James Sicily

[daniel23]

Kid is a match winner on his day , right now with how bad the team is travelling im happy to over look his deficiencies and let him continue to get senior exposure . He is a confidence player and dropping him every second week will not benefit him , up until the last few games o'brien was on the scrap heap now he is one of our shining lights so far out of a poor season to date. Sicily's best has been better then timmy's with a couple leas years in the system .

 

[Lethality]

I didn't notice a single tackle from him. He has some exciting talent though, but I feel he needs to lead up more, and not just rely on overhead marking. At his size and strength, I doubt he can just rely on that part of his game.

 

[MasterSamurai]

been at the game I had the glasses on him and people on here are being way too harsh. he was chasing and trying very hard when the ball hit the ground, the fact that he isn't natural that way means he needs time. He should be picked in our side along with Tob as much as possible imo.

 

[Gliggin]

strikes me as one of those guys who'd rather kick a bag in a losing side than not kick one in a win

I'm not totally against your post, but his handball to Howe just before half time says otherwise to the above part. Unselfish and resulted in McEvoy kicking the goal. Sicily had space to have a shot but was team first with his split second reaction. His general attitude, especially with Rough also seemed in good form. So we need to appreciate the positives too for some balanced criticism.

Not you in particular, but people will be happy to jump right back on him when he wins us another game and forgot the current bashing of a developing player.

 

[Hawk_francais]

Truth is heaps of people judge his attitude in here without knowing him at all. He's got a temper on the field and he needs to become more of a team player, but he's also a match-winner. I don't think we've seen his best.

Players with 40 goals in their first 30 games are not to be delisted. That's a full stop at the end there.

 

[Dank You Steven]

While he might be an "in betweener" with regards to his height he can play more like a key forward and can certainly mark like one. I just find it pointless playing a guy like Vickery there when we have a guy who is already a better mark and kick for goal, is more aggressive at the contest and who actually wants the ball in his hands in those clutch moments. Guys like that don't come along often. He thrives on confidence.....Lets get him confident and watch him become a 50 goal a year forward for us. His defensive side needs work as do his second and third efforts if he works on those deficiencies which he has already identified he will become a really solid contributer for us.

My views on Sicily have been expressed on this forum, and got me in trouble, but this is spot when comparing to Vickery.

 

[Big Hotdog]

It only seems like yesterday that we were here discussing the lack of defensive side of Luke Breust and how this could be his undoing

 

[flinchfree]

It only seems like yesterday that we were here discussing the lack of defensive side of Luke Breust and how this could be his undoing

It's funny, he is exactly the player that jumps into my mind when I think of so-so defensive efforts.
The number of times I've seen him in a half jog watching fairly disinterestedly as the ball leaves our 50 far exceeds what I've seen of Sicily.
Still, far more currency in the bank so people will overlook that.

 

[Big Hotdog]

Perception

It's funny, he is exactly the player that jumps into my mind when I think of so-so defensive efforts.
The number of times I've seen him in a half jog watching fairly disinterestedly as the ball leaves our 50 far exceeds what I've seen of Sicily.
Still, far more currency in the bank so people will overlook that.

Perception is everything

 

[Luv_our_club]

This thread is a good debate with well considered opinions. It helps when a player produces all that is good and all that is bad about their play in the space of 2 hours.

I lost respect for Sicily on the weekend mainly because he has been around long enough now and had a confidence boost but still left the heavy lifting to others. Most of his tackles were chase down style - he doesnt seem to like front on defensive efforts.

I am pleased to see Hawks supporters and the FC backing him in though. He still has time in this team to become what we want him to be, and if not to have a career frustrating other fans.

 

[Lord Mud of Glenferrie]

For goodness sake people think. Do you really think someone with less than 50 games is going to be the complete player At times I really don't get the instant judgement on players that seem to thrive on this forum. Are yous vying or the title of 'I was the first to say Bill BLoggs is a spud or a future champ'.


Sicily is the type of player who can be a match winner. He has that rare knack of kicking a clutch of goals in 15 minutes. those type of players win Premierships. So he kicked 3 quick goals well before half time. Is he then expected to continue kicking goals at that rate and finish with 10 to 12 goals. Those 3 goals he kicked could have and should have been a match winner. He will develop other aspects of his game over time so give him that time.

As for being a down hill skier, if so, then he has just joined the 21 club.

