Recommitted Jedd Busslinger [Signed until 2026]

[Mofra]

If you're pick 13, spend the next two years not playing senior footy and you're out of contract, you're not going to be worth much on the trade table.

This season - his second - hasn't even started yet.

 

[adogsfan5]

This season - his second - hasn't even started yet.

Supposedly if you’re not picked in a main scratch match, your papers are stamped

 

[Bald]

Supposedly if you’re not picked in a main scratch match, your papers are stamped

Marcus Bontempelli will be most displeased to read this.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Is he ready to debut early in the year? They didn't even play him in any practise games that I saw?

 

[ROO DOGG]

He is a massive list need for us, you'd think we would have a crack at bringing him into our side. We have so much spare cash and just dont see where we are going to spend it. Its a no brainer.

 

[The 747]

Just looked him up, hasn't played AFL and looks untrustworthy. Good target for the Eagles.

 

[ROO DOGG]

Just looked him up, hasn't played AFL and looks untrustworthy. Good target for the Eagles.

 

[The 747]

Might fit right in.

 

[ROO DOGG]

View attachment 1926021

Might fit right in.

Its that dirty moustache isn't it.

 

[Dazb86]

Is he ready to debut early in the year? They didn't even play him in any practise games that I saw?

Probably not early unless we get more injuries. He's probably 4th or 5th in line at the moment behind some below average players. Not quite ready for AFL level yet. He has improved since last year according to the track watchers at the club but probably still a ways off from being ready to play against AFL types.

Good kick for a tall and a good intercept mark. Slightly slow and underdeveloped.

Not sure I'd be throwing big dollars at him but I don't think we'd be able to match it if it happened. He's very much a player of need for our list build due to our KPD stocks being hot garbage.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Straight to the PSD I reckon

 

[stallon]

Probably not early unless we get more injuries. He's probably 4th or 5th in line at the moment behind some below average players. Not quite ready for AFL level yet. He has improved since last year according to the track watchers at the club but probably still a ways off from being ready to play against AFL types.

Good kick for a tall and a good intercept mark. Slightly slow and underdeveloped.

Not sure I'd be throwing big dollars at him but I don't think we'd be able to match it if it happened. He's very much a player of need for our list build due to our KPD stocks being hot garbage.

You guys are going to have issues trying to fit English, Darcy, Naughton, JUH, and Croft in the same lineup, do you think one of them becomes a defender?
If so maybe your defensive stocks arent so bad. Id imagine Buss is meant to be the main guy back there in a couple of years, but do you think you have backup options if we take him?

 

[Bald]

You guys are going to have issues trying to fit English, Darcy, Naughton, JUH, and Croft in the same lineup, do you think one of them becomes a defender?
If so maybe your defensive stocks arent so bad. Id imagine Buss is meant to be the main guy back there in a couple of years, but do you think you have backup options if we take him?

It's probably not as tricky as most think.

English is the main ruck.
Darcy plays Lobb's role as a second ruck/forward (think Daniher).
Naughton is the CHF.
Jamarra is the FF.

Croft plays in the VFL this year and probably plays as a defender in 2025.

 

[adogsfan5]

You guys are going to have issues trying to fit English, Darcy, Naughton, JUH, and Croft in the same lineup, do you think one of them becomes a defender?
If so maybe your defensive stocks arent so bad. Id imagine Buss is meant to be the main guy back there in a couple of years, but do you think you have backup options if we take him?

Think too many people are looking at Busslinger as someone who’s going to take a #1 forward down the track or to take the gorilla forwards, purely based on only looking at his height (cm).

I am confident that is never going to happen. Seems to be more of a Lever/Howe/Aliir type as a third tall intercepter.

Our future is O’Donnell/Busslinger/Croft.

 

[stallon]

It's probably not as tricky as most think.

English is the main ruck.
Darcy plays Lobb's role as a second ruck/forward (think Daniher).
Naughton is the CHF.
Jamarra is the FF.

Croft plays in the VFL this year and probably plays as a defender in 2025.

Im thinking more in 3-4 years time, when English will still be there, if JUH and Naughton sign on theyll be there, Croft will have to be in the seniors by then, and Darcy obviously.
Croft to defence makes sense

 

[TiAn_]

Id imagine Buss is meant to be the main guy back there in a couple of years, but do you think you have backup options if we take him?

