Nick Stevens is...

[Blue Dawn]

He is getting a raw deal.

Disgraceful really.

The best kick in the side.

Great on both sides of the body.

Huge tank and quick.

He was made to beat the zone.

He's also soft as butter and totally unaccountable. It's simply a matter of the good clearly outweighing the bad and so far this year, if we're honest with ourselves, it hasn't.

 

[blues4flag]

It means out of his 20 possessions last week, only around 8 or 9 of them were effective...
He also had 4 clangers.. His disposal is so over rated its not funny... Hope that clears that up for ya..

Edit it was 45%.. But its still 11 possessions that were ineffective..

Yep - how bad was that bloke wearing 5? 7 clangers - 3 more than anybody else!

Maybe dropping him to the twos will teach him to get his disposal in order...


Don't take stats at face value. Kicking efficiency is one of the most deceptive stats there is and taken out of context gives little to no indication of anything. There's a reason why the players with the highest DE are invariably defenders.

 

[fnm_just a man]

He is getting a raw deal.

Disgraceful really.

The best kick in the side.

Great on both sides of the body.

Huge tank and quick.

Don't lie... he's not super slow, but in today's game he aint quick.

 

[BlueYoss]

And saying he doesn't play for the club or the jumper (as some posters have infered) is just crazy talk ..

The way I see it:

1. He wanted to go to Collingwood. He only came to Carlton as a way to stick it up Port for not helping him get to Collingwood. So not only did he not want to be at Carlton in the first place, but he also demonstrated that he isn't exactly one to make personal sacrifice for the sake of the club.
2. He came over to Carlton as the 'leader of the re-treads' helping us to 10 wins in 2004 followed by more seasons at the bottom of the ladder. He later admited that during those seasons he and most of the other players would go out on the town and hit the piss after games on a regular basis.
3. Far too often his temper gets the better of him and he ends up reported and suspended for self-serving cheap shots at opposition players.
4. He seems to bust a gut and set a good example of leadership only when the captaincy is up for grabs and he is in the mix, this happened twice in recent times: after Kouta retired and after Whitnall 'retired', and other than that he rarely plays or trains anywhere near his potential.
5. He's shown up for more than one pre-season with significant bulges above and beyond his playing weight.
6. It was reported in the paper last month that he is on something like $650,000 per annum.

I think it's very valid to question whether or not Nick really plays for, or even cares for the covetted Navy Blue anywhere near as much as he, or any player who dons it, ought to.

He doesn't seem to have the desperate drive that a player on his last chance for premiership glory would bring to the table.

To me it almost seems as though he is playing in self preservation mode for the fat paycheck while it lasts.

Do you have anything resembling logic or reason to counter this with, or are you just going to dismiss the suggestion as crazy talk?

 

[Bluebear]

don't really understand all the negative comments we had a good win and stevens played well, still people want him dopped, crazy man crazy.

If Grigg was fit I'd swap them in a heartbeat.

Tell me, do you think Stevens is giving 100%?

Is he our worst? No.

The issue here is what is he capable of giving, and would dropping him help to motivate him to produce it.

His role has changed, and he won't be racking up 30+ possies anymore. We don't "go to" him enough for that. He needs to accept that his isn't in the top 3 mids, and as such must play a role in blocking, tackling, and yes, still run and carry.

Stevo is smart enough at stoppages to be able to block and use his more than ample frame to make space for others, and still get on the end of some footy, as well as lay a tackle or two.

He is sooking IMO. Needs to be snapped out of it. If Grigg is fit, I can't think of many other mids who need a bigger boot up the backside.

BTW, I thought at least his ball usage was better this week. At least thats something.

 

[Jamie007]

I just think in a game where one of Rattens main (gameplan) focuses is tackling and pressure, to have Zero tackles is astounding as a midfielder.. Especially in a game where there were huge numbers around the ball which usually makes it easier to tackle and create stoppages..

Those who compare anything he does to Judd is laughable.. Judd usually has two people hanging off him before he even takes possession of the ball..

 

[Blue Bawls]

I just happen to think Stevens is getting a very raw deal amongst many of the supporters here ...

I'm sorry... are you being sarcastic?

 

[thylacine60]

Watching him skirt the pack fringes (whilst Scotty and Mitch were risking life and limb) it was all I could do to stop myself from yelling "Get in behind!"

 

[Silvagnis]

Walker and Grigg....

 

[blues4flag]

Fair effort being three people, though it'd explain why we never see the three of them out on the field at the one time.

 

[disconorman]

We all know Stevens isn't the sort of gang/crash/tackle type of player, and neither was other players from the club like Craig Bradley either ..

