Rumour Is Horlin-Smith off to GWS?

[Strangled Cat]

i would be happy for the crows to trade matty wright & David MacKay for GHS

It's Paddy, Rory, Crouchy, Walker, Talia or bust!

 

[hbk_aus]

I honestly think his complete lack of any pace whatsoever is what has cost him games so far. Why else would the likes of Murdoch and Stringer have gotten games ahead of him?
As for his Sydney game, I would think a wet slippery night match at the SCG would be his ideal scenario, as compared to a warm day match at Subiaco.

 

[dazbroncos]

The same reason Murdoch does not play KPD. Everyone has a role. I thought Hypen would go before Stringer but perhaps Stringer was playing outside when he played in front of him. Im still very hopeful Hypen will get games, plenty of them and show us exactly where he is still here.


GO Catters

 

[hbk_aus]

The same reason Murdoch does not play KPD. Everyone has a role. I thought Hypen would go before Stringer but perhaps Stringer was playing outside when he played in front of him. Im still very hopeful Hypen will get games, plenty of them and show us exactly where he is still here.


GO Catters

I agree with you a bit with regard to Murdoch Daz but all that shows is that GHS has really only the one role he can play due to his lack of pace, whereas Murdoch can be used in several different areas. Stringer on the other hand is a very similar player who was played before GHS numerous times.

 

[Boxhead_31]

I honestly think his complete lack of any pace whatsoever is what has cost him games so far. Why else would the likes of Murdoch and Stringer have gotten games ahead of him?
As for his Sydney game, I would think a wet slippery night match at the SCG would be his ideal scenario, as compared to a warm day match at Subiaco.

Seem to remember another midfielder we had that wasn't overly quick.
How did that work out again?
Oh right like this

How about we give GHS an extended run in the side to see what he can do without worrying about if he is going to get dropped each week?

 

[thegerman]

I honestly think his complete lack of any pace whatsoever is what has cost him games so far. Why else would the likes of Murdoch and Stringer have gotten games ahead of him?
As for his Sydney game, I would think a wet slippery night match at the SCG would be his ideal scenario, as compared to a warm day match at Subiaco.

I'm perplexed, there was a number of great players, yes even Ling, where early on their ability and more so, their lack of pace, was under question. Yet with opportunity they become quality players over the long term. Yes all players have weak points, but so did superstars of the game.

The kid had played a handful of games, give him a break. He may just put egg on all your faces.
I bet we could bring back a number of threads questioning Ling's ability, yet he become one of our best ever

 

[hbk_aus]

I'm perplexed, there was a number of great players, yes even Ling, where early on their ability and more so, their lack of pace, was under question. Yet with opportunity they become quality players over the long term. Yes all players have weak points, but so did superstars of the game.

The kid had played a handful of games, give him a break. He may just put egg on all your faces.
I bet we could bring back a number of threads questioning Ling's ability, yet he become one of our best ever

Where exactly have I said he won't make it or written him off? Forgive me if I am going senile but didn't I just say that I think his lack of pace and the versatility which comes with that is why I think he didn't get the games that players like Stringer and Murdoch got. Is that not a fair opinion to offer?

 

[hbk_aus]

Seem to remember another midfielder we had that wasn't overly quick.
How did that work out again?
Oh right like this

How about we give GHS an extended run in the side to see what he can do without worrying about if he is going to get dropped each week?

Thanks for the history lesson - see my post above. I am not saying he won't make it, just trying to hazard a guess as to why he hasn't been given games above Stringer and Co.

 

[thegerman]

Where exactly have I said he won't make it or written him off? Forgive me if I am going senile but didn't I just say that I think his lack of pace and the versatility which comes with that is why I think he didn't get the games that players like Stringer and Murdoch got. Is that not a fair opinion to offer?

Apologies, mainly at where this thread has gone over last few days. He didn't get opportunities mostly due to the seniors doing well and he got injured at the wrong time.

 

[Jon Douglas]

Seem to remember another midfielder we had that wasn't overly quick.
How did that work out again?
Oh right like this

How about we give GHS an extended run in the side to see what he can do without worrying about if he is going to get dropped each week?

I hope he gets quite a few games as he needs sometime to show us if he is up to senior footy. Only thing is if we get Adams he may again be behind another favoured player like Caddy and miss games to Adams (if that happens).

 

[hbk_aus]

Apologies, mainly at where this thread has gone over last few days. He didn't get opportunities mostly due to the seniors doing well and he got injured at the wrong time.

Stringer got injured during the year as well though, and still got games later in the year which GHS could've gotten. Just trying to guess what the MC were thinking as I thought they would have gotten a lot more games into him this season, especially after the Sydney game.

 

[bulletproof]

Fairly sure Chris Scott answered the question on GHS directly at a press conference. He said he lacked the endurance base to be a 4 quarter midfielder in 2013. I think it was after the Collingwood game when he turned it over late in the game twice that he began to form this opinion. Baring in mind he was competing with hardened pros like Kelly and Corey for his spot, it was probably not untrue.

It was a bad mistake to leave him out but I don't think the decision was based on long term judgements. They gave him a two year deal and clearly think highly of him. He'll probably just need a very big pre-Season to change the perception that his running capacity is down on his peers.

