Player Watch #16 Josh Smillie - Updated TBC

[KrispyKreme]

TT would make an elite small to medium forward.

 

[Vassp]

Oh dear, I've struck a nerve. Keep your panties on

TT out-performs our current mids.
1) Don't believe this. Plenty slower out there. The issue is when we play all of the slow ones together (Prestia, Hopper, Ross). He averages more tackles than Cripps, Oliver, LDU (tried to find similar types of role) so he can get to people.
2) No argument there - made even worse by having Hopper, Ross and Prestia in there who are also poor by foot
3) Not sure what you define playmaker as or how you measure it. If you mean score involvements then he is behind Lalor and that's it.
4) Hard to measure clutch (as in what is clutch and what isn't? Miss a kick then the oppo turn it straight back over - is it then not clutch because we got it back? Nah, just subjective - I'd just look at his disposal efficiency by hand and foot - already agreed with point 2, handball much better than kick but also lots of room for improvement)

I'm not sure you've taken notice of many of my posts but I've advocated for TT to spend more time forward for a couple of reasons. One he has good forward craft (can take a 1-1 mark, is good on the ground, is a very good set shot) and 2 (he's got some valuable experience that our side needs).

Taranto (perhaps sadly) is a better option than Hopper, more reliable than Ross and Dion (who is usually not bad, has been more prone to complete clangers by foot this year, while still solid by hand) and Kmac (who has horrible kicking effenciency for someone playing an outside role).

When Cumming, Smilie, Hotton, Grlj and future guys get more experienced, I've no doubt we'll see a reduction in TT at centre bounce from his 80-90% over most games (one game at 60%). Right now I'm more worried about the mix. Having one of Hopper, Prestia and TT in at centre bounce is unavoidable (while they are all playing) but put other guys in there who can actually hurt and provide quality from our clearance (Lalor, Grlj, MRJ, even Sonsie, Seth, Cumming when he is ready). We looked at Short in there a couple of years ago. It ain't Cotch, Dusty, Edwards, Grigg, prime Dion, Bolton but may help address our spread from stoppage (offensively and defensively).

Relax max, I only take my panties off for select people.
I hit a nerve with you, obviously.

Your write-up is pretty good for a hack ....no really it was, just didnt expect it judging by your into

You can be slow, but you have to use the ball to make up for a lack of speed.

All the points I made are valid. and up for discussion. It's not like I said something that's not being spoken about in footy circles, including by footy experts.

So the points I made are valid, just some of us choose to be real, others still like to see our players with their favourite pair of rose-tinted glasses.

I was right about Hopper 3 years ago, before anyone else, because I actually watch what the players do, I don't bring up stat sheets and quote them out of context.

 

[Bojangles17]

How does a teenager take 16 weeks to. Get over a muscle strain . I’ve told you about my 80yo mother in law that was walking within 8w of breaking a hip but this guy can’t play footy 16w after a quad injury

Gimmee a break , there’s something goin on here and it makes me sick

 

[crackertiger]

Agreed

 

[SouthernStripes]

How does a teenager take 16 weeks to. Get over a muscle strain . I’ve told you about my 80yo mother in law that was walking within 8w of breaking a hip but this guy can’t play footy 16w after a quad injury

Gimmee a break , there’s something goin on here and it makes me sick

The way our injury list is looking your MIL may need to dust off the boots as she could very well be named in the side for Sunday

 

[partycorolla]

Relax max, I only take my panties off for select people.
I hit a nerve with you, obviously.

Your write-up is pretty good for a hack ....no really it was, just didnt expect it judging by your into

You can be slow, but you have to use the ball to make up for a lack of speed.

All the points I made are valid. and up for discussion. It's not like I said something that's not being spoken about in footy circles, including by footy experts.

So the points I made are valid, just some of us choose to be real, others still like to see our players with their favourite pair of rose-tinted glasses.

I was right about Hopper 3 years ago, before anyone else, because I actually watch what the players do, I don't bring up stat sheets and quote them out of context.

I'm sure I could find some way of getting you to get your panties off If it guarenteed Ryan wouldn't be a walk-up start, I'm sure you'd do it!

