Five hidden treasures set to be discovered in 2020

Every club would like 5 hidden treasures to emerge. As a Bombers fan I see 5 young players on the list for a few years who could emerge in 2020 but it would take some selection courage as other more senior players will be challenged or rested. The 5 I see are Ridley, Clarke, Zerk-Thatcher, Begley and Mutch. Draper for 2021 is the hot one. This year is a recovery and reestablishing time. Redman and Guelfi made it in 2019. The ones I worry about are Ham - too many competing for the one spot; Francis - he's also competing for one spot with Ridley, Zerk-Thatcher, Gleeson and Ambrose and hasn't quite broken through, could be this year or bust, but not convinced about his pace as yet. He also needs a bit of mongrel and bite to become a really effective backline player. Ridley and Zerk-Thatcher may have to bide their time in the VFL as they are the logical replacements for Hooker and Hurley. Would love to see them play Ridley EVERY WEEK at CHF in the AFL for a season as if we lose Daniher there needs to be someone there ready to step in. Only one other to consider there if fit and that is Stewart, but will he make it? Young Jones and Gown could develop for 2021, but still need one more key Forward. Clarke could emerge as a 2nd Merrett and is ready to fire. Mutch on a wing has plenty of potential and coming back from injury could be ready to fire and add plenty of possessions for the team. Begley is the interesting one. He has the potential to be a Cripps or De Goey but needs more Grunt. Needs to crash the packs more and win the hard ball. If he does he will have a great season or otherwise he may be like a Langford or Laverde who must make it this year or start looking for a new home. Some of these players have the talent but something is lacking in their energy levels. They play too "nice" and their attacking attitude must change if they want to make it and be known as good to great players otherwise they are just teasing the fans who are growing in their unease of seeing unfulfilled potential.

They ruined the game for TV audiences. If an NFL player fumbled and a commentator described it as “brilliant,” they’d be a laughing stock.

Yeah BT and Bruce ruined the game. Not GWS' inability to even compete or even kick 4 goals in 4 quarters of footy.

You didn't miss much! Bruce & BT completely ruined the game with their cheerleading for the Tigers, Pickett fumbled the ball in Q2 and Bruce called it "brilliant." :angry:

I was watching highlights of the Semi-final a few weeks ago, and I noticed how Daniels completely smoked Witherden when he kicked that final goal. I kinda felt bad for him, he would have been roasted after that.

Pete- do you have any thoughts on the pies "road trip horror" (as reported in the HS) in the first 5 weeks?

G’day Neil. No I knew it would be a massacre and combined with the pain of 2018 and a close, if poor preliminary performance took off bush for a week and haven’t even seen a highlight or a stat. Probably never will. Why torture yourself with what could have been? Tigers were flying clearly and in the end the only consolation was we didn’t lose yet another grand final!

I forgot Patrick Ambrose -- the depth of Essendon's backline has been a problem for Francis. I believe Essendon tried developing Ridley more as a midfielder.

Agree with you about Pickett. One game at the top level is not enough to make this guy a champion. I think (although he did play a serviceable game), most people seemed to be caught up in the ‘story’ and perhaps overhyped his participation a bit. That said, his story has been legendary and will be retold for generations, no matter what his future holds. BTW Peter, will you ever watch a replay of the grand final, or are the preliminary final scares too deep? It wasn’t a great game, as grand finals go, (except for fellow tiger supporters), but was a great ‘team’ performance with some brilliant individual performances sprinkled in.

Didn’t see the GF but Pickett has played one game. I remember a young Pies player got the Anzac medal called Marc McGough I think. Then went on to an uninspiring career and left footy.

Yes, I do. There is still training that can be done during rehab and Draper was working on the mental side of his game by assisting other ruckmen during that period. I believe he would have played in the last third of last season if he had been uninjured and I expect him to be challenging for selection in the second half of the coming season, so he has lost a season in one way but gained maturity and developed his leadership in another way. On field leadership is really underrated and is a problem at Essendon. The standout example has been Luke Hodge.

Jarrod Brander has torn the house down at WC training. Sadly, injury has ruined his first 2 years. Hopefully the kid gets a good run at it.

I wouldn't have complained if he landed at the blues, big upside

Do you think Draper can have much impact as a ruckman coming off an ACL?

I'm expecting discarded bauble Aiden Bonar to have a great year,

I wouldn't describe them quite as hidden treasures but I expect Begley, Draper and Zerk-Thatcher to emerge this year at Essendon. Ridley is a talent but there is a lot of competition for spaces on Essendon's back line with Francis and Gleeson apart from Saad, McKenna, Redman, Hurley, and Hooker. Zerk-Thatcher will eventually succeed Hurley or Hooker.

There are plenty of hidden treasures about to emerge at the blues but if I was to pick 2 for 2020 it would be Setterfield and Cuningham - both showed a bit in 2019 and both have enough pre-seasons under their belts to mix it at AFL level, all they need is an injury free run.

Certainly not a "hidden" treasure after that Grand Final

Marlion Pickett will be the biggest treasure of 2020.

Travvy did the same in a game for Peel last year. Oh...the memory!