Chris Knights

[CaptainDangerfield]

You just can't help but to be continuely impressed with this kid. Even when he has a quiet day, as he did on Sunday, he still manages to rack up 22 possessions.

After the sullen/mommies boy in Watts, it was also refreshing to hear Knights' positive outlook to football and life in SA.

 

[jo172]

Same thing we said about Watts 12 months ago.

Resign the boy NOW!

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

I disagree. I always thought Watts looked sullen and full of himself whereas Knights looks genuinly excited and positive to be here and it shows in his footy.

 

[UpsideOut]

Have to agree with SpringChoke there, Watts to me has always come across as surly and having about as much personality as a slice of vegimite on toast.

From my encounters with Knights, however few and far between, he certainly has a very positive attitude and always seems to be smiling. A breath of fresh air for the AFC if you ask me.

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

Have to agree with SpringChoke there, Watts to me has always come across as surly and having about as much personality as a slice of vegimite on toast.

From my encounters with Knights, however few and far between, he certainly has a very positive attitude and always seems to be smiling. A breath of fresh air for the AFC if you ask me.

I must admit though, I was a little concerned when he said how much he loves life etc etc, I was waiting for him to break into "Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya...........".

He seems like a GENUINELY down to earth, level headed, and most refreshing of all, modest young guy.

 

[The Rooch]

I must admit though, I was a little concerned when he said how much he loves life etc etc, I was waiting for him to break into "Koombaya my lord, koombaya...........".

He seems like a GENUINELY down to earth, level headed, modest young guy.

hopefully his dad doesnt work anywhere near a football club. top bloke is chrissy, will be a man of many years...we hope.

 

[Stiffy_18]

You just can't help but to be continuely impressed with this kid. Even when he has a quiet day, as he did on Sunday, he still manages to rack up 22 possessions.

After the sullen/mommies boy in Watts, it was also refreshing to hear Knights' positive outlook to football and life in SA.

He got a bit of the footy yesterday but its becoming a bit of a bug bear of mine. He doesn't hurt the opposition with his possesions enough. He needs to improve his hurt factor if he wants to become a gun AFL midfielder. At the moment he plays the Wayne Campbell type of footy. He gets a lot of it but doesn't really hurt the opposition with his possesions. This is something he needs to improve on over the summer.

Still a good player though.

 

[Bockchoy67]

He got a bit of the footy yesterday but its becoming a bit of a bug bear of mine. He doesn't hurt the opposition with his possesions enough. He needs to improve his hurt factor if he wants to become a gun AFL midfielder. At the moment he plays the Wayne Campbell type of footy. He gets a lot of it but doesn't really hurt the opposition with his possesions. This is something he needs to improve on over the summer.

Still a good player though.

Stiff I'm confused.

If anything his disposal has improved over the last few weeks.

Though he had a quiet game yesterday he still managed 22 touches and most of his passes hit the target. He was game enough to take players on and most of the time he did it successfully. His pass into the forward 50 were great most of the time - aside from the basics, what else does he have to do to 'hurt' opponents more?

 

[Stiffy_18]

Stiff I'm confused.

If anything his disposal has improved over the last few weeks.

Though he had a quiet game yesterday he still managed 22 touches and most of his passes hit the target. He was game enough to take players on and most of the time he did it successfully. His pass into the forward 50 were great most of the time - aside from the basics, what else does he have to do to 'hurt' opponents more?

I don't know. I am not a coach BUT I do know that his possesions don't have a high hurt factor. He got 22 touches yesterday but his possesions weren't damaging. His hurt factor yesteray was non-existant.

He will get better with more experience I am sure.

 

[Bockchoy67]

I don't know. I am not a coach BUT I do know that his possesions don't have a high hurt factor. He got 22 touches yesterday but his possesions weren't damaging. His hurt factor yesteray was non-existant.

He will get better with more experience I am sure.

Ah Stiffmeister,

I reckon Knights's SANFL form this year has made you greedy.

 

[UpsideOut]

I must admit though, I was a little concerned when he said how much he loves life etc etc, I was waiting for him to break into "Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya...........".

Couldnt help but laugh at this quote, reminds me of the Pointbreak line 'You're not gonna start chanting or anything, are you?'

 

[Stiffy_18]

Ah Stiffmeister,

I reckon Knights's SANFL form this year has made you greedy.

No not really. I have been saying this for a while now. I think he is a terrific little player but there is no reason to be happy with what he offers now when he can do so much better. He just needs to tidy up some things in his game. He needs to become more damaging with his possesions and he MUST nail those easy goals when he gets a chance. He won't get his 4 shots at goals in AFL with the same ease he gets them in SANFL. He regularly kicks 1.3 for the game. That needs to change. He MUST become more damaging with his touches if he wants to be a top tier midfielder in the AFL.

