Jesse Smith or Grant Birchall?

[JerryWexler]

Smith >>>> Daylight >>>>> Birchall

Agreed.

 

[shinboner magic]

Come on people. If you don't actually watch football, you aren't qualified to comment.

Birchall has one of the highest kicking efficiency percentages in the AFL.

Smith may be better, and he may not, but if Birchall has any flaws in his game, his kicking ability isn't one of them.

These above posts simply demonstrate that these two posters have NFI.

When your chipping the ball around the backline and there is 8 other players to pass to,even if you miskick it, you will hit one of the other guys there by mistake.

 

[dutchy12]

This thread is just a load of hyperbole over some kid that finished behind two other kids in an award that rewards the best young player.

Smith is a good young kid....that is all and there is no logical argument to suggest that he is anything other than that at this point in time.

yet he tore your side a new one in the biggest game of their lives. seems like your underating his abillity a fair bit

 

[pacman]

yet he tore your side a new one in the biggest game of their lives. seems like your underating his abillity a fair bit

beenbonered magic and dutchy are you both a little upset that you are repeating grade 2 next year.

 

[ARDENSTREETforever]

I am very excited by Jesse Smith, he is known as the 'messiah' on the North Melbourne members wing at the Dome (Aisle 34), He just glides across the turf and uses the footy really well. He is the all-round North Melbourne person.

Grant Birchall is a good player also, but as it has been pointed out already, Birchall does get alot of un-contested possessions, and can be found out when the ball suddenly turns over and his opponent is nowhere to be seen. He is a good player and I have no doubt that he will continue to develop, but from what I have seen from the two players, Smith is just classy and at the moment has the edge IMO.

As the season fast approaches, Jesse Smith excites me the most, regarding our team. I am also a bit giddy at the thought of Wells and Sansbury tearing it up in the midfield and watching Nathan Thompson return.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I would prefer Smith over everyone over Hawhtorn's list bar buddy. He has shwon he has the courage and skill to outperform his opponents in big games see the semi final where he got more possessions than Hodge and Birchall combined 2 of the hawks supposed "stars". Birchall isn't a bad player but he's extremely one dimensional who's kicking lets him down, he's made to look better by the fact he got 500 touches this year, not bad for a kid in his 2nd year but this is mainly due to Al Clarkson's ugly game plan of chipping it round in the back ground when their gameplan breaks down

This quote reminds me.
Why do people sprout things about football and players when they've obviously never watched a game?

I especially like the bit about his kicking letting him down.
That's like saying Robert Harveys stamina and endurance has let him down.
And if you've missed my point, It's one of his great strengths FFS.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Is this even a debate?

Getting 18 possessions chipping around Hawthorns often flooded defence doesn't make someone a good player. Smith is miles better and has shown as such. In the semi final he was a class above any Hawthorn player and is only going to get better.

Smith easily.

That makes sense.
Hawthorn play like crap, get bundled out of the finals, and Smith plays a good game = Smith is better than Birchall.

I guess we'll just ignore the week before hand in both players cases? Or any other games for that matter?

 

[matey]

Have seen Smith on a couple of occassions he looks damn good, very classy and seems to have most bases covered as a footballer.

Watch all Hawks games and I value Birchall as a player. He has two credentials which are vital in today's game. Runs hard to break lines (carries it 30/40 meters most times) and then has a penetrating kick which is accurate. I think his accuracy is around 87% which is amazing given he regularly passes it to a player 50/60 meters away. Birchall will not break down much either as he is as tall as Croad and weighs in the low 90's.

Both are a bit different in the way they play, hard to split but would not complain if I had either of them.

 

[choco123]

That makes sense.
Hawthorn play like crap, get bundled out of the finals, and Smith plays a good game = Smith is better than Birchall.

I guess we'll just ignore the week before hand in both players cases? Or any other games for that matter?

what like the hawks supporters do when discussing how they beat geelong in 07??

 

[detox]

although hodge and mitchell both are far out ahead of smith and frankly shouldnt be compaired at all, you dawks need to stop using injuries as excuse that hodge didnt perform against the roos.

theres an old saying in professional sport, "if you injured dont play, if you choose to play, then dont use injury as an excuse". mind you that doesnt mean hodge wasnt injured, just means he chose to play and failed to perform, dont use injury as an excuse.

Judd Aka " The messiah of bigfooty" was injured for majority of 07. Can you tell me that his performance in 07 was not affected by injury? He doesn't cop flak for it at all and still has his overrated balls tickled every day of the week. Hodge was injured AND heavily tagged in what you idiots constantly refer to as " The biggest game of his life" and people who never watch a Hawthorn game judge his whole football career and ability on this one particular game

Injury can be used as an excuse. Obviously he was going to play in that game as he is a strong on field leader at Hawthorn and we needed him there wether he was 100% or not. He was injured, tagged and didn't perform. Having watched Hodge many times, it is safe to estimate that he would have performed better in that game had he not injured his knee the week before, meaning that his injury definately can be used as an excuse as to why he played a single bad match.

Theres an old saying in sport - your an idiot

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

what like the hawks supporters do when discussing how they beat geelong in 07??

We're talking about rating players.

What has the fact that Geelong didn't beat us in 2007, and whether or not they won or lost the week before got to do with this discussion?

 

[Big Ronnie]

Personally I would think that Smith has potential to be much better than Williams and Roughead, and better slightly than Brown. Are you serious Brown is just coming in to his place and is an All Oz, hell of a big call, and Roughy you cant compare, two different position players,different responsabilities in a game. If you put it down to something like Brownlow votes over a career then Roughead becasue his play is explosive and catches the eye. Can kick a packet of goals.

