Break out smokeys

[B.M]

So you’re guessing with Garcia

And you’re clueless with Billings

Ok

[CQ SAINT]

So you’re guessing with Garcia

And you’re clueless with Billings

Ok

Lol.

[CQ SAINT]

Perhaps while you are fanning yourself with his player profile, you could check his goal kicking stats, in retrospect as usual, and explain why such a great footballer couldn't overcome the real work of finishing of.

You can root for hours and not reproduce. Lions do it in seconds and lead pride's.

It's all in the stats, open the other eye when you read them.

[B.M]

I think I’ll wait until young Garcia gets a kick in the AFL before making judgement on whether he is good kick or not

[CQ SAINT]

I think I’ll wait until young Garcia gets a kick in the AFL before making judgement on whether he is good kick or not

Then what are you doing in the breakout smokeys thread.

Answer the Billings question or don't.

* Mod Edit - post was reported and a minor edit made. That type of content feels inappropriate

Lol

If it feels inappropriate, I suggest you leave it alone

[CQ SAINT]

Is that OK?

[B.M]

Still trying to understand how we know Garcia is a great kick - given he hasn’t played a game yet?

From highlights???

Draft Bio???

It’s funny, in Billings draft year he was rated the best kick in the draft.

Billings did miss a lot of set shot goals, at one stage got the yips (Like Nick R) but he kicked a lot of goals too, and was probably the best field kick at StK when fit and playing

[CQ SAINT]

Still trying to understand how we know Garcia is a great kick - given he hasn’t played a game yet?

From highlights???

Draft Bio???

It’s funny, in Billings draft year he was rated the best kick in the draft.

Billings did miss a lot of set shot goals, at one stage got the yips (Like Nick R) but he kicked a lot of goals too, and was probably the best field kick at StK when fit and playing

Who said great kick?

[CQ SAINT]

I think I’ll wait until young Garcia gets a kick in the AFL before making judgement on whether he is good kick or not

Then what are you doing in the breakout smokeys thread.

Answer the Billings question or don't.

* Mod Edit - post was reported and a minor edit made. That type of content feels inappropriate

Lol

If it feels inappropriate, I suggest you leave it alone

It humour. But clearly inappropriate, for some reason.

[CQ SAINT]

Still trying to understand how we know Garcia is a great kick - given he hasn’t played a game yet?

From highlights???

Draft Bio???

It’s funny, in Billings draft year he was rated the best kick in the draft.

Billings did miss a lot of set shot goals, at one stage got the yips (Like Nick R) but he kicked a lot of goals too, and was probably the best field kick at StK when fit and playing

Maybe try quotations, so you can follow.

[CQ SAINT]

Still trying to understand how we know Garcia is a great kick - given he hasn’t played a game yet?

From highlights???

Draft Bio???

It’s funny, in Billings draft year he was rated the best kick in the draft.

Billings did miss a lot of set shot goals, at one stage got the yips (Like Nick R) but he kicked a lot of goals too, and was probably the best field kick at StK when fit and playing

Who said great kick?

Quotations would help you follow the actual content of my posts.

[CQ SAINT]

Still trying to understand how we know Garcia is a great kick - given he hasn’t played a game yet?

From highlights???

Draft Bio???

It’s funny, in Billings draft year he was rated the best kick in the draft.

Billings did miss a lot of set shot goals, at one stage got the yips (Like Nick R) but he kicked a lot of goals too, and was probably the best field kick at StK when fit and playing

Maybe try quotations, so you can follow.

Are you likening Billings to Riewoldt now. Thtsa tad embarrassing for Nick, wouldn’t you think

[CQ SAINT]

Still trying to understand how we know Garcia is a great kick - given he hasn’t played a game yet?

From highlights???

Draft Bio???

It’s funny, in Billings draft year he was rated the best kick in the draft.

Billings did miss a lot of set shot goals, at one stage got the yips (Like Nick R) but he kicked a lot of goals too, and was probably the best field kick at StK when fit and playing

Yes, once Billings got out of the centre square and started playing with men, his knees went a bit wobbly walking in to kick a goal.

He was tired from all the running he did to get a possesion.

[Banger9798]

Caminiti to have that second KPF spot sewn up by mid year.

Wilson to have established himself in the 22 by end of the year

Collard debut after the Bye round

[CQ SAINT]

Billings did miss a lot of set shot goals, at one stage got the yips (Like Nick R) but he kicked a lot of goals too, and was probably the best field kick at StK when fit and playing

Just to put things into perspective for you,

1228 players have played more games than Billings.
1000 players have kicked more goal.
Billings hasn't been fit and playing for 2 years.
He had 4 years of what you would consider good football, being fit and playing to full potential.
He kicked more goals than points in 4/10 seasons.
He created 0.7 goals per game and 0.66 goal assists.
Lyon got rid of him for a very good reason.
We have enough half back flanks and Sinclair, Webster, Paton, Jones, Webster, Milera and Stocker can defend and win there own ball.

[B.M]

Just to put it in perspective for you

Billings has played 155 games
Averages 20ppg as a HF/Wing
Kicked 108 goals
29 Brownlow votes
4th in B&F
7th in B&F
9th in B&F


Kicked 4 in the last quarter vs Dogs to win the game from a 40 point deficit


He is a bargain at Melbourne

I think his time was up at StK


Annoying we got FA for him, like L.Ball - and history may well repeat

[CQ SAINT]

I'm sure you've been watching the Demons BM but just incase ill update you.

