Jack Billings is he ok.

[felix]

I don't get to see many live games so don't have the wider perspective on what happens during the game. Is .jack doing ok , is he being played out of position , Doesnt seem to be living up to expectations this year. Love the guy but seems to be struggling a bit?

[BigMart]

Underwhelming...

You'd hop he'd be at the level Ball and Dal Santo were being such a high pick... He's between average and handy at the moment. Effort seems wanting...

[Sainternist]

Underwhelming...

You'd hop he'd be at the level Ball and Dal Santo were being such a high pick... He's between average and handy at the moment. Effort seems wanting...

Once he has a bigger, stronger body he'll be a great player. I'm going to predict he'll start marking more of an impression on the competition next year.

[St Chris]

Had a pretty bad case of the fumbles against the Crows. I'm happy to put down 2016 to a development year for Jack, just staying out on the park for the year will be a step forward.

[BigMart]

I think he put on too much now ATM ... He's slow. I certainly hope he doesn't get bigger... Why does he need to? He's not an inside beast...

Lachie Whitfield is slight of build...

Size is completely useless unless it's necessary... In this case, it's not...

[Con Gorozidis]

Still only 20yo. Least of our worries.

[WellardSaint]

Insider tony74 said that JB is working through new challenges set by the coaches, and it's a long term learning process, not going to win games off his own boot.
Teams know that he has a bit of skill, so they put work into nullifying him.
He is learning to deal with close checking and where to be to get the ball, and when to go, picking the right moment...and he is surrounded by sub-standard skill level as well.

[Scollop]

He's more than ok. He has proven ability as a matchwinner. Not even Chris Judd is going to help us when the whole team puts in poor performances but would prefer a JB in the team when we're close and fighting for a win.

[BigMart]

His performance this year has been below expectation... We can admit that

[BringBackMadDog]

Underwhelming...

You'd hop he'd be at the level Ball and Dal Santo were being such a high pick... He's between average and handy at the moment. Effort seems wanting...

Dal Santo in his first 3 seasons played 51 games averaged 16 disposals and kicked 25 goals
Ball in his first 3 seasons played 41 games averaged 18 disposals and kicked 27 goals
Billings now in his 3rd season has played 35 games averaged 18 disposals and kicked 24 goals. I think that compares quite favourably to Dal and Ball.

[Devilhead]

Underwhelming...

You'd hop he'd be at the level Ball and Dal Santo were being such a high pick... He's between average and handy at the moment. Effort seems wanting...

Dal Santo in his first 3 seasons played 51 games averaged 16 disposals and kicked 25 goals
Ball in his first 3 seasons played 41 games averaged 18 disposals and kicked 27 goals
Billings now in his 3rd season has played 35 games averaged 18 disposals and kicked 24 goals. I think that compares quite favourably to Dal and Ball.

Forget about it BBMD - I posted similar stats to these in another thread where Billings was copping it and as they dont suit the agenda of some posters they are conveniently being ignored / disregarded

Billings is also coming off a pretty serious leg injury which forced him out for half a season but obviously this should not be taken into account either

There is no pleasing some supporters

[Devilhead]

His performance this year has been below expectation... We can admit that

Below your expectation BM and ......... we can admit to that

I mean its quite incredible that he is not averaging 28 possessions, 3 goals, 8 marks and 6 tackles a game ............ in fact it is downright disgraceful for a number 3 pick in his 3rd year coming off a serious injury

The kid should be dominating and carving opposition teams up all by himself ....... what to do ...... soooo fkn disappointing

[BigMart]

No need to get hysterical

No one expects him to do a 'Bont' or 'Cripps' They have exceeded expectations... But the fact is, he hasn't probably been in our best this year... His disposal has been just average (meant to be elite) and he looks like he's cruising around and having little impact.

If he is as special as we are led to believe... He would be having more of an impact at this stage than he is.... Many 21yos have been good players.

I am not saying he not is or never will be any good

Just that he hasn't lived up to the big expectations levelled at him pre season

[Sobraz]

Stats tell a story, but often hide the reality.

He is not impacting games whatsoever. Has proven talent, yet to see if he has the real determination to become what his talent will allow him to.

He'll improve as (if) the team improves, but seems to be idling a bit at the moment.

At this stage of his career I don't think it's unfair to say he has been a little disappointing.

[Spinner]

Bontempelli easily miles ahead. Not about the next pick but just a benchmark.

[BigMart]

I think we were a slightly better team in 2004 which was the third season for both Ball and Dal

Of Course Ball didn't play at all season 1... And he was only 17 at the start of that season
So his third real season was 05 where he was B&F and AA
However even in 04 in a team 1 kick from a gf he finished RU in the B&F behind N.Riewoldt ... A fair player who happened to be the AFLPA player of the year that year... And he finished in front of Lenny Hayes ... Another fair player
He averaged 20 possessions, 5 tackles and 17 goals/5 behinds

Dal averaged 19 disposals, 4 tackles and finished 4th in the B&F in front of a Coleman medallist, an AA of that year and an actual club legend

Not bad for 20yos in a top 3 team... They were probably a major reason we made the prelim

So let's be real

Right now
JB would be sitting 10-12 in the B&F in a team sitting 14th

It's a higher possession game now... By about 5pg

[Griggsy]

If we got the ball to the outside of the contest instead of winning a contested possession and instantly hacking it forward then perhaps billings would have more of an impact. He is not the issue, it's the inside midfield, we very rarely get a clean win at stoppages and when we do we move it forward instantly. Doesn't really allow Billings to play his game which hopefully we tidy up in the future.

My criticism of him is for such a good field kick, his set shots can be cringe worthy. If i remember the stat from a couple weeks ago, his goal/behind ratio is under par.