The club values leadership and on-field direction in qualities other then some of the things that other fans are complaining about with Stevo.

At his age and with recovering from that serious neck/spinal condition he had, i don't think he'll change his style of player, or become the hard-chasing/tackling sort of magnet that some fans want him to be, so complaining about it, won't do anything, I think we should just be more supportive of the bloke, whom really has given the club decent service ...

And saying he doesn't play for the club or the jumper (as some posters have infered) is just crazy talk ..

Instead of bad mouthing him all the time, lets try and focus on the good Stevo brings to the club, for instance he had 8 contested possies on the w/end, and as well he had 25 disposals at a higher effiency rate then Marc Murphy or Chris Judd.
He is still one of the best kicks/users of the pill at this club.

Some fans on this forum (and I have been one of them on other players) are very harsh markers IMHO.

I'm sorry, but until he starts to work both ways, please don't mention him in the same sentence as Craig Bradley. He doesn't need to be the gang/crash/tackle player some are calling for. In fact, I'm quite happy for him to be the receiver, but for God's sake - find an opponent and get within 20m of him.

 

[Chism]

The way I see it:

1. He wanted to go to Collingwood. He only came to Carlton as a way to stick it up Port for not helping him get to Collingwood. So not only did he not want to be at Carlton in the first place, but he also demonstrated that he isn't exactly one to make personal sacrifice for the sake of the club.
2. He came over to Carlton as the 'leader of the re-treads' helping us to 10 wins in 2004 followed by more seasons at the bottom of the ladder. He later admited that during those seasons he and most of the other players would go out on the town and hit the piss after games on a regular basis.
3. Far too often his temper gets the better of him and he ends up reported and suspended for self-serving cheap shots at opposition players.
4. He seems to bust a gut and set a good example of leadership only when the captaincy is up for grabs and he is in the mix, this happened twice in recent times: after Kouta retired and after Whitnall 'retired', and other than that he rarely plays or trains anywhere near his potential.
5. He's shown up for more than one pre-season with significant bulges above and beyond his playing weight.
6. It was reported in the paper last month that he is on something like $650,000 per annum.

I think it's very valid to question whether or not Nick really plays for, or even cares for the covetted Navy Blue anywhere near as much as he, or any player who dons it, ought to.

He doesn't seem to have the desperate drive that a player on his last chance for premiership glory would bring to the table.

To me it almost seems as though he is playing in self preservation mode for the fat paycheck while it lasts.

Do you have anything resembling logic or reason to counter this with, or are you just going to dismiss the suggestion as crazy talk?

If Grigg was fit I'd swap them in a heartbeat.

Tell me, do you think Stevens is giving 100%?

Is he our worst? No.

The issue here is what is he capable of giving, and would dropping him help to motivate him to produce it.

His role has changed, and he won't be racking up 30+ possies anymore. We don't "go to" him enough for that. He needs to accept that his isn't in the top 3 mids, and as such must play a role in blocking, tackling, and yes, still run and carry.

Stevo is smart enough at stoppages to be able to block and use his more than ample frame to make space for others, and still get on the end of some footy, as well as lay a tackle or two.

He is sooking IMO. Needs to be snapped out of it. If Grigg is fit, I can't think of many other mids who need a bigger boot up the backside.

BTW, I thought at least his ball usage was better this week. At least thats something.

We have a Dead Heat for 1st...... End Thread

 

[celtic_pride]

I'm convinced Stevens still has the runs on the board/money in the bank so to speak in football terms in how many great/good games he has given to Carlton over the years, and I really think issues like originally only wanting to go to Collingwood after leaving Port Adelaide or the amount of money he is earning he is irrelevant (fact is most AFL draftees don't go to the club they barracked for growing up) and I am not bothered by the amount of money Stevens makes.

I don't have a real problem as to how Stevo goes about his footy and his supposed lack of chasing/tackling and 1 percenters, he still gets plenty of contested possessions and people forget a couple of years Stevo was 'tagged' heavily (before Judd came to the club and before Murph and Gibbs matured etc ..)

And saying Stevo isn't putting in 100 percent isn't an fact, just an opinion that probably has no basis in reality, he might have the 'laconic' body language, but he still grabs/racks up a lot of possies for the team, which does suggest to me he still busts a gut playing for the club.

I'm sorry if Stevens isn't measuring up to the high expectations performed by Judd and Murphy this season, but he did play allright against the Pies, and won't be dropped anytime soon ..

