Player Watch Ash Johnson

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AJ was poor today, he didn't even touch the ball in the first quarter. He does himself no favours with his perceived efforts defensively. Some days he just looks so disinterested. He is going to struggle when McStay is fit as I cannot see McStay being brought in at the expense of a small like HH, Bobby, or even Ginni. He has some work to do, still.
 
Not great from Ash yesterday.

But those wanting McStay to replace him - I saw very little from McStay in his few games this year. He may have been brought to the club to perform a key role up forward, and he may be on bigger dollars to do that, but I haven’t seen it yet. I hope I’m wrong.

Krueger seems more likely, if he can stay in one piece.
 
Vicky Park said:
Not great from Ash yesterday.

But those wanting McStay to replace him - I saw very little from McStay in his few games this year. He may have been brought to the club to perform a key role up forward, and he may be on bigger dollars to do that, but I haven’t seen it yet. I hope I’m wrong.

Krueger seems more likely, if he can stay in one piece.
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If Krueger plays he needs to stay deep inside the 50, unfortunately he’s quite slow and lacks agility at the top level but he’s a beast strength wise and very clever.
Johnson had me offside after his pathetic effort in the Sydney final last year and yesterday was another example of why he can’t be trusted in really big games.
 
Vicky Park said:
Not great from Ash yesterday.

But those wanting McStay to replace him - I saw very little from McStay in his few games this year. He may have been brought to the club to perform a key role up forward, and he may be on bigger dollars to do that, but I haven’t seen it yet. I hope I’m wrong.

Krueger seems more likely, if he can stay in one piece.
Click to expand...
I agree, McStay doesn't look like he's going to kick 3 or 4 goals a week. Actually, he doen's even average a goal a game. I think Freddy is a better option
 
Axl the great said:
If Krueger plays he needs to stay deep inside the 50, unfortunately he’s quite slow and lacks agility at the top level but he’s a beast strength wise and very clever.
Johnson had me offside after his pathetic effort in the Sydney final last year and yesterday was another example of why he can’t be trusted in really big games.
Click to expand...

I can’t agree re Ash. I still think he has more potential and more to offer than McStay and Krueger- but he does have to work on aspects of his game.
 
Vicky Park said:
I can’t agree re Ash. I still think he has more potential and more to offer than McStay and Krueger- but he does have to work on aspects of his game.
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I'm a big believer in having DM, AJ and BM all in the forward line. AJ just needs to get some urgency in his game. I think our tall; forwards will perform better with all 3 playing
 
That was the worst round possible to put in a performance like that, with McStay available again and Kreuger having a fantastic VFL game.

I think Johnson will get more looks in at AFL level this year. But there is no denying that he didn't make the most of his chance yesterday to make the selectors job as difficult as possible heading into the last month and finals time.
 
Vicky Park said:
Not great from Ash yesterday.

But those wanting McStay to replace him - I saw very little from McStay in his few games this year. He may have been brought to the club to perform a key role up forward, and he may be on bigger dollars to do that, but I haven’t seen it yet. I hope I’m wrong.

Krueger seems more likely, if he can stay in one piece.
Click to expand...

Our Forward line at its best had McStay in the Team
 
Vicky Park said:
I can’t agree re Ash. I still think he has more potential and more to offer than McStay and Krueger- but he does have to work on aspects of his game.
Click to expand...

Has the Talent but will he get fulfill his Potential though?
 

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Was a truly horrible game from Ash and I am a fan. He gave us nothing and looked to have no appetite for the contest. Definitely needs to be the third banana, we really missed having a monster in the forward line against Melbourne. I would have swung Frampton forward and sent Oleg back. Too much on Mihocek's shoulders and nothing at all from Ash yesterday.
 
Mkcaptain said:
That was the worst round possible to put in a performance like that, with McStay available again and Kreuger having a fantastic VFL game.

I think Johnson will get more looks in at AFL level this year. But there is no denying that he didn't make the most of his chance yesterday to make the selectors job as difficult as possible heading into the last month and finals time.
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It was the worst possible time for him to put in a howler, as you say, while awaiting the imminent return of McStay, Kreuger hitting some impressive VFL numbers, and also negotiating a contract extension.

Put in a good performance yesterday and he’d have been very hard to drop for the second half of the season. I know the powers that be don’t make decisions based on one game, but it was lamentable timing.
 
Vicky Park said:
Not great from Ash yesterday.

But those wanting McStay to replace him - I saw very little from McStay in his few games this year. He may have been brought to the club to perform a key role up forward, and he may be on bigger dollars to do that, but I haven’t seen it yet. I hope I’m wrong.

Krueger seems more likely, if he can stay in one piece.
Click to expand...
May and Tomlinson had 17 marks and 12 interceptions between them, all in the back half. McStay knows where and when to lead in a manner that keeps players like this accountable. He also at a minimum halves the marking contests. IMO this is more valuable to the side than the extra goal a game you get from AJ.
 