[Devilhead]

No need to get hysterical

No one expects him to do a 'Bont' or 'Cripps' They have exceeded expectations... But the fact is, he hasn't probably been in our best this year... His disposal has been just average (meant to be elite) and he looks like he's cruising around and having little impact.

If he is as special as we are led to believe... He would be having more of an impact at this stage than he is.... Many 21yos have been good players.

I am not saying he not is or never will be any good

Just that he hasn't lived up to the big expectations levelled at him pre season

What exact impact should he be having?

Winning games off his own boot? An inside beast impact? 26 possession 100% DE impact? An outside impact?

Billings was absolutely definitely in our best players for the Collingwood and Hawthorn games and no one should expect him to do a Bonts/Cripps considering he plays a totally different role to these players in terms of being an extractor of the pill - a role that Billings is not being asked to fulfill

Billings is likely to be our cream on top once we resolve our inside issues - given the outside role he is currently playing and game instructions it might mean that his role and subsequent game impact is influenced by our teams ability to win the inside ball / clearances - an area where we are struggling

No one has said that he was going to explode this year and become one if the leagues best players - no predicted that he was going to kick 50 goals in a season - no one said that he was going to lead to a top 4 position - so it whatever your expectations are aren't everyone elses expectations

It is obvious the kid is still learning and still gaining confidence in his body and I am super struggling to understand how some supporters can say that his fledging 35 game career has been disappointing?????

[Devilhead]

If we got the ball to the outside of the contest instead of winning a contested possession and instantly hacking it forward then perhaps billings would have more of an impact. He is not the issue, it's the inside midfield, we very rarely get a clean win at stoppages and when we do we move it forward instantly. Doesn't really allow Billings to play his game which hopefully we tidy up in the future.

Agree with this - we have huge inside issues which need to be rectified

My criticism of him is for such a good field kick, his set shots can be cringe worthy. If i remember the stat from a couple weeks ago, his goal/behind ratio is under par.

Frustrating for sure but we have also seen him on the run nail them from 50 out - hopefully it wont be a problem to sort out his set shot kicking

Reckon Carlton supporters would be also frustrated with Cripps's disposal by foot though luckily he handballs it a lot more than he kicks (more than 2 to 1) - but that his role and it is chalk and cheese to Billings role

[saintsRrising]

In the main I am with BigMart on Billings here.

Ok speaking right here, right now this week.

He may well still become a superstar, but you would normally be wanting to be seeing a bit more, even if it is not whole games, from a gifted player of his build at this stage of his career.

His kicking seems to have gotten worse. His shots on goal have not confidence. Where has that player gone that excisted us so much in one quarter against the Doggies last year gone?

However he was injured last year and so perhaps mentally he has gone adrift for a time.

For example with Paddy you can see he is building, you can see that powerhouse clutch marking now starting to shine through. You just get the impression that he is going to be good. Jack just seems to be lacking that this year.


PS: JB is OK, but we very much need him to be much better than ok. We have a list bursting with support players at present and we need JB to leading the pack, and not just part of support cast.

[saint-stu]

Isn't this his first year playing mostly midfield? Richo wants him to develop into an elite mid, but maybe he is a half foward?

[Devilhead]

but you would normally be wanting to be seeing a bit more, even if it is not whole games, from a gifted player of his build at this stage of his career.

What is it that you would like to see?

15 contested possisions a game?
4 goals a game?
Winning games of his own boot?
Some speccies?
Shirtfronts?
1 %ers?

His kicking seems to have gotten worse. His shots on goal have not confidence. Where has that player gone that excisted us so much in one quarter against the Doggies last year gone?

Are you basing this on a few set shot misses or Is his field kicking way off as well?

Because from what I have seen he weights the majority of his field passes beautifully

He also kicked two great goals against Collingwood - from what I recall both were from 50

I just find it funny that he plays one sublime quarter of football and all of a sudden it sets the standard and everyone's expectations are through the roof - gotta feel sorry for the poor kid that he is actually putting up decent numbers in an rebuiding team in an outside role and he is getting caned

[SainterK]

I want to see him enjoying his footy...

[LTN16]

All I know is that he is going no good in my SuperCoach team!

[saintsRrising]

but you would normally be wanting to be seeing a bit more, even if it is not whole games, from a gifted player of his build at this stage of his career.

What is it that you would like to see?

15 contested possisions a game?
4 goals a game?
Winning games of his own boot?
Some speccies?
Shirtfronts?
1 %ers?

His kicking seems to have gotten worse. His shots on goal have no confidence. Where has that player gone that excited us so much in one quarter against the Doggies last year gone?

Are you basing this on a few set shot misses or Is his field kicking way off as well?

Because from what I have seen he weights the majority of his field passes beautifully

He also kicked two great goals against Collingwood - from what I recall both were from 50

I just find it funny that he plays one sublime quarter of football and all of a sudden it sets the standard and everyone's expectations are through the roof - gotta feel sorry for the poor kid that he is actually putting up decent numbers in an rebuiding team in an outside role and he is getting caned

Where did I cane him? And LOL at your 4 goals a game comment.


Sometimes it is not the stats...it is the "vibe".

What I would like to see are those little bits of play that makes you just know that he will be a star. I have seen that in Paddys last few games.

I saw it in Winmar's very first practice game for us at Frankston.

I saw it in Everitt at Kardinia Park in a reserves match when at pace he bent down and roved the ball like big men just don't do (or at least back then you rarely did) and then snapped truly for a goal.

Yes Billings is going ok. We have quite a few players going ok at present. What I would like to see is some players showing that they are going more than ok and who will be out and stars regardless of whether they were taken at pick 3 or 63. Billings at present is not showing enough to be thought of as a future superstar. I certainly hope though that he becomes one still.

We are not going to play finals football if we only have players who all go ok.