I would hate to see a headline ' After being hardly sighted for 3 quarters Sicily kicks three late goals to win Premiership for insert club'

 

[Thaihawk]

If you are comparing his 2017 form to last year's you would have to be disappointed. Having said that, I can't think of any of our premiership players who aren't in the same category as Sicily; I think it is unfair to be picking on individual players and their efforts for our performances this year. Coaches, game plan, and still trying to make every player into duel position stars is hurting us more than any individual. Just my thoughts.

 

[Gralin]

I'm not totally against your post, but his handball to Howe just before half time says otherwise to the above part. Unselfish and resulted in McEvoy kicking the goal. Sicily had space to have a shot but was team first with his split second reaction. His general attitude, especially with Rough also seemed in good form. So we need to appreciate the positives too for some balanced criticism.

Not you in particular, but people will be happy to jump right back on him when he wins us another game and forgot the current bashing of a developing player.

Like I said it's from the outside looking in, but the way he plays and talks about playing, he wants to kick goals.
This is a good trait in a forward and I said in the game day thread when he burned Rough and Gunston and missed the goal I was ok with that because we don't have enough blokes willing to pull the trigger.

That doesn't mean he won't pass to someone in a better position, go for goal too much from bad spots and miss and you will be out of the team, burn too many team mates and they will stop giving you the ball.

My comment was more that I think Sis would have preferred the game he played last night to if he and Dimma had swapped positions for the game and he was down back

You need a bit of me me me in a forward but he needs to do enough of the team things as well

It's funny, he is exactly the player that jumps into my mind when I think of so-so defensive efforts.
The number of times I've seen him in a half jog watching fairly disinterestedly as the ball leaves our 50 far exceeds what I've seen of Sicily.
Still, far more currency in the bank so people will overlook that.

And yet Breust averages almost four tackles a game, has only had 4 games in 149 without a tackle and didn't have a game without a tackle until his fourth season.

No doubt he chooses to not chase at times, everyone does it

Sis has already had 7 games out of 31 without a tackle and averages just less than half as many tackles a game as Breust.

So while you will get passages of play where defensive effort is lacking from all players, what I'm wondering is whether he has the desire to hunt and do the hard things for the team consistently.

I hope he does

 

[flinchfree]

Like I said it's from the outside looking in, but the way he plays and talks about playing, he wants to kick goals.
This is a good trait in a forward and I said in the game day thread when he burned Rough and Gunston and missed the goal I was ok with that because we don't have enough blokes willing to pull the trigger.

That doesn't mean he won't pass to someone in a better position, go for goal too much from bad spots and miss and you will be out of the team, burn too many team mates and they will stop giving you the ball.

My comment was more that I think Sis would have preferred the game he played last night to if he and Dimma had swapped positions for the game and he was down back

You need a bit of me me me in a forward but he needs to do enough of the team things as well


And yet Breust averages almost four tackles a game, has only had 4 games in 149 without a tackle and didn't have a game without a tackle until his fourth season.

No doubt he chooses to not chase at times, everyone does it

Sis has already had 7 games out of 31 without a tackle and averages just less than half as many tackles a game as Breust.

So while you will get passages of play where defensive effort is lacking from all players, what I'm wondering is whether he has the desire to hunt and do the hard things for the team consistently.

I hope he does

Agree with everything you've said.
Just think he needs to add 10-20% extra to his game including defensive posture, attitude and consistency, and you've got an A grade player.
There's a whole lot of AFL players playing at their absolute max who will never come close to being A grade and be actual match winners.
Never heard a word out of his mouth that struck me wrong, unlike so many footballers I've heard in the rooms or out and about. There are a tonne who a quite literally abominable human beings and trade solely on their sporting ability. Clubs look the other way because of what they do on Saturdays.

I think Sicily's a good kid who desperately wants to have an impact on the field that affects winning, not because he's chasing awards. TBH, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's been given directives many times over his career that his job on game days is to kick goals - and if he's not doing that he won't be getting a game.
While the Poppy's of this world are rare breeds who need not be judged on the scoreboard, how well would we view Breust and Roughy if they both kicked a dozen goals for the year and brought exactly the same rest of their game that they currently do?

Got a feeling those other attributes they have wouldn't cover over a lack of productivity up forward.
Perhaps you run Roughy around the ground, but again if you're talking forwards you mark them on whether they produce scoring.