Hurt factor is something that often gets overlooked in player assesments. Players with higher hurt factor are the match winners.

 

[Crow-mosone]

He got a bit of the footy yesterday but its becoming a bit of a bug bear of mine. He doesn't hurt the opposition with his possesions enough. He needs to improve his hurt factor if he wants to become a gun AFL midfielder. At the moment he plays the Wayne Campbell type of footy. He gets a lot of it but doesn't really hurt the opposition with his possesions. This is something he needs to improve on over the summer.

Still a good player though.

i'll take wayne campbell from this kid

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

He got a bit of the footy yesterday but its becoming a bit of a bug bear of mine. He doesn't hurt the opposition with his possesions enough. He needs to improve his hurt factor if he wants to become a gun AFL midfielder. At the moment he plays the Wayne Campbell type of footy. He gets a lot of it but doesn't really hurt the opposition with his possesions. This is something he needs to improve on over the summer.

Still a good player though.

I agree with Bockchoy. I must admit, I was a little harsh on him on Sunday as i didn't think he went in hard enough at times. But then you have to remember he is still only a boy playing against mostly seasoned veterans. And let's not forget you also have the Gowans factor. I thought the work that he did do in close was fairly good. When tackled, he always seems to get the ball to a teammate.

I also thought, he was one of the few Eagles players willing to go long rather than chipping it about and handballing sideways.

 

[Stiffy_18]

i'll take wayne campbell from this kid

I always thought of Campbell as the player that gets a lot of footy but doesn't really hurt the opposition. This is despite him winning ********loads of Richmond Best and Fairests and captaining the side. I always thought he was a bit over-rated.

 

[Stiffy_18]

I agree with Bockchoy. I must admit, I was a little harsh on him on Sunday as i didn't think he went in hard enough at times. But then you have to remember he is still only a boy playing against mostly seasoned veterans. And let's not forget you also have the Gowans factor. I thought the work that he did do in close was fairly good. When tackled, he always seems to get the ball to a teammate.

I also thought, he was one of the few Eagles players willing to go long rather than chipping it about and handballing sideways.

He played well considering he had a player in his back pocket for pretty much the whole game. I am just saying he needs to become a bit more damaging with his possesions.

I still rate the kid as a VERY good player. But why be satisfied with being VERY good. Why not aim for being the top tier. The kid can clearly reach that level if he irons out bits and pieces in his game and I am reasonably confident he can do it

 

[Bockchoy67]

I agree with Bockchoy. I must admit, I was a little harsh on him on Sunday as i didn't think he went in hard enough at times. But then you have to remember he is still only a boy playing against mostly seasoned veterans. And let's not forget you also have the Gowans factor. I thought the work that he did do in close was fairly good. When tackled, he always seems to get the ball to a teammate.

I also thought, he was one of the few Eagles players willing to go long rather than chipping it about and handballing sideways.

Yeah, I think at the start he looked a little dissinterested and timid but as the game wore on he started to adjust to the pressure of the game and and a result he improved.

The best thing was about it was despite his age and the occasion, he always wanted to play on and get the ball moving. Only once or twice did he get caught but most of the time it worked.

Another great thing about him is that he rarely fumbles and/or can't dispose of it. Sometimes he has the ball in his hands and you just think to yourself "here we go, its a ballup" yet he always manages to get the ball away.

I agree with Stiffy that he has plenty of improvement left in him, but that's what makes this kid so special - he's consistently play well in the SANFL yet still has areas plenty of areas in his game that can improve further.

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

No not really. I have been saying this for a while now. I think he is a terrific little player but there is no reason to be happy with what he offers now when he can do so much better. He just needs to tidy up some things in his game. He needs to become more damaging with his possesions and he MUST nail those easy goals when he gets a chance. He won't get his 4 shots at goals in AFL with the same ease he gets them in SANFL. He regularly kicks 1.3 for the game. That needs to change. He MUST become more damaging with his touches if he wants to be a top tier midfielder in the AFL.

Hurt factor is something that often gets overlooked in player assesments. Players with higher hurt factor are the match winners.

Totally agree with this Stiffy. You can bet back one of your testicles that this will be fixed over the summer.

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

Yeah, I think at the start he looked a little dissinterested and timid but as the game wore on he started to adjust to the pressure of the game and and a result he improved.

The best thing was about it was despite his age and the occasion, he always wanted to play on and get the ball moving. Only once or twice did he get caught but most of the time it worked.

