Anyone happen to notice the kid?

[35forever]

Wow!
"It's not hard to clock up high possession count when they are mostly uncontested..."
Wow!!!
Seriously?!?!

"It's not too hard to clock up high possession count when they are mostly uncontested."
Am I reading that right?
Is that what you MEANT to write? Surely you meant: "It IS hard to clock..."
yeah? I'm gonna assume it was a typo & you didn’t mean to write that.
You'd feel pretty dumb if you DID mean to write it so were all pretending you didn’t... despite your avatar.
But just in case, please do let us know about all these other rookies who have no trouble picking up 30 odd of any kind of possession in their second game, and oh...
... his 29 included 12 contested & 17 uncontested.
Most don't get 12 full stop in game 2. And I mean most stars, most number 1 draft picks, most Gary Abletts (both actually) most everybody! Actually Ablett jr. took FIVE seasons before he managed 29 in a game!!
But how can he think to stay in the side when he slipped over and made errors in his first 2 games!? Lets drop him! Trade him to West coast, Throw him to the lions! Off with his head!

No, it was a typo, wasn't it.

(PS: Neil: Heater actually got 22 in his first, and took 15 games to get to 29 touches )

[E]

He was responsible for the momentum killing clanged in third that killed the game. Streaming forward. His teammate 30 meters away and 10 meters in the clear. He kicks it over his head to his opponent who is as a result himself now 10 meters in the clear. End to end goal results. Pies don't put up a simper thereafter.

Heaters see only what they want to see.

[HAL]

When was he?

[35forever]

@'E'
Heaters? Did you mean haters? Or are you implying that I and my ilk (whatever that may be) are designed to spread warmth? How sweet!

I believe one of the first things I mentioned was young Smith's errors. He certainly made a few, and frankly they were worse on Anzac, at one point he made about 3 on end! There's no doubt the kid is showing nerves, this is obviously very important to him.
But you are entirely right 'E', he lost us the match. Lets think of a penalty nasty enough to fit his crime!

I know, lets make him watch that first quarter over & over! That bloody awful abortion of a quarter where we were held goalless until the end while they piled on 7 goals! make him watch it ten times for losing us the match, coz we most certainly woulda won without his idiot slip! So yes, he has to watch that first quarter - which had nothing to do with the loss, to pay for his stupid mistake!

That'll show him!

=======================================
Do you know what it's called when 'E' goes to the toilet?

A vowel movement! hahahahahahaha



sorry.

[didick]

Yes, let's blame Smith personally for missing all those tackles and for all those inside 50s West Coast got throughout the game. What was he thinking?! And those coast-to-coast goals. He should be strung up for not stopping WCE at each link in the chain. And why wasn't he there against Sydney? He cost us big time in that one. Delist.

[RudeBoy]

[John Wren]

it's been pointed out he is a rookie selection. roll the dice. can't really lose. lots of rookies fall by the wayside and quite a few go on to make a name for themselves.

[Kwah-LeBaire]

[Brown26]

I think everyone is making the same points - he shows a lot of promise but he makes some mistakes. It's just whether you're willing to let him mature in the seniors or not to see how far that promise will take him.

I must admit after the ANZAC match when he made a number of errors / skill errors and decision errors, I thought drop him initially. BUT then I changed my mind - he's a first gamer, give him another crack, go through the tape with him and see what he does, and I reckon the same should be done this week, given we don't have a fit HB flanker left in the Holden centre, there really isn't much to lose anyway.

The Sam Dwyer analogy is a good one - I thought Sammy was all class and was going to be the steal of the century, but he plateaued, and was delisted as he should have been. He was, however, given the opportunity to develop in the seniors (mostly) as I think Smith should be for now. When we get our half a dozen first choice mids / HBF'ers / HFF'ers fit and firing, it maybe a different story, but for now lets just encourage the kid to improve on his weaknesses and rejoice in his strengths!

- Ben

[piester]

He works hard and puts himself in the right position to get the footy. That's all you can ask of a 2nd gamer. He will tidy up his disposal, and be a solid contributor for years to come. Better than Sam Dwyer, so lets give the kid a chance to make a few mistakes and learn from that.

[Uphold_the_Magpies'_name!]

[Cam]

[AN_Inkling]

Glad to see this thread. I think Smith's performances have been undersold for two reasons: 1) devaluing of disposal count in the modern game and 2) a few costly errors.

On both counts he's been unfairly judged. As a start to a career his two games have been excellent. Far better than Mason Cox who has received much more positive feedback. Sure, disposal counts have lost value in recent years but for a new player in the team to demand it as much as he has and get in position to receive it shows that he both has the confidence to go after the ball and most importantly the running capacity to repeatedly get on the end of it.

He's made a few errors but as a new player at the higher level these are to be completely disregarded at this point. If he's making them later in his career he can be judged then. He hasn't proven to be anything spectacular, but a solid running half back with the required work rate to make the grade. If he builds on this he could be a very solid half back for us much like Langdon has done from humble beginnings.

[kickit2me]

Problem with Dwyer was that most of his kicks went 40 metres up and 40 metres forward. Smiths' kicks might be a bit wayward at times, but they don't bring rain.

Like the look of the lad.

[35forever]

It's not surprising that a 7 foot American Forward who kicked the first chicko of the game got all the press, despite the difference in numbers. It was undoubtedly his goal which gave our guys the confidence to put Essendon away in the first 2 quarters. He is certainly an exciting prospect, and could form the basis of a powerful forward combination with Darcy, and Maybe Gault. But for some reason I don't think he'll last more than 2 or 3 seasons. Don't know why, I just feel like once he's been successful he'll probably go back to Loonyland. Hope I'm wrong! Be great if he's the next Sandilands.

Smith on the other hand, I have a really good feeling about him. I think he's a chance of being a real champion. In just 3 showings he's got the ball more than a rookie should. The mistakes are a part of life for anyone who has just moved to a much higher level, and I have no doubt he'll sort that part of his game out, once he does he'll make a great midfielder very much along the lines of one D.Swan.
That’s right folks! You heard it here first!
Smith is the next Swan!