List Mgmt. Welcome Jordan Clark

Docker82

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 21, 2013
8,661
14,219
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Why bag anyone out? People bagging Hughes obviously believe leaving him out would benefit the team too, or are you saying you are the only judge of that?

Tbf I don’t think I genuinely bag out any of our players. The closest I get is when I voice my opinion that player x is better than player y in a Best 22 thread.

My issue is people who bag players who seem to put everything on the line for the team. IMO almost all these guys are decent footballers. IMO some of the stuff said about these players (I put Lobb, Aish, Walters, Wilson, Henry etc. in this basket as well) isn’t even a valid criticism and in some cases not even true.

My opinion is one of many though.
 

Cesoir

Club Legend
Feb 11, 2019
2,721
10,918
Cairns
AFL Club
Fremantle
Tbf I don’t think I genuinely bag out any of our players. The closest I get is when I voice my opinion that player x is better than player y in a Best 22 thread.

My issue is people who bag players who seem to put everything on the line for the team. IMO almost all these guys are decent footballers. IMO some of the stuff said about these players (I put Lobb, Aish, Walters, Wilson, Henry etc. in this basket as well) isn’t even a valid criticism and in some cases not even true.

My opinion is one of many though.
Same. I know the worst player in the team is better than I ever was, I just don't know what pay-off people get rubbishing them.
 

Square Peg

Cancelled
Fremantle Poster of the Year Fremantle Board Tipping Champion
Jul 20, 2014
8,194
18,414
AFL Club
Fremantle
1638063273170.png
 

theGav56

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 11, 2004
29,348
29,309
Bali
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Fremantle
It clicked years ago tbh.

People on here for some reason need a whipping boy. The board seems to have graduated from bagging genuine spuds like Sheridan or Sutcliffe or players past their use by date to bagging Hughes, Lobb, Wilson and Walters.

The list has come a long way but this board hasn’t. I only bag players if I believe leaving them out will benefit the team.

I know there’s some real talent coming through the back half and Hughes eventually gets pushed out but he’s not a bad player. People saying he adds nothing offensively or that he makes 2-3 blunders a game that result in goals are just seeing what they want to see imo. Both those statements just aren’t true at all.
I strongly agree with you. It is really only confounded by the depth we have in defence which for me pushes Hughes out of the starting back 6.

The other related issue that will be interesting to see how it is handled is that hbf is a really useful position to debut and develop players in my. Johnson, O'Driscoll and Worner would be ideal candidates to begin careers there, but those opportunities may be somewhat limited.
 

Dockeroo

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 1, 2019
8,769
22,187
AFL Club
Fremantle
Hughes biggest weakness is that he moves the ball too slowly. Yes he’s brave, hardy and a decent all round player. But the momentum killing stop, mark, look around for 3 or 4 seconds and then kick infield to a low risk outlet, when we are just after wining a turnover and counter-attacking, allows the opposition to flood back in numbers and set their defence up better. It is his biggest problem IMO and the reason he will probably be phased out of Jlo’s B22.
One un-freo like trait he has in his favour up to this year at least, is an incredible injury record the last 3 or 4 years, one of the most durable guys on the list.
to be honest I was surprised he was given a 3 year extension, I think 2 would have been plenty. I think at 27 yo, what you see is what you get. Someone mentioned Brad Sheppard earlier as a comparison - he’s nowhere near that level IMO. Shepppard was an AA last year for gods sake!
 

apuchar

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 21, 2010
17,133
12,260
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Perth Football Club
Hughes' other issue(and I concede that he was coming back from injury) is that the coaches chose to play Watson over him and Watson was later delisted. He will need to show a bit to get a gig.
 

theGav56

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 11, 2004
29,348
29,309
Bali
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Fremantle
He will need to show a bit to get a gig.
Well I think that is disappointing given the 3 year extension (but I agree with you).

I think the club sees finals+ as realistic, and knows the value of hardened players. That is what is behind the Hughes contract, not the ruminations over best 22.
 

Wally Walpamur

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 23, 2016
6,150
11,930
AFL Club
Fremantle
Not a lot of Jordan Clark discussion going on here…
 

apuchar

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 21, 2010
17,133
12,260
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Perth Football Club
Well I think that is disappointing given the 3 year extension (but I agree with you).

