I remember preseason when Grimes went down many people here were bemoaning the ability of Astbury. They said he would never make it. Season comes and he becomes our most improved player.
I would take Astbury over Grimes any day of the week. Astbury has the size and strength to trouble the monster forwards like Cloke, Tippett, Hawkins, Petrie and Walker. We are a better balanced defense when we have Astbury at Full Back, Rance CHB and Chaplin the third/floating defender.
Astbury has good disposal and can feed the ball off to Rance, Houli etc to run the ball out of the D50.
I do agree with you about his game output though. Unless he can get his body right and start to string together more games through a season so we can rely upon him he will never become a permanent fixture in the backline. Grimes is the same but his limitations are now starting to mount. Grimes doesn't have the size to compete body on body nor the confidence to mark or depose of the ball cleanly.
I disagree on who I'd prefer. I'd take Grimes over Astbury all day long.
Grimes has been pretty average to date this year but like most others who miss pre season he has found it hard to catch up. IMO if he stays injury free, next year he will be a lot better.
There's a few things I look at from any new player coming into the AFL and that if they can keep up with the game with their body (which most can) and their head (which not all can)..so if they can think quick enough when they have the footy.
The other is if they have tenacity at the footy. Big or small they need that special thing that separates AFL players from local footballer. It's hard to describe because it's not just aggression or courage, or strength, or pace, it's footy smarts and endeavor to win at all costs.
And IMO blokes like Jaydon Post didn't have it, Griffiths doesn't have it and I don't think Astbury has it. That's not to say they cannot play the game but it's a brutal industry and if you are to succeed it takes more than just a bit of talent.
Most of the elite are wired differently to most of us.