Someone smarter than me please answer about Smith and Miles

[groupie1]

LAst year: Luke Miles
This year: Alistair Smith

Why were they delisted?

I guess no other club picked up Miles, so the delisting was obviously correct. So maybe the Smith delisting is too.

I thought both showed promise.

Was I wrong?

[goddardisgod]

I didn't see much TBH of either of them, but from what I'm aware:

Miles: Was already a fairly mature guy (24/25 last year) He was also constantly injured under us, and I believe he did an ACL early in the season this year.

Smith: Apparently, for all his positives (pace, ball winning), his disposal was so woeful he had to be let go.

[saintspremiers]

The dribbler got his nickname because he couldn't kick.

Looked like an out and out dud to
Me.

Could be ok in the VFL but nowhere near AFL standard.

[groupie1]

OK

Still seems odd. Can;t disposal be worked on to get to an acceptable level? Obviously not.

Clint Jones and Daniels made careers out of doing something other than kick.

Was his kicking as bad as Clint Jones? Or only as bad as Gram?

[plugger66]

OK

Still seems odd. Can;t disposal be worked on to get to an acceptable level? Obviously not.

Clint Jones and Daniels made careers out of doing something other than kick.

Was his kicking as bad as Clint Jones? Or only as bad as Gram?

Smith kicked much better than Jones but Jones gets the ball and has pace. Some said Smith had pace but I certainly didnt see it in the AFL or Sandy. He had 3 years so if he was any good he would have shown more. I think the fact that no one will pick him up suggests he just wasnt good enough. Miles certainly wasnt good enough.

[groupie1]

I remember Miles played 2-3 games late in the 2010 season. Looked poise and classy to me, and I was real surprised he was delisted.

But..... just goes to show my ignorance, eh!

[plugger66]

I remember Miles played 2-3 games late in the 2010 season. Looked poise and classy to me, and I was real surprised he was delisted.

But..... just goes to show my ignorance, eh!

I wouldnt have thought so. That was your opinion just as mine was he couldnt play.

[groupie1]

What a gentlemanly reply on a forum where I might have expected:
Yeah... you're a f***** wanka, mate. couldn't tell a good footballer from the arsehole of another!

[Superboot]

I remember Miles played 2-3 games late in the 2010 season. Looked poise and classy to me, and I was real surprised he was delisted.

But..... just goes to show my ignorance, eh!

I agree with you.

In a year when the only fringe player showing any promise whatsoever was Armo, the few glimpses I saw of Miles indicated that he might just make a useful back-up half back.

I was very surprised when he was delisted.

[kosifantutti23]

OK

Still seems odd. Can;t disposal be worked on to get to an acceptable level? Obviously not.

Clint Jones and Daniels made careers out of doing something other than kick.

Was his kicking as bad as Clint Jones? Or only as bad as Gram?

Smith kicked much better than Jones but Jones gets the ball and has pace. Some said Smith had pace but I certainly didnt see it in the AFL or Sandy. He had 3 years so if he was any good he would have shown more. I think the fact that no one will pick him up suggests he just wasnt good enough. Miles certainly wasnt good enough.

I miss so much over here. When did they have the draft?

[thequarry]

OK

Still seems odd. Can;t disposal be worked on to get to an acceptable level? Obviously not.

Clint Jones and Daniels made careers out of doing something other than kick.

Was his kicking as bad as Clint Jones? Or only as bad as Gram?

Smith kicked much better than Jones but Jones gets the ball and has pace. Some said Smith had pace but I certainly didnt see it in the AFL or Sandy. He had 3 years so if he was any good he would have shown more. I think the fact that no one will pick him up suggests he just wasnt good enough. Miles certainly wasnt good enough.

Smith's attitude might have had a fair bit to do with his overall form and ultimately the decision to delist him (what I've heard from inside sources, etc. You know the drill.)

[BigMart]

So a mistake by the recruiters then...add that too a long list...

obviouslt they saw him run (pace) and kick before they drafted him....

funny, critisism of the recruiters last year was a no no....now its OK because its better than critisisng the alternative...the coaching dept..