Doubt he’s the lynchpin of any defence for a long time yet, if ever. Maybe in his mid 20s once he really fills out. He’s not really a key defender, he’s just tall. For the first half of his career he’ll be an interceptor and distributor as he’s a nice kick.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Croft was told before he was drafted that he'll be trained and played as a defender (and he has done before / has the qualities of a good one) all pre-season, his been training with the defenders. We've been a KPD short for a while so he fills a need, and he knows that breaking into the side with Naughton, JUH, Lobb and Darcy would be a tall order.

Buss, as said, beanpole and came in with a ****ed shoulder, last year was a complete write-off for the lad.

I'd expect him to get some senior game time this year, his come on very strong during this off season.

Some seriously delusional WCE fans in there.

 

[stallon]

Croft was told before he was drafted that he'll be trained and played as a defender (and he has done before / has the qualities of a good one) all pre-season, his been training with the defenders. We've been a KPD short for a while so he fills a need, and he knows that breaking into the side with Naughton, JUH, Lobb and Darcy would be a tall order.

Thats interesting, and makes sense

Buss, as said, beanpole and came in with a ****ed shoulder, last year was a complete write-off for the lad.

I'd expect him to get some senior game time this year, his come on very strong during this off season.

Some seriously delusional WCE fans in there.

idk about delusional, we have cash to throw around and Buss is an area of need for us too. We havent had any indication either way but I think we are at least a shot at getting him, until he signs. I dont think it matters if he gets game time, thats more of an indication of where hes at in his development rather than where he might play next year

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Thats interesting, and makes sense

idk about delusional, we have cash to throw around and Buss is an area of need for us too. We havent had any indication either way but I think we are at least a shot at getting him, until he signs. I dont think it matters if he gets game time, thats more of an indication of where hes at in his development rather than where he might play next year

I completely agree, all moot point until he signs, but comments like ''his worth nothing'' and ''walk him to the PSD'' just make me scratch my head.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Yes, but he's in his second year now and the coach isn't prepared to give him a taste in practice matches against Hawthorn, even with 3 of their key-defenders injured. If I was in his position I wouldn't be overly enthusiastic.

He had a lot of injuries in his first year which slowed down his development. This year was his first proper preseason.

 

[jesterwester]

I completely agree, all moot point until he signs, but comments like ''his worth nothing'' and ''walk him to the PSD'' just make me scratch my head.

We also won’t walk him to the PSD either. We aren’t too difficult to deal with at the trade table.

See Brockman this last period gone, for example. If he leaves, you’ll get something close enough to value.

Only starting his second year. He will be fine. An apprenticeship at VFL level is hardly a cause for concern at this point.

 

[bobs head soup]

You guys are going to have issues trying to fit English, Darcy, Naughton, JUH, and Croft in the same lineup, do you think one of them becomes a defender?
If so maybe your defensive stocks arent so bad. Id imagine Buss is meant to be the main guy back there in a couple of years, but do you think you have backup options if we take him?

We got very lucky finding James O'Donnell as a speculative Cat B rookie last year. Has exceeded all expectations as a tall defender.

Our medium term (2-4 years) spine should be something like;

English first ruck, Darcy 2nd ruck/forward, Naughton, Ugle Hagan tall forwards.

Tall defenders a mix of Croft, O'Donnell, Busslinger, Khamis, Coffield with Gardner and Cleary as depth (more of a work in progress).

Healthiest talls set up we've ever had.

 

[Dazb86]

You guys are going to have issues trying to fit English, Darcy, Naughton, JUH, and Croft in the same lineup, do you think one of them becomes a defender?
If so maybe your defensive stocks arent so bad. Id imagine Buss is meant to be the main guy back there in a couple of years, but do you think you have backup options if we take him?

Croft is the guy thats being trained as a defender. Darcy is being developed as a ruck/fwd and the other 2 are KPF's.

All things going well our future KPD lineup 'should' be O'Donnell, Croft and Busslinger.

Thats with Bevo in charge anyway. It could change under a different coach pretty easily.

 

[ROO DOGG]

I completely agree, all moot point until he signs, but comments like ''his worth nothing'' and ''walk him to the PSD'' just make me scratch my head.

That came from one of our most delusional posters on our board to be fair. It certainly doesn't reflect most Eagles fans opinions. He would at this point in time probably cost a late first early second. That same poster wants our new CEO sacked after a couple of months in the job.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

This season - his second - hasn't even started yet.

It's kind of wild it's even a conversation.

SDK was very young to be coming into our 2022 and performing and he was only a year older with no history of major injury delaying his development.