Delisted #49: Jaiden Hunter - Heading home - 15/8

[VelvetSledge]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2024
2024 My Boy Draft: Who dares wins

 

[bombreys]

Stewart's Dad died last week. I'd take some time off from team meetings and watching cuts of footage too, especially if I'm already rehabbing an injury with no prospect of playing either way for at least a couple more weeks.

You're right, he was not a fully developed midfielder or small forward that finished growing when he was 15 and spent the next three years honing his craft and building muscle mass.

He quite obviously was drafted as a 202cm ruck who was still growing and 10-15kg below playing weight even after putting on 12kg in his draft year. He was likely not used to his bigger frame, and probably not used to playing ruck either, since kids that grow that tall typically grow late and are not the tallest kid in the team through their junior career. He was always going to take time.

He is now a 21 year old developing third ruck with 7 AFL games under his belt, at a club with a 32yo second ruck, a healthy (until now) 1st ruck, and a 2-ruck game plan. Bryan's time will come, and it's not far away.

Here's a post from about six weeks ago, in the Reid thread. Bryan was 19 when he debuted:




And to bring us back to the point of the thread, all of the same things pretty much apply to 21 year old key forwards in the mid-season draft.

I obviously didn't know Stewart's Dad died - that's awful. And makes talking about footy on the internet seem next to pointless.


With the Bryan stuff, I clearly think he's more ready than most do. I think we'd need to give him 5-odd games for the rest of the year to convince him to stay - hopefully that is the case.

 

[Vander18]

Also worth noting that Hunter only returned in May this year from an ACL suffered in 2022. I can’t find anything re a back injury whilst with Perth.

 

[Nifft]

I would keep him on the list, showed something in his limited time.
Surely get a bulk discount on the back repairs jobs. Dodo working the angles…

I don't disagree, but hopefully Hunter, Jones and Stewart aren't all injured again next year. Especially if Weideman still isn't doing well in the seniors.

 

[Duckworth]

I don't disagree, but hopefully Hunter, Jones and Stewart aren't all injured again next year. Especially if Weideman still isn't doing well in the seniors.

It is a risk, but at least it's a risk in a position we need. Laverde eventually got his body right, so there is some time with the younger guys.

I'd cut our losses with Stewart, if he does recover, he/we won't be around long enough to reap the benefits.

Weiderman, I think we've seen what we will get from him. Another year is OK, and he is showing the young guys what they need to do to overtake him.

 

[Nifft]

It is a risk, but at least it's a risk in a position we need. Laverde eventually got his body right, so there is some time with the younger guys.

I'd cut our losses with Stewart, if he does recover, he/we won't be around long enough to reap the benefits.

Weiderman, I think we've seen what we will get from him. Another year is OK, and he is showing the young guys what they need to do to overtake him.

I think Weideman is contracted to the end of 2025. I agree about cutting Stewart to free up the list spot.

It'll be a tough decision to make regarding Jones and Hunter. Given they have to keep Weideman for a another couple of years, it'll be interesting to see if it's worth the risk of having so many KPFs that are underperforming or injured. I'd probably keep only one of Jones or Hunter, but I have no idea which would be the better option to hold onto.

 

[faible]

I think Weideman is contracted to the end of 2025. I agree about cutting Stewart to free up the list spot.

It'll be a tough decision to make regarding Jones and Hunter. Given they have to keep Weideman for a another couple of years, it'll be interesting to see if it's worth the risk of having so many KPFs that are underperforming or injured. I'd probably keep only one of Jones or Hunter, but I have no idea which would be the better option to hold onto.

I'd keep both if it were me and only make 3 list changes off the top of my head;

Pay out Stewart
Delist Lord
Delist McBride

Consideration given to Voss, Heppell and whether we need Phillips for another year or pick-up a younger project ruck type instead.

Take our 1st and 2nd to the draft, maybe pick up a FA or a trade target.

We've still got a very young list with a lot of TBC players; Reid, Cox, Hunter, Jones, Hayes & Bryan all need another 12 months (or more) IMO. Bring in high end talent and see where the list growth goes for us.

I'd say Hunter showed enough in a small sample to deserve time to rehab his back and get more games under his belt, would have been pretty close to an AFL debut in the next fortnight on his early VFL form.

 

[andleanback]

I'd keep both if it were me and only make 3 list changes off the top of my head;

Pay out Stewart
Delist Lord
Delist McBride

Consideration given to Voss, Heppell and whether we need Phillips for another year or pick-up a younger project ruck type instead.

Take our 1st and 2nd to the draft, maybe pick up a FA or a trade target.

We've still got a very young list with a lot of TBC players; Reid, Cox, Hunter, Jones, Hayes & Bryan all need another 12 months (or more) IMO. Bring in high end talent and see where the list growth goes for us.

