Opinion Player list management and game plan 2019

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My mail is Francis is so disillusioned with being in Melbourne, if a deal can't get done to return to SA, he'll be playing country footy with his mates.
If true, that tells me that he does not have the mental strength to succeed at afl level. Pass.
 
If true, that tells me that he does not have the mental strength to succeed at afl level. Pass.
He lost his brother before he was drafted and he seems to have never recovered from it. He was a mad keen bombers fan I remember before and after he was drafted he went on and on about the bombers.

That's life. If you cant get your head right, you are going to struggle to play professional sports. From an article when he requested extended leave in February for mental health issues. If he cant get his head right to play for the club he loved since childhood then he is going to struggle at any club.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-14/francis-not-happy-for-a-long-time-woosha
Worsfold said there were "indications" Francis was not enjoying his time at the club well before his trade attempt fell through. "It's obviously pretty sensitive, but Aaron hasn't been really happy – as in what we would define as happy – for a long time," he said. "He loves the game, he loves the Essendon Football Club, but however it all works, he hasn't been happy coming to training and he hasn't been able to work out why. Basically, we've tried to get him the support of experts to assist him to work through why that is. "A lot of the times a player will try to do this while they're still playing and training and in the same environment, but it's at that point now where we need to break that because it's been ongoing.

"He's a wonderful young man who loves the game of footy and it's not just about footy – it's about everything. He's now working through whatever he has to do to be a happy young man." Francis had to deal with personal issues before arriving at Essendon, having lost his older brother to illness at the end of his bottom-age season in 2014. "
...........
But it's not something where we felt the need to adjust his overall program. He's just tried to fit in and do what he can do. But when you look back over the two years, really, we only know Aaron from when he arrived at the club. "We don't know what Aaron was like before his brother passed away or when he was 10 or 11 years old, so it's hard to say if there's any change or anything different."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-14/francis-not-happy-for-a-long-time-woosha
 
Oct 5, 2006
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If true, that tells me that he does not have the mental strength to succeed at afl level. Pass.
C'mon. I think it's best not to judge what we don't know. He's a young man living in a foreign city, far from his family, who lost his brother right around the time he was drafted in awful circumstances. I think this situation has very little to do with "mental strength".

Would you say the same, if in 6-12 months, Marshall wishes to go home or walk away from the AFL?
 
C'mon. I think it's best not to judge what we don't know. He's a young man living in a foreign city, far from his family, who lost his brother right around the time he was drafted in awful circumstances. I think this situation has very little to do with "mental strength".

Would you say the same, if in 6-12 months, Marshall wishes to go home or walk away from the AFL?
I would pass on Francis. I think the best thing for him, is to go back home play country footy for a year with mates, be with his family who are from the Riverland, so if they have a farm, work on the farm, or find a job in town or on a farm, get out of the bubble of professional footy and experience some normal life again. After 9-12 months away from the professional game he is going to find out if he really wants to go back to it and commit himself to being a professional footballer.

If I was Essendon I would go to the AFL and ask to do this but somehow retain the right to relist him after 12 months but dont have to pay him, or if they do its less than half of a rookies base pay. If he says he doesnt want to come back then its bad luck for Essendon. He might need another 2 or 3 years before he says he wants to give professional footy a go.
 

rumoursofwinter

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From a football prrspective im not sure if francis is the best fit for port. He seems very much in the hombsch / clurey mode. Similar age to our other defenders. Much better mark but major question marks on his ability to build a tank. Dunno. We need more tall defenders but maybe a different type. I dont know why we didnt get butts last year? Perfect project player. Anyway.

Ceo's have very similar attributes to totalitarian sociopaths. It's what we need.
 

scottjr

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From a football prrspective im not sure if francis is the best fit for port. He seems very much in the hombsch / clurey mode. Similar age to our other defenders. Much better mark but major question marks on his ability to build a tank. Dunno. We need more tall defenders but maybe a different type. I dont know why we didnt get butts last year? Perfect project player. Anyway.

Ceo's have very similar attributes to totalitarian sociopaths. It's what we need.

Aaron Francis is genuine swing I believe. All hypothetical of course but as a forward for Power rather than defense. I agree our back 6 are as good as you need for mine. We have more midfield depth than anyone. Maybe one more quality outside player and a forward that is getable.

Aaron Francis has shown himself to have well above average ability. There's plenty of upside at afl level.

 

HinkleysHeroes

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I just read the Aaron Hall thread. Our Carlton see you to a door mate who is never (rarely) wrong said Hall wants to play for Port next year. Gold Coast don't want him despite his obvious talent. His skillset would suit Port. It's like every player is in love with Kenny.
Hopefully one day Ken gives us all a reason to love him. Winning a premiership this year would help that I think.
 
Oct 11, 2006
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I just read the Aaron Hall thread. Our Carlton see you to a door mate who is never (rarely) wrong said Hall wants to play for Port next year. Gold Coast don't want him despite his obvious talent. His skillset would suit Port. It's like every player is in love with Kenny.

Talented player for sure but I don't know how he'd fit in our squad.
 

It Just Is

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I’m not sure Hall is as good as he’s sometimes made out to be. It wouldn’t be unfair to say that he can be a one way runner and not overly damaging with all the possessions he gets.

That said, I can’t imagine it would cost much to get him here so I think we’d be interested.
 

It Just Is

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From a football prrspective im not sure if francis is the best fit for port. He seems very much in the hombsch / clurey mode. Similar age to our other defenders. Much better mark but major question marks on his ability to build a tank. Dunno. We need more tall defenders but maybe a different type. I dont know why we didnt get butts last year? Perfect project player. Anyway.

Ceo's have very similar attributes to totalitarian sociopaths. It's what we need.
My thoughts too. Although I’d be tempted if the club thought he could play forward or through the midfield like he was billed in his draft year.

Hard to speculate as it’s more about mental state than football ability and no doubt Essendon will be campaigners in any trade.
 
Sep 9, 2008
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C4 reckons hall asked for a trade last year and will again this year.

Would suit us immensely if he was 22-26 yrs. being close to age in most of our midfield gives us a lot of players in their prime but also a poor profile.

I don’t know what gc would ask for him.

We have a real lack of mids under 23 on our list right now

Atley, drew, spp and dbj and Amon only just under 23 right now.


Also mods we should consider setting up a 2018 trade thread and moving all this talk there?
 
Hall is one of those players from another team that always seem to play well when I see him play and yet every other Thursday night he gets dropped. I'm guessing they think he can't defend. Would be happy to have him on the cheap.
 
Hall is one of those players from another team that always seem to play well when I see him play and yet every other Thursday night he gets dropped. I'm guessing they think he can't defend. Would be happy to have him on the cheap.

In fairness in his case the ‘can’t defend’ is accurate. But we pretty much fixed up Polec who had the same problem, didn’t we?

I’m sure Janus would hate it if we recruited Hall, so for that reason I’m all for it :p
 
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