Opinion Dear Billie Smedts

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vinum coupe said:
Hopefully they can keep him in the VFL side though.
He does offer a lot at that level.

It's one thing I don't like about the rookie system. 3 years just isn't enough I don't think.
In the case of Sheringham it probably is, but it would be great to be able to take on a project player that you know might take 5 years. Like a raw ruckman for example.

Maybe they could have it that you can have 2 players up to 3 years, and 2 players up to 5.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's nothing stopping a club from delisting a 3rd year rookie player then re-drafting him in the rookie draft?

Not saying we should do that with Jackson though
 
NotSoFatBastard said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's nothing stopping a club from delisting a 3rd year rookie player then re-drafting him in the rookie draft?

Not saying we should do that with Jackson though
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Hmmm. Good question. Can't be stuffed looking it up :D
 
Teriyakicat said:
He's 21:
View attachment 62446

Darnit- I'm too old, too slow :( Your edit hadn't shown up and I took too long to edit a screen shot from the Cats website (plus spent 10 mins driving home.
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Dane is a good kid, we were on the same school bus home, where he had opened his own can of coke black market (seeing as my school St.Joseph's had banned sugary drinks), he would buy them from the supermarket for around 60c a can and would sell them for $1.50. (200 days a year for 6 years... that's quite a bit of pocket money.)

Never have actually seen him play football, but as per his profile pic blurb... I can personally attest to the fact he is a very talented leg spinner:thumbsu:
 
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NotSoFatBastard said:
Dane is a good kid, we were on the same school bus home, where he had opened his own can of coke black market (seeing as my school St.Joseph's had banned sugary drinks), he would buy them from the supermarket for around 60c a can and would sell them for $1.50. (200 days a year for 6 years... that's quite a bit of pocket money.)

Never have actually seen him play football, but as per his profile pic blurb... I can personally attest to the fact he is a very talented leg spinner:thumbsu:
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Funny story, NSFB :) He's quite the entrepreneur, then ;) I can't believe you didn't try and convince him to put you on as his #1 assistant!
 
ATSAM said:
Poor Smedts, put in the team when he was underdone, made look silly in several games where he struggled and now dropped. How does that make him feel, pretty ordinary I would think.
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I'd think Smedts and the coaches would have a pretty good relationship- he knew he was underdone when he played his first senior game after injury. That was the coaches' fault, not his. They would be making sure that he knows where he stands!
I think they've had a go at looking at his game in the seniors- but it isn't working so they might look at Plan B, which involves maybe a week off (has he overdone it?), then some VFL to work on a few things or back to plan A- which is back in the seniors after a break.
 
Teriyakicat said:
Funny story, NSFB :) He's quite the entrepreneur, then ;) I can't believe you didn't try and convince him to put you on as his #1 assistant!
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Um that might have resulted in some unexplained stock losses:p
 
muttonchops said:
Dear Billie

You have been at our club for 3 years now and came to us as a highly rated 1st round draft pick. Injury cruelled your first year at the club and over the last 2 years you have managed 27 games. I think you can play as most people would acknowledge. But AFL careers come and go quicker than you will ever believe. Your time is now and if you don't step things up you will fall by the wayside fast.

Billie in your time at the club I have seen players go past you. Guys like Guthrie, Murdoch, Caddy and Motlop. You should be up with these guys. There have been whispers coming out of the club and I often take these with a grain of salt that the club is not impressed with the way you go about things. It time to turn things on their head.

So often in AFL footy when players have breakout seasons you hear the main reason for it is their pre season. This pre season is your time Billie. You need to attack this pre season as if its your last. You need to leave no stone unturned you need to do every session, you need to push yourself like you have never pushed before you need to be the most professional player you could possibly be. You need to come into next season a fitness machine.

I am not sure we have seen that sort of attitude from you as yet. I am sure you think you are training hard just as Gary Ablett USED to think. But think again Billie. You have the talent and all the attributes to be a great player but I think you just need to change your attitude and not be the class clown anymore. You need to be a professional athlete and act like one. If you can do this you are the sort of player who can really help lift this great club that one step further into the big dance.

Have you got it in you Billie. I bloody hope so.

