Darcy Parish with better work rate and non dodgy hamstrings is a ten time all Australian

  On 05/11/2024 at 07:33, adonski said:

Full season highlights of the Jaguar:

 

This is impressive...

  On 14/11/2024 at 23:28, The Taciturn Demon said:

Now that it seems Smith is fairly likely for us at Pick 5, it's been interesting to return to this thread. A really interesting, robust debate. 

I have zero experience watching junior football (I watched Jed Adams' highlights after we drafted him and thought we were getting Peter Knights). I also don't rate myself a good analyst of football, so this is all probably nonsense. 

I definitely see what DeeSpencer worries about. The term "nothing handball" is blunt and seems harsh, and yet it often seems to apply in the highlights I've seen. For me, a top five who's going to handball more than he kicks has to be crisp and decisive with this skill; they need to put teammates into space or at least make the game easier for them. I see a fair bit of slamming the footy into a teammate's midriff for the sake of not getting caught. 

What excites me is his centre bounce stuff. It seems like there's a creativity, dynamism and instinctive understanding of where the ball's going that could pretty quickly alleviate some of our clearance woes. One thing I feel has killed us for a long time is opponents winning multiple centre bounce clearances in a row - often very damaging ones. Smith seems like the sort of player who could give us a different set of skills and big advantage in this part of the ground (with luck, before Max retires). 

He seems to have a real desire to be part of strings of possession, which I like, although I'm not sure I've seen much to suggest we want him hitting the final kick.  

Parish comparisons worry me. I also see a bit of Scully, although it sounds like he's a much more... ahem.. mature person. I see the Neale likeness, as well, and I distinctly remember his disposal being questioned for years before he became a champion. Not sure if he improved it significantly or just learned to play (brilliantly) within his limitations. 

What I'd love to see some of is even a hint of Zach Merrett, because good disposal is so important in modern football. But I can't.

I trust Taylor, and I love the fact that so many far better observers than me think this bloke is an out-and-out gun, so I'll stay optimistic when pessimism seems a natural default after the last three seasons. 

A floor of Parish and a ceiling of Merrett is a good pick-up. We don't have anyone like that.

  On 15/11/2024 at 02:03, old55 said:

A floor of Parish and a ceiling of Merrett is a good pick-up. We don't have anyone like that.

Windsor will be like that. 

  On 15/11/2024 at 02:25, Fat Tony said:

Windsor will be like that. 

No his pace makes him different.

  On 14/11/2024 at 23:28, The Taciturn Demon said:

Parish comparisons worry me.

Darcy Parish, as a junior and as a senior, was a much more straightforward player than Smith. Darish was tough and skilled, but played the game very conventionally as a drop-of-the-ball midfielder. He ran hard and got rid of the ball quickly and effectively by hand when he was under pressure. Just a solid style of midfielder played at a very high level. He played old-fashioned 'man's man' football. And that's what you see at AFL level too, without the extra space that allows him to regularly use his clever kicking. Smith is a different style of player, in that he's a slippery, elusive player who moves around congestion unconventionally, which buys him a lot of time. For a player of that size, being able to avoid the power game whilst still winning contests is a real strength. Parish is a very good player but he doesn't have a natural evasive game so needs to dispose of the ball before the big players batter him, limiting his damage. He also doesn't have any support from bigger midfielders at Essendon. For all that, he's been a consistently excellent inside player and it's been his outside game that hasn't translated as well at AFL as you'd have expected. 

I'm not saying that he's a better or worse player than Parish, they're just a bit more different than they initially appear. 

Sorry to have to say it , but he does move a lot like that #^&!&* Daicos, the better one! take him in a heartbeat!