 

[Claude Balls]

Fairly sure Chris Scott answered the question on GHS directly at a press conference. He said he lacked the endurance base to be a 4 quarter midfielder in 2013. I think it was after the Collingwood game when he turned it over late in the game twice that he began to form this opinion. Baring in mind he was competing with hardened pros like Kelly and Corey for his spot, it was probably not untrue.

It was a bad mistake to leave him out but I don't think the decision was based on long term judgements. They gave him a two year deal and clearly think highly of him. He'll probably just need a very big pre-Season to change the perception that his running capacity is down on his peers.

I'm not entirely convinced a big pre-season will change the perception his running capacity is down on his peers, insofar as pace can be only marginally improved with training, as opposed to endurance. I am heartened however, by what you say in regards to Scott's thoughts that GHS lacked the fitness to compete over 4 quarters. Essentially, a big pre-season can only help.

As for the issue of pace in general (as an impediment to becoming a good player), I can see why people cite the likes of Greg Williams and Cameron Ling (to take hope), but ultimately the truth is that being slow is a hindrance, and players that overcome it to become very good, or great players, do so on the back of being exceptional, or at least well above average, in other aspects of the game. In short, the relative lack of bona fide slow champions of the games does not suggest GHS is more like to make it than not. Only that it is possible he could. Fred summed it up better above.

 

[Partridge]

Someone with more knowledge tell me - is this Adams guy as good, worse or about the same standard as mid as GHS ?

Just interested in your views.

Using the Josh Caddy logic, he's a higher draft pick and came from either Gold Coast or GWS, so must be far, far better.

 

[Partridge]

We have Caddy now - and he should turn out to be a reasonable mid. But he alone is not enough and these two explains why I think we are going after Adams and will likely pick a mid at the ND with our first pick.

It is so hard to transition when you have so many good older players that need to be replaced in a short period of time.

It also depends on whether you get given opportunities. Caddy got them - he played 18 games this year. Horlin-Smith got 8. Caddy got picked for Round 1 on the ground even though Horlin-Smith had comfortably outperformed him (and just about everyone else) throughout the pre-season.

GHS then won a Rising Star nomination, then got injured against Collingwood. In his first game back against Melbourne he received coaches' votes - then got dropped. Came back against St.Kilda as a late replacement, and of course was dropped again. The only hard part about being in transition is making tough calls. Unfortunately this year the club didn't do it while the season was in progress.

So if we are to be competitive next season we need another mid or two stand up - and so the heat falls on GHS a fair bit. It will be interesting to see what happens and the posts on him over the season next year. Much may depend on whether Corey retires as we many expect - but no word yet.

Corey must retire. Either that, or one of he and Kelly plays VFL. Horlin-Smith should have been played much more this year. The same discussion was had 12 months ago. I said our midfield was too old and no one wanted to listen. It contributed to us missing a Grand Final spot because they were exhausted by the finals.

 

[Partridge]

I honestly think his complete lack of any pace whatsoever is what has cost him games so far. Why else would the likes of Murdoch and Stringer have gotten games ahead of him?
As for his Sydney game, I would think a wet slippery night match at the SCG would be his ideal scenario, as compared to a warm day match at Subiaco.

Because the club had too much reverence for Corey and Kelly who play as inside midfielders - exactly the same spot as Horlin-Smith. Murdoch was played mostly as a forward. Stringer I can't answer, but even then they both played against Melbourne.

 

[Partridge]

Apologies, mainly at where this thread has gone over last few days. He didn't get opportunities mostly due to the seniors doing well being preferred and he got injured at the wrong time.

Pretty much it. Except it doesn't explain why he got dropped after the Melbourne or St.Kilda games. Or why he got to watch our midfield grind to a halt during the finals. A 20-year-old might have come in handy.

 

[Pollywaffle]

I think he is about to be poached by the australian cricket team

 

[thegerman]

I think he is about to be poached by the australian cricket team

They are so crap I think I would get a run

 

[denicat]

GHS was getting games until inj so to say others getting games before him is just crap

 

[hbk_aus]

GHS was getting games until inj so to say others getting games before him is just crap

Thank you for your kind, eloquent response. But GHS wasnt injured later in the year when Stringer got games in front of him. And he is a similar type player.

 

[hbk_aus]

Because the club had too much reverence for Corey and Kelly who play as inside midfielders - exactly the same spot as Horlin-Smith. Murdoch was played mostly as a forward. Stringer I can't answer, but even then they both played against Melbourne.

Understand that Murdoch is more adaptable in different positions, but Stringer was clearly favoured a few times which surprised me.

 

[Partridge]

Thank you for your kind, eloquent response. But GHS wasnt injured later in the year when Stringer got games in front of him. And he is a similar type player.

The worst was after the Melbourne game. Played well, kicked 2 goals - was praised by Scott - and got coaches' votes. Then got dropped. Just idiotic.

 

[Seeds]

Using the Josh Caddy logic, he's a higher draft pick and came from either Gold Coast or GWS, so must be far, far better.

But Caddy is far better. Do you have another example?

 

[Partridge]

But Caddy is far better. Do you have another example?

Caddy is far better than Horlin-Smith? No he's not. Jury is still way out on that one.