Nick Stevens

PAfolwr

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Thread starter #1
When he first came on the scene, anything was possible with his future outlook.
How does everyone here think about how his game has progressed and how his future looks.

Good player no doubt, will he go up that extra notch?
Will he be the gamebreaker that we all thought he would be?
 

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Eago77

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#4
Originally posted by PAfolwr
When he first came on the scene, anything was possible with his future outlook.
How does everyone here think about how his game has progressed and how his future looks.

Good player no doubt, will he go up that extra notch?
Will he be the gamebreaker that we all thought he would be?
Not as exciting a prospect as say a Junior Burger, but still if he plays for us for another ten years at his current level he still will be one of the better players the club has had.

He's just turned 23 and still has some improvement in him, but i doubt he will ever be the best midfielder in the league, but still a very valueable player.

As opposed to his first few games where he didn't get tagged, he now gets tagged most weeks, he has earnt respect from the other clubs, if he could get better at breaking a tag it will go a long way to help us as a club. Needs to keep getting fitter so he can run all day (ala Craig Bradley, or Robert Harvey) or get physically strong to try and bust up the tagger with strength or explosive speed.
 

Eago77

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#5
Originally posted by Jars458
And what about that haircut.
V bad!

On a side issue:
Collins Omondi Obuya - World's Best Leg Spinner.
Found myslef watching a fair bit of the Kenya v Sri Lanka game last night rather than the Australia v Zimbabwe match. He bowled bloody well for a young bloke from a non-cricketing type country, very impressed.
 

PAfolwr

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Re: Re: Nick Stevens

Originally posted by Eago77
Not as exciting a prospect as say a Junior Burger, but still if he plays for us for another ten years at his current level he still will be one of the better players the club has had.

He's just turned 23 and still has some improvement in him, but i doubt he will ever be the best midfielder in the league, but still a very valueable player.

As opposed to his first few games where he didn't get tagged, he now gets tagged most weeks, he has earnt respect from the other clubs, if he could get better at breaking a tag it will go a long way to help us as a club. Needs to keep getting fitter so he can run all day (ala Craig Bradley, or Robert Harvey) or get physically strong to try and bust up the tagger with strength or explosive speed.
I am not too sure about the tagging bit any more.
At stoppages, we often get Primus tap to Francou, out to Stevens, one or two steps, and accurate pass to Tredrea for goal.
As good as any other player around.
In general play, we have Schofield and (dare I say) Kingsley, of our midfielders that can be damaging, but no others.
Stevens could be and isn't.
Porthos words certainly ring some bells IMO.
 
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#7
Originally posted by Porthos
Dunno. He looks to be satisfied with the level of football he's playing, which is unfortunate.
I think I'm more concerned with Peter Burgoyne's efforts in the AllStars game and the game against the cows..........ordinary at best..........
 
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Nick Stevens needs to make a commitment to where he wants to play next year and beyond. The rumours persist that he might be returning to Victoria next year and there have been no public pronouncements to the contrary by Nick or his management. Port talk about signing him to a long term contract but it hasn't happened yet. If he is giving serious consideration to jumping ship then this will affect his game. Carry last year seemed to be drifting while all the Pavlich talk was happening, but after he signed on again and then Pavlich decided to stay at Freo he lifted again. His preseason has been outstanding according to reports and his form and fitness to date (albeit in small doses in largely meaningless trials) have indicated a stellar year could be in store. A similar commitment from Nick, which would pretty much ensure his future at Port Adelaide could have a similar effect.
 
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#9
Well, I hate to remind myself that I had P Burgoyne and N Stevens as the two prime trades because their trade value exceeded their value to our team. Let's hope they both have stellar years and win us a flag. Then if one or other or both get traded, we will get something decent in return.
 

Nicski

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#10
Originally posted by Jars458
And what about that haircut.
Hehe, I don't actually mind it!! :p

Back onto the topic, Nick Stevens is an extremely talented player, which everyone saw back in 1998. His disposals into the forward 50 are usually very good.

However, I am worried that Porthos may be right about him being satisfied with where he is at the moment, when he has the ability to lift another notch and equal the value of the Lion's Big 4. In doing that, he needs to be able to deal with taggers, and win more of the hard balls. As long as he doesn't rest on his laurels, he should be able to take that next step.
 