Pretty sure Sic feels the same pressure to succeed, not just so everyone will know his name, but because that is how he is going to make his mark and living from the game.

 

[Brishawk]

Attitude, ground level competitiveness and work rate are what are holding him back. All fixable. Will take time but I feel it will click eventually. I think he would make a better hbf/wing in time but wherever he plays he needs to improve those three things.

 

[bhutt0]

For goodness sake people think. Do you really think someone with less than 50 games is going to be the complete player At times I really don't get the instant judgement on players that seem to thrive on this forum. Are yous vying or the title of 'I was the first to say Bill BLoggs is a spud or a future champ'.


Sicily is the type of player who can be a match winner. He has that rare knack of kicking a clutch of goals in 15 minutes. those type of players win Premierships. So he kicked 3 quick goals well before half time. Is he then expected to continue kicking goals at that rate and finish with 10 to 12 goals. Those 3 goals he kicked could have and should have been a match winner. He will develop other aspects of his game over time so give him that time.

As for being a down hill skier, if so, then he has just joined the 21 club.

I would hate to see a headline ' After being hardly sighted for 3 quarters Sicily kicks three late goals to win Premiership for insert club'

Hey mate, Ryan Burton says hello. He took offence to your first para. Cheers

 

[Lord Mud of Glenferrie]

Hey mate, Ryan Burton says hello. He took offence to your first para. Cheers

Then he has a very soft skin. And Burton is still at the promising stage. Are you Gonna' call him a champ? Maybe after 50 games

 

[Furn2]

Did the ball even go forward in the second half ?

 

[Great 2008]

Clarko believes 50 games is the measure. Before that is all learning. He always has. This philosophy worked once and there is no reason it will not work again.

Some take longer and occasionally there are exceptions (e..g Burton).

Clarko has been here before. I remember watching some of Carko's early coaching performances with Buddy, Rough and co early on and thought wtf. I remember a youthful Shane Savage running into our attacking 50 from half way with no-one in front of him. He stopped turned around and passed the ball backwards 50 meters. I nearly went mental. We need to show patience with some of these kids.

 

[Crankyhawk]

For goodness sake people think. Do you really think someone with less than 50 games is going to be the complete player At times I really don't get the instant judgement on players that seem to thrive on this forum. Are yous vying or the title of 'I was the first to say Bill BLoggs is a spud or a future champ'.


Sicily is the type of player who can be a match winner. He has that rare knack of kicking a clutch of goals in 15 minutes. those type of players win Premierships. So he kicked 3 quick goals well before half time. Is he then expected to continue kicking goals at that rate and finish with 10 to 12 goals. Those 3 goals he kicked could have and should have been a match winner. He will develop other aspects of his game over time so give him that time.

As for being a down hill skier, if so, then he has just joined the 21 club.

I would hate to see a headline ' After being hardly sighted for 3 quarters Sicily kicks three late goals to win Premiership for insert club'

Would be happy if the insert club was us though....

 

[Brishawk]

Hey mate, Ryan Burton says hello. He took offence to your first para. Cheers

Burton is clearly the exception. He is the chosen one after all.

 

[PenAndPaper]

I honestly think we just need to be playing him as a deep leading full forward rather than up the ground. That is where i'd much rather see him playing and have Rough and Gunners up the ground more

 

[Roughie]

He is still young, he has a great set of hands, a very good field kick. Tend to be slow to make decisions and is terrible defensively and must work on it. He needs to stay closer to goal and let Gunston get the ball up field. But if Sicily doesnt work on his defensive efforts he will struggle to make it at this level, you cant just make it on marking talent alone. I think we have to keep Sicily for another season and see how he continues to develop. He plays tall and seems to be a much more reliable of a mark deep forward then Rough at the moment

 

[Mitchell Madness]

He reminds me of Jack Riewoldt. All the talent to burn, but a lot going on between the ears.
Really, it is only the past 2-3 years Riewoldt turned it around.

Whilst rebuilding, I hope we persist with Sicily, and if he is still appearing selfish come 2020-2021, then trade him

 

[marklar]

It's all about the attitude, he has the skills and talent to get the job done. Attitude is the only thing the club has struggled to manage with a lot of our younger players, they've got the talent and are now getting the opportunities, but are just not following through.