I actually thought both could play...particularly Miles...who came of a B&F playing FB at 185cm for Swan Districts....he had a solid game and obviously good pace and composure....but never had the body for the rigors of AFL footy I suppose (like X Clarke)...he was constantly below full fitness...Miles grabbed 45 possesions 1st game back after a long lay off in the Sandy Reserves to make a mockery of that standard and then was in the saints seniors 4 weeks later after playing very well in the Sandy Seniors...In his game in the AFL I thought he was very impressive


Smith found the ball well, and his kicking was about as good as Eddy (better than Jones) so it was a weakness.....he ran to space well

Smith was a ball winning HF/HB when drafted....he was turned into a defensive run with and whilst he did OK it took from his game..
Smith collected 10 possesions in a quarter in an NAB cup game in 2010 which showed some indications he could play a bit....but then again Gaertner did OK in that same game..

[gringo]

AFL can be cruel, if a spot isn't available or you're injured when a spot opens up you can miss the boat. Both showed promise but someone has to go and they both probably had players in front of them showing more promise. If you are low profile and get delisted it isn't easy to get a second crack. I thought Smith had something about him, he just didn't have great games in his last few outings. Miles we never got to see properly.

[Animal Enclosure]

Supporters look at delistings in a very black & white way.

Gone- he couldn't kick.

Stays- Why?- he can't kick!

We don't know about the other 90% that goes towards the club making a call on whether a player is going to be worth keeping. Maybe Smith wasn't working hard enough to improve the deficiencies that he needed to overcome. Maybe Miles was committed more to his career in the fire department... maybe they just needed to turn over a certain number of players so they can get more kids in.

I'll back Pelchen's judgement over any of us on here. He's built 2 premiership teams thus far in his career & his re-building of our football department thus far has been very impressive.

I'm very content with our delistings thus far & am confident that we finally have a structure in place to build towards sustained success.

[BigMart]

Not sure Pelchin "built" two premieship teams....

Give the players and the coaches some credit i reckon..

especially Clarkson who invented a new game style which the opposition struggled with then piched a GF by rushing behinds which forced a rule change

[BigMart]

I think all real AFL employees can lay claim to having a much more indepth knowledge than your average supporter....in reality of course they do...

but a fan forum is not always about reality....its about speculation, discussion, opinion, point of view, hypotheticals, reflection, hindsight....

Pelchin would know more about putting a list together than all forumites combined....and then some....

None of us are employed in the business....

But, that doesnt mean he can make mistakes.....just two years ago he offloaded Ben McGlynn and Josh Kennedy....
He used First Round Draft picks on Beau Dowler and Mitch Thorpe

[saints21]

at the time was shocked over miles gettin delisted after all we did need some pace in the team. after reading the bubble by mission dont think he was physically ready 4 afl

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Miles was told he was a long term prospect but sadly injurys cut him down while he was at the club and cost him what he was picked up for his pace ...I know for a fact Luke knew the writing was on the wall before he got delisted and he was gifted those late games by Lyon after being the Emg for so many consecutive weeks ... He did his ACL playing WAFL in his second or third game ...

Al Smith was a fastish tagger who if Ross had stayed might have got another year on the list but I think the new era doesn't call for three specialist taggers

[Thinline]

I think all real AFL employees can lay claim to having a much more indepth knowledge than your average supporter....in reality of course they do...

but a fan forum is not always about reality....its about speculation, discussion, opinion, point of view, hypotheticals, reflection, hindsight....

Pelchin would know more about putting a list together than all forumites combined....and then some....

None of us are employed in the business....

But, that doesnt mean he can make mistakes.....just two years ago he offloaded Ben McGlynn and Josh Kennedy....
He used First Round Draft picks on Beau Dowler and Mitch Thorpe

Funnily, I have actually been employed 'in the business'. You're right in that most wouldn't have a clue about the reality. Equally, though - at least in my experience - it's nowhere near as scientific as people make out.

[8856brother]

OK

Still seems odd. Can;t disposal be worked on to get to an acceptable level? Obviously not.

