Preview R8: Changes vs. Carlton - Nicks Sucks and Must be Sacked

[Scorpus]

I’m actually not against blooding Edwards personally, but suggesting Smith wouldn’t be a better option at this stage of their careers is crazy. Smith has been an absolute star of the comp for 14 years, and has looked awesome at SANFL level for the last 4 weeks. He’s also a very similar player to Hinge. Over 6 foot, very hard body and elite kick, that could actually be Hinge.

If Hinge was out for 4 weeks I think Edwards would be the play, but for a one off game against a very tall, powerful forward line, then Smith is the obvious choice.

I’m not sure under what circumstances people think Smith would play if not this week, and if people respond with never then I’m sorry, the argument is about whether he should be still on the list, not should he be cover for Hinge against Carlton.

I would agree with this under a couple of conditions

1) Smith was clearly outperforming Edwards or others over a period of weeks. Which doesn't appear to be the case

2) Smith actually had a hard body and an elite kick, which hasn't been true for at least 5 years

3) Provided 1 and 2 were true, then we'd also need to be contending for the flag and so not interested in finding our best side and more interested in an experienced one week stopgap

The reality though is we are a side battling for finals that hasn't yet found its true identity or best side. Nicks is purely picking Smith for his experience with no consideration for form, expected performance, or finding our best side.

I think it's madness on his part to assume Smith - who he dropped in 2024 for stinking it up and is now a year older with pretty average SANFL form and hasn't played AFL for 9 months - would be clearly better than a debutant for one week

 

[GameofSloanes]

People who pay attention to those team sheets are stuck in the 90s

Hey! I'm stuck in the 90s and it's great. Better music, better politics, lower cost of living, and the AFC were good.

 

[Mutineer]

I’m actually not against blooding Edwards personally, but suggesting Smith wouldn’t be a better option at this stage of their careers is crazy. Smith has been an absolute star of the comp for 14 years, and has looked awesome at SANFL level for the last 4 weeks. He’s also a very similar player to Hinge. Over 6 foot, very hard body and elite kick, that could actually be Hinge.

If Hinge was out for 4 weeks I think Edwards would be the play, but for a one off game against a very tall, powerful forward line, then Smith is the obvious choice.

I’m not sure under what circumstances people think Smith would play if not this week, and if people respond with never then I’m sorry, the argument is about whether he should be still on the list, not should he be cover for Hinge against Carlton.

2024/25 Brodie Smith is not 2017 Brodie Smith unfortunately...

 

[Slime Roy]

I don't think Smith has ever been an elite kick. He's had a booming kick, which absolutely did open up the ground when he could use it and a big part of our 15/16/17 success, but I reckon his 1 wood is more of a 3 iron now, so what else is he providing us if not that?


Nicks is opposed to change and wants consistency in the side, so I would hazard a guess he sees even shuffling the 22 around positionally would be at the level of actually making a player change to the 22 and wouldn't be considered. All his moves are thought up through the pre-season and once your role is determined, it's determined and won't change. He's not a creative coach and doesn't/can't make quick decisions on instinct/gut feel, which is why it takes 3 quarters for anything to change in a game.

Which is odd because they always hammer on about adaptability, adding to your game etc but then never actually want to show it all that much. Remember the pre-season of Sloane training across half-back talk and then he never spent a minute actually doing it.

Or Rash upping his midfield minutes next year. A situation where the player himself didn't even know what was occurring.

 

[Scorpus]

I don't think Smith has ever been an elite kick. He's had a booming kick, which absolutely did open up the ground when he could use it and a big part of our 15/16/17 success, but I reckon his 1 wood is more of a 3 iron now, so what else is he providing us if not that?


Nicks is opposed to change and wants consistency in the side, so I would hazard a guess he sees even shuffling the 22 around positionally would be at the level of actually making a player change to the 22 and wouldn't be considered. All his moves are thought up through the pre-season and once your role is determined, it's determined and won't change. He's not a creative coach and doesn't/can't make quick decisions on instinct/gut feel, which is why it takes 3 quarters for anything to change in a game.

Which is odd because they always hammer on about adaptability, adding to your game etc but then never actually want to show it all that much. Remember the pre-season of Sloane training across half-back talk and then he never spent a minute actually doing it.