I'd say Hunter showed enough in a small sample to deserve time to rehab his back and get more games under his belt, would have been pretty close to an AFL debut in the next fortnight on his early VFL form.

We’ve got to make more changes due to baldwin needing to be upgraded. I’d say at this stage Tippa will go aswell, and a chance also Snelling.

 

[Lore]

I think moving Walla to rookie list makes sense.

 

[ant555]

We’ve got to make more changes due to baldwin needing to be upgraded. I’d say at this stage Tippa will go aswell, and a chance also Snelling.

I agree Walla and Snelling are under pressure.

I think moving Walla to rookie list makes sense.

Would seem the right move if he wants to play on. Hope they can find him a job at the club. Maybe some of what Narkle was doing.

 

[andleanback]

I think moving Walla to rookie list makes sense.

Except there isn’t much room on the rookie list atm. Wouldn’t really make a difference.

 

[ant555]

Except there isn’t much room on the rookie list atm. Wouldn’t really make a difference.

He could just swap with Baldwin so to speak.

 

[andleanback]

He could just swap with Baldwin so to speak.

True! But we need another space if we want to keep hunter. I was thinking upgrade baldwin and keep hunter.

 

[Don Won]

He could just swap with Baldwin so to speak.

True! But we need another space if we want to keep hunter. I was thinking upgrade baldwin and keep hunter.

Are we sold on Montgomery? We could keep Tippa and Hunter if we lost him.

 

[ant555]

Are we sold on Montgomery? We could keep Tippa and Hunter if we lost him.

Monty has been one of the better VFL performers so far. He would be top 3 B&F from what I have seen.

 

[yodellinhank]

Monty has been one of the better VFL performers so far. He would be top 3 B&F from what I have seen.

The Essendon VFL B&F?

 

[andleanback]

Are we sold on Montgomery? We could keep Tippa and Hunter if we lost him.

Done nothing wrong, I’d like to see him after another preseason. I’m confident he can be an afl player long term. No point picking him up if they’re just going to cut him after a year.

 

[ant555]

The Essendon VFL B&F?

Probably not going to be the VFLW B&F

 

[Don Won]

Monty has been one of the better VFL performers so far. He would be top 3 B&F from what I have seen.

Done nothing wrong, I’d like to see him after another preseason. I’m confident he can be an afl player long term. No point picking him up if they’re just going to cut him after a year.

Fair enough. I guess we’re going to need to move on a good player somewhere (if Heppell and Walla stay on the list)

 

[jmoo wan]

I think moving Walla to rookie list makes sense.

yep the young fella is showing a bit of promise

 

[Lore]

Except there isn’t much room on the rookie list atm. Wouldn’t really make a difference.

True! But we need another space if we want to keep hunter. I was thinking upgrade baldwin and keep hunter.

Gotta make it work somehow...

 

[Blind Turn]

If nothing else I want that kick.

Can we keep the kick on the list?

 

[fairbump_playon]

If nothing else I want that kick.

Can we keep the kick on the list?

Because your kick, your kick is on my list
Because your kick, your kick I can't resist
Because your kick is on my list of the best things in liiiife.

 

[Zach Package]

Are we sold on Montgomery? We could keep Tippa and Hunter if we lost him.

I suspect the only reason we’re not seeing Montgomerie have a genuine and immediate breakout at AFL level is that the injury epidemic has sofar avoided the mediums and the smalls.

His game translates to AFL level, just a matter of some opportunity, which is often the case with rookie picks.

Harsh reality is that he may never get it and he may get moved on despite the fact I think he’s comfortably good enough from what I’ve seen.

 

[ghostdog]

How long does it take a back stress fracture to repair anyway, and is it linked to his ACL?
I actually hope they can find a way to keep him if he's fixable. At 21, the upside is obvious.
I don't know much about list management, but from what I've read, we'd at least be looking to delist;
Lord
McBride
Stewart (pending signing of McKay/Himmelberg)

Surely that puts us in the frame to keep Hunter and give him time to demonstrate. The talent is there.

 

[ant555]

How long does it take a back stress fracture to repair anyway, and is it linked to his ACL?
I actually hope they can find a way to keep him if he's fixable. At 21, the upside is obvious.
I don't know much about list management, but from what I've read, we'd at least be looking to delist;
Lord
McBride
Stewart (pending signing of McKay/Himmelberg)

Surely that puts us in the frame to keep Hunter and give him time to demonstrate. The talent is there.

You would think that he would be under consideration given we liked what he was doing and he played well in his last game. They have time to rest the back for the pre season and given he is 21 and has a solid frame he does not need to be hitting the weights massively .