Clint Jones and Daniels made careers out of doing something other than kick.

Was his kicking as bad as Clint Jones? Or only as bad as Gram?

Smith kicked much better than Jones but Jones gets the ball and has pace. Some said Smith had pace but I certainly didnt see it in the AFL or Sandy. He had 3 years so if he was any good he would have shown more. I think the fact that no one will pick him up suggests he just wasnt good enough. Miles certainly wasnt good enough.

Smith's attitude might have had a fair bit to do with his overall form and ultimately the decision to delist him (what I've heard from inside sources, etc. You know the drill.)

You'd have an attitude too if the coach didn't even know your name let alone give you a game.

[MCG-Unit]

I think all real AFL employees can lay claim to having a much more indepth knowledge than your average supporter....in reality of course they do...

but a fan forum is not always about reality....its about speculation, discussion, opinion, point of view, hypotheticals, reflection, hindsight....

Pelchin would know more about putting a list together than all forumites combined....and then some....

But, that doesnt mean he can make mistakes.....just two years ago he offloaded Ben McGlynn and Josh Kennedy....
He used First Round Draft picks on Beau Dowler and Mitch Thorpe

McGlynn and Kennedy were shipped to the Swans for DP 39, 46 & 70. A howler of a trade as it turned out. Although I think Statton and Suckling were later drafted with those picks - Haw were not to know that at trade time....

I didn't mind Miles or Smith. Maybe also they tipped out Smith (McQ & Eddy) as they might draft mature age WAFL mids in Horsley and/or Salecic.

[skeptic]

always thought as a club we failed to develop what Miles had... just another player on the ever growing "showed potential" list that we chose not to play then got rid of. Looked good vs the Tigers... not so good the following week.
IMO was worth a few games at Mini's expense in 2011

Smith at least never seemed up to it according to the VFL reports I read on here. Was worth a few games IMO as a BP over the last 2 years as form and team selection warranted e.g. Baker missing games/rotating etc but am not too fussed about that

[plugger66]

What a gentlemanly reply on a forum where I might have expected:
Yeah... you're a f***** wanka, mate. couldn't tell a good footballer from the arsehole of another!

You are strange cat. I wasnt even slightly having a go at you. Matter of fact I was saying your opinion is as good if not better than mine. But I can usually tell a good footballer.

[Animal Enclosure]

Not sure Pelchin "built" two premieship teams....

Give the players and the coaches some credit i reckon..

especially Clarkson who invented a new game style which the opposition struggled with then piched a GF by rushing behinds which forced a rule change

He was the list manager when both Port & Hawthorn were in the process of developing their lists. Both these lists eventually won flags.

Of course the coaching & players paid a massive part. Just as the Geelong coaching & playing staff assisted Stephen Wells in being recognised as one of the best recruiters in the business.

You need to get the right mix of players together to have a chance. Having the right coaching set up, tactics, medical & fitness gives those players a chance. A truckload of luck (like blokes missing goals from the goal square) might just bring you the ultimate.

[thequarry]

OK

Still seems odd. Can;t disposal be worked on to get to an acceptable level? Obviously not.

Clint Jones and Daniels made careers out of doing something other than kick.

Was his kicking as bad as Clint Jones? Or only as bad as Gram?

Smith kicked much better than Jones but Jones gets the ball and has pace. Some said Smith had pace but I certainly didnt see it in the AFL or Sandy. He had 3 years so if he was any good he would have shown more. I think the fact that no one will pick him up suggests he just wasnt good enough. Miles certainly wasnt good enough.

Smith's attitude might have had a fair bit to do with his overall form and ultimately the decision to delist him (what I've heard from inside sources, etc. You know the drill.)

You'd have an attitude too if the coach didn't even know your name let alone give you a game.

I'm sure it's been mentioned on here that a few of the younger guys were more than displeased with the lack of game time given to them by Ross - not sure if this was solid inside info but it was certainly the case with at least Tommy Walsh (Ross said as much in a press conference during the season). Wouldn't surprise me if there were a couple of others.