Nicks is perfectly happy to shuffle the side if it screws up young players. Eg Michalanney becoming a KPD, Nankervis shifting wing to half back to wing, Draper playing mid then forward, Curtin playing key defense then half back then midfield then wing then forward, Taylor playing midfield then forward...

What he doesn't like is his set quota of necessary experience he determines pre season to be affected in any way. There is a hard limit on youth when the season is alive

 

[Scorpus]

2024/25 Brodie Smith is not 2017 Brodie Smith unfortunately...

And let's be honest here, do we really think a 33 year old Brodie will be immediately up for the pace/intensity of AFL after not having played at this level since July of 2024?

Obviously that's Nicks fear, a junior won't be ready to play so Smith with experience will be.

But will he?

 

[GameofSloanes]

If Docherty plays in that midfield then we are a better chance than I thought.

Bloke is more cooked than Smith.

He'll probably rack up 30 possessions tomorrow

 

[Cromulant]

He'll probably rack up 30 possessions tomorrow

We're in deeeeeep trouble if if does.

Not sure he lasts long enough.

 

[Hodgy]

I think its a philosophy thing. Is Smith the best choice for the long term or are we just focused on one week at a time - which in itself is a very poor coaching philosophy

Yes he is an option - no I dont think he is the best

I'm slightly confused. You said Smith was playing on Cripps? Also - and again philosophy - we also have Cumming , Draper (if selected) Rachele .

Dawson isnt that much of a difference - Laird Smith and Milera will hobble around leaving Max and Josh plugging holes everywhere

I can see one of the 2 kids pinging a hammy

No Smith is not the best option going forward, that’s why I said if Hinge was out for 4 I would play Edwards. However there is a heck of a lot of space between playing week to week or playing for the future. A like for like replacement for 1 week does not in any way mean you aren’t playing for the future. We already have a very young and inexperienced side and this selection just isn’t going to make any difference to the composition of the side in 2 years. It could actually be argued that bringing Edwards in for 1 game and then dropping him would do more harm than good for him. He is after all actually only in his first year of playing defense.

Cripps will play midfield, but he will move forward at times, and if his opponent was Edwards then I would suggest that he would move forward a lot. Even Crazy Vossy would exploit a matchup of Patrick Cripps against Charlie Edwards in his first game.

And I’m sorry but saying that Dawson won’t make much of a difference is a pretty strange statement. He is after all polling in the top few of the coaches award playing full time midfield. Rachelle and Cumming play wing and half forward, throwing them in against Walsh, Hewett and co would be a decision that I would actually be happy to criticize the coach for. It would be suicide. I imagine we will see Keays in there a bit though.

BTW, Surely people must see the hypocrisy of saying that Nicks has to make and win a final to save his job, and in the next breath criticize him for making a decision to win this week over long term development.

 

[Hodgy]

And let's be honest here, do we really think a 33 year old Brodie will be immediately up for the pace/intensity of AFL after not having played at this level since July of 2024?

Obviously that's Nicks fear, a junior won't be ready to play so Smith with experience will be.

But will he?

I totally agree with this, and I imagine it was a line ball decision. I suppose we will find out tomorrow.

I would add though that anyone that’s watched our last 4 weeks would have to admit that our transition from defense has been terrible. I actually think that Milera is giving us nothing in that regard, and Laird kicking 30 metres around his body is worse that not getting a possession. Add Hinge being out and I worry that if we don’t win clearances then I’m not sure how we are going to get enough I50’s to give our forward line a chance.

 

[relapse]

Could this GIF eventually become Nicks' downfall?

 

[George CantStandYa]

Also, what is the go with Facebook. It’s like a black hole of misguided boomers (sorry to all boomers on here) with no ****n idea. The support for nicks/smith selection is sickening.

Meanwhile we are over here pretty much all on the same page, with the total opposite view.

Big footy: a place for people who actually get it.

Except for a fantasy Mod

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Pathetic Essendon are now on equal points with the Crows

 

[hugecannon]

I’m actually not against blooding Edwards personally, but suggesting Smith wouldn’t be a better option at this stage of their careers is crazy. Smith has been an absolute star of the comp for 14 years, and has looked awesome at SANFL level for the last 4 weeks. He’s also a very similar player to Hinge. Over 6 foot, very hard body and elite kick, that could actually be Hinge.

