Opinion George Horlin-Smith - where is he at?

[Catsnlakers]

Was round 4 2013! Was kicking left foot goals and everything that night.

He played a great game on JPK a year or two ago..Or was that longer.
He's pure mid only can't play else where in the AFL.
He's slow yep snails pace slow,but seems to be a slow thinker you can't be both in the AFL.
Maybe I've forgotten how he plays,been awhile since I've seen him at AFL level.

 

[Leeds17]

I don't think he's that slow of mind actually think he's a pretty smart footballer, I reckon he's quicker than Ling was so what he needs to do is get his endurance to an elite level & his stoppage positioning needs to be almost perfect.

In a midfield where he can be the in and under type with quicker players around him he could be a real weapon but unfortunately that's not us at least not at this point.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

It will be his call. I suspect the club will trade him if he wants to go and another club is interested but there has been no indication yet that either of those things are the case.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

It will be his call. I suspect the club will trade him if he wants to go and another club is interested but there has been no indication yet that either of those things are the case.

I'd like to see him get a go at another club just so that the possibility that he ever represents Geelong again dissipates.

One can't afford to fumble as much as he does when he's severely lacking in pace.

 

[catempire]

I have nothing to base it on but I get the sense that both club and player are quite happy just rolling forward and seeing how things go. I'm sure if another club came bashing on his door George would consider it but that's not likely and in the absence of it he's happy serving the club to the best of his ability.

 

[Mningasimisonda]

George has all the skills, but is slower and shorter than most guys he is computing with. I think as a good solid player, he gets overlooked a bit because of this, especially because most weeks the discussion seems to be about where will we get more run or flare. George is never the answer to that, but I think long term he is clearly AFL standard so hopefully will find his place (with us or another team).

 

[Gee Class Loco]

He is a very good VFL player... and thats it.

 

[pussygalore]

He is a very good VFL player... and thats it.

Couldn't agree more. He struggles at AFL level but if he is serious about playing AFL he needs another club.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

So does anyone see the status quo with George changing in 2017.
Is this the season he breaks through? Or is he again stuck dominating the VFL?

 

[David the Cat]

Well hopefully he's doing a summer of 20 metre sprint training.

 

[Whit3y]

So does anyone see the status quo with George changing in 2017.
Is this the season he breaks through? Or is he again stuck dominating the VFL?

even if he doesn't break through

his got great leadership skills.....apparently

 

[Spazz Cat]

So does anyone see the status quo with George changing in 2017.
Is this the season he breaks through? Or is he again stuck dominating the VFL?

We did allright with injuries this year so I think he'll get more of a go next year unless Parsons or a new draftee really tears it up.
IMO he is a small forward. Excellent natural goal sense. Probably the best on our list in that regard. Good hands.
Just the speed thing though. Preety much a requirement of a small forward now.

 

[Willo_]

Well hopefully he's doing a summer of 20 metre sprint training.

I hope he is working on hitting targets by hand better.

I watched him in the 2s a bit and finding the ball is no issue for him obviously, he knows where and how to get it.... but when he has the chance to release a player into space by hand I find he isn't as crisp as he needs to be... if that makes sense.

He hangs the ball in the air too much or overshoots the target a bit at VFL level. So the player may still get the ball but has lost his momentum waiting that half a step for it.

Mind you this is just my opinion and I may have seen something that is less common not more common.

But if he sharpens up his disposal IMO he will be straight in as he can add grunt work that allows Danger to be more lethal away from congestion etc

 

[dazbroncos]

I hope he is working on hitting targets by hand better.

I watched him in the 2s a bit and finding the ball is no issue for him obviously, he knows where and how to get it.... but when he has the chance to release a player into space by hand I find he isn't as crisp as he needs to be... if that makes sense.

He hangs the ball in the air too much or overshoots the target a bit at VFL level. So the player may still get the ball but has lost his momentum waiting that half a step for it.

Mind you this is just my opinion and I may have seen something that is less common not more common.

But if he sharpens up his disposal IMO he will be straight in as he can add grunt work that allows Danger to be more lethal away from congestion etc

Agreed with this and he aint on his pat malone there either...

If Bartel's pace could get games then GHS should not be omitted based on that either.

GO Catters

 

[Spazz Cat]

I hope he is working on hitting targets by hand better.

I watched him in the 2s a bit and finding the ball is no issue for him obviously, he knows where and how to get it.... but when he has the chance to release a player into space by hand I find he isn't as crisp as he needs to be... if that makes sense.

He hangs the ball in the air too much or overshoots the target a bit at VFL level. So the player may still get the ball but has lost his momentum waiting that half a step for it.

Mind you this is just my opinion and I may have seen something that is less common not more common.

