Under the pump

[MC Gusto]

In the HS article on 10 players and coaches under the pump, it lists billings as one of the 10.


Thoughts?

Personally I think pretty fair. I, like most, want nothing more than for billings to break the game open in 2017.

Unfortunately 2016 was one to forget

[bigcarl]

I think it's a fair call. I'd venture that he wasn't happy with his season, injuries notwithstanding.

We've had a taste of what he's capable of in the Bulldogs 2015 game. There's still no reason not to believe he can become that type of player.

[Scollop]

I watched the replay of the North game from round 7 on the weekend. That was the game where we were 26 points down at about the 9-10 minute mark in the last and Membrey, Rooy, Bruce and Billings kicked 4 in a row to draw level and nearly snatch it.

Our midfield struggled (I think Armo was injured for most of the second half) and goals were at a premium. We only had low numbers for inside 50's and Billings showed his value in the last quarter with a good lead and a really strong mark. He went back and slotted it and I think the ball needed to travel about 55 metres.

I think JB will shine next year with more delivery into the forward line and the midfield grunt work primarily shared by Armo, Ross, Steven, Steele and Stevens.

[To the top]

Interesting the reference to him "slotting" one from 55 metres in Round 7.

Because, after the injury, he could not make the distance from inside the 50 metre arc, including using his non preferred foot when shooting on goal.

There, I think, is the story.

Hopefully he is 100% fit this season, along with Freeman because we need both fit and firing

[Bluthy]

It's still an interesting discussion for me where Billings is best for us to play long term. Yes he seems well suited to that goal scoring half flanker who can go through the midfield. But in that role he is going to be more of a burst player. Is that getting enough out of our number 3 pick?

A huge issue for me still is a lack of classy ball using midfielders. Dunstan, Armo, Steven, Ross, Newnes, Stevens Acres & Steele all are ok to good with disposal but not the elite that can readily hit up targets when the pressure is on. That is vital in modern footy especially finals where there is no space. Gresh looks capable of really good disposal. But do we need Billings to play onball a fair bit if he can develop the tank? We've got lots of others who can do the small/medium forward roles putting frontal pressure on.

To use Billings brilliance all over field could solve our lack of real class in the midfield. It would also let him use that smart footy brain to chase the ball around wherever and set up play from the back, the wing, the centre wherever he wants to go. It would also make it harder for him to be marked like he can as a forward. He could become a dominating player setting up play everywhere instead of just a burst player. That is squeezing the most juice out of our valuable orange.

I'd love to see what Billings could do as an onballer this year if his shins are all good now. He's a guy you want the ball in his hand as much as possible. His kicks are "heavy" - they get to where they are going flat, quick and long, that breaks opens oppo zoning and gets them running backwards. We've got lots of guys who can play as flankers and wingers. But not many with the smarts and disposal to dominate onball.

[Goose is king]

He will be my first saint picked for SuperCoach this coming year

[SuperDuper]

well ahead of Lenny at same age/career stage

averaged over 20 disposals this season as a 20 year old and was considered to have under performed

Not under the pump at all, just has higher expectations on him than most other players.

Travelling fine, seems to be fit and doing a full pre-eseason which is exactly what he needs

[Impatient Sainter]

I agree totally - Billings is the most over rated under performing youngster on our list. He gets fed the ball because of his kicking which is fine, but he was recruited because he was a finisher but at AFL level in front of goal he has been deplorable. In the air he is less than average which was also meant to be another strength. He can win some ground ball but is way way too slow to be damaging with it. The only time he looks any where near AFL standard is his delivery into the forward 50. JB (casper) has a long way to go before he wins me over as a sucessful 3rd pick draft selection.

[dragit]

I'm pretty confident he'll come good, needs some luck with his body and then his confidence will grow.

I've never seen a player with better vision with their kicking, just magic the way he places the ball where players should be running to.

Let's not get too carried away and expect him to tear the comp apart next year… just slow improvements on a pretty decent start to his career so far would be good.

[saintspremiers]

I'm totally filthy we didn't pick Bont. Bont won f****** Footscray a flag and had we picked him over Jack this the most likely wouldn't have happened.

I like JB and it's totally not his fault this Footscray disaster occurred though.

[Devilhead]

Pffftttttt!!!!!

Go watch his game against Collingwood in Round 3 - the kid when on is an absolute gun

It was gobsmackingly obvious he was hindered by injury throughout the season.

