Player Watch #33: Brayden 'Sausage' George - re-signed until end of 2026

[Rampaging roos]

Halfback...got better and better as the game wore.on Great skills intercept marking..he's building nicely..he may play different positions later.on...but coming off a knee..hback is a great place to start.build some run and confidence.

 

[R00StaR]

I still can’t understand why the number 26 we drafted as a ‘damaging forward’ is playing out of defence?

Is it to get better with ball movement/grow confidence?

Is it because he has assets better suited for the backline? Great mark and kick?

I don’t get it? We’ve got heaps of 180 cm types rolling through the back now. Same can be said with unproven 180cm developing in the forward line I guess

Regardless of best position every AFL player must learn AFL standard defensive skills. Let him get up to speed there, see what he's got before throwing him in the deep end up forward. Bit easier to get the pill and get into the game in defense as well.
Duursma obviously being an exception given he's a top 3 pick taken as a forward, but if struggling he too may find himself back there at times. Im of the mind every player these days needs to be versatile enough to play at least 2 positions.

 

[Retiredbattler]

Regardless of best position every AFL player must learn AFL standard defensive skills. Let him get up to speed there, see what he's got before throwing him in the deep end up forward. Bit easier to get the pill and get into the game in defense as well.
Duursma obviously being an exception given he's a top 3 pick taken as a forward, but if struggling he too may find himself back there at times. Im of the mind every player these days needs to be versatile enough to play at least 2 positions.

He will be in the two’s for a while. He just had his first full game of footy in 2 years a couple of weeks ago.

They won’t be rushing him back they will be cautious. They drafted him with a done ACL. They draft players thinking / wanting them to have a 10 + year career. Hints why they took him in the draft with a done ACL.

Brayden is a natural forward. That’s all his known and that’s what got him drafted. I understand the thinking of putting him down back but I don’t agree with it. His a deep forward.

Most important thing for him is getting through games unscathed and getting confidence in his footy but mainly confidence in his body.

 

[hsquid]

He is our fifth Beatle.

 

[Lomas]

He is our fifth Beatle.

I refuse to believe it until I hear about his time in Amsterdam

 

[Horizons_00]

I forgot he existed

 

[Mordecai]

How's he been going?

 

[roos_fanatic08]

How's he been going?

Going alright considering he is learning a new position. In the two VFL games he is averaging 19 disposals, 3.5 marks per game. Hasn't registered a tackle yet though.

Doesn't look all that natural playing across half back and has been caught out of position a few times. With ball in hand he makes good decisions and has hit some really nice kicks that have opened up the play. Hasn't offerred much in the way of intercepting at this early stage.

Across the first two rounds it looks as though he is having his minutes managed heavily, often coming on for 5-8 minute spells before heading to the bench. Still a while away from having his fitness up to AFL standards.

 

[Wild Bill]

Going alright considering he is learning a new position. In the two VFL games he is averaging 19 disposals, 3.5 marks per game. Hasn't registered a tackle yet though.

Doesn't look all that natural playing across half back and has been caught out of position a few times. With ball in hand he makes good decisions and has hit some really nice kicks that have opened up the play. Hasn't offerred much in the way of intercepting at this early stage.

Across the first two rounds it looks as though he is having his minutes managed heavily, often coming on for 5-8 minute spells before heading to the bench. Still a while away from having his fitness up to AFL standards.

Why are we turning him into a defender? Play him in his natural position and if that doesn't work out - Comben - then switch to defence.

 

[Shinboner1]

Why are we turning him into a defender? Play him in his natural position and if that doesn't work out - Comben - then switch to defence.

because we don't have any good medium defenders.
George can run, kick and tackle.
All the attributes to be Maynard 2.0

 

[guapo]

because we don't have any good medium defenders.
George can run, kick and tackle.
All the attributes to be Maynard 2.0

So can Goater, Bergman, and Hardeman (yes, all have injuries atm). That’s on top of Sheez, and of course the co-captain


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[Epictetus]

because we don't have any good medium defenders.
George can run, kick and tackle.
All the attributes to be Maynard 2.0

gee whiz.

 

[Sphynx]

because we don't have any good medium defenders.
George can run, kick and tackle.
All the attributes to be Maynard 2.0

We dont?

What are Sheezel, McKercher, Fisher, Goater, Bergman, Hardeman....even Kallan Dawson?

Not to mention McDonald, Scott when he's down there.


Im with Wild Bill he's a natural high marking, goal kicking forward, I have absolutely no idea why we are trying to turn him into a medium defender.

It's like Clarko has a blueprint with what he did with guys like Duryea, Blake Hardwick and Guerra and has declared BG that player.