TC

I actually would rather Smith to Brown, Williams, Roughead, etc. Only time will tell if he is a more talented player than Mitchell, though the early signs are promising. Read above and then give the Crystals a rub Claude, they've gone hazey

It is blatantly obvious that he is better than Birchall.

Wih one eye closed.

They're probably about equal as at now, time will tell, but one things for certain, dad is an assistant at the Hawks and if could lure the son across, he might make it in to our current 22? Maybe? But there will definitely be a spot with the Roos in 2008 riding the slide

 

[choco123]

We're talking about rating players.

What has the fact that Geelong didn't beat us in 2007, and whether or not they won or lost the week before got to do with this discussion?

as you say that birchall and smith can't be compared by a single game, yet there are countless hawks supporters who claim that they would have won the premiership if they were in the grand final on the basis that they beat geelong by 3pts in round 5. they conclude from this that hawks>geelong

 

[hawkstars]

as you say that birchall and smith can't be compared by a single game, yet there are countless hawks supporters who claim that they would have won the premiership if they were in the grand final on the basis that they beat geelong by 3pts in round 5. they conclude from this that hawks>geelong

Read the thread Champ. Birchall or Smith? Don't have to talk about Grand Finals.

 

[windsock]

Smith is better than Birchall but Birchall plays his role exceptionally well and is a quality kid.

Dunno why North supporters have to bag Birchall or Hawthorn supporters likewise with Smith to argue their point. Just the BF way I guess.

 

[hawkstars]

Smith is good I will give you that. But how is he better?

 

[Brown n Gold]

Both are very good youngsters... North fans have pumped up Jesse Smith big time in 2007 and rightly so, he has shown plenty.

Birchall has flown under the radar with Buddymania dominating Hawks supporters and media coverage. Those who think that Birchall gathers stats chipping it sideways in defence need to have a closer look... Birch has a sensational left foot would be in the top dozen in the comp for penetration and accuracy. A move into the midfield will see his stocks rise in 2008-09

 

[CharlieMitchell]

as you say that birchall and smith can't be compared by a single game, yet there are countless hawks supporters who claim that they would have won the premiership if they were in the grand final on the basis that they beat geelong by 3pts in round 5. they conclude from this that hawks>geelong

Difference being that Smith and Birchall played week in week out throughout the season. Hawthorn played Geelong once. Therefore you only have one game on which to compare Hawthorn and Geelong for the season but a substantial number more for the 2 individual players mentioned.

 

[HBF]

Jesse Smith.

 

[Big Mick from Arden St]

Smith is good I will give you that. But how is he better?

Who is How?

 

[matey]

as you say that birchall and smith can't be compared by a single game, yet there are countless hawks supporters who claim that they would have won the premiership if they were in the grand final on the basis that they beat geelong by 3pts in round 5. they conclude from this that hawks>geelong

Yes you are right this conclusion is a bit unfair so lets go back one game further. We pumped them by 10 goals down at Kitty park and there team was not much different to what they had in 2007! The game before this Hawks won again. Hodge has had the wood over Bartel, Ablett and co during there junior days he was clearly the best and these boys just can't get over this mental barrier.

 

[forrrestGump]

Yes you are right this conclusion is a bit unfair so lets go back one game further. We pumped them by 10 goals down at Kitty park and there team was not much different to what they had in 2007! The game before this Hawks won again. Hodge has had the wood over Bartel, Ablett and co during there junior days he was clearly the best and these boys just can't get over this mental barrier.

i'd prefer jesse birchall, good player that one


grant smith is so gay

 

[Nubby]

I think its hard to say one of these players > the other for a few simple facts.

North Fans should and have every right to think that Jesse is the "Ducks nuts" and will be a very very good player for them, and thats great.

Hawthorn supporters can think very much the same when it comes to Birchall, for the fact that hawks supporters watch him each and every week, and north supporters watch Jesse Each and every week, so its alot easier for somone who supports one of these sides that one of them is > the other for such and such reasons.

But just to add to this note, alot of people seem to Judge Hodgy on his god awfull game agains the roos in the finall, and fair enough as much as i love the guy, he played like shit. No EXCUSE.

But to base/fact your opinion on a player off game is absolute bullshit.

Should i really start a tread about how many Full Backs Buddy killed this year? or how many midfields Sammy, Hodgy,Crafw and Lewis killed?
I can name a few.

*Cough Geelong, Dogies, Essendon, Melbourne, West Coast, port (in port btw) Carlton, Tiges.

North,Bris,Syd,Adelade, and the Saints had the best of us no shame to admit that.

Can i just name a few as a few of you people would put it (people that might play a shit game or two) HACKS!!!/FLOGS/PANZY ASS BITCHES/w***erS/****S/errr..

The Entire Essendon Backline, (twice i might add )

There are more and they know who they are.. just wanted to add that in.

Go Hawks.

 

[r_boy]

My god Hawks are so easily roped in...

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

You are a disgrace. No logic. Cmon. Hodge is one of the elite midfielders in the comp. Jessie smith over the extractor. You are a fool. I would take Birchall over Jessie Smith. That is my opinion. He too brakes lines (elimination final against Crows) takes grabs and is honest as the day is long. Get real.

If only every game could be like tghe elimination final against ther Crows.

Smith is better than Birchall nows, and will be strreets better vthis year.

Would have been streets better again this year if he hadn't broken his ankle.