2020 Player Reviews: #44 Joel Smith

Known for his speed, agility and ability to leap for the footy, Smith has played both in defence and attack but in 2020 was almost exclusively used as the third tall defender in his seven games after missing all of last year with a groin injury.

His contract has been renewed for another two seasons.

Date of Birth: 25 February 1996

Height: 191cm

Weight: 87kg

Games MFC 2020: 7

Career Total: 18

Goals MFC 2020: 0

Career Total: 1

Not a footballer in my view 

Cant understand why he is on the list Great Athlete  apparently Needs to get more skills to remain

It's pretty clear why he has only played 18 games in 5 years. Unfortunately he doesn't have the football nous or skills to be an AFL player, despite his obvious athletic strengths. He was always going to get a new contract after finishing the year in the senior team, but 2 years is overs given his inability to consistently get on the park. His retention surely doesn't bode well for Hore, particularly with Hibberd also in the frame.

30 minutes ago, Demonland said:

2020 Player Reviews: #44 Joel Smith

Known for his speed, agility and ability to leap for the footy, Smith has played both in defence and attack but in 2020 was almost exclusively used as the third tall defender in his seven games after missing all of last year with a groin injury.

 

 

His contract has been renewed for another two seasons.

 

 

Date of Birth: 25 February 1996

 

 

Height: 191cm

 

 

Weight: 87kg

 

 

Games MFC 2020: 7

 

 

Career Total: 18

 

 

Goals MFC 2020: 0

 

 

Career Total: 1

 

 

Fortunately his contract was only renewed for 1 year I believe.

Most on here will know my view on this bloke, but I just seriously don't see what value he adds to the team (please don't give me the athleticism/leap stuff).

If we can learning anything from teams like Richmond, it's that footy smarts will always conquer in big games.  Joel just doesn't have them at all (not at the level required of AFL standard players).

I thought Joel did some solid negating roles in the second half of the season,  and IMO, he earned his new one year deal.  He was all over the place, and getting in the way of team mates early in the year, but I thought he improved as the season progressed, and he learned his role.  He still has some way to go, but at worst, I reckon he's a decent, low cost 'back-up' defender for another year.  (5.5 / 10)

5/10

A lot of improvement needed. 

his second stint in the senior side in 2020 >>> his first

he easily took care of jeremy cameron i thought against gw$

i think, based on the last part of his year, he has a future at afl level that previously didn't think he did

4/10. Struggled in the games that I saw. He looked lost in the last game v bombers and was lucky May and Lever saved him across 5-6 contests. 

Terrible season to be honest

Play him forward.

3 hours ago, whatwhatsaywhat said:

his second stint in the senior side in 2020 >>> his first

he easily took care of jeremy cameron i thought against gw$

i think, based on the last part of his year, he has a future at afl level that previously didn't think he did

Cameron was not interested he had the Cats on his mind and was thinking of the Dollars

 Anyway We had the game won. Sat the last quarter mainly on the bench. GWS never got near the ball in the last.

Edited October 26, 20204 yr by nosoupforme

Not a defender

Shouldn’t be played on talls. James Stewart from Essendon absolutely destroyed him in the final round.

Might be more suited to the Papley’s of the league where he can use his pace and athleticism (but certainly not his footy smarts). Actually did ok on Papley from memory.

He's not a defender. IMO, he's also not a forward.

He's just, IMO, not a footballer. I think he's significantly overrated on here and by the FD.

But he'll be here next year so hopefully he can change my mind.

1 hour ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Play him forward.

don't play him

His game against Essendon was one of the worst games I've ever seen a Melbourne player play 

I don't mind Smith in defence at all, but he needs to be given specific jobs on the right sort of player. He's done pretty well this year on danger, Martin and papely and beat Cameron, although he didn't look interested. The issue is Martin and danger are only part time forwards, so for Smith to become really valuable he has to be able to have a role all game in defence, not just when the power athletes drift down there. He's ok if he gets taken to the ball but isn't a natural follower of the game, if he can improve that then he's got a role to play most weeks

Try him forward next season and if it doesn't work then he's an easy delist option. He showed a bit in a preseason game as a forward once, so try him there. 