Axl the great said:
If Krueger plays he needs to stay deep inside the 50, unfortunately he’s quite slow and lacks agility at the top level but he’s a beast strength wise and very clever.
Johnson had me offside after his pathetic effort in the Sydney final last year and yesterday was another example of why he can’t be trusted in really big games.
Click to expand...
He is actually really fast for a big man, he's just a tad unco at times it can look a bit awkward.

McStay probably seems more likely to come in after bye, however I think Kreuger is a bigger threat to Cox in the near future.
 
Pies_10 said:
Definitely out next week, finally BTW.
Guy pads his stats often in late parts of games, doesn't have ounce of defensive accountability and once his head drops he's done for the day. McStay easy in
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I have noticed that. If he drops a couple of marks he seems to go into sulk mode rather than fire up and become determined to make amends. He looked like the AJ of the prelim final all over again. Invisible. Zero defensive pressure or effort in chasing and tackling.
 
windchimes said:
He is actually really fast for a big man, he's just a tad unco at times it can look a bit awkward.

McStay probably seems more likely to come in after bye, however I think Kreuger is a bigger threat to Cox in the near future.
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It could also be Cameron who could be in trouble. If Howe comes back, Cox, Freddy and Frampton looks like the best combination
 
I'm surprised people think Krueger is a better option than McStay.
McStay is proven. You only need to watch 2 of the finals he played for Brisbane in 2022.
He is strong and experienced. He is what Mihocek and the forward line needs.

I'm yet to see anything from Kreuger in an AFL game. The risk is he just can't see a game out.
Krueger has played 2 AFL games in 2023. For a total of 7 disposals, 1 mark, 0 goals, 1 tackle. He has a long way to go.

McStay offers far more than Krueger. He has only played 4 games and I'm sure once he returns he will get better over the rest of the season.
 
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I'd personally be letting Kreuger get another good month of footy out of his body in the VFL before looking at him at AFL level. Love the bloke and the way he competes, but he needs to get through a good solid block of games, even for his own sake to have faith that his body can hold up over a period of time.

IMO McStay coming back in will be massive for AJ and our other forwards. Yesterday our forwards were over worked by May, Lever and Tomlinson etc, McStay in that side makes one of them accountable and halves contests, which allows checkers and AJ to work over the second and third defenders. McStay also creates a consistent target and presence i50, which opens up space and leading channels for someone like an AJ who is a lead and mark forward type.
 
Vicky Park said:
I can’t agree re Ash. I still think he has more potential and more to offer than McStay and Krueger- but he does have to work on aspects of his game.
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The Talent is definitely there, but he was a ghost in last years final against Sydney and in hindsight we play Ollie Henry and we win no doubt.
Again, yesterday big game, goes missing and some of his defensive efforts were deplorable.
The vision doesn't lie and McStay at least offers a heap more than Johnson does over a full four quarters.
Ash would have more leeway if we were a side building and trying to get in contention, for mine as a team challenging and in the top end of the league his efforts are unacceptable.
 
Axl the great said:
The Talent is definitely there, but he was a ghost in last years final against Sydney and in hindsight we play Ollie Henry and we win no doubt.
Again, yesterday big game, goes missing and some of his defensive efforts were deplorable.
The vision doesn't lie and McStay at least offers a heap more than Johnson does over a full four quarters.
Ash would have more leeway if we were a side building and trying to get in contention, for mine as a team challenging and in the top end of the league his efforts are unacceptable.
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As much as I love what Aj brings , I agree. Even if he was specifically told not to exert himself outside of leading etc... to manage some sort of condition I still can't imagine too many AFL footballers with a competitive instict jogging along watching a guy a couple of metres away sprint away with the footy. If he can sort out that side of his game , the sky's the limit.
 
Johno9911 said:
I'd personally be letting Kreuger get another good month of footy out of his body in the VFL before looking at him at AFL level. Love the bloke and the way he competes, but he needs to get through a good solid block of games, even for his own sake to have faith that his body can hold up over a period of time.

IMO McStay coming back in will be massive for AJ and our other forwards. Yesterday our forwards were over worked by May, Lever and Tomlinson etc, McStay in that side makes one of them accountable and halves contests, which allows checkers and AJ to work over the second and third defenders. McStay also creates a consistent target and presence i50, which opens up space and leading channels for someone like an AJ who is a lead and mark forward type.
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I think you are right about Nathan he does need 2 or 3 more games at VFL but if he stays healthy and kicks 8 to 12 goals which he is quite capable of doing I would be inclined to bring him because I see him as a more physical than either Johnson or McStay and I think we need a big body with aggression to make the opposition think twice something they do not do now with either McStay or Johnson.

Krueger has quite a bit of pace for a big fella and does not shirk using it either, he is still throwing himself kamikaze like, he just needs to tempur it a little but the aggression is needed.
 

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Player Watch Ash Johnson

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