But if he sharpens up his disposal IMO he will be straight in as he can add grunt work that allows Danger to be more lethal away from congestion etc

It makes sense to me. I noticed it to. Practicing sprints isn't really going to make him faster, but watching Sam Mitchell videos when he wakes up every morning then going out and practicing it for the rest of the day will make him a more valuable player.
As you said he knows where the ball is going to go and knows how to get it.

 

[Willo_]

Agreed with this and he aint on his pat malone there either...

If Bartel's pace could get games then GHS should not be omitted based on that either.

GO Catters

He isn't... but if you lack in other areas it stands out more

 

[bulletproof]

When we secured Dangerfield, I thought he would be a more damaging outside player than he was in his Adelaide days because we had more players to the grunt work on the inside.

What happened was he became an even better player on the inside, but particularly late in the season, he did not provide enough of a goal threat tearing forward (apart from the Melbourne game when he assisted with several early goals).

Key to our improvement is getting Scott Selwood and one other to do more grunt work to free up Danger and Joel. I thought it would be Caddy but maybe it will be Horlin-Smith.

Caddy's departure will give Horlin-Smith half a chance of some early games. He does kick goals and his inside work can be good, so he is a logical Caddy replacement.

Will he be good enough to seize that chance? I hope so. He has shown he can play at the level on his very best days.

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

Well hopefully he's doing a summer of 20 metre sprint training.

Hopefully he's in the weights room

 

[Partridge]

George has all the skills, but is slower and shorter than most guys he is computing with. I think as a good solid player, he gets overlooked a bit because of this, especially because most weeks the discussion seems to be about where will we get more run or flare. George is never the answer to that, but I think long term he is clearly AFL standard so hopefully will find his place (with us or another team).

He's taller than Cockatoo, Cowan, Guthrie, Lang, Motlop, Joel Selwood, and Scott Selwood. For non-midfielders add Bews, Gregson, McCarthy, Ruggles and Tuohy.

He's 1cm shorter than Dangerfield, and the same height as Duncan and Menegola.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

When we secured Dangerfield, I thought he would be a more damaging outside player than he was in his Adelaide days because we had more players to the grunt work on the inside.

What happened was he became an even better player on the inside, but particularly late in the season, he did not provide enough of a goal threat tearing forward (apart from the Melbourne game when he assisted with several early goals).

Key to our improvement is getting Scott Selwood and one other to do more grunt work to free up Danger and Joel. I thought it would be Caddy but maybe it will be Horlin-Smith.

Caddy's departure will give Horlin-Smith half a chance of some early games. He does kick goals and his inside work can be good, so he is a logical Caddy replacement.

Will he be good enough to seize that chance? I hope so. He has shown he can play at the level on his very best days.

Come on down Sammy Menegola!

 

[Pure_Ownage]

So does anyone see the status quo with George changing in 2017.
Is this the season he breaks through? Or is he again stuck dominating the VFL?

No he is a backup for scooter (if injured) and menegola (if his form drops markedly but i doubt it). Contracted til end 2018 but surely asks for a trade in 12 months if still in vfl.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

When we secured Dangerfield, I thought he would be a more damaging outside player than he was in his Adelaide days because we had more players to the grunt work on the inside.

What happened was he became an even better player on the inside, but particularly late in the season, he did not provide enough of a goal threat tearing forward (apart from the Melbourne game when he assisted with several early goals).

Key to our improvement is getting Scott Selwood and one other to do more grunt work to free up Danger and Joel. I thought it would be Caddy but maybe it will be Horlin-Smith.

Caddy's departure will give Horlin-Smith half a chance of some early games. He does kick goals and his inside work can be good, so he is a logical Caddy replacement.

Will he be good enough to seize that chance? I hope so. He has shown he can play at the level on his very best days.

Caddy was playing 70 % forward anyway his departure creates a vacancy for cockatoo not ghs. We will want a fwd/mid for caddys role not a pure mid.

Our starting mids are danger joel and scott and then guthrie menegola blitz and duncan. Danger and joel are too good mids to play fwd, scott cant play anywhere else and menegola is excelling at clearances. I doubt guthrie plays back with tuohy and thurlow here so unless duncan gets moved fwd or blitz to second ruck i cant see how ghs gets games.

 

[Lana]

No he is a backup for scooter (if injured) and menegola (if his form drops markedly but i doubt it). Contracted til end 2018 but surely asks for a trade in 12 months if still in vfl.

We probably tied to find him a new home this year but had no takers.

GHS will get a shot at some point next year if he can stay fit but he has to grab what ever opportunity he gets two hands. If he plays and plays well they'll find a way to fit him in.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

He'd be lucky to get a spot on another list.

 

[ChookNorris]

Despite being on the senior list, the club names George captain of the VFL side in most hilariously backhanded appointment in league history.