Your Faithfully
Muttonchops
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I am very disapointed with billy, as a first round pick coming into the club there were big raps on him and they seemed to have picked up a bargain, as he appeared to have slid. Just looking at the mock drafts from way back and what recruiters said about him he appeared to be a 'natural footballer' playing across the half back line. Just watching him play on the half back flank he looks nothing like a 'natural football' I'm pritty disapointed by his lack of development in that aspect of the game, however he looks pritty solid as a forward, he's quick, agile, and he's got a great set of hands. In saying so he's had a few seasons under his belt now and there's no excuses for him to become a player now.
 
Sam_27 said:
I am very disapointed with billy, as a first round pick coming into the club there were big raps on him and they seemed to have picked up a bargain, as he appeared to have slid. Just looking at the mock drafts from way back and what recruiters said about him he appeared to be a 'natural footballer' playing across the half back line. Just watching him play on the half back flank he looks nothing like a 'natural football' I'm pritty disapointed by his lack of development in that aspect of the game, however he looks pritty solid as a forward, he's quick, agile, and he's got a great set of hands. In saying so he's had a few seasons under his belt now and there's no excuses for him to become a player now.
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As of this week's Coach Tweeties, CS still sees him as a defender developing into a utility, rather than a forward.
Which, of course, is at odds with what many on here think about his capacity as a defender.
 
I was the one who asked that question about Billie (and Bews), not going to lie, felt a bit like an excited school girl when CS stated it was a 'good question'.

I interpreted it as though, right now, they see Billie as a HBF type, but, into the future they aren't sure where he will best be suited, a 'utility' as CS said.
I personally am of the opinion that, while I have no doubt about his talent, he needs to be given the Ablett treatment by our leaders i.e. Not working hard enough to get the best out of yourself even though you think you might be.
I haven't lost faith in Billie, I just feel that he need to pull the proverbial finger out.
 

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onlymagic said:
I was the one who asked that question about Billie (and Bews), not going to lie, felt a bit like an excited school girl when CS stated it was a 'good question'.

I interpreted it as though, right now, they see Billie as a HBF type, but, into the future they aren't sure where he will best be suited, a 'utility' as CS said.
I personally am of the opinion that, while I have no doubt about his talent, he needs to be given the Ablett treatment by our leaders i.e. Not working hard enough to get the best out of yourself even though you think you might be.
I haven't lost faith in Billie, I just feel that he need to pull the proverbial finger out.
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That's fair to an extent, but based on his last few senior games, I thought he was working hard enough. He was also in the wrong position. I don't think this season it's been about being a smartarse on the field or trying to do too much, because really he wasn't doing that. It's almost the fallback to criticise Smedts, and while last year it might have been absolutely accurate, I'm not sure it has been in 2014.
 
Turbocat said:
I wonder if he would like to play at his fathers club?
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I don't think we'd get much from either Saints or Dogs do you? Plus that's just mean sending him there!
 
Turbocat said:
Well , I do find it hard to really gauge. R2? Probably R3. Maybe a swap
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I'd seriously consider taking their first second rounder for him.
 
Was amongst the best if not BOG in VFL this week. Lots of touches and a goal I think.

Maybe, just maybe, the oil tanker that it Billie has started to turn it around :)


GO Catters
 
Watching the VFL game yesterday I was really impressed with Smedts. Probably the best game I have seen him play. I know we had a big win and the opposition wasn't very strong but I don't think that it should take anything away from his performance. The thing that stood out for me was his disposal and decision making. I would love to know his kicking efficiency because I can't remember him missing a target all game. His decision making was excellent and he hardly made a mistake with his (what I reckon was around) 30 touches.
He took most of the kick outs and on a lot of occasions played on quickly and hit up team mates 40-50 metres away. He seemed to panic a bit in his last few games in the AFL but he looked really composed and confident on Saturday. He also came of his man at the right times and linked up through the middle on occasions. Took a nice one on one contested mark deep in the back line too. Hopefully he's learning that role a bit more and getting a bit more confident in that position. Not sure if he will come into the AFL side at all the rest of this year but he has a few more VFL games to come this year to continue his good form and really take a lot of confidence into 2015. He's one of the guys who I really want to see do well as he's got a hell of a lot of talent, just needs to learn how to harness it.
 
Has been in the best the last 4 weeks now and starting to really rack up some possessions. Hopefully he can keep it up for the rest of the year in the VFL, have a massive preseason and shows us some of that potential in the seniors next year. Good signs...
 
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