If Hinge was out for 4 weeks I think Edwards would be the play, but for a one off game against a very tall, powerful forward line, then Smith is the obvious choice.

I’m not sure under what circumstances people think Smith would play if not this week, and if people respond with never then I’m sorry, the argument is about whether he should be still on the list, not should he be cover for Hinge against Carlton.

He hasn’t been an absolute star for 14 years, he’s been a good solid player in a largely mediocre team, with a few years where he was better than that, let’s not rewrite history on his career- especially with what he’s actually contributed in the last 18 months.

Plus he isn’t an elite kick - he’s a long kick, and now given he’s lost pace and composure he just dumps it long down the line regardless of what’s ahead of him.

 

[WheresGroomgone]

I’m actually not against blooding Edwards personally, but suggesting Smith wouldn’t be a better option at this stage of their careers is crazy. Smith has been an absolute star of the comp for 14 years, and has looked awesome at SANFL level for the last 4 weeks. He’s also a very similar player to Hinge. Over 6 foot, very hard body and elite kick, that could actually be Hinge.

If Hinge was out for 4 weeks I think Edwards would be the play, but for a one off game against a very tall, powerful forward line, then Smith is the obvious choice.

I’m not sure under what circumstances people think Smith would play if not this week, and if people respond with never then I’m sorry, the argument is about whether he should be still on the list, not should he be cover for Hinge against Carlton.

“Looked awesome at SANFL” is a fair stretch!

 

[feenix67]

Nicks is opposed to change and wants consistency in the side, so I would hazard a guess he sees even shuffling the 22 around positionally would be at the level of actually making a player change to the 22 and wouldn't be considered. All his moves are thought up through the pre-season and once your role is determined, it's determined and won't change. He's not a creative coach and doesn't/can't make quick decisions on instinct/gut feel, which is why it takes 3 quarters for anything to change in a game.

Which is odd because they always hammer on about adaptability, adding to your game etc but then never actually want to show it all that much. Remember the pre-season of Sloane training across half-back talk and then he never spent a minute actually doing it.

Bang on, Im sure he has a spreadsheet with columns of players in each position. "the spreadsheet doesn't lie!!"

 

[GROTTO]

Just saw Gov in the city having lunch and no it wasnt KFC.

 

[GROTTO]

Could this GIF eventually become Nicks' downfall?

This one will be.

 

[Jarman3]

I wouldn't worry about Smithers. He knows on which side his bread is buttered.

Well, I suppose I didn't mean what it does to Brodie Smith personally, more to the way I regard him and will remember him as a player. Memories of a great career get tarnished by memories of an underwhelming conclusion to said career. Similar to those other players I mentioned ie Sloane, Jacobs, Thompson etc

 

[WetCrow1991]

The long kick down the line is dead and the funeral is this Saturday at Adelaide Oval.

 

[skam85]

Since when has Smith been a good defender?

He plays off half back and has had a good career with a damaging kick at his peak, but "Brodie Smith

33

Brodie Smith

Age

33

Ht

194cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.5

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.2

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

500.1

5star

D

17.1

4star

K

12.6

5star

HB

4.5

3star

M

3.5

3star

T

2.3

3star

MG

438.9

5star

D

17.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.6

5star

is great at defending his direct opponent" has never ever been true.

 

[Syd Crow]

Well, I suppose I didn't mean what it does to Brodie Smith personally, more to the way I regard him and will remember him as a player. Memories of a great career get tarnished by memories of an underwhelming conclusion to said career. Similar to those other players I mentioned ie Sloane, Jacobs, Thompson etc

Sloane and Thompson were vey sad indeed.

 

[Carn The Texan]

Well, I suppose I didn't mean what it does to Brodie Smith personally, more to the way I regard him and will remember him as a player. Memories of a great career get tarnished by memories of an underwhelming conclusion to said career. Similar to those other players I mentioned ie Sloane, Jacobs, Thompson etc

It's not their fault. We are just a deeply conservative club. Hawthorn style management would have seen Sloane traded to a bottom 6 Victorian team in 2022.

 

[Jars458]

Our coffin is so full of nails I don't think the lid will ever come off.

 

[WetCrow1991]

It's not their fault. We are just a deeply conservative club. Hawthorn style management would have seen Sloane traded to a bottom 6 Victorian team in 2022.

Would have seen him traded end of 2018 really. **** me did we get a terrible return from that contract.