Over the past few years we have been lucky enough to secure a bucket load of talent, and in the process some of our supporters, for lack of a better word have become arrogant in regards to certain players. Nathan Jones is one player who has been brushed aside. This kid is 22 years old and has played 80 games for the club already. I thought his job on Pearce was fantastic, and yesterday although he was carved up at the start he fought back well against the best player in the comp. He has the body shape which can take him to the top, and the engine to go with it. We have already seen improvement this year in his kicking and vision so why can't he keep improving, even if it's not at a flying rate? I often read that when our Scully's and Trengove's etc get a few years into their belts Jones will be pushed aside, but I believe it will be the opposite. I think he will only improve with our younger players and his hard body and toughness will be especially appreciated in our grand finals.

Keep it up Jonsey!

Agree 100%

Over the past few years we have been lucky enough to secure a bucket load of talent, and in the process some of our supporters, for lack of a better word have become arrogant in regards to certain players. Nathan Jones is one player who has been brushed aside. This kid is 22 years old and has played 80 games for the club already. I thought his job on Pearce was fantastic, and yesterday although he was carved up at the start he fought back well against the best player in the comp. He has the body shape which can take him to the top, and the engine to go with it. We have already seen improvement this year in his kicking and vision so why can't he keep improving, even if it's not at a flying rate? I often read that when our Scully's and Trengove's etc get a few years into their belts Jones will be pushed aside, but I believe it will be the opposite. I think he will only improve with our younger players and his hard body and toughness will be especially appreciated in our grand finals.

Keep it up Jonsey!

Completely disagree. Do your starting 18 at present and tell me if he is in it? If he is not in it now why would he be in it in 2 years when Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Strauss, Blease, Tapscott, McKenzie etc... mature. The only older players to move on will be Junior and Bruce.

He has the natural attributes to be a good tagger but my perception is he overestimates his own talents and this will stop him conceding to this being his best role for the team.

Happy to be proven wrong but find that unlikely.

Well done MM. Don't let the negative nancies... and I do mean nancies... keep you from defending and supporting a good honest player.

They'll say he needs to add another string or two to his bow to stay in the side. But that's EVERY player, isn't it?

It's not like he's without weaknesses, but on our list, he's right down the bottom in terms of things I'm worried about.

IMO Jones has been v disappointing this year***With the exception of round 9 v port and round 10 v cats.

Port he shut down Pierce - but didn't do heaps the other way.

The Cats - I haven't ever seen Jones dispose of the ball has cleanly and as effectively (i.e. kick through the ball rather than under).

If the last two rounds is more a reflection of him than his first 8 than I think he has a career...otherwise could be squeezed out of the side over the next year and a bit

Completely disagree. Do your starting 18 at present and tell me if he is in it? If he is not in it now why would he be in it in 2 years when Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Strauss, Blease, Tapscott, McKenzie etc... mature. The only older players to move on will be Junior and Bruce.

He has the natural attributes to be a good tagger but my perception is he overestimates his own talents and this will stop him conceding to this being his best role for the team.

Happy to be proven wrong but find that unlikely.

Your last sentance makes you sound like your 10 years old, Anyway..

Blease and Tapscott have not even played a game? Developing young players is not as easy as fifa on ps3.

Strauss will not play in the midfield and Blease is a born winger. Lets not forget Trengove, Scully, McKenzie and Gysberts still have to get there, don't count your chickens before they hatch.

IMO Jones has been v disappointing this year***With the exception of round 9 v port and round 10 v cats.

Port he shut down Pierce - but didn't do heaps the other way.

The Cats - I haven't ever seen Jones dispose of the ball has cleanly and as effectively (i.e. kick through the ball rather than under).

If the last two rounds is more a reflection of him than his first 8 than I think he has a career...otherwise could be squeezed out of the side over the next year and a bit

+1 totally agree.

As Melbournes midfield improves so will Jones. The little things like being part of a quality midfeild that provides more shepherding, blocking, pressure (implied and real), harder running from team mates (creating options), whilst no longer being the opposition major focus; will all allow him to become a very good player. To date he has often had to cope with the number 1 tags, to be forced to kick or take on players whilst geting a possession or when in possession have no options and/or cover; this will make anyone's skill look less than their best. All of this whilst only aged 18 - 21. When we talk of the future with Scully, Trengove, Grimes, Morton, Wonna, Jurrah, Frawley, Garland, Petterd, Bail, Cheney, Watts, Bennell, Jetta, etc, just remember that Jones is also part of this age group.

Edited May 30, 201015 yr by Ungarie boy

As an aside, Nathan Jones won the ball on the far wing (beating Bartel) and hammered a 50m pass, lace up to a leading Brad Green.

I can't help myself - Kelli Underwood's commentary: 'Jones HACKS the ball out of the area' Hacks? Hacks? If any of the posters are doing Year 12 English this year, she's a perfect example of Lady Cliche. Such gems as: 'The Geelong juggernaut rolls on' or 'the little master'. One more rant and I'll stop - she was saying that Ablett would beat the record for most possessions in a game!!

Anyway, I think Jonesy is not top shelf, he's hard and tough and he needs to assert himself with more physicality.

The thing that is most impressive about Jones this year has been his decision making. When he gets the ball I expect him to make a good decision, Bartram I still worry about, through he has come a long way along as well. Jones is in our top 22 and comfortably in it at that and I think he will get better. Will never become an ablett but he is currently a good player and I think he will morph into a very good player.

I have to repeat again I am really impressed with his decision making this year. To have improved that aspect, the footy smart aspect that is the hardest to develop gives me hope that he will keep improving.

One contributing factor to that is their teammates getting to the spots they are meant to be in.

