Player Watch #40: Eddie Ford - re-signed until end of 2025

[Shinboner1]

Going to be a big year for Eddie.
2024 was sub par and he's playing for his future now.
Hopefully he can get a run of senior games, if not, he's likely gone.

 

[king of the road]

Strikes me as a guy who’s is talented and has physical attributes.

Perhaps struggles defensively and playing a modern, coordinated team game. Lacks the smarts to play his role consistently.

Can he fix that? Maybe. I hope so. But I suspect others might push him out of that versatile half forward/occasional wing role.

 

[shinboner magic]

If he can’t crack it for a game on the wing or up forward , could he be tried down back

 

[Makeshift Park]

I like the bloke, and I hope he takes it to another level in 2025, but I must admit I'm a little bearish on his prospects.

Do FOS and Parker relegate him further down the pecking order? Would've thought so.

His highlight reel has always been pretty good, its just a matter of whether he can stay involved for four quarters.

 

[Samsquanch]

I like the bloke, and I hope he takes it to another level in 2025, but I must admit I'm a little bearish on his prospects.

Do FOS and Parker relegate him further down the pecking order? Would've thought so.

His highlight reel has always been pretty good, its just a matter of whether he can stay involved for four quarters.

If he doesn't fix his goal kicking I can't see him on the list next season unless he can reinvent himself as a defender a-la Robbie Tarrant. But I don't see that happening.

 

[Makeshift Park]

If he doesn't fix his goal kicking I can't see him on the list next season unless he can reinvent himself as a defender a-la Robbie Tarrant. But I don't see that happening.

Is his goalkicking currently any more unreliable than Zurhaar's though? The numbers suggest maybe not?

In fact I find the comparative deals they've been offered quite interesting.

Of all North players who played at least half of the 2024 season's games, Ford's ToG is lowest. Less than 66%. Worse than WiPhi, who had a infamously poor year with well-documented endurance issues.

I'm not sure whether that's a reflection of Ford's poor endurance base, or whether he keeps getting benched for being ineffective and/or a defensive liability. Maybe a bit of both?

Bull, by comparison, averages a whole quarter of extra game time on the field than Ford. If Ford could've played that extra 20 minutes each game last year, I reckon there wouldn't be much between Eddie and Cam's 2024 seasons on the stats sheet.

It just makes me wonder why one got a five year offer, and the other only got one.

 

[Samsquanch]

Is his goalkicking currently any more unreliable than Zurhaar's though? The numbers suggest maybe not?

In fact I find the comparative deals they've been offered quite interesting.

Of all North players who played at least half of the 2024 season's games, Ford's ToG is lowest. Less than 66%. Worse than WiPhi, who had a infamously poor year with well-documented endurance issues.

I'm not sure whether that's a reflection of Ford's poor endurance base, or whether he keeps getting benched for being ineffective and/or a defensive liability. Maybe a bit of both?

Bull, by comparison, averages a whole quarter of extra game time on the field than Ford. If Ford could've played that extra 20 minutes each game last year, I reckon there wouldn't be much between Eddie and Cam's 2024 seasons on the stats sheet.

It just makes me wonder why one got a five year offer, and the other only got one.

I know Elvis is a popular figure amongst the players and staff so that probably helped with him getting an extension. I don't think he's presented as being fit enough as he often looks like he's heaving after a run (like Curtis Taylor). Having said that, I agree with your comparison to Zurhaar who I reckon was fortunate to get the deal he landed.

I do hope Eddie can build some strength and improve his endurance and that he creates a real dilemma for the selection committee so that they have to have his name on the whiteboard every week this season.

 

[StazMob]

I like Eddie, really hoping he can cement a spot. I'll never forget his comedy of about 5 or 6 fumbles that lead to the PC goal late against the eagles in Perth this year, good viewing.

 

[perplexed]

We've kept way worse footballers than Eddie on our list for years.

The problem for him is you don't really need mid-sized forwards anymore and we have Zurhaar, Curtis, and soon Duursma, in front of him.

Could he bulk up and play as a short key forward like Jack Darling? If not, he needs to work his arse off and turn himself into a Tom Lynch style forward / link man.

 

[DuckYeah]

If given a chance and plays to potential 30-35 goal season is in store.
Plus if he can turn well over half his spud games into good games it might result in an outside chance of being near the Top 40 of the AA squad but that’s up to him I think having Parker now at North will help him and others at our club.
Mind you if he drops the lip and spuds it up in games will be stuck in the VFL and could be heading for a 4th Draft swap next year or Delistville.

