1 hour ago, daisycutter said:

year over? he's got a vfl prelim final this sat.......or have i missed something?

I think most of the AFL listed players would be very disappointed to be playing in the VFL. His year appears to be over as far as the AFL goes. Although you just never know....

1 hour ago, ucanchoose said:

Cannot kick for nuts...

Runs freaky fast, breaks the line then either bombs it high or clangers it straight to the opposition.

Needs to learn how to slow down after the initial burst and hit target...  much like Frosty has done.   Learn his limits then he'll be a weapon 

So his torpedo from outside 50m doesn’t rate with you? He can kick. It’s where he kicks it that is often not good due to poor decision making.

I think Jayden is certainly a keeper - I hope he turns his fortunes around in 2019 and becomes an important member of an improving team. I can see a role for him on the wing if he can work on his delivery inside 50 

42 minutes ago, JTR said:

Disclaimer - Big Footy

I was lurking on the Norf board the other day to see what they were saying re Preuss trade rumour. One poster suggested they'd want Hunt in return. Another person shut that idea down based on what he'd "heard" re some off field issues. He elaborated when pressed but I'm not going to give it air and repeat it here because it's probably horse [censored]. And because Norf flogs & Big Footy.

I'm sure if anyone is interested they could find it, however

There are no 'off-field' issues. Early in the season Jayden was told he needed to work on the defensive side of his game and was given the feedback following one or two Casey games that the club was happy with how he'd gone.

From what I can gather he was given mixed messages as far as his chances of getting a game if we made the finals ie prior to the WC game.

I think Jayden is a 'confidence player' who wants the opportunity to show his skills (including the fact that he's addressed the long bombing.

I sense, like Hoges, he gets down on himself at times (no smart alec stuff please).

Hunt had back issues over pre-season, meaning he struggled to build fitness and confidence in his body. He had back issues in his first few season on the list, so it's an ongoing thing unfortunately. Once fit enough to play, he struggled with confidence and then multiple other injuries. 

When fit and in form, he's in the top 10 players IMO. He's got a really high ceiling, as his running is used as hard to defend as it is to attack. He's got unmatched speed, a great leap, and plays with flair. He's one of the few players I feel could be really effective on a wing for us long term. Last season he was bordering on AA half back flank form, nearly as damaging as Hibberd. He's still young, and with less than 50 games to his name I wouldn't trade him unless he was part of landing us a bonafide superstar. 

35 minutes ago, Dee Foxxx said:

So his torpedo from outside 50m doesn’t rate with you? He can kick. It’s where he kicks it that is often not good due to poor decision making.

a single goal he kicked in a fairly low pressure situation does not define his kicking ability 

we don't really need jayden. trade bait. 

I doubt we make it that far but if we do the sight of Jordan Lewis attempting to chase Richmond forwards will make plenty on here very keen on Hunt.

Didn’t look fit at the start of the year. Got injured, came back and was far from terrible and then got injured again. 

Hopefully plays well in the VFL finals and carries some confidence in to preseason. Get him fully fit and he’s very much a required player 

An important player for 2019 and beyond.

But has to play his role as per game plan and become a disciplined footballer (which I suspect is not his natural inclination). 

Next year will be make or break for him. 

3 hours ago, Is Dom Is Good said:

I am absolutely confident he will be best 22 in the future.

Seemed to have some injury concerns at the start of the season and in pre-season which killed his confidence. Think he was also rushed back too quickly against Sydney out of necessity and wasn't ready.

I think he just needs to re-set come pre-season next year and work on doing the little things right. Confident that McCartney will get him back to his best.

Bluddoath! Back to his best from training well over summer. It adds that speed dynamic and we all know that his skills can be modified for greater effect (in a very short period of time) as we are now witnessing what a good club we are at '...developing our talents to achieve success...'

season is not over and i can't see us willing to let him go

vince is retiring, lewis has likely one year left...the role is there for hunt to claim - he's great in the air and loves to use his run, and really needs to hit targets more often than he does of course

2 minutes ago, whatwhatsaywhat said:

season is not over and i can't see us willing to let him go

vince is retiring, lewis has likely one year left...the role is there for hunt to claim - he's great in the air and loves to use his run, and really needs to hit targets more often than he does of course

hard to see Hunt playing the Lewis role but who knows.

He just looks lost at VFL level. The days of the running player are gone... it's the player with the 10 metre burst who is now the line breaker (or more correctly zone breaker). No use going for a big run and then having to stop because all your team mates are behind you.

1 hour ago, Sydee said:

I think Jayden is certainly a keeper - I hope he turns his fortunes around in 2019 and becomes an important member of an improving team. I can see a role for him on the wing if he can work on his delivery inside 50 

Agree Sydee, starting on the wing with his blistering pace and booming kick makes sense, particularly considering outside run is a weakness of ours. 

If he improves his (1) conditioning, (2) willingness to run both ways and (3) decision making he'd be a weapon. Even improvement in 2 out of 3 of those present him as a potential upgrade on the current setup 

Jayden's attributes.