I just like to discuss issues and they are seldom as black or white as people make them. Such and such is a dud, superstar etc.

Reality is most players have strengths and weaknesses. One issue we have at the moment, aside from injuries, is that we have a collection of midfielders with the same weaknesses, all playing in the same side (and we traded for two of them at the same time).

TT gives his all for the club and shouldn't have to be our most important mid but will for the next 18 months, although Lalor is coming on strongly (just needs to keep building his tank and hope we find some viable and reliable options up forward). We have a lot invested in Smilie, Hotton and Cumming, potentiall Grlj, so we need at least 2 of them to become very very good players, if not stars.

The quicker we replace our remaining senior players (some could call them list cloggers), the better. Not necessarily replacing them with youth but with upgrades. Need to find some Grigg, Houli, Lambert types - potential but not performing super well at their existing clubs (or just over-looked). Broad, Prestia, Lynch have been great servants and are heros forever but we need to upgrade their current output, and Vlaustin is heading the same way (albeit due to his lack of a pre-season this year). Then Short, Ross need to be upgraded as well.

Picking up a Lipinski, Cumming, Perryman equivalents helps to bring the younger guys through. Don't need heaps of them but some. Then we can boot out some other cloggers as well...

 

[Jammo1111]

Gonna give him radiation poisoning at this rate

MRI. No radiation.

 

[sanaya]

MRI. No radiation.

yeah but it's serpell we're talking about, anything could happen

 

[Vassp]

I'm sure I could find some way of getting you to get your panties off If it guarenteed Ryan wouldn't be a walk-up start, I'm sure you'd do it!

I just like to discuss issues and they are seldom as black or white as people make them. Such and such is a dud, superstar etc.

Reality is most players have strengths and weaknesses. One issue we have at the moment, aside from injuries, is that we have a collection of midfielders with the same weaknesses, all playing in the same side (and we traded for two of them at the same time).

TT gives his all for the club and shouldn't have to be our most important mid but will for the next 18 months, although Lalor is coming on strongly (just needs to keep building his tank and hope we find some viable and reliable options up forward). We have a lot invested in Smilie, Hotton and Cumming, potentiall Grlj, so we need at least 2 of them to become very very good players, if not stars.

The quicker we replace our remaining senior players (some could call them list cloggers), the better. Not necessarily replacing them with youth but with upgrades. Need to find some Grigg, Houli, Lambert types - potential but not performing super well at their existing clubs (or just over-looked). Broad, Prestia, Lynch have been great servants and are heros forever but we need to upgrade their current output, and Vlaustin is heading the same way (albeit due to his lack of a pre-season this year). Then Short, Ross need to be upgraded as well.

Picking up a Lipinski, Cumming, Perryman equivalents helps to bring the younger guys through. Don't need heaps of them but some. Then we can boot out some other cloggers as well...

Ryan, haha, I don't wear panties but id buy a pair just to take em off for the occasion.
Partycorolla, I dont condone cross-dressing BTW.

Thats what I said about TT, his weaknesses are not suited as a modern mid. Especially when we have 4 similar players there at the moment. we are basically saying very similar things, so not sure why we crossed paths on this.

I did say that I like his work output, he does give his all. I also like the way he speaks, I just dont like the way he plays.

I am also going to say it as it is.......No hate, just facts.

PS..its the style that he plays which is the most annoying. Modern mids need to be play makers. NOT stat collectors.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Time to crack open the hyperbaric chamber

 

[Timothy Luncheon]

MRI. No radiation.

They use MRIs for scans?

 

[Grrr]

2 weeks ago, Smillie was at 90% running and working up his kicking range. 2 weeks later you would think he has upped that further. So he must be doing a good chunk of training.

Unfortunately Ceasar at PRE has hung up his binoculars for the season so we have no real knowledge anymore other than a few lines on the website. Surely one of you bludgers can get down for a training run.

 

[KrispyKreme]

Time to crack open the hyperbaric chamber

You geek I love it

 

[partycorolla]

Ryan, haha, I don't wear panties but id buy a pair just to take em off for the occasion.
Partycorolla, I dont condone cross-dressing BTW.