  On 15/11/2024 at 03:08, Axis of Bob said:

Darcy Parish, as a junior and as a senior, was a much more straightforward player than Smith. Darish was tough and skilled, but played the game very conventionally as a drop-of-the-ball midfielder. He ran hard and got rid of the ball quickly and effectively by hand when he was under pressure. Just a solid style of midfielder played at a very high level. He played old-fashioned 'man's man' football. And that's what you see at AFL level too, without the extra space that allows him to regularly use his clever kicking. Smith is a different style of player, in that he's a slippery, elusive player who moves around congestion unconventionally, which buys him a lot of time. For a player of that size, being able to avoid the power game whilst still winning contests is a real strength. Parish is a very good player but he doesn't have a natural evasive game so needs to dispose of the ball before the big players batter him, limiting his damage. He also doesn't have any support from bigger midfielders at Essendon. For all that, he's been a consistently excellent inside player and it's been his outside game that hasn't translated as well at AFL as you'd have expected. 

I'm not saying that he's a better or worse player than Parish, they're just a bit more different than they initially appear. 

I see a bit of Marc Murphy in the highlights of Smith. 

  On 15/11/2024 at 03:08, Axis of Bob said:

they're just a bit more different than they initially appear

This is a great explanation. Thanks so much. 

  On 15/11/2024 at 03:11, Fat Tony said:

I see a bit of Marc Murphy in the highlights of Smith. 

Agree. That’s a fair player comparison for Jagga !! 

Smith's evasiveness is impressive!

Going to Adelaide at pick 4 is my mail😵😵‍💫🤮

  On 15/11/2024 at 08:30, picket fence said:

Going to Adelaide at pick 4 is my mail😵😵‍💫🤮

Knock us down with a feather PF !!!

  On 15/11/2024 at 08:30, picket fence said:

Going to Adelaide at pick 4 is my mail😵😵‍💫🤮

Goodbye Jagga, we hardly knew ye 

  On 15/11/2024 at 08:30, picket fence said:

Going to Adelaide at pick 4 is my mail😵😵‍💫🤮

Smith to Adelaide at #4, Langford to Melbourne at Pick 5. Lock it in. 

  On 15/11/2024 at 08:49, BLWNBA said:

Smith to Adelaide at #4, Langford to Melbourne at Pick 5. Lock it in. 

Intel @BLWNBA?

  On 15/11/2024 at 08:30, picket fence said:

Going to Adelaide at pick 4 is my mail😵😵‍💫🤮

Here’s hoping.

  On 15/11/2024 at 08:30, picket fence said:

Going to Adelaide at pick 4 is my mail😵😵‍💫🤮

Are Adelaide drafting like they've got Draper in the bag come 25/26 off season? Got a bit of Zak Butters / Horne-Francis about it,

  On 15/11/2024 at 08:49, BLWNBA said:

Smith to Adelaide at #4, Langford to Melbourne at Pick 5. Lock it in. 

Is that Intel or just your own personal opinion mate?

  On 15/11/2024 at 09:52, dazzledavey36 said:

Is that Intel or just your own personal opinion mate?

Think he reacted to Picket saying Smith to Crows at 4, possibly because Draper gone, which would suggest we then take Langford.

  On 15/11/2024 at 08:30, picket fence said:

Going to Adelaide at pick 4 is my mail😵😵‍💫🤮

Is your mail Bigfooty? 

  On 15/11/2024 at 00:29, PaulRB said:

This is impressive...

Moves similarly to Daicos. Bit of Butters. He’s a playmaker. Would be wrapped

  On 15/11/2024 at 10:33, Mouseymoo said:

Is your mail Bigfooty? 

No!

  On 15/11/2024 at 09:52, dazzledavey36 said:

Is that Intel or just your own personal opinion mate?

Apologies for the delay mate, been seemingly getting busier and busier over the past few weeks. 

Personal opinion based on a few things I've heard. Similar to @picket fence I've also heard that Melbourne are under the belief that Smith will now go at four, no reason to doubt it - but when you're dealing with so many variables and relying on precursor picks it can be hard to reliably judge. I'll be keen to see what Cal Twomey has in his Phantom Draft. 

  On 15/11/2024 at 08:49, BLWNBA said:

Smith to Adelaide at #4, Langford to Melbourne at Pick 5. Lock it in. 

I think you will find the Blues will pull the trigger on Smith.