And can someone please show or point out to me, clear on-field examples of Stevo sooking ??? Really, it's funny how we're so willing to tolerate and forgive, Fev for his many times of ourbursts of sooking on the field (and Fevola has been my fave player for several years) and I've honestly hardly seen Stevo crack it like Fev did a couple of weeks ago against Freo ..

 

[Canyouhearthedrums]

I've avoided coming into this thread because I can't stand the way keyboard heroes on sites lke these pass judgement on professional athletes like Stevens and proclaim them to be *soft* or *frontrunners* or whatever.

But **** me, what a load of complete rubbish. Stevens has never, ever been an inside type. Never. Yet he came to Carlton and was forced to play that role through the worst era in our history. Now that we've finally got the side around him that allows him to use his best attributes, his skills, and we're going to turn on him?

Football is a team game. For every Sam Mitchell, there is a Xavier Ellis and thats the way you win flags. Not everyone can headlong into packs and Stevens shouldn't be. He is still, for mine, one of the top 4-5 kicks in the league and we should be happy that we've got someone like that for Judd, Murphy etc to get the ball too because not many other teams in the comp have that luxury.

Close this thread mods.

 

[blue gunslinger]

I'm sorry, but until he starts to work both ways, please don't mention him in the same sentence as Craig Bradley. He doesn't need to be the gang/crash/tackle player some are calling for. In fact, I'm quite happy for him to be the receiver, but for God's sake - find an opponent and get within 20m of him.

He is not a kid learning the game - can't teach an old dog new tricks

 

[The Coach]

 

[fnm_just a man]

I've avoided coming into this thread because I can't stand the way keyboard heroes on sites lke these pass judgement on professional athletes like Stevens and proclaim them to be *soft* or *frontrunners* or whatever.

But **** me, what a load of complete rubbish. Stevens has never, ever been an inside type. Never. Yet he came to Carlton and was forced to play that role through the worst era in our history. Now that we've finally got the side around him that allows him to use his best attributes, his skills, and we're going to turn on him?

Football is a team game. For every Sam Mitchell, there is a Xavier Ellis and thats the way you win flags. Not everyone can headlong into packs and Stevens shouldn't be. He is still, for mine, one of the top 4-5 kicks in the league and we should be happy that we've got someone like that for Judd, Murphy etc to get the ball too because not many other teams in the comp have that luxury.

Close this thread mods.

You've missed the point. Most of us can accept that he is not an inside player that dives "headlong into packs" and he doesn't need to be, that's not his role. The issue is his defensive pressure and, in turn, leadership position. Being an outside player doesn't equate to not having to chase and tackle. Most receiver's in the comp know this.

 

[Charbzilla]

I've avoided coming into this thread because I can't stand the way keyboard heroes on sites lke these pass judgement on professional athletes like Stevens and proclaim them to be *soft* or *frontrunners* or whatever.

But **** me, what a load of complete rubbish. Stevens has never, ever been an inside type. Never. Yet he came to Carlton and was forced to play that role through the worst era in our history. Now that we've finally got the side around him that allows him to use his best attributes, his skills, and we're going to turn on him?

Football is a team game. For every Sam Mitchell, there is a Xavier Ellis and thats the way you win flags. Not everyone can headlong into packs and Stevens shouldn't be. He is still, for mine, one of the top 4-5 kicks in the league and we should be happy that we've got someone like that for Judd, Murphy etc to get the ball too because not many other teams in the comp have that luxury.

Close this thread mods.

+1

great post.

He is an outside midfielder but he does need to be more accountable and apply more pressure. Something I am sure Ratts will have him doing more and more i hope.
Ratts did indirectly say that he needs to lift (by not naming him in the good performers) in the press conference after the freo loss.

 

[birko]

You people are pathetic.Who will you turn on next week back to hanging s**t on jordan russell.leave Stevo alone I think he has been a great servant of the mighty blues and will all make you and humble pie this Saturday

 

[Dooky]

FFS I could go on all day about this topic.
Before I start my rant I acknowledge that Stevens battled a career ending injury in 2007, an injury it is not easy to come back from. But 2 years down the track this should be irrelevant. To those who seem to want to cut him some slack because of the injury I would say that once a player takes the field they are declaring they are right to go and basically excuses will not cut it.

Nick Stevens is almost 29 years old. He is one of the senior players at the footy club. A club with too few players of his experience. We all know what Nick Stevens is capable of. Stevens should not be exempt from serious scrutiny. It is not unjustified to rip into Stevens given we all know how good he can be. Personally, I don’t remember Stevens ever being as good at the Blues as he was at Port, despite leaving them at the age of 24. Maybe it is team dynamics I am not sure.

