Boom Recruit or Because he was available?

[skilts stilts]

After 9 rounds I have been extremely unimpressed by Nick Davis.He appears unfit,lazy and unwilling to put his body on the line.Whether it is going for marks one handed, kicking the ball on the full under no pressure or hanging on the outside of the pack while his teammates are in there getting the hard ball,his value to the team at the minute must be questioned.If he still needs time to settle in then perhaps he can spend some time with the reserves and become acquainted with them for a few weeks.
I wonder whether more is expected of him or was he picked up because he played in a grand final and was going to cost us next to nothing.I really hope he has scope for improvement because he does appear as though he can kick the ball when he wants to.

[Bart]

Re: Boom Recruit or Because he was available?

There was one point during the Geelong game on the O'Reilly wing when he was running to a 50/50 contest and at just prior to the challenge he clearly shirked and pulled out of the contest. He copped a mouthful from a small group of fans.

I think he is a bit soft.

I have been psrticluarly disappointed with him in the last few matches. The jury was out for the first few rounds as he was at kicking 3 goals a game plus the sealer against Collingwood.

[liz]

I actually think he's been better in recent weeks than at the start of the season. He's not just been waiting up forward for the ball to come to him but has been playing far more around the ground.

He's obviously never going to be a Paul Kelly type in how he gets involved in contests. Clearly he is also struggling for fitness atm.

[chammond]

I actually think he's been better in recent weeks than at the start of the season.

Yeah, I must admit I've had the impression that he is improving with every game.

We knew he was soft when we recruited him, so it's no use bleating about that. But he's also got bags of skill, which Roos has got to learn to take advantage of. And I think Roos' tactic of moving him around the ground is paying dividends - Davis is moving a lot better, laying a few tackles, and doing some occasional smart defensive work.

The downside is that, with O'Loughlin out, Williams tagged and Davis on the ball, our vaunted attack becomes very one-dimensional.

[Bart]

Originally posted by lizz
I actually think he's been better in recent weeks than at the start of the season. He's not just been waiting up forward for the ball to come to him but has been playing far more around the ground.

He's obviously never going to be a Paul Kelly type in how he gets involved in contests. Clearly he is also struggling for fitness atm.

The stats back your assertion Lizz in that he had his highest possessions over the past 2 weeks (14 and 17)

Nick Davis average stats first 9 rounds

Avg Total

Kicks 7.4 67
Handballs 3.0 28
Possessions 10.4 95
Marks 3.3 29
Tackles 1.9 17
Goals 1.6 14
Behinds 0.4 4

Has kicked 11-3 for the season. Great kick and coversion rate.

Compare to say Schneider

Avg Total

Kicks 7 64
Handballs 2.4 22
Possessions 9.4 86
Marks 3.6 32
Tackles 1.4 13
Goals 1.6 14
Behinds 1.1 10

Remarkably similar. But if you take minutes on the park into consideration, I would think the Schnieder is way ahead.

More scoring shots too.

I know who I'd rather have.

[Triple B]

There is no doubt that his close in work has been better the past few weeks.

Skilts, those who actually follow football, not just blindly following there team, knew exactly what we were getting when we drafted Davis.

His year last year was severely interupted by injury, his pre-seasin this year was interupted.

If you thought we were trading for an in and under player when we picked him up, then the problem is with you. He will always appear laconic.

His OOB on Sunday was his first for the year if I remember correctly. To criticise his kicking is just plain DUMB. If I had a Swan kicking for my life, he would be the man I would throw it to!!

[EMJ]

I agree with most - Nick Davis is doing better each game - running more - and being in the midst of it - giving others the opportunity to goal rather than himself.
Keep trying Nick and fitness will help.

[penga]

while ND has been on the lower end of the stats pages, he has still done some telling one percenters, like a couple of very timely punches against brizzy etc

he has skill and talent, and not of the in-and-under variety... if we recruited him on his GF performance i think that that 4th round pick woldve been more the right compensation for the eddies than the 2nd round pick

as i stated before, i dont think his OP has completely disappeared just yet, when he 'ran' towards the bench at the end of one game, he looked very concious of his groin

he will get there

[skilts stilts]

BBB, I would like to think I know a bit about footy given my age, playing experience and current involvement in the game at the junior level.However I wouldn't like to think I would put my name to a post which publicly advertises a poor level of english comprehension(Refer last sentence of my last post.).

[NMWBloods]

I think, and most would agree, that Nick Davis has the talent, but I suspect that we won't get an idea of how good he will be for us until the end of this year or into next year. By that stage he should have gained match fitness, have recovered from any nagging injuries, and started to fit into the new team and become more comfortable.

[Triple B]

Skilts, got NFI what you're on about, re 'refer my last sentence'

Read your post again and it still reads as an uninformed slag of Davis.

Now that you're an 'english comprehension' expert, perhaps you may find a way to put a space between your full stops and the start of the next sentence.

[RogueSwan]

I have to agree with most of the comments here. We knew what we were getting and he is coming back from injury.

I can't remember what game it was but I was amazed by he speed. I think it was against the Pies and out on the wing he left a couple of midfielders behind. Can't wait until he gets fully fit.

[skilts stilts]

As the resident comprehension expert I pay scant regard to grammar.

[Doctor J.]

Well before we even got ND, I had been saying that he was over rated and was nothing more than a run of the mill half forward, and you can pick up any amount of these from pick 70 onwards in the draft.

IMO we got dudded on him. Will never be an in and under type player, will always be a receiver.

He is however a great kick and a great converter. That is if he gets it 10 times in a game, it will usually mean at least 2 goals. That is what we got him for.

[Triple B]

Hey Mark.

Isn't it ironic that I have come into bat for ND, given he's alledgedly a lazy, laconic receiver who can kick a bit. And you are bagging him.

Now, let's go back 3 years to the Swans Talk board.

BBB: That lazy, laconic receiver should be banished for all time. If he couldn't kick he wouldn't get a game in the Sunbury under 10's
DrJ (MtS) : Hey BBB, leave Dale alone!!

Hehehehe How times change