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saintspremiers wrote: ↑Thu 31 May 2018 6:04pm
FIora was so poor many called him Fiona at Tigerland.
Has Billings received any nasty nicknames??
Nup, not one.
I have a suggestion for a nickname:
"The young high draft pick who may not fulfil the potential that many saw in him at a young age,
due to inept and amateurish development by FOURTEEN goddam coaches at the Saints."
It's a work in progress, need to shorten it just a tad
A real Sainter will pledge allegiance to the ❤ and despise the Pies, the Blues, and the Injectors.
Remember one of the 10 Commandments : Thou shalt have no other team before thee
saintspremiers wrote: ↑Thu 31 May 2018 6:04pm
FIora was so poor many called him Fiona at Tigerland.
Has Billings received any nasty nicknames??
Nup, not one.
Let's call him "Marcus"
as in The Bont,
in an ironical twist.
As in polar opposites.
A real Sainter will pledge allegiance to the ❤ and despise the Pies, the Blues, and the Injectors.
Remember one of the 10 Commandments : Thou shalt have no other team before thee
axcellence wrote: ↑Thu 31 May 2018 7:53pm
Lenny - drafted 1999. AA 2003 Captain 2004
HARVEY drafted end of 87. AA and b&f winner in 92
Goddard was a stellar player in 2008 (drafted 02), and AA in 2009
Billings might be an ok player but don't pick comparisons with club legends without research.
I think that was my point. When a bloke is drafted at #3 we have high hopes for him. Club champion like the above. I was saying that I hoped that he would become like them. Could throw Dal in there as well and Jack Steven. Even Joey Montagna who was a really good player for us. Right now Jack is looking like being 150-200 game player who has some excellent games but will never reach the heights of these guys. Why do we keep making excuses for him? He's had more than enough time to prove what he going to be. I'm afraid his great games have become the exception. People trot out statistics like they mean something. When it comes to Jack Billings they don't mean that much - because his kicking is woeful. He plays on the fwd line and his job is to kick goals and yet (and not just this year either) he consistently misses. He should be capable of playing midfield by now, and yet he doesn't. Why is that? I believe it's because physically he's not strong enough. He should be by now!
I know ppl get snitchy with -ive posts about players. Trust me I want him desperately to prove me wrong. Just like I would love Paddy to prove me wrong. The saddest thing is that we have no-one better to play. If Billings and Paddy were drafted in 06 I wonder if they would be getting games? I personally reckon it would have been sink or swim. They would have been forced to raise their game, otherwise suffer the ignominy of playing reserves as a high draft pick. Jack can have a nice 10 year career in today's team. Never be pushed, earn a nice salary and ride off into the sunset nice and comfy. We are kidding ourselves that he's turned the cnr. We really are. He'll eventually play a good game, maybe even 2-3 in a row and a few will say 'see, told ya.' It's time for him to step up and play a season of good games like Jack Steven did at his age. I can't see it happening, but as I said, I live in hope.
Billings is a different type of player to the 3 legends mentioned, and the game has also changed, with 36 players in a small part of the field a lot of the time. I don't think he will ever be "follow me" leader say like Lenny, but he is the cream on top. At the moment though, the cake is not ready.
I have no concerns with him. He is well worth his place in the side now, and will get better in an improved side. Comparing him to Fiora is a joke.
Better than Fiora for sure but he needs to get his kicking boots on and starting kicking goals or hitting blokes on the chest a few times a game and I mean impact kicks not dinky s*** sideways picking up 20 "touches" as they call it.
They were both No 3 in the draft. The pick of the 1999 Draft, at No 47, was Corey Enright (6AAs). Who new? So far, the pick of the 2013 Draft has been the bloke taken at No 4, Marcus Bontempelli. Both Aaron Fiora and Jack Billings have reasonable pace. Fiora could kick a goal from 50+ on the run. The surprising thing about Jack Billings is that he can't get 50 metres. I thought he could kick further when he first came, but I might be wrong. His accuracy is another thing, but it's now a bad case of the yips. Both Fiora and Jack are far too light to be successful AFL players. A reasonable defender can easily move them off the ball and knock them to the ground. Fiora could take a "specky" from behind, but Jack doesn't seem to have much leap. Jack is good at ground level picking up the loose ball - not so good at breaking the tackle that follows. Unless he drastically alters his body shape and acquires the strength of Dustin Martin, who is only 2cm taller, then Jack is likely to be just a cameo player. Maybe he should get some tatts.
IluvHarvey wrote: ↑Fri 01 Jun 2018 1:09pm
Couldn't be bothered reading any tripe comparing Billings to Fiora.
Winner of the most ridiculous thread on any forum ever!
If you don't want to read it then don't read it IluvHarvey. If you had bothered to read the OP the comparisons would have been obvious to you, but criticizing a post that you haven't even read is, well, ridiculous
IluvHarvey wrote: ↑Fri 01 Jun 2018 1:09pm
Couldn't be bothered reading any tripe comparing Billings to Fiora.
Winner of the most ridiculous thread on any forum ever!