I acknowledge that Stevens is and always will be an outside midfielder. So was Craig Bradley. I acknowledge that Stevens will knock up the vast majority of his possessions from handball receives or uncontested marks. This makes sense given his kicking skills are sublime. So did Craig Bradley. This is where the comparison ends. He is the perennial ‘hang outside the pack and wait for a Judd/Murphy/Gibbs/Hadley to get it out’ player. BUT, when there is a ball in dispute be it in the air or on the ground Stevens will either a) completely ‘dog’ the contest to use Grant Thomas’ language or b) make a half assed attempt at winning the ball when we all know he isn’t busting his gut and putting his head over the ball as well as he could be. What shits me even more is that to compensate for this softness at the ball and the unwillingness to take a hit Stevens (the squib) will often lay a cheapshot at an opposition player as we have often seen result in lengthy suspension. Maybe in his own head he tells himself that this is the sign of a tough player. Well Nick, try channelling that ‘toughness’ into laying a tackle that sticks.

Fitness wise he has never got the best out of his own body. While not fat by any stretch he does look to be carrying a little bit extra. He looks like he has excess fat on his body and has never seriously attempted to get in shape. I would love to know the skin fold comparison between him and the Judd man. For the outside run and carry player that he is how often is he doing the gut running in the later stages of a game like a Judd or Murphy or even a Carrazzo.

Regarding the captaincy every man and his dog would agree that Chris Judd deserved. Yes it was unusual to appoint a player as captain before having played a game for that club. But this is Chris Judd we are talking about. The most professional player in the league both on and off the field. If a team were made up of the 16 captains of the AFL, there is little doubt Judd would captain that side.
I have been forced to question Stevens’ motive for wanting the captaincy. Surely someone who believes they are captaincy material would not let the title of captain affect the way they go about the game in terms of the leadership shown on and off the field. Captains are selfless. Stevens is not selfless. Captains set the benchmark. Stevens does not set the benchmark. Captains lift their side when they are down. Stevens does not lift the side when we are down. He simply seems disinterested most of the time. He has the best captain in the league by his side to work with and learn from yet he does not seem to be taking that opportunity.

He is the kind of player that looks good when the team is up and running. This is the definition of a frontrunner. When things aren’t going the teams way he simply goes missing and is another of those passengers that play for the Carlton Football Club. Nick, we already have enough of those. Once have I really seen you lift the team from the trenches and that was against Richmond when we played them for the second time last year (consequently Judd did not play that game). Show us more of that Nick Stevens who took the game on in a great win.

When Stevens was out of the side we were 2 from 2. With him back in the side we are 1 from 5. Obviously this has little to do with Stevens but an interesting stat nonetheless that is worth considering.

On talent alone Nick you are one of the best at the club and up there in the entire competition too. But we know how far talent gets you without hard work. Nick you probably have another 2 (max 3) years on the list after this one. How do you want to be remembered? Remember how you left the Power the year before they went on to win the flag. Wouldn’t you dearly love one to finish off your career? Well if you do Nick I suggest that you stop being that passenger you have long been, that you start having some pride in the jumper and that you start showing how much you want to be out there.


And FFS, lay a ****ing tackle!

hmmm...doesn't seem like Nick paid much attention to this...

 

[Embers]

If Carlton are serious they should suspend him until he drops atleast 10kg. An embarassment atm and your not gonna win a single thing while hes still playing. How can a man be so unfit in the AFL nowadays?

 

[wavefall21]

he's gotta go, what a fall from grace it's been for stevo, been absolutely disgusting this year, too slow, unaccountable, one of many passengers in the side, get rid of him

 

[Artie Bucco]

He better ****ing get dropped next week.

His performance last night was deplorable! He fumbled his way to what 20 disposals? And for a supposed terrific outside player couldn't hit the target 2 metres in front of him.

Soft, lazy and no heart. That's what he's become. His efforts when he first came to the club were terrific, he needs a rocket up his arse or piss him off we don't need him

 

[Juddrockz]

A BIG MAC-all bun and no guts!!!

 

[CUG81]

Is he carrying any injuries? Did he have a good pre-season?

He just doesnt look right this season, would be interesting to know whether it is just form or injury related.

Nonetheless, he missed his targets that caused multiple goals on friday night. even against St.kilda he did it a few times.

He doesnt have a defensive bone in his body and seeing him at half back worries me.

He is a receiver, play him as such, if he is not fit, dont play him and get him right for the finals (if we make it). Whitnall went to a fat farm, send Stevo there as well. Even better, FatZap seems to be popular these days.