Player Review v Essendon (JLT #1)

[jackcass]

Interesting the one player left out of your reviews was Josh Smith. He is unobtrusive but very effective. Really solid 4 Q effort last Thurs and I would have had him in the best. He is a lock for round 1 based on that form, especially with Sinclair out of calculations. Has been a fantastic pick by Hine. Reads the play very well, picks good options and is very reliable by hand and foot.

I agree, Smith's offensive contribution was good, just not sure how the ledger balances up his lack of defensive accountability.

 

[HenrikLundqvist]

I just wish to point out that I nominated Phillips as having the best hair do at the club in 2017, and look at the positive impact his good grooming has had on his football. Cause and effect.

Say something about that woman in your avatar next!

 

[Schraderbrau]

I agree with this. Have always thought the main difference between Jesse in 2015 and 2016 was peoples perception and expectation not his actual performance which was pretty similar.

If you expect him to be a star you will be disappointed, if you expect him to fill his position fairly reliably each week but with occasional brain fades you will be on the money

He will was heaps better in 2016 than 2015. Even if it doesn't show that much in the stats, he actually managed to kick the goals that mattered in 2016. He missed way too many important goals in 2015 and it really hurt us.

He was consistently good in 2016 and it was probably the best season of football he's put together.

 

[Schraderbrau]

I like him too GC.
Josh makes good/safe decisions and is/can be a penetrating kick, (just doesn't do it often enough).
Interestingly Shaz is renowned for not being a penetrating kick, but makes good/safe decisions.
With one the safe option is a positive and the other it's a negative.

He makes reasonable decisions when he has the ball in space but under pressure he's not particularly reliable. He also lacks strength and he's very ordinary 1v1. Other than that, he's solid in most areas without being spectacular at anything. It's ok if he's in our bottom 3 or 4 of the 22 but if he becomes anything better than our 18th or 19th best player then we probably aren't doing very well.

There is only so much room in the 22 for players like Smith, Phillips, Blair, Wills and maybe even Aish, who are too one dimensional and don't impact games enough.

 

[MoreMoore]

Yeah I agree with most of that.

From what I gather, Bucks wants a third tall forward who is a genuine ruck option, and at the moment the best options are Cox or Keeffe.

Personally, I reckon we looked our best last year in a more agile setup with Moore + White, and White taking the relief ruck.

It just leaves us short up forward when White is rucking.

I'd have Cox ahead of Keeffe in relation to that role. The advantage Keeffe has is that he can also play defensively and can fill a hole there. So he is a more rounded player. Plus Keeffe is on the senior list whereas Cox needs to be elevated.

Cox is just the far more superior forward from what I can see...and also more of a weapon in the ruck.,

Could Keefe just play all day on the opposing forward ruck?
I don't see why we always have to rob the forward line and have an undersized defender minding a ruck.
He is much better in defence and probably better on a less dangerous ruck forward than an elite full forward

 

[Vicky Park]

Say something about that woman in your avatar next!

All I can say is her hair isn't helping her form.

 

[Gone Critical]

He will was heaps better in 2016 than 2015. Even if it doesn't show that much in the stats, he actually managed to kick the goals that mattered in 2016. He missed way too many important goals in 2015 and it really hurt us.

He was consistently good in 2016 and it was probably the best season of football he's put together.

Agree there were a couple of really important shots he missed. Nature of the beast. I would say in 2016 he didn't have as many really important shots to influence our perception. I was saying this between 2015-16, if you see him as a journeyman forward who can play a role he will do the job. Perception really defines strongly how people assess White.

 

[rand corp]

Great Post lenny20, a good read and a top effort, thanks for taking the time, much appreciated.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Interesting the one player left out of your reviews was Josh Smith. He is unobtrusive but very effective. Really solid 4 Q effort last Thurs and I would have had him in the best. He is a lock for round 1 based on that form, especially with Sinclair out of calculations. Has been a fantastic pick by Hine. Reads the play very well, picks good options and is very reliable by hand and foot.

If I may add one other thing about Smith.
Here is a wonderful example of a player taking every opportunity presented him, and making a career.
No fuss, no fanfare.
Just hard work, focus and application.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

If I may add one other thing about Smith.
Here is a wonderful example of a player taking every opportunity presented him, and making a career.
No fuss, no fanfare.
Just hard work, focus and application.

Yes there is a purity in him, a quality lacking in Cloke, for example, or Nick Davis. His name, Smith, implies a link with the most common of men, and there is nothing pretentious in a name like Josh. Unlike Cloke, there is no dynasty behind him. He's just a humble rookie pick entry, who moved from caring for kiddies (child care worker) to a hero to children. At 22, he probably had one shot at AFL, and succeeded. Well done.

 

[mike123]

I like him too GC.
Josh makes good/safe decisions and is/can be a penetrating kick, (just doesn't do it often enough).
Interestingly Shaz is renowned for not being a penetrating kick, but makes good/safe decisions.
With one the safe option is a positive and the other it's a negative.

Both are negative for mine ATM