Past #18: Josh Smith - drafted with #60 in '07 ND - delisted at end of '10 season - turning circle of QE2

[LuvtheKangas]

I was hoping for more sure, but this Queen Mary turning circle myth is surely busted.

In my defense, can I just say I never once referred to the Queen Mary.

I was quite specific in my reference to the QE II.

Cheers.

 

[Ted]

Confirmed his delisting last night.

We have no established key forwards at the club ahead of him and he will still be the last picked if he gets another game. Had the most open forward line he will ever see, the ball was coming in quicker than usual and he still couldn't make an impression. How bad would he go in our usual mess of a forward line against a decent side?

Sorry denialists, I'm sure he's a great bloke, but he's no AFL footballer.

 

[jschwag]

8th game of AFL footy and first this year. Has never played more than two in a row. Think back to Drew's early games!
Didn't show a lot individually in that game, but didn't the forward structure look better with the forward 50 actually opening up! 83 points in the first 3 quarters against Adelaide! Forget the fourth quarter.
He obviously needs to contribute more, but it would be nice to see him play 3 or 4 in a row to be able to judge better. Most players at least get that. Heck, we suffered through many more for Leigh Brown!

 

[Brad Roo]

He wasn't as prominent as I would have liked, but he did have presence and he did help straighten us up. He'll need to improve on last nights effort if he wants to be an AFL footballer.

 

[snrub]

He wasn't as prominent as I would have liked, but he did have presence and he did help straighten us up. He'll need to improve on last nights effort if he wants to be an AFL footballer.

Agree with all of that and certainly liked the way we played going forward. I also liked the couple of times when he crashed packs vs 3 opponents. We kicked a couple of goals courtesy iirc. I think he could have been used when free on 2 or 3 occasions but our ball carrier chose a worse option. He also needs to kick any half chance at goal he has, and pull down the 2 or 3 difficult pack marks. He was of course playing on a pretty decent opponent.

And if it comes to pass that we do de-list him based on that game (which wouldn't be such a harsh call if he played another 4 or 5 games with the same modest impact on the game), then I certainly hope that the likes of Robbie Tarrant, Aaron Black, Hayden Kennedy, Nathan O'Keefe and Majak Daw are able to dominate at AFL level within their first 8 games.

 

[RoyalBlue]

Someone on the members wing calls him "MGFL".

When asked, he said it's because he's country league standard = Middle Gippsland Football League.

 

[Ghostwriter]

Turning circle of the USS Carl Vinson.

 

[blackshadow]

He did create a few contests last night but his decision making and disposal was shocking.

If it was up to me he'd be dropped after that showing.

 

[Hunters Host #3]

He did create a few contests last night but his decision making and disposal was shocking.

If it was up to me he'd be dropped after that showing.

Agreed with the decision making aspect. As I said, I thought his kick to Edwards was the worst of them all.

He swung off a step, popped it in the air, and put him under pressure. He would be better served hitting up a longer target or purely going long to the square/fat-side.

 

[jrs80]

 

[Radical Roo]

I think this is the negative consequences of having had someone like Wayne Carey playing for us for 15 years. We will never find another wayne carey, we just need someone who is servicable at CHF. Smith atm is the best bet for such a role. He will get better once we fine tune the whole team.

 

[King Corey]

8th game of AFL footy and first this year. Has never played more than two in a row. Think back to Drew's early games!
Didn't show a lot individually in that game, but didn't the forward structure look better with the forward 50 actually opening up! 83 points in the first 3 quarters against Adelaide! Forget the fourth quarter.
He obviously needs to contribute more, but it would be nice to see him play 3 or 4 in a row to be able to judge better. Most players at least get that. Heck, we suffered through many more for Leigh Brown!

A voice reason amongst a chorus of shit.

So he's now set for delisting? Please.

Thought he did ok at times. Always contested, couples of ok grabs. Something noone has acknowledged were his 2 clever knock-ons that opened attacking pieces of play.

I'd give a handful of games to let him settle. He's not Carey but he might a serviceable marking and contesting target while no better options present themselves.

Of course I'm sure the self-professed comedians have other ideas.

 

[Twinkletoes]

A voice reason amongst a chorus of shit.

So he's now set for delisting? Please.

Thought he did ok at times. Always contested, couples of ok grabs. Something noone has acknowledged were his 2 clever knock-ons that opened attacking pieces of play.

I'd give a handful of games to let him settle. He's not Carey but he might a serviceable marking and contesting target while no better options present themselves.

Of course I'm sure the self-professed comedians have other ideas.

