Admittedly I haven't seen much of Saad play, but the supporter expectation on him are quite big...What type of player is he? I have seen he is a HB, wing, HF...Kako and El Hawli better deliver from round 1 given the expectations from supporters.
AFL Player #41: Saad El-Hawli - Signs on for 2025! - 14/8
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I think he’ll make a good fist of it. He’s the sort of player who I reckon will be even better for having quality players around him (unfortunately most of the quality players around him will be opposition players but I’m sure you get my drift).
- Mar 28, 2010
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He will play multiple different positions that he shouldn't be playing, ruining all of his confidence, making him a master of none and completely Essingtoning him for good.
- Jul 16, 2013
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Let's start him as a centre half back.
- Mar 29, 2012
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Mate if i was Saad and I stepped onto the field of battle with Jye ****ing Menzie and saw him go to work.... I know I could rack up 30 possies at will and I'll start calling myself the big S.
To be fair, El Hawli has had the better AFL career thus far.
- Feb 14, 2023
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That’s tricky.
He’s been playing wing at VFL level because he’s both a good Small Forward and halfback and wing allows him to essentially play both roles at will.
Given Essendons list needs I would expect him to be competing for either HB or SF as our top 3 wings (Martin/Dursma/Jones) seem pretty set. With SF the more likely option
eth-dog
Tier 1 WW Player
He's struggled to consistently impact as a small forward at VFL level, much more dangerous playing wing or half back. I think he probably ends up a winger.
Bench.
- Mar 1, 2021
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Wing will be his best position imo. We lack speed in the middle. It's why Roberts looked so good on the wing.
Build his way up to ruck.
Jones is not going to play wing. He had a crack there because he’s a failed forward but after the first novelty act it was over.
- Feb 14, 2023
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I thought he looked pretty natural as a wing for someone who didn’t really know how to position himself.
Thought it was a huge find. Is everything we thought Cox would be (and hasn’t become) Have the speed and tank. Decent kick, became a good source of pressure relieving marks when matched up on wingmen who he towered over.
Plus snuck a few marks forward and back floating across a pack (as is his favourite way to mark)
- Nov 1, 2021
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I feel like you're being pretty harsh on Jones overall I think he had a pretty good year. He was one of the few players who showed improvement, I'm not sure about his position, but he showed plenty.
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- Apr 23, 2016
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Wing and CHF / HFF are a bit samey, he has the tank to be able to do most of the relief marking stuff coming out of the forward-line as well. He doesn't really have the midfield nous to know how to position himself around stoppages which is the downside of Jones as winger IMO.
If he can take some confidence from his time on the wing and translate it to playing out of the forward-line he might be OK.
- May 6, 2007
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El - Hawli ends up at half back, maybe a wing if he can show that ability to get up and back with his mature body and running power an asset already.
I can see him playing a lot of footy next year as 2024 was injury set backs just as he was pushing (hard) for a debut.
I can see him playing a lot of footy next year as 2024 was injury set backs just as he was pushing (hard) for a debut.
If he’s one of our two key forwards we’re doomed. He has a great aerobic capacity and no other discernible AFL quality..
We're keeping Wright so I doubt it. I think we're going smaller if Stringer goes and demanding that Wright competes harder. Maybe it's Wright who's gone at the end of next year if he can't do that. The other alternative would be Draper ruck-forward supporting Bryan.
ant555
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Hope he debuts next year.
EnolaGay
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Injury aside, should be a certainty given Kelly and Heppell are gone.
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Have a feeling he'll play over 12 games, might play them all.
ant555
The Oracle
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Judging on how he played with us I *don’t honk he will be more wing / half forward.
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good to know