Another great thing about him is that he rarely fumbles and/or can't dispose of it. Sometimes he has the ball in his hands and you just think to yourself "here we go, its a ballup" yet he always manages to get the ball away.
I agree with Stiffy that he has plenty of improvement left in him, but that's what makes this kid so special - he's consistently play well in the SANFL yet still has areas plenty of areas in his game that can improve further.

Very, very good in close.

I don't want to put the mockers on him. But I normally watch Crows players playing in the SANFL verly closely and critically. I can't remember the last Crows kid to have such an impact in the SANFL for along, long time. You could argue that Trent H, Rutten, Mattner, Skip have all at various stages in their pre-afl careers, shown good SANFL form, but not as consistently as Knights has.

 

[The Rooch]

the thing i love most about him is how he can just run up to a stale mate pack, stick one hand in there, get the ball and run away in the blick of an eye. VERY VERY clean hands in close.

there was one instance on the weekend where it was in the eagles CHF position where a few players were fumbling for a ball on the ground. knights ran up, grabbed hte ball one hand clean, turned around and hit someone on the chest. i was in awe. build his body up another few kilos and he should be one to stand tall in the packs and make something otu of nothing for the crows around the ground.

 

[Crow-mosone]

I always thought of Campbell as the player that gets a lot of footy but doesn't really hurt the opposition. This is despite him winning ********loads of Richmond Best and Fairests and captaining the side. I always thought he was a bit over-rated.

Nah, Campbell was a very good player. He's a wingman, and got plenty of it. He just had a knack of being in the right place. Careful you don't get bogged down too much in buzz words like "hurt factor", Campbell's 'hurt factor' wasn't much different to Robert Harvey imo.

If Chris turns out nearly as good we'll be pleased.

 

[The Rooch]

Very, very good in close.

I don't want to put the mockers on him. But I normally watch Crows players playing in the SANFL verly closely and critically. I can't remember the last Crows kid to have such an impact in the SANFL for along, long time. You could argue that Trent H, Rutten, Mattner, Skip have all at various stages in their pre-afl careers, shown good SANFL form, but not as consistently as Knights has.

He sets new standards. Usually you look at new draftees with their maybe..5 possies for the game (schuback etc) and be happy with his efforts (well maybe not schuback, but you know what i mean) and say this kid has a lot to work with.

chris knights gets 35 possies. there is something golden here. maybe he is worth that top 10 pick many thought he would be before he sustained his knee injury prior to be drafted.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Nah, Campbell was a very good player. He's a wingman, and got plenty of it. He just had a knack of being in the right place. Careful you don't get bogged down too much in buzz words like "hurt factor", Campbell's 'hurt factor' wasn't much different to Robert Harvey imo.

If Chris turns out nearly as good we'll be pleased.

Fair call with the Campbell-Harvey hurt factor.

I am sure we would be happy but I still think he can be more damaging

 

[Bockchoy67]

He sets new standards. Usually you look at new draftees with their maybe..5 possies for the game (schuback etc) and be happy with his efforts (well maybe not schuback, but you know what i mean) and say this kid has a lot to work with.

chris knights gets 35 possies. there is something golden here. maybe he is worth that top 10 pick many thought he would be before he sustained his knee injury prior to be drafted.

After seeing him twice in 2003, I predicted he would go top 15. But in 2004 he developed knee tendonitis because of a huge growth spurt (180cm to 185cm) and his performances suffered as a result.

To still get him at no.56 is a great result. I'm not putting the mockers on him though.

 

[macca23]

He sets new standards. Usually you look at new draftees with their maybe..5 possies for the game (schuback etc) and be happy with his efforts (well maybe not schuback, but you know what i mean) and say this kid has a lot to work with.

chris knights gets 35 possies. there is something golden here. maybe he is worth that top 10 pick many thought he would be before he sustained his knee injury prior to be drafted.

Right on the money.

While Stiffy is partially right about his disposal, that's the least of our worries. This kid sets new territory for a young draftee in the number of times he gets the ball and swoops on it beautifully - a great reader of the play and a top crumber.

For a kid of his age playing in his first SANFL Grand Final, he would have had to be as nervous as hell. He started slowly as he did in the previous final. But once again he built up momentum as the game went on and yet some peope are disappointed in his game when he gets 22 disposals?

They'll work on his kicking - his handball is very good overall IMO - and make no bones about it, he's going to be a quality player at AFL level.

IMO he's going to be the next Goodwin - that's how highly I rate him.

Time to stop looking at the negatives and be thankful for the positives. This kid's glass is nine tenths full, not one tenth empty!!