That means Jones, Bartram, et al immediately know where to look and to give it.

The problems arise when their teammates are not in those spots (or rather, leading into those spots) as they are meant to and then these boys have to try to pick out an option (which is not their forte).

I think Jonesy will be with us for quite some time, maybe not allways as an Midfielder, but also as a run with player & possibly a small defender.

One way or another, I think he'll be around.

Good post. IMO Jones has developed into an important player for us.

Like Moloney, he clearly gives the younger, more skilled players the confidence that there is a hard body near them who will protect them when needed.

We need some hard grunt in the midfield, and Jones has this in spades. I'll bet Trengove, Scully and Gysberts love having Jones and Moloney (both top clubmen) standing next to them at the opening bounce.

Jonesy was more than ok yesterday. He is an important player for us.

This year with Scully & Trengove in the middle he has been able to run more. Yesterday was more like 2009 Jonesy.

He is a tough nut that we need, and his kicking to position has improved dramatically.

That said Moloney was disappointing yesterday-we needed him to do more, as Gysberts did.

Jones and Bartram have improved but can't see them in our best side in 2 years...

Same as Moloney....

Tapscott, Blease, Gyst etc all have more talent and will come in plus jack viney

Your last sentance makes you sound like your 10 years old, Anyway..

Blease and Tapscott have not even played a game? Developing young players is not as easy as fifa on ps3.

Strauss will not play in the midfield and Blease is a born winger. Lets not forget Trengove, Scully, McKenzie and Gysberts still have to get there, don't count your chickens before they hatch.

Dude, they're hatched already!!

As for Jones, 50 50 bet I reckon. If he stays fit and continues his improvement he's a chance.

Edited May 30, 201015 yr by Roost It

Positives for Jones: Not a cheap ball-winner, tough and can be used as a tag.

Negatives: Clanger king and until recently always butchers the ball.

The way the bloke is tracking in his development if Jones is to be pushed out of the side in a number of years then you would think Melbourne has a very elite midfield.

Keep it up Jonsey!

I suggested that Jones had a look at KCornes as someone to model his game on a while back as i do think he needs a few more strings to keep him in the side. He's a good clearance player but makes too many skill and decision mistakes.

Kornes like jones racks it up but disposal is a query, not quick but a massive engine. Will be interesting to see him develop into that role. I like Jones but he cannot play as a pure offensive player. He doesn't hurt you enough and we've got youngsters twice as good as him.

Jones and Bartram have improved but can't see them in our best side in 2 years...

Same as Moloney....

Tapscott, Blease, Gyst etc all have more talent and will come in plus jack viney

Tapscott and Blease will automatically replace a known AFL footballer based on... based on what... A bit of form in an under eighteen's comp. Really 50% of midfielders taken in the late teens never make it in ANZ football, and maybe 5% become very good players, go look at the stats if you do not believe me.

To my mind we still two quality midfielders in any case before we have enough midfielders that is assuming trengrove, scully, morton, gyst all come on. You need 10 to 12 good players who can go through the midfield and then some more for depth to cover injuries.

i think Jones has improved dramatically this year. In the first 7-8 rounds i think his awareness has improved a lot. Last year he would time and time again get caught with the ball as he tries to find a way out of the pack. This year he is side stepping opponents and most of the time going for the first and best option. He is also kicking a lot longer to our players advantage.

Jonesy's upside is his tenacity . He will give ( on most occasions ) 110% [ a bit like Miller] His downside is his less than perfect decision making. He can hold on to it a bit too long and get nabed, but then he wouldnt be alone there. His disposal is not of the highest calibre either.

He is for mine one of the likely to be overtaken by younger and beter skilled players as they gain experience. Jonesy will need to be beter than them to maintian his current position. In that vein he will need to better his skills and disposals, thats the reality of where he is at. Its not about effort....but effect.

i think Jones has improved dramatically this year. In the first 7-8 rounds i think his awareness has improved a lot. Last year he would time and time again get caught with the ball as he tries to find a way out of the pack. This year he is side stepping opponents and most of the time going for the first and best option. He is also kicking a lot longer to our players advantage.

If you paid attention last year the improvement actually started to show in the latter rounds of the season.

bandwagon is open to be jumped on boys!

Your last sentance makes you sound like your 10 years old, Anyway..

Blease and Tapscott have not even played a game? Developing young players is not as easy as fifa on ps3.

Strauss will not play in the midfield and Blease is a born winger. Lets not forget Trengove, Scully, McKenzie and Gysberts still have to get there, don't count your chickens before they hatch.

Who is sounding 10 years old now? By stating "happy to be proven wrong" I mean I would not be disappointed if he developed in the way some people on here expect. I hold nothing against Nathan just dont hold him in the regard of some such as yourself on this site.

Would you have him in your starting 18 now? Would be keen to see what your starting 18 looks like and who yould put him ahead of?

He has been on the list for 5 years and I would not have him in our best 18 now. The list of untried kids and underdeveloped first and second year players will develop you would expect at a more advanced rate in the next 2 years than someone who is already 5 years and 80 games into their career. Not all of them may make it there is a wave of them untried and if I dont have him in my first 18 now I cant see how that will change.

Word of advice dont put a thread up here if you're just looking for people to pat you on the back and tell you your right.

Edited May 30, 201015 yr by big_red_fire_engine

Must admit when I list my 22 in positions, "Jones" is one of the last names I fill. Invariably it's usually on the interchange. I'm not sure if I underrate him. I'm looking for improvement, whilst I was happy with Jones' kicking on the weekend, in general with Jones, it's what you see is what you get. Nothing flashy or classy, a hard worker who puts in, a foot soldier. Although not damaging enough.