Player Watch Ash Johnson

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Talented guy, just plays an uncontested game unless it’s taking hangers on people. Not what our gameplan demands.
 
Bianconeri said:
Surely he’s done as a forward with that Kreuger performance. We should hopefully have enough forward depth with WHE considered a back up kpp, Mihocek and McStay to back and with Reef and Eyre in the VFL.

Play down back for the rest of year to see if that’s an option and assess in the off season.
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Still has time, remainder of this year and all of next. I’d rather hope that he pulls it together than write him off.
 
I don't understand why we would try to make AJ a backman? Is that because he is struggling to play the position he has played all his life?

FWIW I think he makes a terrible defender. He isn't a physical player, doesn't man up, loses confidence easily, and generally not an overly competitive.

At best, maybe he just plays half forward moving up to the wing.
I think one of his problems is that when he plays deep forward, he is hanging around the back looking to take a hanger.
Not sure he likes to get in a physical tussle in a contest.
 

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AJ seems to be like the Chocolate Frogs in Harry Potter - only has one big effort in him.
I watched him closely against the Doggies and he has no second efforts in him. That needs to change - which is simply work rate - for him to have any chance. I hope it clicks for him.
 
VinnieB said:
I don't understand why we would try to make AJ a backman? Is that because he is struggling to play the position he has played all his life?

FWIW I think he makes a terrible defender. He isn't a physical player, doesn't man up, loses confidence easily, and generally not an overly competitive.

At best, maybe he just plays half forward moving up to the wing.
I think one of his problems is that when he plays deep forward, he is hanging around the back looking to take a hanger.
Not sure he likes to get in a physical tussle in a contest.
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My hope has always been he develops the tank for that role but it seems unlikely at this point.
 
VinnieB said:
I don't understand why we would try to make AJ a backman? Is that because he is struggling to play the position he has played all his life?

FWIW I think he makes a terrible defender. He isn't a physical player, doesn't man up, loses confidence easily, and generally not an overly competitive.

At best, maybe he just plays half forward moving up to the wing.
I think one of his problems is that when he plays deep forward, he is hanging around the back looking to take a hanger.
Not sure he likes to get in a physical tussle in a contest.
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AJ cannot and should not play on the wing. Running capacity isn’t there.
 
VinnieB said:
I don't understand why we would try to make AJ a backman? Is that because he is struggling to play the position he has played all his life?

FWIW I think he makes a terrible defender. He isn't a physical player, doesn't man up, loses confidence easily, and generally not an overly competitive.

At best, maybe he just plays half forward moving up to the wing.
I think one of his problems is that when he plays deep forward, he is hanging around the back looking to take a hanger.
Not sure he likes to get in a physical tussle in a contest.
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The answer is because he was struggling really badly as a forward at vfl level.
 
I still remember some of the great things he did in the seniors. Sticky hands and that beautiful flowing kicking style.

My view is that he stays as a forward and we leave him in the VFL until he forces his way back in.

Fingers crossed he gets back to the good times and he can come back in as that dangerous third tall
 

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Kappa said:
why would we honor AJ's contract? He's barely VFL quality at times, and he's getting old.
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Because that would be the decent thing to do. He showed some skill in 22 and some of 23 he looked good. But we may pay him out or give him away for nothing to an interested club if we can find one.
 
Pleasedontfail11 said:
Doubt it will happen. He will be retained imo if a trade cant be done. We might put him on the rookie list at worst. Only hurts player morale to delist him like that.
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Watching some of his VFL efforts would hurt morale more. How do you tell kids to chase hard and tackle when the senior players aren't?
 
Tippy78 said:
I still remember some of the great things he did in the seniors. Sticky hands and that beautiful flowing kicking style.

My view is that he stays as a forward and we leave him in the VFL until he forces his way back in.

Fingers crossed he gets back to the good times and he can come back in as that dangerous third tall
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The problem for him is our third tall is a ruckman. Then it's an allrounder in Elliott. He needs to be able to offer a reliable aerial contest as one of our two talls or develop a ground level game - and neither are likely.
 
sr36 said:
The problem for him is our third tall is a ruckman. Then it's an allrounder in Elliott. He needs to be able to offer a reliable aerial contest as one of our two talls or develop a ground level game - and neither are likely.
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I think we'll delist him and pay out his remaining year. He wouldn't be on much and to be Honest, he's afraid of the contest and hasn't got the drive. It's a shame but his future is in his own hands but doesn't want it. He's played more AFL than me though. No one wanted old manic except a couple of nibbles from the scum
 
manicpie said:
I think we'll delist him and pay out his remaining year. He wouldn't be on much and to be Honest, he's afraid of the contest and hasn't got the drive. It's a shame but his future is in his own hands but doesn't want it. He's played more AFL than me though. No one wanted old manic except a couple of nibbles from the scum
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He's a write off in our game style. My question is, is there a club that plays a style where they hit up leading forwards all the way up to the wing where AJ could succeed?
 
sr36 said:
He's a write off in our game style. My question is, is there a club that plays a style where they hit up leading forwards all the way up to the wing where AJ could succeed?
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I would say Carlton plays a more controlled style game that relies on leading forwards. They also lack a third tall forward. I guess it is whether they want McKay to stay at home or be that lead up?
 
sr36 said:
He's a write off in our game style. My question is, is there a club that plays a style where they hit up leading forwards all the way up to the wing where AJ could succeed?
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i've been a big supporter of AJ's over the journey cos he clearly has the talent

lack of intensity & willingness to do the blue-collar stuff is simply terminal in today's footy

appears he's lost the support of the coaches as precursor / post-script to a massive loss of his own self-confidence

as the 3rd /4th banana would be a decent Elliott or WHE (as a forward) replacement ..offensive stuff only cos he just doesn't seem to buy into the defensive side of things

alas
 
sam_e said:
as the 3rd /4th banana would be a decent Elliott or WHE (as a forward) replacement ..offensive stuff only cos he just doesn't seem to buy into the defensive side of things
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With us, it's not just the defensive stuff - it's also the ground level stuff in terms of what Elliott offers. Repeat effort after repeat effort in the air or on the ground.

Some teams play more of a hit up style from their forwards. He'd be a chance in that game style.
 

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Player Watch Ash Johnson

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