Traded #10: Aaron Francis - Traded to Sydney w. Pick 42 + Future fourth rounder for Pick 37. Thanks Frang!

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2022
Injury Status: n/a

My Boy Draft 2022: Pick 29, Mr Bultitude

 

[Howard Moon]

poor old pope francis, needs to be more like the parish

 

[Doss]

How long have you been sitting on that corker, Howie?

 

[DapperDon]

What a shitty day.

 

[Howard Moon]

How long have you been sitting on that corker, Howie?

ehh was up til 4 - 4 30 am working on it...

 

[TheBrightSide]

So he's been tearing it up on the track?

Seems to be injured a lot, I'm also concerned we've recruited another Gumby/Johns.

 

[carnthedons]

Urge to kill rising, rising

 

[Foxx]

Never been happy with this selection. But the masses are against me. So be it. Hope i'm wrong.

 

[Doss]

It's Round 3 in his first year, dude.

 

[Lore]

Reading between the lines it seems EFC is unhappy with Francis' fitness levels when he arrived at the club.

We knew he didn't have the tank before we drafted him. It's not new news, he was always going to play a bit of VFL this year until his fitness improves.

 

[eth-dog]

Never been happy with this selection. But the masses are against me. So be it. Hope i'm wrong.

Why?

 

[Doss]

Why?

Because hindsight is supreme, BigFooty hindsight is especially supreme and the sky is falling if every high draft pick doesn't do a Parish straight away.

 

[yodellinhank]

Because hindsight is supreme, BigFooty hindsight is especially supreme and the sky is falling if every high draft pick doesn't do a Parish straight away.

Who was our last draft pick to go on and do really well without bursting onto the scene?

 

[Doss]

Who was our last draft pick to go on and do really well without bursting onto the scene?

How are you defining 'do really well' and 'bursting onto the scene'?

Langford and Laverde look good so far. Did they burst onto the scene? Not sure but I don't think Langford really has, per se. Maybe Laverde a little.

Merrett definitely did from word go and looks an absolute gun. Fantasia started as you'd expect a lightly framed kid picked in the 50s to, and is looking alright. Same with Gleeson.

Joe D took quite a while to get going.

Not sure why anyone would be panicking about Francis at this point. Joey didn't even debut until Round 11 in his first season...

 

[carnthedons]

How are you defining 'do really well' and 'bursting onto the scene'?

Langford and Laverde look good so far. Did they burst onto the scene? Not sure but I don't think Langford really has, per se. Maybe Laverde a little.

Merrett definitely did from word go and looks an absolute gun. Fantasia started as you'd expect a lightly framed kid picked in the 50s to, and is looking alright. Same with Gleeson.

Joe D took quite a while to get going.

Not sure why anyone would be panicking about Francis at this point. Joey didn't even debut until Round 11 in his first season...

because we live in an age of instant gratification, that's why

 

[The Bomb]

Who was our last draft pick to go on and do really well without bursting onto the scene?

Zaharakis & Hooker both took a little time to get up and going, Zaka only averaged 13 possessions & .6 goals in his 1st season, but in his 3rd season was excellent.

also Colyer, Bags and Hibberd and come from no where.

Pears and Melksham (his 1st game against Port, that goal) both burst onto the scene and well we all know how that has turned out.

Lovett I still think had the best 1st year from a player in the last decade, even better then Heppells.
25 goals in his 1st year was amazing.

 

[The Bomb]

Not worried at all about this injury, Francis much like Hogan has that real big body which he is still growing into, and we seen how Hogan come back after missing his 1st season, Francis is a natural footballer and a 5 week injury is not going to affect his 10+ year career.
He is going to be a beast when he is ready.

 

[yodellinhank]

How are you defining 'do really well' and 'bursting onto the scene'?

Langford and Laverde look good so far. Did they burst onto the scene? Not sure but I don't think Langford really has, per se. Maybe Laverde a little.

Merrett definitely did from word go and looks an absolute gun. Fantasia started as you'd expect a lightly framed kid picked in the 50s to, and is looking alright. Same with Gleeson.

Joe D took quite a while to get going.

Not sure why anyone would be panicking about Francis at this point. Joey didn't even debut until Round 11 in his first season...

I'd put Francis in the same basket as Laverde, Langford, Fantasia - the too early to tell.

I'm trying to think of anyone that has basically had their first year as a reserve and progressed... Watson? Daniher is probably a bit different because he is a tall. The Bomb is probably spot on with Bags/Hibberd - though they were taken mature age.

Obviously my "delist" talk is tongue in cheek and glad it was taken that way, but there's also a big part of me sick to death of blokes being pumped up on the back of nothing a la Kav, Browne. Francis (and Laverde) talk is all very cringeworthy ATM for mine.

 

[Howard Moon]

Seeing Oliver was gone at our pick then we correctly took parish , who exactly would people have wanted next?. In hindsight. The ones we were looking at , curnow, weid shown as much as Francis... No different. Milera Been ok in flashes. Big early for this talk. Still reckon we pulled the right rein

 

[The Bomb]

I'd put Francis in the same basket as Laverde, Langford, Fantasia - the too early to tell.
but there's also a big part of me sick to death of blokes being pumped up on the back of nothing a la Kav, Browne. Francis (and Laverde) talk is all very cringeworthy ATM for mine.

For me I like the natural footballer, who reads the play amazingly well, Laverde, Langford, Fantasia, Kav, & Browne, I never have seen as this type of player, where Francis epitomizes this, much like Parish and Heppell, all 3 are known for their ability to read the play and rack up high possessions at under age level.
So I find Francis a safe selection as he knows how to play football.
Also Francis in all the 1 on 1 drills against the other under18 year old was found to be the best out of the lot, winning contest after contest.

 

[Foxx]

Why?

It's a view based on limited knowledge I must admit, but I watched him in the under 18s once, where he looked a very ordinary footballer. I remember thinking, gee I hope Essendon don't draft this guy.

 

[Doss]

Once. There's your problem.

 

[MightyDons4]

It's a view based on limited knowledge I must admit, but I watched him in the under 18s once, where he looked a very ordinary footballer. I remember thinking, gee I hope Essendon don't draft this guy.

I saw him play at the champs for SA, the SANFL for West Adelaide and against VFL sides for the NAB Academy. I remember thinking, if this guy is available and we over look him then I give up on this club. Thankfully they did and I didn't.

 

[yodellinhank]

Once. There's your problem.

Once too many. I watched a YouTube highlights package and can categorically rule him out of making it. Should've took weiterman.

 

[Doss]

Once too many. I watched a YouTube highlights package and can categorically rule him out of making it. Should've took weiterman.

I love a good fishing expedition.

 

[TheFrenchCut]