Thats what I said about TT, his weaknesses are not suited as a modern mid. Especially when we have 4 similar players there at the moment. we are basically saying very similar things, so not sure why we crossed paths on this.

I did say that I like his work output, he does give his all. I also like the way he speaks, I just dont like the way he plays.

I am also going to say it as it is.......No hate, just facts.

PS..its the style that he plays which is the most annoying. Modern mids need to be play makers. NOT stat collectors.

We don't really want TT to be our first/main mid, it's just the situation we are in.

If we had TT during our premiership years, he would be doing the odd rotation in there but be mainly forward behind Cotch, Dusty, young Dion, Titch, Grigg, Bolton...

We only have what we have. TT has a role but can't have him AND Hopper, AND Dion, AND Ross - they are just crapper versions of him. Lalor helps but we desperately need Cumming, Hotton, Smilie, Grlj and ?? to come on and quickly.

 

[kozi]

I've worked it out.....can't believe it took me this long...here are the Serpent's timeline week by week for the last couple of months...see what you notice:

6-12 weeks
6-11 weeks
6-10 weeks
6-9 weeks
6-8 weeks
5-7 weeks
5-6 weeks
4-6 weeks

Anyone notice that 6-weeks has been part of the timeline for 8 x weeks now? It's absolute genius from the Serpent.

Snake oil salesman is what he is

 

[THE_GUN]

I said it back in feb and still the same
Will play games after the bye

 

[Mr Magic]

Something for Smillie to think about in terms of best positions for him to play, over the full career journey

Bontempelli 30 and quiet game last night, Cripps going off the boil

 

[Achilles Heel]

Time to crack open the hyperbaric chamber

Send him to Saudi Arabia

 

[Achilles Heel]

They use MRIs for scans?

Yes they do , you get really colourfull images , can confirm

 

[richoplzbreed]

Watching magoos today was talking with mates about our future midfield with Lalor, Hotton, Smillie, Cumming, Grlj and whoever else we draft rolling through there. As phones do spying on you and all after the game I jumped on YouTube and all these Smillie vids popped up. I'd forgotten how huge his potential upside is. Watching his highlight reel you see his beautiful field kicking, good lateral movement, spot on decision making, brute strength, awesome overhead game and you're reminded why he was an earlier in the season favourite for No.1 pick. Just gotta be patient! It's frustrating as next couple months will be a bitter pill to swallow but I'm itching to see the kids all play along together and gel as a cohesive unit. When Smillie, Hotton and Cumming are all playing ones we need to banish the Nank, Prestia, Hopper and Taranto midfield mix for good!

 

[cheo]

Watching magoos today was talking with mates about our future midfield with Lalor, Hotton, Smillie, Cumming, Grlj and whoever else we draft rolling through there. As phones do spying on you and all after the game I jumped on YouTube and all these Smillie vids popped up. I'd forgotten how huge his potential upside is. Watching his highlight reel you see his beautiful field kicking, good lateral movement, spot on decision making, brute strength, awesome overhead game and you're reminded why he was an earlier in the season favourite for No.1 pick. Just gotta be patient! It's frustrating as next couple months will be a bitter pill to swallow but I'm itching to see the kids all play along together and gel as a cohesive unit. When Smillie, Hotton and Cumming are all playing ones we need to banish the Nank, Prestia, Hopper and Taranto midfield mix for good!

As a supporter you can see our midfield future is there. Plus we have this draft and cash to splash.

When the boys have 4-5 years together, watch out.

 

[Crumpet_avenger]

Which one’s coming first, a Smillie debut or GTA6?

My mrs always says it's me
Am I in this pole?

 

[Grrr]

As a supporter you can see our midfield future is there. Plus we have this draft and cash to splash.

When the boys have 4-5 years together, watch out.

4-5 years. I’ll be in a nursing home by then.

 

[cheo]

4-5 years. I’ll be in a nursing home by then.

Haha well I hope it’s earlier but usually mid 20s is when a player matures and there footy body/mind is developed for AFL.

Imagine Lalor in his mid 20’s

 

[Sir_Rancelot]

hope it's 4-6 weeks and not 4-6 years before he make a debut but who knows