Billings went to pres-season training early with the young fellas Gawn and Petracca. The other experienced recruits went to.

Reports say he went straight into full training.

Unfortunately when he went to camp, he couldn't run. Soreness - it's the Hamill prognosis, four weeks.

But he should be ready for round one.

Haha.

[CQ SAINT]

After 10 years at St.Kilda, he is hopeful he will bring his strength of delivering the ball to forwards inside 50, play a little high half and some mid time and HOPEFULLY hit the scoreboard.

He averaged 23 d and 4 inside fifties at his peak the article said.

They forgot to say that he only averaged 0.66 goal assists and was not a strong clearance player.

[CQ SAINT]

I can see why you think he is a smokey for next year though. Kotlyn Tholstrop might have something to say about that.

[B.M]

Mate,

Billings represented the RWB more than 150 times, thats 150 more than you or I - bit of respect

Down play him as much as you like, I know what he achieved and more so what he can deliver.

At his very best he is a good AFL footballer.

Your intimation that’s he’s soft shows lack of understanding about football!

You don’t play 150 games of AFL footy, you don’t actually get to AFL footy if you’re soft!

I was at Sandringham the day JB played as a pure inside mid. He had a lazy 54 possessions- at state league level!

I think you need to stop kidding yourself, like the fools on here in 2010 needed to when rubbishing Luke Ball - who got the last laugh!

[CQ SAINT]

Mate,

Billings represented the RWB more than 150 times, thats 150 more than you or I - bit of respect

Down play him as much as you like, I know what he achieved and more so what he can deliver.

At his very best he is a good AFL footballer.

Your intimation that’s he’s soft shows lack of understanding about football!

You don’t play 150 games of AFL footy, you don’t actually get to AFL footy if you’re soft!

I was at Sandringham the day JB played as a pure inside mid. He had a lazy 54 possessions- at state league level!

I think you need to stop kidding yourself, like the fools on here in 2010 needed to when rubbishing Luke Ball - who got the last laugh!

Billing was great in 2017 and 2019.
He was average in 2018.
He was less than average in the best list he has played regularly in, in 2020.
That was the only year in his career that he played finals in. He was well under his average in both finals.

Ratten changed both Seb's and Billings' role.

Seb was told to swim between the flags.
He made Billings a running back from high half after round 5.
The easiest position on the field, he was average, very average.
He got attention and didn't like it.

Shane Savage was torched.
Big mistake, far more penetrative kick and much tougher and showed it in the semi. billings went missing and should have been dropped because Essendon already went sour and went after Caldwell with everything they had.
Billing is pale, weak and soft in comparison.

Billings has never recovered. Shane retired.

Billings took 3 contested marks and 6 inside the 50 for the whole year and sneeked into 50 from out the back to score goals half a dozen times, he was more slippery than Savage too.

Paton and Savage would have embarrassed Billings had they played on him and were told to stop him.

Other teams didn't really bother.

Soft just seems to be the right word.

adjective
1.
easy to mould, cut, compress, or fold; not hard or firm to the touch.
2.
having a pleasing quality involving a subtle effect or contrast rather than sharp definition.

adverb
1.
in a quiet or gentle way.
2.
INFORMAL
in a weak or foolish way.

Savage and Paton are average too but not soft.
Compare their stats with Billings.
Goals aren't a factor because it was Billings weakness, so parleeeeeeease don't say it's no comparison because he was a high half forward, FFS.

Mate!

[CQ SAINT]

He plays for Melbourne and gets no respect.
He was gifted 2020, under a new role.
21, 22 and 23 were pretty poor, let's blame injury.
He would have played 80-100 games at any club. So what!

I dont mean any malice but he shouldn't be back for any hall of fame dinners.

[Zed]

Barring injuries, the only space that has opened up is Grehsam's small forward role.

We finished 6th, and lost our first final. That team isn't going to improve in 2024 without some serious change of cavalry.

The "possession is 9/10 of the law" matters in season, but pre-season it's all open.

Expect some players who played every game this year to miss round 1.

We finished 6th, and we've lost Gresham, but picked up Dow & Henry, we should see continued development from our 2nd and 3rd year players. Hopefully we enter the season with a full, fit and healthy squad.

In my mind, we should be better next season. If that means we win a couple of extra games, then top 4 is not unrealistic.

Like the majority , I agree that Dow and Henry most likely start the season in the best 22, so I don’t consider either of them as a smokey which was the original question posed in this thread. My POV on the question was which positions are most open to being taken by a player who has yet to show they are capable of being a regular player.

[Vazelos]

I’m not sure how the over paid powder puff Jack Billing’s is being discussed in a thread over “ Smokey’s for 2024”. He is not our problem for a reason. No tank or hardness for the middle and really hasn’t excelled in any position for awhile now. He managed 150 games without a scratch and was paid at one stage 750 k a year !!!!

[CQ SAINT]

So you’re guessing with Garcia

And you’re clueless with Billings

Ok

BM and I have been debating Billings for years.

I came to this post to talk about McLennan and Garcia.

I believe I'm being trolled, instead of responded to in some sort of intelligent reply. That doesn't bother me though.

I tried using simple metaphors to explain this, but that was inappropriate.

I felt I was being told I'm guessing (that's fair but proven wrong)

I feel I'm being told I'm clueless. I leave that up to moderation to decide.

Billings is definitely a Melbourne player and was a fair argument to explain what some, who want to see a different reality, would call a case of the yipes.

Billings has always been an unreliable kick at goal and an extreme outsider.

I'm beginning to think BM is Tony Eshaugh.