+

The number of players now in our best 22 who showed a glimpse, then ended up 'working on their game' with Casey before returning as much more complete, well-rounded players.

=

Reasonable confidence that there's a respectable future for him.

Looking forward to seeing Hunt in the team alongside Lever, Frost, Salem, Hibberd and Jetta.

I have weighed in on this one before. He’s a special  talent: huge pace, spring, good hands, kicks the ball a mile, fanatic attack on the ball. He’ll come good. Talk of trading him is ridiculous.

5 hours ago, ucanchoose said:

Cannot kick for nuts...

Runs freaky fast, breaks the line then either bombs it high or clangers it straight to the opposition.

Needs to learn how to slow down after the initial burst and hit target...  much like Frosty has done.   Learn his limits then he'll be a weapon 

Hopefully McCartney can work on these issues.

All very well to run fast: not sure he thinks as fast as he runs. 

Good coaching may round him off. 

6 hours ago, Dr.D said:

Him and Frost are basically the same player except one is key position and hunt is a flanker so maybe having them both in the team would hurt too much with their foot skills?

Were the same players.

Now Frost has turned his thinking around, and finds targets by hand and by foot.

5 hours ago, RedButMostlyBlue said:

Agree with much of the above. He's got heart, he runs hard - but sometimes his execution/decision making has let him down. Some of that could be confidence, and some perhaps injury.

Either way, I think that our backline has settled a lot in recent times - and this will help. With a good pre-season, improved fitness and a boost in confidence (fresh start, maybe a premiership team haha), I think Hunt will find a spot in our 22. With our playing style, there will always be a home for fast, driving rebounds from our HB.

 

5 hours ago, Arrow said:

Unfortunately with a winning team, they always seem to lose one a year. Generally, it's always lower teams paying a reasonable amount for them too.. I can't count the amount of Tom Gillies, Shannon Byrnes, Viv Michie's we've picked up over the journey expecting quality and getting realistically what we always thought. I think it's naive to think we won't lose someone this year and for mine, Hunt could well be that player. 

If a lower 6-7 team came with a second rounder for him (picks 24-28), I'd do it in a heartbeat. It's not to say I don't like Jayden but players do become currency and his traits are excellent but his all-round package is a player who runs so fast he really can't do anything other than blast the ball high and long. 

Let's watch this space! 

I agree with you guys... but

If rotations were lowered, and spaces opened up, his game would be much more useful to us IMO.  As many players would bomb long when tired.

Our structure would suit the long bomb much more now with the Weide in the side.  Strong overhead for that high ball... but would need better mosquito fleet around him.

5 hours ago, JTR said:

Disclaimer - Big Footy

I was lurking on the Norf board the other day to see what they were saying re Preuss trade rumour. One poster suggested they'd want Hunt in return.

Another person shut that idea down based on what he'd "heard" re some off field issues. He elaborated when pressed but I'm not going to give it air and repeat it here because it's probably horse [censored]. And because Norf flogs & Big Footy.

I'm sure if anyone is interested they could find it, however

 

5 hours ago, Lord Neville X Flash said:

Goodwin has said multiple times this year that Hunt had a poor preseason, and interpreting the tone of his voice, needs hunt to develop a more professional work ethic

hmmn.... ?

Would be surprised to see him in the red and the blue in 2019.

Hunt will need to be kept. He has the genuine pace that is lacking. It does expose us on the defensive side. 

A fit and confident Jayden Hunt is in the best 22.  A big addition in 2019 for sure. A place for someone with pace on the wing or running half back is still available in our team. 

Looked slow and overly bulked-up during his Sydney game this year. I expect very little from Jayden Hunt from 2019 onwards.

At least I won't be disappointed.

Watched him today at training. When they were doing a goal kicking drill from different positions and evading players to kick goals he was very accurate. The boy can actually kick. The knock on him is his tendency to bomb the ball, this can be fixed with some coaching I believe. Plus he genuinely wants to improve, you see it at every training session. He is a keeper in my mind. 

Edited September 11, 20186 yr by Earl Hood

8 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

Watched him today at training. When they were doing a goal kick caking drill from different positions and evading players to kick goals he was very accurate. The boy can actually kick. The knock on him is his tendency to bomb the ball, this can be fixed with some coaching I believe. Plus he genuinely wants to improve, you see it at every training session. He is a keeper in my mind. 

Thanks 'EH'.   That is refreshing to hear.

Hunty although dropped early in the season his input wasn't enough and struggled a bit. Injured his ankle with Casey  and out  for6 weeks

plus. Forced himself back in the side and re injured the ankle. However a few weeks out from the finals Melbourne had a settled side.

He has had an up and down season however he doesn't lack the skill and application just a bit of confidence. He is an integral  part of the make up but if Melbourne keep winning in finals it will be hard for anyone to break in at this stage of the season.