Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Pick 18, Josh Weddle - Round 10, Rising Star!

[Strapping Young Lad]

Sam says Blicavs…

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

It's better for Weddle to play seniors ASAP as a defender than wasting time at Box Hill "learning" to play on a wing for 2 years.

Who needs list balance. Let’s just play everyone in defense.

 

[The Chad and I]

So which 2-3 of our pretty established / experienced back 7-8 (Hardwick, CJ, Frost, Sicily, Impey, Scrimshaw, Blanck, DBG) does he dislodge to avoid that learning?

Rotate them up the field and through defence, along with Weddle.
We do it with Mids/Fwds

 

[fairdinks]

here is a suggestion. Why not let him develop at BH and find the spot best suited. There is no immediate hurry to push into the ones right now.

Plenty of time to see this exciting young talent develop at his own rate.

Injuries and form will determine how soon he comes in and that may be 2024, which is totally fine in my books.

 

[peetoo]

here is a suggestion. Why not let him develop at BH and find the spot best suited. There is no immediate hurry to push into the ones right now.

Plenty of time to see this exciting young talent develop at his own rate.

Injuries and form will determine how soon he comes in and that may be 2024, which is totally fine in my books.

While not wishing to have injuries, can’t reemember a season with none. Makes much of this type of discussion moot

Hawks would be crazy to not also use the tactical sub rule to get extra senior experience

 

[Mercy Seat]

It's better for Weddle to play seniors ASAP as a defender than wasting time at Box Hill "learning" to play on a wing for 2 years.

Weddle has a heap to learn with running patterns and positioning to play wing, this is his focus at the moment and the sooner he can have this stuff second nature, the better. The club don’t see him as a defender, they see him as someone with the potential to be an absolute A-grade wing / utility. Best he start where he needs to than getting stuck in defence.

 

[The Chad and I]

Weddle has a heap to learn with running patterns and positioning to play wing, this is his focus at the moment and the sooner he can have this stuff second nature, the better. The club don’t see him as a defender, they see him as someone with the potential to be an absolute A-grade wing / utility. Best he start where he needs to than getting stuck in defence.

Schoenmakers experience has scarred me.

 

[cryptor]

It's better for Weddle to play seniors ASAP as a defender than wasting time at Box Hill "learning" to play on a wing for 2 years.

He'll debut on the wing before the bye I reckon. Certainly well before 2 years unless he has a rotten injury run or something.

 

[tl92]

Weddle has a heap to learn with running patterns and positioning to play wing, this is his focus at the moment and the sooner he can have this stuff second nature, the better. The club don’t see him as a defender, they see him as someone with the potential to be an absolute A-grade wing / utility. Best he start where he needs to than getting stuck in defence.

Everyone keeps saying the club doesn’t seem his as a defender, could be wrong by from my memory club said they see him as a blicsavs type player and his education will start in the midfield. Blicsavs has played significant time as a key defender. I think we could still see him play that role this year without it contradicting anything the club has said.

 

[KermitJagger]

Schoenmakers experience has scarred me.

Do you think Weddle is going to do an ACL?

 

[Brant]

here is a suggestion. Why not let him develop at BH and find the spot best suited.

You know, that's crazy enough that it just might work!

 

[grumbleguts]

You know, that's crazy enough that it just might work!

Some times you come across a suggestion that is just too crazy.

 

[Brant]

Some times you come across a suggestion that is just too crazy.

Like Kosi to FB?

Speaking of crazy... & following fairdinks concept of letting him play & seeing where he excels, I'd love to see him tried at CHF, working up the ground & out to the wings

 

[grumbleguts]

Like Kosi to FB?

Speaking of crazy... & following fairdinks concept of letting him play & seeing where he excels, I'd love to see him tried at CHF, working up the ground & out to the wings

That was the suggestion to which I referred in my response.

 

[Dewnior]

I reckon Hustwaite could have his nose in front for an early debut.

With his neck, I reckon he'd be a whole head in front.

 

[Slainte]

Schoenmakers experience has scarred me.

Are you scarred by all our premiership players - or just Shoey? Can't see the connection with Weddle myself.

 

[tommyk72]

Are you scarred by all our premiership players - or just Shoey? Can't see the connection with Weddle myself.

Agreed. And schoey was a player thrown in the deep end when he should have been given time to develop at BBH - the exact opposite of the argument the poster was trying to make!

 

[Randy Campbell]

Schoenmakers experience has scarred me.

 

[peetoo]

Has Blanck been ‘thrown to the deep end?’

 

[HedgeFund]

Has Blanck been ‘thrown to the deep end?’

Not at all.

After going undrafted in 2019, Box Hill listed in 2020 (no games), then playing a bit of VFL in 2021 and then permanent for the first half of 2022 at Box Hill….that’s pretty much a gradual development to a senior AFL debut at age 21 yrs 7 mths.

Sensible approach.

 

[Lawsy]

Just a random thought Lawsy - We have plenty of options off half back. I remember Nick Riewoldt would run opponents into the ground with his fitness and running ability; if they are teaching him a new role do you think it would be worth trying something similar with Wed's? Or do you think that might be too foreign for him? ... Im just thinking out loud on how painful his gut-running in and out of the forward-line could be to the opposition once we have Lewis, a Ruckman, Green, Butler and other terroirs running amok in the forward line post the Luke Breust era.

I don't know mate, I'd think that if he can develop and take his place on the wing, he'll be that weapon anyway. He'll have the height and strength advantage and will be the equal of any other wingers for running capacity. He becomes equally important by staying on the ground with capped interchanges allowing the mids to change more often, a bit like Scully at GWS or even Smith and Hill with us 10 years ago.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Weddle has a heap to learn with running patterns and positioning to play wing, this is his focus at the moment and the sooner he can have this stuff second nature, the better. The club don’t see him as a defender, they see him as someone with the potential to be an absolute A-grade wing / utility. Best he start where he needs to than getting stuck in defence.

I agree that he needs time to learn the nuances of the position. Though i reckon his ability to cover the ground will help him cover some of his potential positioning errors.

 

[tl92]

Weddle named down back for Box hill

 

[eldorado]

Weddle named down back for Box hill

14 Hawks in the line-up.

I doubt we'll have a list as healthy as this again for the rest of the year.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Josh Weddle (23 disposals, 5 tackles)​

"Weds was really solid, he showed some great aerial presence and was able to go with his marks and do all that, but then also find a bit of footy with his run and carry. He played a really tough game, he finished with five tackles, so it was really really impressive to see him continue to grow his game. He played across half-back this week which was good for his development. He's played on the wing, and now half-back so he's been able to add another string to his bow."

 

[chopflop]

Josh Weddle (23 disposals, 5 tackles)​

"Weds was really solid, he showed some great aerial presence and was able to go with his marks and do all that, but then also find a bit of footy with his run and carry. He played a really tough game, he finished with five tackles, so it was really really impressive to see him continue to grow his game. He played across half-back this week which was good for his development. He's played on the wing, and now half-back so he's been able to add another string to his bow."

In other words, he went back to his 1-wood. He is a great one-on-one defender and can play small or tall. Played on Cadman and Sheezel last year.

Hope we see a debut this week