Bontempelli v Billings

[WinnersOnly]

I understand that nothing will change but it is worth discussing, I also understand that Bontempelli had not shown as much in 18's but WHY?

When you think about it Billings was a forward flank or pocket junior WHO to pick believing he would turn into a midfielder was a risk. Why not take that risk on a kid who who had the same forward impact as Billings in the juniors, but a significantly greater physical development ahead. Taking Bontempelli at 3 would have been a risk but no more of a risk than taking Billings believing he was going to make a midfielder.

Billings may well become an excellent player but he wont have the ability to dominate games like Bont's. For me Billings looks a bit like Scully skillful, but will never be quick or big enough to become an A grade midfielder!

[Wayne42]

You might be better off changing clubs, but don't go for the Pies, Nathan has transformed them into a crap club, and that would do your head in..

[WinnersOnly]

Wayne is your surname Ker?

[8856brother]

Bont looks like he could be anything. Hopefully Billings will be a star too. Certainly showed some exciting glimpses last year.

[BringBackMadDog]

I understand that nothing will change but it is worth discussing, I also understand that Bontempelli had not shown as much in 18's but WHY?

When you think about it Billings was a forward flank or pocket junior WHO to pick believing he would turn into a midfielder was a risk. Why not take that risk on a kid who who had the same forward impact as Billings in the juniors, but a significantly greater physical development ahead. Taking Bontempelli at 3 would have been a risk but no more of a risk than taking Billings believing he was going to make a midfielder.

Billings may well become an excellent player but he wont have the ability to dominate games like Bont's. For me Billings looks a bit like Scully skillful, but will never be quick or big enough to become an A grade midfielder!

Christ, all you do is whine. You really need to support another team

[Verdun66]

Billings will be a star. The other bloke will be too. Let's look in 5 years, and gripe then if Billings hasn't been good.

[White Winmar]

[quote="Verdun66"]Billings will be a star. The other bloke will be too. Let's look in 5 years, and gripe then if Billings hasn't been good.[/quote]
Well said, Verdun. The jury is out for at least three to five years.

[White Winmar]

Billings will be a star. The other bloke will be too. Let's look in 5 years, and gripe then if Billings hasn't been good.

Well said, Verdun. The jury is out for at least three to five years.

[Devilhead]

When you think about it Billings was a forward flank or pocket junior WHO to pick believing he would turn into a midfielder was a risk.

In Billings 2013 TAC Cup year he played 3 games and in two of them he got 26 & 32 possessions respectively - in the other game no stats were recorded except goals - my point being what kind of a forward flank/pocket junior gets those kind of possession stats?

Let's stop with this crap that he never played mid field in his junior career - Billings played mid field in his junior years ..... and yes he can also play forward and kick goals - the reason why we drafted him as he was in his junior career a goal kicking midfielder

He also had quite a few 20+ possession games in his bottom age year- incl two 25 possession games

[gringo]

Billings is probably our classiest player Bontempelli is already looking like a future superstar. I was all over Bontempelli but I even thought he'd grow to big for the way he played his footy. I was imagining he could be that too big for running to small for KPP type. He was still growing and was already about 194cm or something. Gilbert and Andreas Everett came to mind as guys who play small for their height. Scharenberg looked a gun too but luckily we didn't get a guy who doesn't play. The Pies got Freeman too who ripped a hammy off in his first season so Billings looks good in comparison.

Anyway Billings will be a pretty special player for us in the future, I watched him doing midfield drills at training and he just knows how to get the footy and use it. Looked like Dal Santo at times.

[saintspremiers]

Billings looks like a champ in the making. Skilful and tough and plays a bit like a younger Burkey did.

Not saying he will be our next Nathan Burke - way too early to make that call but at least he has some of the tools already, just needs a matured body to match it.

[plugger66]

No idea who may be better. Certainly Bomp at the moment but if on SS we decide Bomp is better then do they automatically swap otherwise I cant see the point of the thread. Imagine if we had a thread for every great pick or every poor pick. Fisher or some no name. Steven or some no name. Ball or Judd. Hayes or Fitzy.

[cwrcyn]

Very early to start all this. Billings last year came off an injury with a limited preseason and still did okay. The real mistake appears to be trading pick 25 for Longer and therefore forgoing McStay, Merrett, or Lewis Taylor. That decision will bite us far more.

[oldie60]

In fairness to both players it helps when the players around you are have a bit more experience. Even though the Bulldogs weren't great last year they probably had a bit more experience around the ground than we had so he already had an advantage. Both players will be great for their clubs. I personally liked Bontempelli because of his size and skills. Some players don't always perform great at under 18's so he could become one of those draft picks that excel with the opportunity and environment.

[MC Gusto]

Given what they've spent on Boyd keeping Bont may not be as easy as it once was. Let's have them both!

[FQF]

These things take a very long time to play out. It's all very well to dominate early on in your career, but then you become the subject of much more intense scrutiny and analysis. There are also challenges of consistency. There's a lot more to becoming a great player than taking a tiny sample from year 1 + nab challenge.

Secondly, players progress at different rates. The important, and defining, thing is which player contributes more to their team when it really counts. Do you think in hindsight Richmond fans will care that Martin was an arrogant shite of a kid in his first few years when they were at the bottom if in the long run he becomes the league's premier midfielder when they're having a flag tilt?

Billing's output now is indicative of what is to come, but, aside for his development, it means SFA what he does while we are wooden spooners.