I think the club sees finals+ as realistic, and knows the value of hardened players. That is what is behind the Hughes contract, not the ruminations over best 22.
I think Watson and Hughes were much of a muchness in quality, just different. Just found it interesting they chose to play Watson over Hughes and just wonder if they would have kept Watson if hughes wasn't already signed long term... or which one they would have chosen if both were unsigned at the end of the season. When Hughes is at his best, he is good value but just a little limited in certain areas.
 

theGav56

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 11, 2004
29,348
29,309
Bali
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Fremantle
I think Watson and Hughes were much of a muchness in quality, just different. Just found it interesting they chose to play Watson over Hughes and just wonder if they would have kept Watson if hughes wasn't already signed long term... or which one they would have chosen if both were unsigned at the end of the season. When Hughes is at his best, he is good value but just a little limited in certain areas.
You are right he is limited but most role players are. But his hardness and commitment to the contest are elite.
 
Last edited:

Tbonefreo

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 13, 2013
7,900
10,146
Wagga
AFL Club
Fremantle
Hughes biggest weakness is that he moves the ball too slowly. Yes he’s brave, hardy and a decent all round player. But the momentum killing stop, mark, look around for 3 or 4 seconds and then kick infield to a low risk outlet, when we are just after wining a turnover and counter-attacking, allows the opposition to flood back in numbers and set their defence up better. It is his biggest problem IMO and the reason he will probably be phased out of Jlo’s B22.
One un-freo like trait he has in his favour up to this year at least, is an incredible injury record the last 3 or 4 years, one of the most durable guys on the list.
to be honest I was surprised he was given a 3 year extension, I think 2 would have been plenty. I think at 27 yo, what you see is what you get. Someone mentioned Brad Sheppard earlier as a comparison - he’s nowhere near that level IMO. Shepppard was an AA last year for gods sake!
That was me but what I was getting at was That Shep was a very slow burn. His early years were absolutely pus. But he's a hard worker and dedicated.
 

Dockeroo

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 1, 2019
8,769
22,187
AFL Club
Fremantle
That was me but what I was getting at was That Shep was a very slow burn. His early years were absolutely pus. But he's a hard worker and dedicated.
Yeah I can see what you mean in terms of Sheppard taking time to reach his peak but Hughes is no longer a kid - I think he was rookie drafted in 2014 aged 20, and will be 28 this year. He’ll be 30 at the end of this contract and he’s done very well to eek out a solid AFL career but wouldn’t be surprised if it’s his last contract.
his weakness described earlier is the same reason Conca was moved on this year IMO. Whilst he has a lot of competition for places across half back I personally wouldn’t be expecting too much from Clark, who after all was the 28th or 30th best player on the Geelong list last season. I’d expect that Young, Chapman, Walker and Hughes would all be ahead of Clark in the queue for a Half back spot for Round 1.
 

Tbonefreo

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 13, 2013
7,900
10,146
Wagga
AFL Club
Fremantle
Yeah I can see what you mean in terms of Sheppard taking time to reach his peak but Hughes is no longer a kid - I think he was rookie drafted in 2014 aged 20, and will be 28 this year. He’ll be 30 at the end of this contract and he’s done very well to eek out a solid AFL career but wouldn’t be surprised if it’s his last contract.
his weakness described earlier is the same reason Conca was moved on this year IMO. Whilst he has a lot of competition for places across half back I personally wouldn’t be expecting too much from Clark, who after all was the 28th or 30th best player on the Geelong list last season. I’d expect that Young, Chapman, Walker and Hughes would all be ahead of Clark in the queue for a Half back spot for Round 1.
Is Hughes 28?

Crikey time flies. Yeah I was wrong with that one. Legit thought he was like 24.
 
Ethan Hughes hasn't been tried much of anywhere else but he is a wrecking ball and works his bum off with amazing physical attributes. I think he should be our defensive forward.
 

wakojako

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 15, 2020
6,117
9,707
AFL Club
Fremantle
Have to be honest I like the idea of him on the wing a lot more.

We have the people for HBF, he could easily carve out a spot on the wing and had the boot to be able to dob a few from 50 too
Literally not one reason why he shouldn't be playing there. He is a talented footballer and should be playing centre. This nonsense of him playing HB hopefully doesn't last long.
 
Back