You're another voice of reason KC. Honestly, there's alot of shit posted on here. I propose that the selectors drop all players who didn't finish in the top 15 of SC points each game, so it allows for a rotating 7 players for BF to bag.

 

[Event Horizon]

Definitely deserves 5 games minimum in a row to get a chance to settle in the side. Based on his VFL form, we has nothing more to prove at that level. He just needs to show once and for all, if he can make the transition to the big league or not. To do that off one game is impossible.

 

[snrub]

Someone on the members wing calls him "MGFL".

When asked, he said it's because he's country league standard = Middle Gippsland Football League.

I'm not familiar with the MGFL but I assume it's better than the VFL.

 

[shintemaster]

He did ok. With the scarcity of decent picks over the next few years, I can see a place for guys like Smith and Obst that haven't necessarily cemented a place in the team.

 

[Harris 10]

I got hammered on Thursday by a number of posters for saying he wouldn't be on our list next year and it was a bad choice to play him ahead of Okeefe.
The fact is he won't be retained next year so pi5s him off and play OKeefe.

 

[LB2Snake]

Give him 8+ games at least before we crucify the poor bloke.....Hardest possie on the ground to play, delivery to him ordinary, but works hard to do the team things and hits the footy pretty hard. I like him in our set-up, needs to play more to demand the ball. Give him a chance, our other big-bodied blokes aren't ready yet.
Might not be "The" Answer, but could be "an" Answer for the moment.

 

[RoyalBlue]

I say give him the next four or five seasons so we can be certain one way or the other.

 

[LB2Snake]

Or alternatively we can stick a skinny O'Keefe, a disinterested Tarrant, an unfit Black, a totally out of his depth Majak........FFS!

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Or alternatively we can stick a skinny O'Keefe, a disinterested Tarrant, an unfit Black, a totally out of his depth Majak........FFS!

Hmmmm, this seems wrong.

But I suppose you needed to say it to support your otherwise flimsy argument.

 

[DunderHead]

He won't get any Brownlow votes but there were a lot fewer marks and rebounds coming out of our forward fifty on Saturday night thanks to him.

O'keefe and Smith are not battling for the same spot. O'keefe is not a CHF, and if you wanted to make him one you'd be waiting three years till he has the body to hit a pack like Smith does.

Macintosh plays next week - should be used more forward and this will provide him a lot less attention from the op's best defender.

 

[LB2Snake]

Hmmmm, this seems wrong.

But I suppose you needed to say it to support your otherwise flimsy argument.

Yeah probably is wrong LTK, have no idea other than all the posts written about this supposed "fact".......I like the look of Tarrant for future for sure.
Flimsy argument? Was just suggesting we give the poor bloke a flipping go, hasn't been too many big forwards in the history of the game to dominate in their first 5 or so game. Brereton he ain't, granted, but could become important to us and there isn't exactly another big bloke dominating the VFL for us at this stage is there?

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Yeah probably is wrong LTK, have no idea other than all the posts written about this supposed "fact".......I like the look of Tarrant for future for sure.
Flimsy argument? Was just suggesting we give the poor bloke a flipping go, hasn't been too many big forwards in the history of the game to dominate in their first 5 or so game. Brereton he ain't, granted, but could become important to us and there isn't exactly another big bloke dominating the VFL for us at this stage is there?

Fair enough. I've posted previously that I hope Josh is given a chance to prove himself.

The problem is, every time I see him I find it harder to conclude that he's up to the required level. Yes, he's only had 8 games or so, but this has been made up of 4 separate elevations into the senior team over the past couple of years, and each time he's failed to grab his chance. His dominance at VFL level is just that, and I don't see it translating to effectiveness at the top level.

 

[LB2Snake]

Fair enough. I've posted previously that I hope Josh is given a chance to prove himself.

The problem is, every time I see him I find it harder to conclude that he's up to the required level. Yes, he's only had 8 games or so, but this has been made up of 4 separate elevations into the senior team over the past couple of years, and each time he's failed to grab his chance. His dominance at VFL level is just that, and I don't see it translating to effectiveness at the top level.

Clutching at straws this may be for me, but against the Saints last year I thought he showed great signs.
I just think, and perhaps this year more than most with the elevation of players like Barlow and Pods, that we are far too hard on these blokes when they step up to the next level. The position Josh plays also, far more than a midfielder roll, is magnified every time the ball comes near you and a mistake or even a sub-standard effort gets the immediate "not-up-to -it" calls.
Not trying to pick a blue with ya mate, i just think he needs time, and confidence especially, to demand the ball in a positive sense and not be concerned with "not" winning the ball......I reckon there's a subtle, but huge,
difference in those 2 things.