bontempelli

[To the top]

IF you go back to the second half come back v WB last season, it was Billings and his precision on goal that iced that result.

Injuries cut him down after that - and again in 2016 with his precision usage by foot absent including on goal.

I am of the view (and hopefully right) that he was playing under duress from early in 2016.

Hence the inconsistent performances.

As with a few on our List (including Sinclair, Lonie, Templeton et al) there is a need to build bulk for the contest without losing any exiting attributes and Billings, as one, falls into that list.

Hopefully he puts in a full pre-season and we see the glimpses we have seen to date on a consistent basis.

Because then he will be all class.

We took him before Freeman, Dunstan and Acres.

[Scollop]

What have recruiters learned from the experience? Why is it that most opinions in the media (if not all) place the Bont ahead of Bilings at the moment?

Last year JB gained a reputation as a dangerous small forward and that's meant that teams have done their homework on him. I think he coughs it up way too often when he receives the footy from his teammates. JB win's his own footy and has done quite well in this area in 2016, but I don't think he provides value to us as an inside mid - we've got enough of those.

What I saw at several games this year when watching JB was that he got rid of the footy way too early and his disposal efficiency was impacted. He cost us goals because he turned the footy over. He didn't use aggression with ball in hand or aggression to shake off a tackle. I don't know if he was down in confidence or he was sore. Either way he's got to become more aggressive if he wants to be elite.

[sunsaint]

Why are we comparing Bont with Billings - their roles are totally different

Bont with Acres is a better comparison

oops I think you slipped up a bit there devilkopf because what you are really doing there is comparing billings with acres
the bont played a forward role in his first development season - its just that you dont waste top draft pick players with "elite skills" in the forward pocket

[saynta]

I hope Billings turns into a 200 game player for us but there will be only one Bont. A true champion at 20 years of age.

[CURLY]

Please, Billings kicking before injury this year were elite.

cmon curly stop stirring the pot
in black and white
who would you prefer at the saints?

Right now yes Bony is playing the better football. My argument is that Billings is even now much more than fringe AFL player and that he has elite footskills. Bigmart thinks other wise.

[Linton Lodger]

Here goes the Bont love and comparisons to Billings again!

For the record if I had to choose between Bont and Billings now, I would still take Billings in a heartbeat. Billings has one really rare attribute that I haven't heard mentioned much or at all. Billings is genuinely ambidextrous, and I don't mean he can just kick or use the footy with his wrong side, I mean that his brain can switch from left sided to right sided in a snap. There appears to be not a skerrick of difference between his right and left side.

That ability is extremely rare and gives Billings a mighty advantage over his opponents. Now I'm sure Bont is good on his wrong side, but he ain't ambidextrous. Once Billings gets a few more games under his belt and most importantly builds his tank. I've got a sneaking suspicion that this thread will be looked upon as almost comical.

The hype is typical of the Bulldogs, the minute they're going well, the lid blows off and into orbit. Then they wonder why they don't get to the dance.

A little perspective: The Bulldogs have just won consecutive finals for the first time in 55 years. They have beaten West Coast who stumbled into the finals, were far from a top 4 team, had no Natanui and a mediocre midfield that doesn't bat deep. Then they beat Hawthorn, a declining power, who have consistently been smashed in contested ball and probably won't play finals next year.

[BigMart]

Elite kicking skills??

Are we talking about what he is supposed to be, or actually is??

70% effective
His goal kicking atrocious

Possibly could be elite... Going on this year... Very average

[CURLY]

Elite kicking skills??

Are we talking about what he is supposed to be, or actually is??

70% effective
His goal kicking atrocious

Possibly could be elite... Going on this year... Very average

I saw Billings have 25 at 100% eff I saw him control the game v Collingwood with what can only be described as superb kicking. Billings is a elite kick yes.

[samoht]

Billings' field-kicking skills were in full display in a preseason hit-out earlier this year at Sandy - he stood out like a beacon.
He just lacks a bit of aggression/mongrel, as Scollop mentioned earlier, maybe that's what he needs to work on? Continuity would help, of course.
He seems to have no trouble racking up 20 possessions on a regular basis -- but he generally moves the ball quickly on(well he did this year, anyway), often handballing it (he does have quick hands).
I just want to see him back himself and hold on to the ball more... run with it, create some space for himself .. and then use those exceptional kicking skills.
The sooner he starts doing that, the sooner we'd be saying Bont who?

[lewdogs]

WB nailed the Bont pick. They then went some way to undoing that good work by paying ridiculous overs for the no1 of that year, Tom Boyd.

Plenty of time for Billings to flourish but if we looked back with regret at every draft pick we missed we'd go insane...as would every club.

[thejiggingsaint]

Hindsight is SUCH a wonderful science.

