Be Proud Nick :)

[Ruda Wakening]

Be warned, this is a bit of an emotional rave . So slap me if you must ...

I watched Collingwood beat Brisbane last night, and must admit I couldn't help but feel rather sick . Having supported them for as long as I did, and after going through such a harrowing personal experience because of them last year - last night it seemed to me that an old saying was proving itself to be correct - the bigger the bastard, the better the luck . All the Magpie memories come flooding back, and i can honestly say, they were mostly bad . But i knew i wasn't alone . I couldn't help but think to myself, if there was such a thing as a football god, maybe today he'd smile down on Nick, and let him feel the same euphoria that his ex Magpie team mates were feeling last night, and low and behold he did .

If you went through most of the players today, they'd have all had their own little personal reasons for wanting to win so desperately . Those little personal reasons that they could fall back on when the going got tough . For some it would've been to silence the Swans critics, for others it meant playing for their careers, literally . Some would've just wanted to finally get the respect they deserved out of it, and start to be taken seriously as a team. But as a whole they would've shared the exact same desire - to be part of something truly special and to take a step closer to Sept 27 . Due to their courage, determination, and little personal reasons, they all did . Well done .

Then there's Nick ...

He's been through a personal, and sometimes very public hell to get where he got today. Whilst I know he mightn't have been the only one, I do know exactly how much crap he's been through. At the same time last year he was feeling like an outcast, just because he dared to dream about coming home . Now he's got just one more dream to achieve, and it seems that dream has become a reality .

Hold your head up high Nick, you've got something to be really proud of . " Our " journey in Sydney, has only just begun

[Snowy]

As long as he doesn't get overawed if we play Collingwood in the big one. His games against them show that he plays scared. We need him to lift and perform in pressure games.

[Ruda Wakening]

Originally posted by Snowy
As long as he doesn't get overawed if we play Collingwood in the big one. His games against them show that he plays scared. We need him to lift and perform in pressure games.

What kind of game would you say yesterday was if it wasn't a pressure game ? Surely you weren't falling for the old " Its ok if we get beat, we've got another chance next weekend " script were you ? Of course there was pressure, and plenty of it . Seeing as Michael O, and ROK were out, i'd have thought that put a little bit more pressure on Nick . Sorry i must've got it wrong again

To their credit EVERYONE coped just fine yesterday. However, If you're hanging around waiting for him to play like Nathan Buckley, you'll be waiting a lifetime . Then again a smart man wouldn't be waiting , they'd already know what an impact he can have, and why he's an important part of the team just the way he is .

Then again, theres always the ones who also think hes " generally a poor kick " , so i guess i should learn not to take too much notice of narks . Luckily the team knows not to aswell, otherwise they'd have belted all the way back to the harbour city, just the way Sam Newman predicted .

[swan_song]

Ruda, has anyone on here seriously questioned Nick's kicking ability??? If they have, all I can say is Wow, what great football judges they are...but, if anyone has, it might be one of those who's slagged off the Captain (Kirk not Stewie....oh and him too)...Cressa and Mathews...

[Ruda Wakening]

Originally posted by Snowy
Generally is a poor kick though.

[penga]

snowy is a pie troll, take no notice...

[omnipotent]

I saw him as a junior and he had freaky skills but one thing I agree with Snowy about is that he appears to get a bit spooked against Collingwood because of the pressure from the players and fans. But he is an impact player who can play important cameos roles.

[Bron]

Nick is just fine. He's been there. He's been here. He knows who are the truly AWESOME team, as do we.

NICK, YOU AND I ARE CELEBRATING THE SYDNEY SWANS WINNING THE 2003 GRAND FINAL AT THE MCG.

Who else of you out there are prepared to dream, to believe, to focus and to do everything you can to get them over the line. Believe, send words of encouragement and support (check out the Club page on this site for contact details - snailmail is best), trust and saturday week, scream your guts out, and then scream some more.

We will not be like those ferals at Port who abused their team - as if a player goes out there to lose? The players are doing their best. They need the magic that we can give them to get them over the line. Watch Schneiderman rev up the crowd. They NEED us to help them withstand. Yesterday, the team came to those three or four knots of Swans supporters and acknowledged us. They knew we were there.

You can be there too for history on 20 September, and beyond.

Believe. Will. Be there.

[BAM_BAM]

I just love him. Pure and simple.

Cream always rises to the top, and baby he's up there.

[Diego]

I just love seeing Nick celebrate every goal..and that grin..love it.

As I said before Nick is a big game day player. Yeah he was spooked two weeks ago, but so were the other 21 players that night.

Bron well said!

BTW Ruda, well done for ditching the pies for the swans over the Nick issue. I know I would never do so, then again i am sure the swans will never treat one of the players the way the pies treated Nick anytime in the near future.

It was a pathetic joke really.

[Snowy]

I think I was a bit hasty in denouncing his kicking but he hasn't kicked as well since the break in my opinion, just check the stats. I also thought he overall kicked better last year when he seemd to just have a limited on-field role but that is just my opinion. No need to get oversensitive with me just because I questioned an aspect of a player's performance. I worry about him playing against the Pies because he does not appear to be mentally strong enough to handle it at the moment. Ruda I can't believe you would change clubs over one player changing unless you were his girlfriend or something. According to people here in Melbourne his actual girlfriend who was based in Sydney returned from London and put the hard work on him and that had a lot to do with him leaving. I also agree that Collingwood were harsh on him and like the way we deal with our player contracts. Nobody should be placed under the kind of pressure he was. All in all I am happy with his season, especially his ability to play midfield and not just be a one-trick pony up forward which he was slated for earlier. But I still think he can get more from his talent. Remember that Gerard Healy blasted his attitude in the Herald Sun, about late May I think. For those of you based in Sydney you may not have read the article but he questioned his commitment.

[stellation]

I am a huge Nick Davis fan, and I agree that he so far is playing well below his talent... but I don't know if that is so much his own fault or whether it is just something that is going to happen over the next few years with more experience... look at the Nathan Buckley of 8 years ago versus the Buckley of today, I think that there are big similarities between the two- and I think that Davis has more natural talent (this comparison was drawn for me by devout melbournians who lost him from the pies and were big enough to admit he will be a champion player). He can seem to just go missing during games, but you have to remember he may have up to 10 years in him for the club, and I can't see him really living up to his potential for another few years...
I have been following his career for a longtime and people have always questioned Davis' work ethic since he moved up to seniors, but I really think he may be a victim of his own talent to a degree, he should be in a position where he can be averaging well over 20 touches... ever since he came to seniors he has been one of those players who can get 15 touches and people will just go "he played okay, but just think what he COULD do!"

[Ruda Wakening]

Originally posted by Snowy
Ruda I can't believe you would change clubs over one player changing unless you were his girlfriend or something. According to people here in Melbourne his actual girlfriend who was based in Sydney returned from London and put the hard work on him and that had a lot to do with him leaving.

I am " something " actually . The real story isn't posted on Nicks Bulletin Board either .

[sharpie]

Does Nick have a case of the Dale Lewis's or Mark Waughs about him? Those exceptionally skilled but inconsistent performers who can be frustrating at times due to their perceived ability?

[stellation]

I think so... but he is still young and it is early days for him careerwise so I don't think that it is anywhere near panic stations. And even if he keeps playing like he is right now until he retires, well that ain't too bad anyway!