably so)

I really hope he can have a very succesful post footy career and happy family/personal life, he does seem like a decent fella tbh

 

[JHF1870]

You really do hate Essendon

 

[MC Bad Genius]

Looks like a wimpy Ben Stokes

Played like one too.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

Poor bloke never really got a fair chance of having a succesful AFL career, injuries and the tragic death of his older brother really knocked him back (understandably so)

I really hope he can have a very succesful post footy career and happy family/personal life, he does seem like a decent fella tbh

This is NOT that type of thread.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

This is NOT that type of thread.

Never hurts to show a kind word or two to a player whose career never really took off to expectations for reasons beyond his control.

Don't be a churl.

 

[Pistol Night]

Never hurts to show a kind word or two to a player whose career never really took off to expectations for reasons beyond his control.

Don't be a churl.

Red hair?

 

[TheGoatBaron]

You really do hate Essendon

To be fair, so does zackah most times

 

[JHF1870]

To be fair, so does zackah most times

Bombers are like supporting Bills but then they do make the playoffs

 

[TheGoatBaron]

Bombers are like supporting Bills but then they do make the playoffs

I’m sure the Bills has won a final in the last 21 years though

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

I’m sure the Bills has won a final in the last 21 years though

The Cigarette Smoking Man cursed The Buffalo Bills haha



Another reason The X-Files is the best US Sci-Fi Show ever

 

[Baldur]

You really do hate Essendon

At present everybody including their fans hates Essendon.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

Never hurts to show a kind word or two to a player whose career never really took off to expectations for reasons beyond his control.

Don't be a churl.

I know, but shhhhh ...

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

At present everybody including their fans hates Essendon.

The problem is Essendon have been too pathetic, for too long to actually hate.

Just comedy relief at this point LULZ

 

[The Sultan]

The problem is Essendon have been too pathetic, for too long to actually hate.

Just comedy relief at this point LULZ

 

[spenze]

You really do hate Essendon

It’s almost like he’s hoping to get on the Essendon board with the way he is taking pot shots at the playing group

 

[JHF1870]

Well I reckon Xavier Duursma

28

Xavier Duursma

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.5

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

8.5

5star

M

5.4

5star

T

2.1

4star

CL

1.6

4star

D

13.0

3star

K

8.8

4star

HB

4.3

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.3

3star

CL

0.5

3star

D

16.8

4star

K

8.4

4star

HB

8.4

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.0

4star

CL

1.6

4star

is probably safe. What other Essendon players are in line?

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Well I reckon Xavier Duursma is probably safe. What other Essendon players are in line?

Mcgrath and Shiel.

Fat and/or slow players will cop a beating this bottom 40

 

[Bont2Bruce]

Mcgrath and Shiel.

One of which has already been included?

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

One of which has already been included?

Shiel should be listed twice.

 

[hawkman]

Bottom 40 is in need of some melt-inducing big names

 

[76woodenspooners]

Bottom 40 is in need of some melt-inducing big names

What, like Nick Watson?

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Mcgrath and Shiel.

Fat and/or slow players will cop a beating this bottom 40

Dion Prestia is a shoe in for top 5 in that critetia

 

[Mojorisin]

Dion Prestia is a shoe in for top 5 in that critetia

And his partner in (alleged) crime.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

And his partner in (alleged) crime.

May has to be number 1, esp as Melbourne told him to GAGF and found no club interested in his services, esp those who desperately need a KPD lol