give joel smith a go....

[dutchy_rules]

Given the lack of support by some so called supporters of the hawthorn football club, i just think its time that we all get behind joel smith and stop bagging him.....
ive been one of his biggest fans since he came over from the saints and think that this year he is primed to perform at his best. Personally i dont know what some supporters expected of him the last couple of years.... people tend to forget that he had one of the worst knee injuries you would see and it takes time for you to regain confidence and proper fitness......even a couple of years.... The last couple of seasons havent been his best but i feel he has slowly improved and is now ready to burst back onto the scene.... i could think of nothing better than seeing smithy running through half back on the burst and hitting dutchy or thommo laces out......

so please give smithy a chance and stop bagging him.... hes already shown that in a couple ansett cup matches he is just about ready to play to his true potential.
and i think this year we really need him to stand up if our midfield is to be competitive, so just be supportive and remember that all players will make mistakes but there are only a certain number of matchwinners around..... i reckon with smithys skills he could prove to be the icing on the cake for the hawks this year.

 

[Danny Chook Fan Club]

Joel Smith is getting a big slice of the salary cap. We paid over the odds to get him, let him recuperate for a year, and now we are more than entitled to look for some sort of return on our investment.

He's had two full years now. Can you honestly say that there's one game that stands out in that time that you remember "Yeah, Smitty played really well!" I write up every one of them, and I can't remember one.

It's all very well to say that we shouldn't bag our own players, and to an extent we shouldn't, but surely if a player is commanding twice or three times the money as honest goers who will never have a quarter of the talent, but have ten times the heart and desire, then that player is open to some scrutiny.

I want to see Smith do well - he'll make us a better team if he ever pulls his finger out. But I'm no fan, and I won't be until he starts putting in reguarly.

 

[phreeze77]

i can tell you he played really well against Essenscum last year....how about the game against the swans at the scg he kicked 3 goals from half forward....He hasnt been consistant but neither has most of our players....IT is make or break this year simalar to john barker and he shone through last year lets just hope smithy can emulate or go near the match winning performances of barker...

cheers

 

[Grendel]

What I havent understood is how the coach has used him. This is not a player to come on and off the bench in an interchange role. His better games for us (imho) have been when he has been in the starting 18 and been allowed to get into the game from the beginning.

However i agree with Danny that unless he makes heavy inroads into becoming the footballer that he was recruited to be (a skilled deliver to the forwards, capable of getting a goal a week as well) then he will have been a wasted investment.

 

[Hawkforce]

I posted a while ago that it might be worth playing Smith off a half-back flank; the reasoning being that the defensive responsibilities would force him into physical contests.

Is this actually happening? Haven't been able to see a game yet, but some of the match reports suggest that he is playing as a rebounder.

 

[dutchy_rules]

Originally posted by Hawkforce:
I posted a while ago that it might be worth playing Smith off a half-back flank; the reasoning being that the defensive responsibilities would force him into physical contests.

Is this actually happening? Haven't been able to see a game yet, but some of the match reports suggest that he is playing as a rebounder.

yeh this has been hapening since the first intra club practise match at vic park a few weeks ago...
i think it has been successful as it has given him the ability to run and to use his passing ability to great affect....
Also another thing is that during the fremantle match he was doing the majority of the kicking in..... so i think its fair to say that joel will have a new role to play this season....

 

[goatmaster]

Dutch,
Interested in Smith with kick ins. How did he go . It was a big problem last year. Remember Twiggy against Norff. Like a roo dazzled by the oncoming headlights. Joel kicks well with depth & relatively flat which is good for kickins for faster travel.

 

[dutchy_rules]

Originally posted by goatmaster:
Dutch,
Interested in Smith with kick ins. How did he go . It was a big problem last year. Remember Twiggy against Norff. Like a roo dazzled by the oncoming headlights. Joel kicks well with depth & relatively flat which is good for kickins for faster travel.

Didnt do too well.... unfortunately he tended to take the wide, short option too much for my liking but most of our players seem to do that these days. Dont recall any real glaring errors though.... i'm sure if given the opportunity he would adjust to kicking in... always plenty of pressure on the kick taker.... When he went long a couple of times he got nice distance but they tended to go towards the opposition...

it would be interesting to see this experiment continue for a bit... hopefully till sunday at least so we can see it live...

 

[dutchy_rules]

i think some of the hawk supporters writing posts on this board are going to eat their words.......
Now you can see what a good player he can be..sure he made some mistakes but he certainly adds some excitement out of the back half......

go smithy.... and lordy for that matter...
if they both stand up we will be looking at a top 4 birth i would reckon.....

 

[Hawkeye2001]

Originally posted by dutchy_rules:
i think some of the hawk supporters writing posts on this board are going to eat their words.......
Now you can see what a good player he can be..sure he made some mistakes but he certainly adds some excitement out of the back half......

go smithy.... and lordy for that matter...
if they both stand up we will be looking at a top 4 birth i would reckon.....

Agree 100% Dutchy Rules. Wasn't he great for us yesterday eh? And hasn't he bulked up. I think Chris Connolly said before the game that he's now the strongest at the club. I find that hard to believe, but he's certainly had a good summer in the gym.

 

[Danny Chook Fan Club]

Yep, hats off to the boy, he played a clinker. More please!!!