If you don't want to read it then don't read it IluvHarvey. If you had bothered to read the OP the comparisons would have been obvious to you, but criticizing a post that you haven't even read is, well, ridiculous
Ok fair point. I have no read the thread and you know what? My point still stands! Ridiculous thread, ridiculous comparison!
"It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress."
perfectionist wrote: ↑Fri 01 Jun 2018 1:13pm
They were both No 3 in the draft. The pick of the 1999 Draft, at No 47, was Corey Enright (6AAs). Who new? So far, the pick of the 2013 Draft has been the bloke taken at No 4, Marcus Bontempelli. Both Aaron Fiora and Jack Billings have reasonable pace. Fiora could kick a goal from 50+ on the run. The surprising thing about Jack Billings is that he can't get 50 metres. I thought he could kick further when he first came, but I might be wrong. His accuracy is another thing, but it's now a bad case of the yips. Both Fiora and Jack are far too light to be successful AFL players. A reasonable defender can easily move them off the ball and knock them to the ground. Fiora could take a "specky" from behind, but Jack doesn't seem to have much leap. Jack is good at ground level picking up the loose ball - not so good at breaking the tackle that follows. Unless he drastically alters his body shape and acquires the strength of Dustin Martin, who is only 2cm taller, then Jack is likely to be just a cameo player. Maybe he should get some tatts.
Good post and we agree with a lot of that. Billings is definitely far too light to be a successful AFL player. He looks like a boy out there still after 5 years on an AFL list and that is concerning. He really is poor at breaking a tackle or winning his own ball. That effort where he pulled out of a contest against Melbourne was pretty bad. We were not far from it and we stand by our thoughts of him as a very disappointing player. He also is not a leader that others in the side look up too.
I am so over Billings. Seriously is it the way he is coached? If so fair enough, but at this stage I think its an absolute insult to Fiora to compare................. at this stage, but I've been saying the for a while????????????
Something hasn’t been right with Billings all year. I know he did a hammy around Feb, he has no power or depth in his kicking. My guess is he is playing with a leg injury possibly OP. Cannot kick the ball 50m at the moment, has no power at all in a running sense. He was close to All Australian last year, players don’t forget how to play. I’d say this year is a right off but he will bounce back. Comparing him to Fiora is an insult, Billings polled 11-12 votes in the Brownlow last year. I reckon Fiora would have been less over his career
saintbob wrote: ↑Sun 03 Jun 2018 7:48am
Billings needs to play through the middle more, we play him as a permanent HFF for f*** sake get him up the ground and into the action.
3 times last night he had separation on his opponent only for Steven to miss him with his s*** kicking.
Play Newnes and Weller on the flanks and Gresham in the pocket, Lonie can f*** off back to Sandy
Agree saynta, that should be Lonies last game in the side this year and possibly for good. Just not strong enough, will never make a rover or a good forward pocket. A good player in the magoos ala Dunstan. Weller is in the same boat , was lucky to get a game against the Eagles, might make a tagger but I dont think he has got the tank. Once the bigger Acres comes back , Carlisle and Bruce, possibly Roberton then the smaller players will be dropped. We have Gresham and Billings , thats enough small guys in the forward line. Those two arent great tacklers though which is a worry. You need to be able to hold the ball in using good tackling pressure. I would have thought that Billings would have been ready to play in the middle by now but he hasnt got the pace or the size.
chico2001 wrote: ↑Mon 04 Jun 2018 10:26pm
Agree saynta, that should be Lonies last game in the side this year and possibly for good. Just not strong enough, will never make a rover or a good forward pocket. A good player in the magoos ala Dunstan. Weller is in the same boat , was lucky to get a game against the Eagles, might make a tagger but I dont think he has got the tank. Once the bigger Acres comes back , Carlisle and Bruce, possibly Roberton then the smaller players will be dropped. We have Gresham and Billings , thats enough small guys in the forward line. Those two arent great tacklers though which is a worry. You need to be able to hold the ball in using good tackling pressure. I would have thought that Billings would have been ready to play in the middle by now but he hasnt got the pace or the size.
We also have Ben Long to slot back into the forward line.
He is a better footballer than fiora... but does have a similar build.
Needs to get stronger otherwise will not reach his potential. Should try and model his game on delsanto.
saintspremiers wrote: ↑Thu 31 May 2018 6:04pm
FIora was so poor many called him Fiona at Tigerland.
Has Billings received any nasty nicknames??
Nup, not one.
Let's call him "Marcus"
as in The Bont,
in an ironical twist.
As in polar opposites.
A Tiger mate of mine used to all Fiora “Pav”!
As for Billings, he was excellent last year. Kicked 5 goals answer had 30 possies vs. Carltank I think.
JB and also Gresh both appear to be front runners - they don’t turn a game for us, but when the rest of the team gels, they add the cream.
Billings only needs needs two gun FA midfielders in our side and he will fire, big time!
23.36 in a season is not 'excellent' for a full time forward. You have very very low standards.
50 players kicked more goals last year.
Shane Kersten managed 24 for god's sake.