Take a Bow Jonesy

[jayceebee31 759]

A typical game from a C grader.

Some of you are easily pleased, or just poor watchers of football.

I agree- will not get a game when we are fully fit and a few of the midfielders get more experience.

[Jaded No More 68,867]

Plenty of players more ordinary, less skilled and softer than Jones have played in, and won premierships.

That doesn't mean that we should settle for average, if we have better options.

Jones has been getting a game every week for the past 4 seasons because currently we haven't got a better option, and he gives us good honest service. But it's because we haven't had better options that we have struggled to get off the bottom 4.

If we are to ever contest a flag Jones has to be a fringe player. He needs to constantly be on the brink of selection, as opposed to being one of the first selected each week. Even now, with arguably our two best developing mids out injured, he isn't named in our starting 18 each week. To me that says that the club knows he isn't a key player in our future, but they are happy for him to play bit roles, because in all honesty he isn't going to be someone who wins or loses you a premiership. In other words, he is a foot solider in a nuclear war.

[ickey_11 145]

Jonesy is not quick, but he has quick reactions and the limited bench will really help his career. He is also the sort of player that you do not need to bench and he is also capable of taking a mark in the forward line.

[Hannabal 4]

But for him to rate Jones enough to put Kirk on him- that's not just Roos' opinion. But I guess it is possible you know more than the 09/10 Sydney Swans Match Committee.

I remember Kirk tagging Jones at the MCG and it staggered me at the time.

Tell me other times that Jones has been tagged ? There may have been a couple because either McLean was injured or there was no other midfielder that warranted attention, but it would be a rare occurence.

Rather than rely on comments from people such as Roos, use your own eyes. Jones doesn't warrant a tag.

Last week in only his 4th game Gysberts played better than any one of Jones' 90 odd. Gysberts is clean, has footy nous, knows where to run and was regularly the last player up from the bottom of a pack. You don't need to be Norm Smith to already know that he's a couple of class levels above Jones.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Hannabal

[hardtack 10,517]

Last week in only his 4th game Gysberts played better than any one of Jones' 90 odd.

Gysberts played a great game, no denying that, but to infer he was more influential on the result than Jones is fanciful at best. Jones had assists in three of our last four goals. He had 27 possessions and 81% efficiency. His disposal was, for the most part, spot on. Take off the blinkers, please!

[The Chazz 4,077]

Gysberts played a great game, no denying that, but to infer he was more influential on the result than Jones is fanciful at best. Jones had assists in three of our last four goals. He had 27 possessions and 81% efficiency. His disposal was, for the most part, spot on. Take off the blinkers, please!

Well said Hardtack! Too many getting caught up in the Gysberts hype. I guess the advantage of him at the moment is that it's given Tapscott's leg a rest from all the dry-humping that has been going on!

[speed demon 804]

So Roos thinks Jones is underrated and plays his best tagger on him. Interesting coincidence that the biggest loss of Roos' career came against the Dees...

I respect Jones a lot, for the same reasons many other posters have noted. However, if he doesn't improve further and others improve as expected his position is clearly threatened. He seems to have a good attitude so I don't put it past him to raise his game to the next level, as he did towards the end of the Lions game.

Better and faster decision making under pressure would be a priority.

[nutbean 8,838]

Beside the obvious two clangers last week I thought Jones had a really good game.

It is interesting to compare him to Sylvia - the difference is obvious to all - Sylvia's "highs" are sublime. That is not to say that Jones oontributions are any less important to the team. We get euphoric over what Sylvia can produce and therefore cut him slack that we dont give to Jonesy. We all say that if Sylvia produces his best every week he is a chance for the Brownlow. The same has never been said about Jones. He is valuable but not considered a matchwinner.

I have privately thought that I am unsure of Jones' future going forward - I think what I should be saying is that knowing Jones limitations, if he keeps the gap between his best and worst games narrow ( and plays more consistently like he did on Sunday) then there is always a place for him.