AJ Watch

[Odysseus]

Completely agree. I'm watching what my son's club are doing with him, and he only had the one ACL injury. It's not just about fitness, it's about re-learning the structures, the way your teammates play and turning conscious competence into unconscious competence.

Agree with this. Just commenting that another factor is surely turning conscious confidence into unconscious confidence (which was how I anticipated your final words). I've not had the time to watch any of his return, but I get the impression from things said - and probably more from my own gut feeling - that he's still not moving with a natural freedom. In case it needs be said, that's in no way a critical comment; it is, in fact, the opposite. AJ, Menzel, your son - any of these blokes who return from such a serious injury, it must take a great deal of mental courage for them to return, and I can't imagine that a full, natural confidence returns just after a week or two. I think what the club has done in offering him on-going support speaks volumes for the club that we barrack for. (It surely must make the Bloods a secure home for its players, and a desirable destination for others.) Even if NEAFL is as far as he gets, I will still think all the more highly of AJ and of the club. So if he ever makes it into the firsts, that'd be huge; but I can't see it before 2018.

[Industrial Fan]

Interesting, completely hypothetical here. If AJ comes into the firsts next year, who goes out?

Rampe is a lock and if Grundy can keep up his form of the past few weeks he's got another year in him at least. Melican would be the other candidate, however I don't think you can drop a player showing that form for someone who hasn't played in 5 years, no matter how good he was in his last game.

It could be a real headache for selection committee.

That's an easy one. Mills

[YvonneH]

That's an easy one. Mills

To drop, or move into the midfield?

[barry]

If AJ comes back as good as 2012, the only ones ahead of him are rampe and reg.

[Billericay]

If AJ comes back as good as 2012, the only ones ahead of him are rampe and reg.

Can AJ play as tall as Melican or Aliir? He's going to be more defensive than attacking right?

[mattybloods]

I wonder if we will play AJ in attack during his rehab and he proves to be a handy forward. That would be ideal, particularly if Reid leaves

[barry]

Do yourself a favour and watch the 2012 finals series, where AJ comes of age.

It is truly awesome stuff and you can see why he wants to come back when you last game was a thrilling win in a grand final

[Industrial Fan]

Do yourself a favour and watch the 2012 finals series, where AJ comes of age.

It is truly awesome stuff and you can see why he wants to come back when you last game was a thrilling win in a grand final

Even better for you barry, even though he was a youngster he was directing traffic down back early on. He was and hopefully still will be a gun.

Wouldn't need anyone pointing if he was in the team.

[barry]

Even better for you barry, even though he was a youngster he was directing traffic down back early on. He was and hopefully still will be a gun.

Wouldn't need anyone pointing if he was in the team.

Careful what you wish for. Automatic selections are difficult to change

[RichardLong]

Do yourself a favour and watch the 2012 finals series, where AJ comes of age.

It is truly awesome stuff and you can see why he wants to come back when you last game was a thrilling win in a grand final

Even more important to note is that he's a proven BIG GAME PLAYER. Something we lacked alot of in 2014's GF & last years GF.

[RichardLong]

Hi guys!

Couldn't find any data on AJ's game on the weekend.
Is anyone able to shed some light?

Thanks in advance.

[111431]

i saw last half of seconds - he still needs plenty of work of building the confidence in his knee. He'll finish out season in 2's and then aim for a big pre-season I would think