Smells like the old Medhurst off season, he needs to be running around destroying smaller players with tackles and pressure. Not sure bulking him up is a good idea.
Bulk Amiss no worries, but not Jackson IMO.
Injury 2024 Injury Thread
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Smells like the old Medhurst off season, he needs to be running around destroying smaller players with tackles and pressure. Not sure bulking him up is a good idea.
Bulk Amiss no worries, but not Jackson IMO.
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The only reason to bulk him up is to play more minutes as #1 Ruck. Not sure it’s the best use of our unicorn.
Taylor
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Watch the long kicks down the line, when Jackson is standing under the high ball with an opponent and watch him not be able to hold his ground as well as we would like.
Jackson has to be taking marks, he can't be being outmarked. It's a huge weakness in our ball movement.
It wouldn't have been such a problem if Pearce was fit because he would have swapped with Jackson for the long kicks and brought the ball to ground - Draper can't do it yet either.
I want him in the midfield long term but even then he needs to take the marks
Jackson has to be taking marks, he can't be being outmarked. It's a huge weakness in our ball movement.
It wouldn't have been such a problem if Pearce was fit because he would have swapped with Jackson for the long kicks and brought the ball to ground - Draper can't do it yet either.
I want him in the midfield long term but even then he needs to take the marks
freo84
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No issue with Jackson putting on some muscle if it helps with his game.
I'm sure they have a plan for him and we will see it unfold.
I'm sure they have a plan for him and we will see it unfold.
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I don't agree with that at all. Sure, forward pressure is a weakness, but you don't fix that with Jackson. Another weakness in the squad last year was contested marking, particularly the back-half of the year. Clearly they aren't happy with his ability to hold his position against key backs. Having a few extra kg is certainly going to help him hold his space plus it will improve durability against bigger bodied players.
The tonsils information certainly goes some way to explaining why Jackson had a poor second half of the season.
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No, that's secondary. Number 1 reason is to provide a contested marking option down the line.
Was hoping we would use Jackson in a more unique way in 2025 but I guess it's just going to be stock standard Foward/Ruck. I love him but he's never going to get the most out of his ability just playing that role.
We also paid way too much for him if he's just a Forward/Ruck
I listened to the Briety presser, and in regards to Jackson putting on weight. He suffered with tonsilitis during the season. He has had them removed over the off season. And apparently with that operation there is no running allowed for a certain period of time.
That is the explaination for his weight gain.
Now wait for the medical experts to shoot this down.
That is the explaination for his weight gain.
Now wait for the medical experts to shoot this down.
The article on the west says that the club asked him to gain weight during the break.
The ole Chinese Whispers. The club and as reported in the West and AFL.com.au the club directed Luke Jackson to put on weight. This added to fact that he had his tonsils out a few weeks ago has meant that he is a bit behind with his conditioning.
In the press conference yesterday it was mentioned that he suffered some illnesses last season and the tonsils did swell up. He’s back up and running now and honestly from what I’ve seen of his running previously he’ll get up to speed reasonably quickly. He will take a few weeks to adjust to the added weight.
The Worst being the Worst still.
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Most adults have an absolutely miserable time with tonsillectomy and it does take at least a couple of weeks to be good to go again; haven’t specifically seen restrictions on running but makes sense as the risk of post-op bleeding (genuine medical emergency) is fairly high until it’s healed, so running would be frankly stupid.
Any update on Jones?
Jackson's ability to mark is mainly hindered by his own hands, not from being pushed out of the way. Numerous times during every game he will get two hands to the ball with no defender contact on the ball nor Jackson's arms, and he simply drops it. Usually forwards. Sometimes he can double grab a mark if it falls in the right spot.
His athleticism and leap allow him these marking opportunities. Bulking up won't fix it. What will fix it is practicing his technique with how he shapes his hands to clunk the ball. They seem to be too flat and facing forwards, rather than wrapping his hands around the ball. His marking problem existed before he even came to us, and I don't know why the Melbourne and Freo coaches haven't done a better job of fixing it.
Honestly think he could be close to the best player in the competition if he learned how to clunk marks when he has two hands on the ball and no pressure from the opposition. He could be in Curnow territory up forward, but with greater ability to impact further up the ground as a ruck/midfielder/utility.
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Rub the hands together to keep them warm, open and close them open and close them and vice like grip mentality one grab when going up to mark the ball. If he has that mentality and doesn't doubt himself he will mark a lot more.Its very much a steely mindset imo.
DeadEyeJye
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Absolutely agree - I can't remember him ever taking a mark in a single grab (although I'm sure has plenty of times) - it always seems to be a double grab, almost like it's intentional or at least.practised behaviour
Yup, mentioned it to mates mutiple times. Even a simple mark he seems to double grab at most times. I am firmly in the do not bulk him up camp, I can't see why we would want it unless they see Darcy missing a lot of footy and don't trust Reidy at all.
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I've said it before and I'll say it again...I'd get his eyes checked.
Seems clearly intentional to me, or at least habituated as his technique. Hard not feel there is — or was at some time — some strategy behind it, a way of better controlling the ball or something, kinda like a volleyball set.
We taught Tabener to catch. Treacy too. Jackson will get there
I do recall Jackson once taking a mark, first grab last season. I think it was versus Melbourne in Perth.
The ball was kicked deep into our right forward pocket and Jacko took it with one grab. If he had double grabbed it it would have been out of bounds.
Jacko went back and kicked a goal from a sharp angle in the right forward pocket. Easy as you like off the outside of his right boot.
He needs to practice his marking over Summer similar to what Treacy did last off season. Voss is another who must improve his marking if he hopes to have a meaningful AFL career.
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