[samoht]

Hindsight aside (anyway, we only look forward on this forum - not roll our eyes backwards).
The pick is probably always right (at the time) ... but it's up to the player to then fulfil their potential on the big stage. You can't be timid -- it takes a certain amount of aggression/mongrel and confidence to back yourself in order to succeed. Bont has that confidence (to back himself on the big stage), Billings may need to develop a little more of it - and get some of that mongrel into him (maybe a Dustin Martin could help instil this in him?).
An interrupted season didn't help, of course.

[saynta]

One of the guys on 360 and not that f***wit from the hun, reckons the bont will end up being the player of his generation.

Think I agree with him.

[Rosco]

Ball before judd
Jack before Bont

Jack Steven at 42
Fisher at 55
Membrey for nothing
Bruce traded for 44?

Can't win them all

[Con Gorozidis]

Elite kicking skills??

Are we talking about what he is supposed to be, or actually is??

70% effective
His goal kicking atrocious

Possibly could be elite... Going on this year... Very average

I saw Billings have 25 at 100% eff I saw him control the game v Collingwood with what can only be described as superb kicking. Billings is a elite kick yes.

Billings just kicked 6.12 for the season
Bont kicked 25.16.

Not sure how you define 'elite' but 6.12 is a far cry from elite.
I agree JB has 'elite' kicking skills in theory. But so far it is only in theory.
Not saying he doesn't have potential - he clearly does - and his goal kicking will improve when he further adapts to the speed of AFL. But it is still potential at this stage.
His field kicking is pretty good.

[Bunk_Moreland]

Bont is a champ but it is a fa t that the Dogs rated Billings higher than Bont and would have chosen him if they had pick 3.

This is a fact.

[Con Gorozidis]

Billings will probably hit a purple patch at some point in his career. Probably around 25 years old. I see him as a Nathan Brown or Sean Higgins type.

[st.byron]

Ball before judd
Jack before Bont

Jack Steven at 42
Fisher at 55
Membrey for nothing
Bruce traded for 44?

Can't win them all

Thought the same thing myself. Just watched the replay of the Hawks and Dogs and Bontempelli is elite already. Billings is nowhere near him. Not in the same ballpark. Bont looks like the Judd of his time.

[saintspremiers]

stonehead have you PM'd those really in the know ie tony74 or Jaxsons with the info?

That's what I've done in the past rather than bleating on about it on here in public

[saintspremiers]

Bont is a champ but it is a fa t that the Dogs rated Billings higher than Bont and would have chosen him if they had pick 3.

This is a fact.

Didn't you rate Bont really highly pre draft?

On Footscray, plugsie saw little Caleb Daniel play in SA pre draft and said he was a gun also but not sure if a club would go for him due to his height.

Well done to the Dogs on both counts. They've created an engine room with those two.

[supersaints]

Why are we comparing Bont with Billings - their roles are totally different

Bont with Acres is a better comparison

oops I think you slipped up a bit there devilkopf because what you are really doing there is comparing billings with acres
the bont played a forward pocket role in his first development season - its just that you dont waste top draft pick players with "elite skills" in the forward pocket

I think AR might disagree, he has used the forward role to develop players , it's a way to get them into the games high tempo and develop thier skills before they are physical enough to play in the middle.

You would not throw someone of Billings build in his first season in the middle. AR did the same with Gresh this season. Gresh has a more physical AFL ready build. He wasn't wasted early. He showed what he could do in the middle when he went there for bursts later in the season.

Acres and Bont, both had more size and strength to enable them play close to the center in their first season-they should be the ones compared in thier roles.
I think JB will repay the faith of a number three pick.

[prwilkinson]

For all we know, Billings may very well become the cream to a truly delicious cake... patience fellow Sainters..

[loris]

For all we know, Billings may very well become the cream to a truly delicious cake... patience fellow Sainters..

Patience isn't a virtue some on here possess prwilkie

Just hope with our patience we are not left singing.........

"Someone left the cake out in the rain,
it took so long to bake it
And we'll never have that receipe again.......... Oh nooooo".

[stonecold]

stonehead have you PM'd those really in the know ie tony74 or Jaxsons with the info?

That's what I've done in the past rather than bleating on about it on here in public

If your talking to me?????

No I haven't PM'd them, Saints not chasing this kid at the moment, so they wouldn't know!!!!!

With the up coming changes to the TAC Cup on 19 year Olds next season, he may be off to the VFL next year for another year of development if the Hawks don't take him take him this year!!!!!

That's why the Hawks are better than most at finding hidden gems!!!!!

[Devilhead]

stonehead have you PM'd those really in the know ie tony74 or Jaxsons with the info?

That's what I've done in the past rather than bleating on about it on here in public

If your talking to me?????

No I haven't PM'd them, Saints not chasing this kid at the moment, so they wouldn't know!!!!!

With the up coming changes to the TAC Cup on 19 year Olds next season, he may be off to the VFL next year for another year of development if the Hawks don't take him take him this year!!!!!

That's why the Hawks are better than most at finding hidden gems!!!!!

Keeping it quiet would say that you support the Hawks