As a defender in 2020, he stunk. He would've been absolutely embarrassed most weeks if it wasn't for Lever and May covering for him. His game against Carlton early in the year was just about the worst game I've seen from a demon in 30+ years. He's got no football brain and poor skills. I'd have delisted him now, but since we've extended him for another season, try him forward then delist him.

He's one of the few guys on our list capable of playing on the game's tall mid/forward greats - Danger, Fyfe, Dusty, Bont and Cripps - because he has the athleticism to go with them and also the aerial ability to nullify them.

The issue is whether he has the smarts to do that role to an effective level and it's hard when you've barely played AFL because of injury and you started late. He's still a tad clumsy when tackling but then was Danger clumsy on Vlastuin or clever?

When you look at the good sides, they all have role players who are unpolished and lacking in fundamentals - Broad, Clurey, D.Gardiner, O'Connor, Greenwood, Geary to name a few. But all have a fierce determination and discipline and we caught a glimpse of it in Joel Smith over the final weeks with jobs on Papley and even Cameron.

I am not about to say he's a must-have and on the verge of becoming a star, but I certainly will say that there are signs there that he could become a handy role player and I hope that Goody and his coaching staff continue to realise that you need to mix beauty with a few hardworking beasts - Viney, Vanders, Langdon, Hibberd and Harmes being others that fall into that category along with ANB and Jackson when they play.

Disagree with many in this thread.  Defenders are an easy target as their mistakes cost goals.  He missed all of last year, has been asked to play a variety of roles in the last few years, and didn't have the VFL to build his form and confidence.

 

I still think he's got a lot of upside if he gets a decent run at it.  Having said that that, I think the third defender role (after may and lever) is currently taken by tomlinson with hore and maybe petty ahead of him.  Will be be tried forward again in 2021?

I think forward is his only chance. Not quite switched on enough as a defender. Decent one on one player but that's it down back. 

11 minutes ago, layzie said:

I think forward is his only chance. Not quite switched on enough as a defender. Decent one on one player but that's it down back. 

if Ben Brown is recruited there's no room for him up forward. (We also have Petty)

3 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

if Ben Brown is recruited there's no room for him up forward. (We also have Petty)

Yeah for sure. And Petty would be a considerable upgrade.

11 hours ago, Deespicable said:

He's one of the few guys on our list capable of playing on the game's tall mid/forward greats - Danger, Fyfe, Dusty, Bont and Cripps - because he has the athleticism to go with them and also the aerial ability to nullify them.

The issue is whether he has the smarts to do that role to an effective level and it's hard when you've barely played AFL because of injury and you started late. He's still a tad clumsy when tackling but then was Danger clumsy on Vlastuin or clever?

When you look at the good sides, they all have role players who are unpolished and lacking in fundamentals - Broad, Clurey, D.Gardiner, O'Connor, Greenwood, Geary to name a few. But all have a fierce determination and discipline and we caught a glimpse of it in Joel Smith over the final weeks with jobs on Papley and even Cameron.

I am not about to say he's a must-have and on the verge of becoming a star, but I certainly will say that there are signs there that he could become a handy role player and I hope that Goody and his coaching staff continue to realise that you need to mix beauty with a few hardworking beasts - Viney, Vanders, Langdon, Hibberd and Harmes being others that fall into that category along with ANB and Jackson when they play.

If I were Vines and Jacko and Langers I would ring Peter Gordon of Slater and ... and get a class action on your Assessment of hard working role players biz beasts 
BTW if they are beasts Jack is a hunter type Jacko a giraffe or emu and Langers a jungle lion/tiger who uses his pace to attack his prey.

Love all of them inc Hibbo Vanders and Harmesy!!

#44 is not a footballers bum dot .......period. Clearly does not have a football brain and how he gets a game, let alone on a list is unfathomable.