Far from under pump - he will be given all time he needs to get his body right and once he does then look out

[White Winmar]

The boy is a gun. Fully fit, he will be our elite midfielder. Simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than anyone. Antone I ever met. End of story.

[Jacks Back]

The boy is a gun. Fully fit, he will be our elite midfielder. Simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than anyone. Antone I ever met. End of story.

Listen White Winmar, We don't need another hero!

[loris]

The boy is a gun. Fully fit, he will be our elite midfielder. Simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than anyone. Antone I ever met. End of story.

Listen White Winmar, We don't need another hero!

Blokes .......... that's GOLD...... from youse two

[wolfpup]

I'm totally filthy we didn't pick Bont. Bont won f****** Footscray a flag and had we picked him over Jack this the most likely wouldn't have happened.

I like JB and it's totally not his fault this Footscray disaster occurred though.

from memory, wasn't bontempelli a speculative pick? as in top 20 and the dogs went in early?

[desertsaint]

unfortunately he will always be the tambling taken in front of franklin. a lot better than tambling though. comfy 200 player, but needs to become an A grader to get the monkey off his back.

[Linton Lodger]

Don't worry about Jack, he will be a gun and central to an awesome midfield.

[Linton Lodger]

I'm totally filthy we didn't pick Bont. Bont won f****** Footscray a flag and had we picked him over Jack this the most likely wouldn't have happened.

I like JB and it's totally not his fault this Footscray disaster occurred though.

Bont did not win The Bulldogs flag, that had more to do with Libratore. They wouldn't have got close without Libba jnr.

Billings will be better than The Bont.

[Linton Lodger]

The boy is a gun. Fully fit, he will be our elite midfielder. Simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than anyone. Antone I ever met. End of story.

Well said and all true.

[dragit]

I think people get carried away with the hype… he's barely played 2 seasons worth of games yet, has already polled brownlow votes and won games off his own boot.

He's played 20 less games (-30%) in a worse side than Bont, one had an average season, the other constantly labelled a genius yet there was 3 effective disposals per match difference between them this season.

[Zed]

I think people get carried away with the hype… he's barely played 2 seasons worth of games yet, has already polled brownlow votes and won games off his own boot.

He's played 20 less games (-30%) in a worse side than Bont, one had an average season, the other constantly labelled a genius yet there was 3 effective disposals per match difference between them this season.

The big question mark for me is his self belief. He still panics when he gets close to goal. Looks so much better when he doesn't have the time to over think. You can see it in his facial expressions, he still has so much self doubt.

I am hoping a good pre-season will give him confidence in his body. I'm also hoping that as he clicks over the magical 50 game mark he will come to realise that he does belong at this level and start to feel comfortable.

I love his ball use which generally speaking is better than most. I don't think he will be a 30+ possession winner week in week out. But he looks more like a half forward who can roll through the middle for a burst every quarter rather than a mid who takes a break up forward.

[To the top]

184cm and 80kg so about the same size as Newnes and 4kg lighter than Dunstan who is also 184cm.

Acres by comparison is 190cm and 87kg.

I would expect Billings to bulk up a bit (without ankle troubles!) then finding himself as central to our mid-field.

[kosifantutti]

I watched the replay of the North game from round 7 on the weekend. That was the game where we were 26 points down at about the 9-10 minute mark in the last and Membrey, Rooy, Bruce and Billings kicked 4 in a row to draw level and nearly snatch it.

Our midfield struggled (I think Armo was injured for most of the second half) and goals were at a premium. We only had low numbers for inside 50's and Billings showed his value in the last quarter with a good lead and a really strong mark. He went back and slotted it and I think the ball needed to travel about 55 metres.

I think JB will shine next year with more delivery into the forward line and the midfield grunt work primarily shared by Armo, Ross, Steven, Steele and Stevens.

Billings best is very, very good. I just went back and watched that goal. We don't have enough players who can mark on a lead and kick from outside 50m. But Billings did that one fairly easily.

We just need to see more like the Pies game this year and the Dogs game last year rather than the odd cameo.

[White Winmar]

The boy is a gun. Fully fit, he will be our elite midfielder. Simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than anyone. Antone I ever met. End of story.

Listen White Winmar, We don't need another hero!

[skeptic]

I think Billings is doing fine.

The fact that Bont has taken off as he has is what's driving all this pressure/doubt/anger etc

He's performing at a good level for his experience/age