PREDAT0R

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#11
Peter Burgoyne and Nick Stevens are two players who need an almighty kick up the clacker valve. Both sublimely talented, both are underachievers, happy to coast along at a (admittedly fairly high) level, which is well below their potential. Should model themselves more on the likes of Cornes and Tredrea, who have taken the next step and always put in (my opinion of Chad started off as a poor one but gets better and better).

Throw Stewie Dew in that group of @rse-kicked players too. Probably my favourite power player when he is on-song, but too content to coast.
 

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PAfolwr

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Originally posted by Pred
Peter Burgoyne and Nick Stevens are two players who need an almighty kick up the clacker valve. Both sublimely talented, both are underachievers, happy to coast along at a (admittedly fairly high) level, which is well below their potential. Should model themselves more on the likes of Cornes and Tredrea, who have taken the next step and always put in (my opinion of Chad started off as a poor one but gets better and better).

Throw Stewie Dew in that group of @rse-kicked players too. Probably my favourite power player when he is on-song, but too content to coast.
For Dew to achieve that potential that we all see, he needs to play in the midfield and run all day. I am not sure that he is athletically capable of that.
The other two, the only thing stopping them is themselves.
 

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#13
You're spot on there Pred, all 3 of those players definitely have improvement in them but seem satisfied with where they are, whereas Chad and Tredders continue to improve every year.
 

PREDAT0R

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#15
Originally posted by Porthos
Port can't afford to play Dew in midfield because his kick is so valuable in the forward line.
Correct. But it would be more valuable if there were more of them. Having said that, Dew is one of the few Port players who can turn a game in minutes, with perhaps only 5 kicks in the game, all of them goals. It's just that he's so damn patchy. And for a guy with legs the size of River Red Gum trunks and a torso and shoulders to match, he should be harder to shut down than he is. Goddamnit we need one of him on a half back flank (i.e. he would be the new Glen Archer), and one on a half forward flank.
 

Andre

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#16
Originally posted by Pred
Correct. But it would be more valuable if there were more of them. Having said that, Dew is one of the few Port players who can turn a game in minutes, with perhaps only 5 kicks in the game, all of them goals. It's just that he's so damn patchy. And for a guy with legs the size of River Red Gum trunks and a torso and shoulders to match, he should be harder to shut down than he is. Goddamnit we need one of him on a half back flank (i.e. he would be the new Glen Archer), and one on a half forward flank.
I'd be happy with Dew to remain in the forward lines. Just bloody well chase any opposition player who comes near him (who has the ball). And be prepared to run further to get a ball (contested or otherwise). I think he'd be wasted in the midfield. Just f#@king well wish he didn't expect the play to come to him so much and went and chased it.

P. Burgoyne's problem is he thinks he has the ability of his potential already when he doesn't. Hence why it seems every match lately he gets caught in the forward lines trying to weave around opponents.

N. Stevens at least on saturday night looked pretty good. But then I don't think he was really tagged ? I'm reserving judgement to see if he copes better when manned up till two or three rounds in, at least.
 

PAfolwr

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If Dew was able to play midfield, he would still have at least 40-50 shots at goal, plus with his long kicks, he is able to get the ball to the forwards before the place gets congested.
Not to be, but he still is one of our few match winners.
 

Andre

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#19
Originally posted by PAfolwr
Another interesting thread.
Well I still think the same about Dew as I did before the 2003 season. P. Burgoyne obviously the gap between actual and potential ability shortened markedly and as for Stevens. Well enough has been said already. :rolleyes:
 

mic59

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#20
Port did the right thing over the Nick Stevens saga, in most scribes opinions. Crackers Keenan, Mal Brown and Andrew Jarman all agree that Port may have lost out materially but were right to stick to their guns. Mal Brown goes so far as to state that Port could very well be winners in the message they have sent.

And the fact that there has been no gain in the trade market must mean that development of our younger talent must take a step forward. In particular the moves of Kane Cornes and Shaun Burgoyne to replace aging midfielders. Shaun has played some good games in the midfield. In fact, towards the end of the season I am convinced that the fact he could be moved there was the only reason he remained in the team. That and some of his defensive efforts. Like Andrew McLeod in his first years with Adelaide, we are seeing that although he can be brilliant in the forward lines, he can also be less than useless there.

I would expect at least half a season, maybe more from Steve Salopek, 15-20 games from Toby Thurstans and 5-10 from Brett Ebert.
 
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