Traded Jack Billings

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Great to see him play his first full game for the club last night and he looks full of class. Seemed to have a lot of time when he had the footy and very classy. Where does everyone see him playing as his career blossoms? Will he be an out and out midfielder or will he be a Dangerfield type that spends time up forward?
 
bird_man said:
Great to see him play his first full game for the club last night and he looks full of class. Seemed to have a lot of time when he had the footy and very classy. Where does everyone see him playing as his career blossoms? Will he be an out and out midfielder or will he be a Dangerfield type that spends time up forward?
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He'll be a left-footed Stevie J/Chad Wingard type player. I can see him developing like Chad Wingard (i.e. show flashes, like last night, in his first year or so, and then break out). I think Jack has similar overhead-skills as Chad. He'll be a hybrid, but the type you'd put into the Centre Bounce when a key clearance has to be won. Dunstand and Acres will be the mainstays in the centre-square normally, i'd say.
 

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I loved watching Billings in his first full game last night. He reminded me of another Saints player from many years ago, Geogie Young, who also had his first ‘break-out’ game against Essendon. For those too young to have seen Georgie, he began (like Billings) as a super-smooth moving half forward with sublime skills, a beautiful left foot and he was a brilliant contested mark for his size (185cm). He was swung into the centre on occasions but didn’t quite have the endurance to be a full time on-baller. In just his third game with the Saints he kicked six goals in an Elimination Final at Waverley. Half way though his third season with us he was moved to full forward against the Lions one day and he ended up kicking 9 goals for the game. From then on he became our full forward and for several years he was the hero of Moorabbin. Just like Billings appears to be, Georgie was a dead-eye dick in front of goal and he took numerous speccies standing on top of packs. One of my fondest memories of Moorabbin is when 20,000 Saints fanatics would all chant “Georgie, Georgie” every time Young kicked a goal. In 1978 he kicked 70 goals and he was at his absolute peak (including kicking 10 one day against Collingwood). But sadly, at the end of the season he packed up and went back to Subiaco and that was the last we saw of Young. Billings, like Young, looks to have that same intangible something that few players have. Billings won’t end up at full forward but I can’t wait to see how he develops as a half forward and on-ball pinch-hitter. And if can become as good as Georgie Young I’ll be over the moon!
 
RobbieMuir said:
I loved watching Billings in his first full game last night. He reminded me of another Saints player from many years ago, Geogie Young, who also had his first ‘break-out’ game against Essendon. For those too young to have seen Georgie, he began (like Billings) as a super-smooth moving half forward with sublime skills, a beautiful left foot and he was a brilliant contested mark for his size (185cm). He was swung into the centre on occasions but didn’t quite have the endurance to be a full time on-baller. In just his third game with the Saints he kicked six goals in an Elimination Final at Waverley. Half way though his third season with us he was moved to full forward against the Lions one day and he ended up kicking 9 goals for the game. From then on he became our full forward and for several years he was the hero of Moorabbin. Just like Billings appears to be, Georgie was a dead-eye dick in front of goal and he took numerous speccies standing on top of packs. One of my fondest memories of Moorabbin is when 20,000 Saints fanatics would all chant “Georgie, Georgie” every time Young kicked a goal. In 1978 he kicked 70 goals and he was at his absolute peak (including kicking 10 one day against Collingwood). But sadly, at the end of the season he packed up and went back to Subiaco and that was the last we saw of Young. Billings, like Young, looks to have that same intangible something that few players have. Billings won’t end up at full forward but I can’t wait to see how he develops as a half forward and on-ball pinch-hitter. And if can become as good as Georgie Young I’ll be over the moon!
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Georgie Young loved watching him, what a player
 
And on Billings. Can see why he was thought to be such a great talent. His innate ability to anticipate but then do exactly the right thing was really something. I mentioned in the Game Day thread at the time that if he couldn't do something big, then he'd tap the ball to advantage, trap it and let players run past him, just influence the play somehow. And the little tunnel ball kick to a player in the clear was as clever as you'll see. If well managed, we've got a game winner, game breaker on our hands. Brilliant.
 
Don't know if it has been mentioned but he has this ability to just appear in space, not many players have that talent but this kid has it. We've got a star here boys.
 
dewah07 said:
bit of a snub for rising star, crouch had junk stats and didnt effect the game nearly as much as billings
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Crouch played a link up role through the midfield, he was instrumental in our quick movement of the ball, something we have sucked at lately. His prowess before the draft was that he was an inside mid adept at extracting the ball. He played this way last week, you may have noticed. His game this week was of a completely different style. I don't know if the judges take into account previous performances, but I suspect they do.

I don't think Billings was snubbed. Repeat his outstanding performance and he'll be a shoe in for a nomination. BTW you guys have drafted very well with Billings and Dunstan.
 
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