[kosifantutti]

I understand that nothing will change but it is worth discussing, I also understand that Bontempelli had not shown as much in 18's but WHY?

When you think about it Billings was a forward flank or pocket junior WHO to pick believing he would turn into a midfielder was a risk. Why not take that risk on a kid who who had the same forward impact as Billings in the juniors, but a significantly greater physical development ahead. Taking Bontempelli at 3 would have been a risk but no more of a risk than taking Billings believing he was going to make a midfielder.

Billings may well become an excellent player but he wont have the ability to dominate games like Bont's. For me Billings looks a bit like Scully skillful, but will never be quick or big enough to become an A grade midfielder!

It all seems very obvious when you put it like that.

A pity you didn't tell us before the draft.

Subject: OK experts. Nearest the pin for the draft.

Billings (we need his class and finishing skills)
Dunstan (we need a quality exractor)
Hartung (we need his outside speed and delivery)

[WinnersOnly]

I understand that nothing will change but it is worth discussing, I also understand that Bontempelli had not shown as much in 18's but WHY?

When you think about it Billings was a forward flank or pocket junior WHO to pick believing he would turn into a midfielder was a risk. Why not take that risk on a kid who who had the same forward impact as Billings in the juniors, but a significantly greater physical development ahead. Taking Bontempelli at 3 would have been a risk but no more of a risk than taking Billings believing he was going to make a midfielder.

Billings may well become an excellent player but he wont have the ability to dominate games like Bont's. For me Billings looks a bit like Scully skillful, but will never be quick or big enough to become an A grade midfielder!

Christ, all you do is whine. You really need to support another team

I want the best for our club and ultimate success if that is whining then so be it !

[plugger66]

I understand that nothing will change but it is worth discussing, I also understand that Bontempelli had not shown as much in 18's but WHY?

When you think about it Billings was a forward flank or pocket junior WHO to pick believing he would turn into a midfielder was a risk. Why not take that risk on a kid who who had the same forward impact as Billings in the juniors, but a significantly greater physical development ahead. Taking Bontempelli at 3 would have been a risk but no more of a risk than taking Billings believing he was going to make a midfielder.

Billings may well become an excellent player but he wont have the ability to dominate games like Bont's. For me Billings looks a bit like Scully skillful, but will never be quick or big enough to become an A grade midfielder!

Christ, all you do is whine. You really need to support another team

I want the best for our club and ultimate success if that is whining then so be it !

But the club don't improve because you whine on here. The only people who read it and have to put up with it are us.

[WinnersOnly]

I understand that nothing will change but it is worth discussing, I also understand that Bontempelli had not shown as much in 18's but WHY?

When you think about it Billings was a forward flank or pocket junior WHO to pick believing he would turn into a midfielder was a risk. Why not take that risk on a kid who who had the same forward impact as Billings in the juniors, but a significantly greater physical development ahead. Taking Bontempelli at 3 would have been a risk but no more of a risk than taking Billings believing he was going to make a midfielder.

Billings may well become an excellent player but he wont have the ability to dominate games like Bont's. For me Billings looks a bit like Scully skillful, but will never be quick or big enough to become an A grade midfielder!

Christ, all you do is whine. You really need to support another team

I want the best for our club and ultimate success if that is whining then so be it !

But the club don't improve because you whine on here. The only people who read it and have to put up with it are us.

You dont have to read it Plugger - you portray enough misery and negativity for all of us!

[plugger66]

I understand that nothing will change but it is worth discussing, I also understand that Bontempelli had not shown as much in 18's but WHY?

When you think about it Billings was a forward flank or pocket junior WHO to pick believing he would turn into a midfielder was a risk. Why not take that risk on a kid who who had the same forward impact as Billings in the juniors, but a significantly greater physical development ahead. Taking Bontempelli at 3 would have been a risk but no more of a risk than taking Billings believing he was going to make a midfielder.

Billings may well become an excellent player but he wont have the ability to dominate games like Bont's. For me Billings looks a bit like Scully skillful, but will never be quick or big enough to become an A grade midfielder!

Christ, all you do is whine. You really need to support another team

I want the best for our club and ultimate success if that is whining then so be it !

But the club don't improve because you whine on here. The only people who read it and have to put up with it are us.

You dont have to read it Plugger - you portray enough misery and negativity for all of us!

I like your reading your stuff. I would love you to show me all these posts that are negative and provide misery. Is it not believing all the conspiracies in the Essendon thread or not having a go at the AFL or the umpires after a game. Or is it telling you that your thread is silly. I would love some examples so I can improve otherwise I will just think you are talking crap. The one thing I never do is sook up because I overrated the side in the first place and then do 20 negative threads after they actually play to what their real potential is.

[SMS]

Bonntempellii is a gun.

[Goose is king]

Bontempelli was a bit of a bolter in that draft and like all picks had a level of risk
I will wait longer than 20 games before being upset by our decision with Billings.
It took 10 years for the Hawks to get vindication re Hodge being the best pick of the super draft but that's the way I see that one.
Billings has shown more than enough to suggest he will be a gun

[sainter#4]

go watch the west coast game last year and then come back to this thread.

Billings has all the tools to be an absolute superstar with ALOT of XFACTOR.

i think when all is said and done we will be very happy with this pick for awhile.

[sainter#4]

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/ ... pelli.html

Bont's stats last year in a much better team

compared to Jacks last year - injured in preseason and had an injury filled draft year

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/ ... lings.html


pretty similar - just makes it more exciting to see what jack will do when he gets on the park