Under Achievers

[Sanctorum]

Over the past few years there have been a lot of Saintsationalists who have been critical of Jack Billings' performance, and it occurred to me to check how he compares with another "under achieving" high draft pick, Luke Ball who was selected by St Kilda at Pick 2 in 2001, ahead of Chris Judd (3), Jimmy Bartel (9) and Sam Mitchell (36) all of whom went on to become elite and win both premierships and Brownlow Medals.

Jack Billings was taken by the Saints at pick 3 in 2013, ahead of Marcus Bontempelli (4), Dom Sheed (11), Patrick Cripps (13), Zac Merrett (26) and Ben Brown(47).

The highlight of Luke Ball's career was sharing with Steve Baker the club's B&F in 2005, but overall there was always a perception that he was only ever an average player, a bit short of pace to be a gun midfielder, and generally considered by many an under-achiever. Ross Lyon famously left Luke Ball on the bench for long periods in the 2009 GF loss to Geelong, and the following year the Pies snapped him up for nothing (due to a stuff-up by the trading experts at St Kilda) and became a premiership player in 2010 for Collingwood in the infamous loss....

Jack Billings is in his 7th season at St Kilda and although a good player, has so far failed to set the world on fire - he most certainly has not matched the performance of his aforementioned contemporaries. It remains to be seen if he will ever be able to lift his performance to elite level and to this extent I am wondering if it would be in the mutual interest of player and club for him to try his luck elsewhere.....

[Trev from the Bush]

Well, he has not done much to improve your perception of him this season!

Get off his case.

[The_Dud]

OP ruined Ball’s career, before that he was tracking to be right in the same league as Judd and Hodge.

Watch his early work, was a gun.

Billings is class, probably suffers a bit from being in a very poor team. Unless you get a top 10 pick for him then what’s the point of moving him on?

[Gershwin]

OP ruined Ball’s career, before that he was tracking to be right in the same league as Judd and Hodge.

Watch his early work, was a gun.

Billings is class, probably suffers a bit from being in a very poor team. Unless you get a top 10 pick for him then what’s the point of moving him on?

Nothing wrong with Ball's career at Collingwood after OP. Brilliant in 2010 and 2011. Lyon preferred Clint Jones and Andrew McQualter. Go figure.

[Nick_BlueNRG]

Over the past few years there have been a lot of Saintsationalists who have been critical of Jack Billings' performance, and it occurred to me to check how he compares with another "under achieving" high draft pick, Luke Ball who was selected by St Kilda at Pick 2 in 2001, ahead of Chris Judd (3), Jimmy Bartel (9) and Sam Mitchell (36) all of whom went on to become elite and win both premierships and Brownlow Medals.

Jack Billings was taken by the Saints at pick 3 in 2013, ahead of Marcus Bontempelli (4), Dom Sheed (11), Patrick Cripps (13), Zac Merrett (26) and Ben Brown(47).

The highlight of Luke Ball's career was sharing with Steve Baker the club's B&F in 2005, but overall there was always a perception that he was only ever an average player, a bit short of pace to be a gun midfielder, and generally considered by many an under-achiever. Ross Lyon famously left Luke Ball on the bench for long periods in the 2009 GF loss to Geelong, and the following year the Pies snapped him up for nothing (due to a stuff-up by the trading experts at St Kilda) and became a premiership player in 2010 for Collingwood in the infamous loss....

Jack Billings is in his 7th season at St Kilda and although a good player, has so far failed to set the world on fire - he most certainly has not matched the performance of his aforementioned contemporaries. It remains to be seen if he will ever be able to lift his performance to elite level and to this extent I am wondering if it would be in the mutual interest of player and club for him to try his luck elsewhere.....

The ONLY way I would agree to trade Jack Billings is if we got two picks in the top 10. Otherwise it's a big NO.

[desertsaint]

yeah he's b grade, but one of our best. we have a few. heck of a lot of c's though, and just traded in a heap more. god knows why? oh yes, new coach, wants instant improvement. long term mediocrity.

[freely]

Ball was a leader not a follower. Lyon wanted followers.

[ausfatcat]

OP ruined Ball’s career, before that he was tracking to be right in the same league as Judd and Hodge.

Watch his early work, was a gun.

Billings is class, probably suffers a bit from being in a very poor team. Unless you get a top 10 pick for him then what’s the point of moving him on?

Lost his pace and kicking penetration after 2006.

Anther really big under achiever from the same period was Kosi (the knocked out effected him big time), and Beetham.

[Harves Man]

Ball was a leader not a follower. Lyon wanted followers.

A very observant point, in my humble opinion.

[Ghost Like]

I can't agree Sanctorum. Hindsight is wonderful. Can you guarantee that what we get for JB will be better?
JB is going OK, he's a slow burn but improving each year. We need more like him than jettison him. Can anyone please tell me who had the Bont and Cripps in the Top 3 at the time?
Boyd is finished & Josh Kelly is certainly the #1 IMO.
I won't comment on Ball, that just annoys me from his selection, his management and his departure.

[skeptic]

Personally I think Billings is underrated
Good player that cops a lot of attention

[older saint]

GT damaged Ball playing him through OP , never the same.

Billings as many pointed out is a slow burn. Not Bont , but that was a gutsy pick by WB and no way was Stkilda taking a gamble at 3 .

[fugazi]

JB is one of those players that a good side would allow him to shine. He needs a good core of midfielders doing the grunt work inside.
Would have been a good year for him this year. I still think we will see him step up to A grade

[Sanctorum]

JB is one of those players that a good side would allow him to shine. He needs a good core of midfielders doing the grunt work inside.
Would have been a good year for him this year. I still think we will see him step up to A grade

I agree with this and certainly believe he can become A grade, but it needs to happen soon. Also feel that he has not had the best coaching, under the likes of Clarkson and Hardwick he would be a vastly better player. If he can get a bit of mongrel into his game he would have far greater impact because he possesses the requisite skills.

The Saints have a number of other players that are on the cusp of being A grade: Rowan Marshall, Luke Dunstan, Ben Long, Jade Gresham, Jack Steel, Josh Battle and Hunter Clark...

[Trev from the Bush]

Whatever became of Spencer White? More to the point, what became of the posters who saw him as the Messiah?

[CURLY]

Personally I think Billings is underrated
Good player that cops a lot of attention

100% Excellent player that sets up games for us.