We have a lot of players kicking 30+ goals next year somehow, magically we are going to quadruple our scoreline in 2025. Darling with 40 goals, Ford with 30, PC with 30, Zurhaar with how ever many have predicted, Larkey with 70.. YOURE ALL COOKED

 

[BlueandWhiteinmyBlood]

We should keep Eddie because he rings in to triple M and does the quiz on his drive home from training.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

We have a lot of players kicking 30+ goals next year somehow, magically we are going to quadruple our scoreline in 2025. Darling with 40 goals, Ford with 30, PC with 30, Zurhaar with how ever many have predicted, Larkey with 70.. YOURE ALL COOKED

1998

Carey 80
Grant 46
Abraham 40
Harvey 32

Yep. I can see us have Larkey kick 70 and 4 other players kick 30 in 2025…

 

[shinboner magic]

We have a lot of players kicking 30+ goals next year somehow, magically we are going to quadruple our scoreline in 2025. Darling with 40 goals, Ford with 30, PC with 30, Zurhaar with how ever many have predicted, Larkey with 70.. YOURE ALL COOKED

Yeah you took a huge risk saying of darling kicks over 40 goals- you’d do a undue run

Considering only 20 players out of 700 or so kicked that many

 

[DuckYeah]

Yeah you took a huge risk saying of darling kicks over 40 goals- you’d do a undue run

Considering only 20 players out of 700 or so kicked that many

I responded to someone saying he could kick 40 goals. I said he’d be lucky to get 30 kicks. I personally believe he’ll average about half a goal
A game. He’ll slot 12-15ish goals. He’d an absolute cabbage.

Someone or anyone suggesting Eddie ford could be a 30 goal player hasn’t paid too much attention to his actual game

 

[Zondor]

Who would yah rather. Cat Stephens with 3 years left on his contract or Eddie Ford with 1 year left on his contract? :stern look

 

[DuckYeah]

Who would yah rather. Cat Stephens with 3 years left on his contract or Eddie Ford with 1 year left on his contract? :stern look

I’d take Stephens over Ford right now. Ford has been a massive disappointment thus far. Stephens level of disappointment isnt there yet. It might even out at the end of 2025 or one may disappoint me more than the other … at the end of the day. They both disappoint me

 

[shintemaster]

Who would yah rather. Cat Stephens with 3 years left on his contract or Eddie Ford with 1 year left on his contract? :stern look

Neither, at this point.

 

[zoomba23]

I’d take Stephens over Ford right now. Ford has been a massive disappointment thus far. Stephens level of disappointment isnt there yet. It might even out at the end of 2025 or one may disappoint me more than the other … at the end of the day. They both disappoint me

Maybe you're more disappointed in Ford because he actually finds ways to get involved. And then butchers the opportunity. As opposed to Stephens, who seems too frightened to get involved in the first place, which minimises the opportunities that he squanders, and therefore the attention he gets

 

[KiwiRoo]

Who would yah rather. Cat Stephens with 3 years left on his contract or Eddie Ford with 1 year left on his contract? :stern look

not giving up on either yet. Both can play.
but im a beer half full type

 

[DuckYeah]

Maybe you're more disappointed in Ford because he actually finds ways to get involved. And then butchers the opportunity. As opposed to Stephens, who seems too frightened to get involved in the first place, which minimises the opportunities that he squanders, and therefore the attention he gets

I just look at the Stephens vs Melbourne game and I dont feel Ford has even come close to a game like that but like I said, im disappointed with both of em

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

There are better, more talented options on the list.

He’s purely depth.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

I like Eddie and I think he's got some X-Factor about him. He certainly appears to have all the tools but he just needs to work harder and turn some of these tools into weapons.

He's the sort of player I could see Geelong turning into an A-Grader if we dumped him and that would shit me no end.

 

[7577969923]

I just look at the Stephens vs Melbourne game and I dont feel Ford has even come close to a game like that but like I said, im disappointed with both of em

Are you referring to the game Stephens played for us against Melbourne? He had 14 touches.


Eddie has had significantly better games than that for us.

 

[DuckYeah]

Are you referring to the game Stephens played for us against Melbourne? He had 14 touches.


Eddie has had significantly better games than that for us.

Yeh could be, its open for interpretations, subjective. Its a pointless exercise because theyre both underwhelming so it doesn’t really matter does it? One good game a year doesn’t cut the mustard, no matter who it is.

 

[ExorcismOfArdenStreet]

Are you referring to the game Stephens played for us against Melbourne? He had 14 touches.


Eddie has had significantly better games than that for us.

Stephens came on as a sub near the end of the 3rd quarter in that game for context.

I think both have talent it's just about putting it together and that's up to them and the development coaches.