We are already playing two of our most naturally talented players in the backline, we don't need a third.

If we want more backman, draft backman.

 

[Sillygit]

Had like 4 shots on goal in the first game? Missed them, but was able to get to places to score.

 

[My Left Foote]

Why are we turning him into a defender? Play him in his natural position and if that doesn't work out - Comben - then switch to defence.

I suspect it's two fold, coming off an ACL half back is an easier position to play he can run straight at the ball less requirement to twist and turn like half forward. The second part is I suspect is to teach him to how to defend so when he does move forward he has added that string to his bow. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't end up forward next year given how good he is in that position.

 

[Shinboner1]

So can Goater, Bergman, and Hardeman (yes, all have injuries atm). That’s on top of Sheez, and of course the co-captain


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sheez isnt your typical marking a player type defender.
Imagine running him on a miocheck, CC, fritsch type.
He'd get monstered

 

[Wild Bill]

I suspect it's two fold, coming off an ACL half back is an easier position to play he can run straight at the ball less requirement to twist and turn like half forward. The second part is I suspect to teach him to how to defend so when he does move forward he has added that string to his bow. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't end up forward next year given how good he is in that position.

I hope this is the case - he is meant to have great hands and is hard at it. It starts to give us some real marking fire power with Duursma, Zurhaar, Curtis & Ford along side Larkey.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Why are we turning him into a defender? Play him in his natural position and if that doesn't work out - Comben - then switch to defence.

I honestly have no idea. He was such a unique forward prospect, with his freakish contested marking ability and solid ground level game.

It could only be a few things:

1. They see no position for him in the forward line due to Duurs, Zurhaar, Ford, Curtis ect.
2. They want to protect his body from having to jump/crash into packs i.e Comben (which I don't think is all that realistic considering footy is a contact sport)
3. It's part of his forward line development to give him better understanding of how to play off his opponents
4. They think his long kicking skill is wasted in the forward half and he could have more of an impact as a defender.

Or a combination of all 4.

Either way, doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Epictetus]

I honestly have no idea. He was such a unique forward prospect, with his freakish contested marking ability and solid ground level game.

It could only be a few things:

1. They see no position for him in the forward line due to Duurs, Zurhaar, Ford, Curtis ect.
2. They want to protect his body from having to jump/crash into packs i.e Comben (which I don't think is all that realistic considering footy is a contact sport)
3. It's part of his forward line development to give him better understanding of how to play off his opponents
4. They think his long kicking skill is wasted in the forward half and he could have more of an impact as a defender.

Or a combination of all 4.

Either way, doesn't make much sense to me.

It'd be none of those.

186 ish forwards almost never play 200 games. It's just a weird height/shape in the role.
The list of forwards who go back is a huge one.

 

[Passmore]

I honestly have no idea. He was such a unique forward prospect, with his freakish contested marking ability and solid ground level game.

It could only be a few things:

1. They see no position for him in the forward line due to Duurs, Zurhaar, Ford, Curtis ect.
2. They want to protect his body from having to jump/crash into packs i.e Comben (which I don't think is all that realistic considering footy is a contact sport)
3. It's part of his forward line development to give him better understanding of how to play off his opponents
4. They think his long kicking skill is wasted in the forward half and he could have more of an impact as a defender.

Or a combination of all 4.

Either way, doesn't make much sense to me.

4 is definitely a factor. Not so much wasted forward, but using that peg of his off hb.

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[Horizons_00]

Does he play any AFL this year?

 

[Mixed Results]

You can't compare Brayden to names like Sheezel, McKercher, Fisher, and Bergman without mentioning George's natural strength.

I think they hope he can develop a similar attacking game with his speed and kicking, but with a more rounded defensive game thanks to his natural athleticism. His size alone gives him much more of a chance in defensive one on ones than somebody like Sheezel. Fisher for example getting caught on a Curnow type would often be a certain goal for the opposition, but George projects to be able to at least compete in those situations.

Goater and Hardeman are the only other prospects on our list with a decent combination of size and attack, and hopefully all three can be an important part of our defence for the next decade.

 

[RightWingRoo]

Does he play any AFL this year?

All being well, he'll get games in the 2nd half of the year.
But understand the need to build him up steadily, given the amount of footy he missed.

 

[Wild Bill]

It'd be none of those.

186 ish forwards almost never play 200 games. It's just a weird height/shape in the role.
The list of forwards who go back is a huge one.

Gary Ablett Snr was 186cm.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Gary Ablett Snr was 186cm.

Duck was only 192cm. Add another 3 inches to the height of equivalent contemporary players to get an idea of how tall they played.