AFL Player #23: Harrison Jones - Adds wing to resume - 23/6

[Lore]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2024
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 22, Duckworth

 

[Lore]

Probably no coincidence that it was on the back of the only full pre season he has done and had no injury issues. If he is injury free and has a good pre season he will get the confidence to be more than just a third forward. His problem is not ability. His problem is two pre seasons plus more weeks in the season destroyed by injury and no fitness base or lead in form . Last year they should never have played him when they did. He played 60% of a VFL game. Twisted an ankle and missed a week and then was in the AFL side. It was simply stupid. This year he again had a poor pre season and a limited preparation and ideally should have started in the VFL but Wright went down so they needed him to play.

Was he really injury free pre-2021?

He was drafted end of 2019, which a lot of people seem to forget… he played some of those scratch matches in 2020 and then had foot issues and didn’t get to debut.

 

[ant555]

Was he really injury free pre-2021?

He was drafted end of 2019, which a lot of people seem to forget… he played some of those scratch matches in 2020 and then had foot issues and didn’t get to debut.

He was injury free for the pre season leading into 2021 where he got the bulk of the work done and played in the practice games and was in the side from round 1. Yes he did have an injury that shut down his 2020 season but the one full pre season he had was leading into 2021 when he played the first 16 games. Every year since then he has missed parts of the pre season. This year they got him on the park for round 1 but he did not do all the pre season either

 

[Call Me Cake]

I was thinking he might be done but with Weeds not making the most of his spot you'd think Jones suddenly becomes one that we need to get on the park asap.

Even when Harry J wasn't kicking goals (much more accurate too) he was still competing prominently in link ups and set play and chasing, and would regularly top each game for most distance covered. Probably had more of a case in keeping his spot than Weed has.

If he had Weed's size on him and a clean bill of health he'd probably dominate.

 

[Lore]

I was thinking he might be done but with Weeds not making the most of his spot you'd think Jones suddenly becomes one that we need to get on the park asap.

Even when Harry J wasn't kicking goals (much more accurate too) he was still competing prominently in link ups and set play and chasing, and would regularly top each game for most distance covered. Probably had more of a case in keeping his spot than Weed has.

If he had Weed's size on him and a clean bill of health he'd probably dominate.

He’s still young. If they get his feet and ankles right he should be able to put that size on and do the dominating.

I don’t think they would’ve sent him for the ankle surgery mid-year and “get him right for day 1 of pre-season” if he was on the verge of losing his spot on the list

 

[mike14]

Some photos up on the socials of Jones at training today which is nice to see

 

[ant555]

Some photos up on the socials of Jones at training today which is nice to see

Has been helping the VFL coaches as well on match day.

 

[TheGrizz]

I still hold hope for him, I think that he can still be a really good complement to Wright and Langford and allow Wright to chop out ruck. Which would in turn allow us to play an extra small for some ground level speed.

 

[andleanback]

I still hold hope for him, I think that he can still be a really good complement to Wright and Langford and allow Wright to chop out ruck. Which would in turn allow us to play an extra small for some ground level speed.

He’s one of our only guys who can actually go up and take contested marks up on the flanks. We are crying out for his type of player. Wright, a fit and in form Jones and langford is almost the perfect forward line. All 3 different types of players who compliment each other perfectly

 

[faible]

I still hold hope for him, I think that he can still be a really good complement to Wright and Langford and allow Wright to chop out ruck. Which would in turn allow us to play an extra small for some ground level speed.

If he can actually get a full pre-season in he'll look drastically different than he did this season. He relies a lot on outworking his opponent to generate opportunities from memory.

 

[boncer34]

He’s one of our only guys who can actually go up and take contested marks up on the flanks. We are crying out for his type of player. Wright, a fit and in form Jones and langford is almost the perfect forward line. All 3 different types of players who compliment each other perfectly

Contested mark*

He averages 1 a game.

 

[eth-dog]

Contested mark*

He averages 1 a game.

Pretty impressive for a rake tbh.

 

[boncer34]

Pretty impressive for a rake tbh.

Doesn't scream an ability to get up on the flanks and take contested marks though.

 

[eth-dog]

Doesn't scream an ability to get up on the flanks and take contested marks though.

Put some size (not too much mind, with his back issues) and that could change though.

 

[boncer34]

Put some size (not too much mind, with his back issues) and that could change though.

Not exactly the point Eth

 

[faible]

Doesn't scream an ability to get up on the flanks and take contested marks though.

I'd take a mark of any kind that's taken by our player on the flanks, better than just letting Tom Stewart have them all.

 

[boncer34]

I'd take a mark of any kind that's taken by our player on the flanks, better than just letting Tom Stewart have them all.

Cool

 

[HirdsTheWord]

If he can actually get a full pre-season in he'll look drastically different than he did this season. He relies a lot on outworking his opponent to generate opportunities from memory.

correct - this kid has a serious engine. Can run all day.

though a brisk breeze blows him over.

Needs to put on size, he is totally useless in a contested marking position. Easily giving up 5-10 kg's on defenders the same height as him.

 

[andleanback]

Contested mark*

He averages 1 a game.

Stats and averages mean little for a developing tall (even more so the contested mark averages. Most of the gun keys average low 2s. It’s a stat that doesn’t look good if you take it on averages.)
He twice took 5 contested marks in a game in 2021. That shows an ability to be a presence when his body fills out. Nothing to blink at when a 20yo take shows he can take 5 in a game.

I’ll repeat that he took 5 contested marks in game as a 20yo. Get him fit and if he gets a consistent run at it, he’s exactly what we need.

 

[boncer34]

Stats and averages mean little for a developing tall (even more so the contested mark averages. Most of the gun keys average low 2s. It’s a stat that doesn’t look good if you take it on averages.)
He twice took 5 contested marks in a game in 2021. That shows an ability to be a presence when his body fills out. Nothing to blink at when a 20yo take shows he can take 5 in a game.

I’ll repeat that he took 5 contested marks in game as a 20yo. Get him fit and if he gets a consistent run at it, he’s exactly what we need.

Yes and he hasn't had more than 2 in a game since then.

It shows its the outlier not the norm.

 

[yodellinhank]

Yes and he hasn't had more than 2 in a game since then.

It shows its the outlier not the norm.

Delist

 

[Milanista28]

Give him 1 year, make him earn the next contract. Seemed scared to kick goals this year.

 

[ant555]

Doesn't scream an ability to get up on the flanks and take contested marks though.

Well he hasn't but he has also had a lot of injury interruptions and has probably played 15 more AFL games than he should have due to us being desperate to play someone in the spot. It is not wrong to question his form he has to prove he can actually do it given he has only had a couple of games where he has taken 5 contested marks. I still think him not having a decent VFL base has hurt him. He was a good lead up mark at under 18 level but he has never really played much VFL footy since he was drafted given 2020 had not VFL. Jury is out but there has been some excuses .

 

[boncer34]

Well he hasn't .

Exactly

 

[ant555]

Exactly

Good in depth analysis as usual.

 

[boncer34]

Good in depth analysis as usual.

We're in agreement.

He hasn't done it.