Be Proud Nick :)

[Ruda Wakening]

Oh dear ...
There was a little boy who had a little curl
Right in the middle of his forehead;
When he was good, he was very, very good,
And when he was bad people kept questioning his commitment .

Snowy, I'm not that stupid that I wouldn't say Nicks played the odd shocker like most players have, but I do think people like you can be too harsh on him in general . Also, at the end of the day , people at Collingwood will always swear they have the correct version of events as to why he left , and people close to Nick will always tell you they're wrong . I'm one of the later

Sharpie, you're probably right to a certain degree . However, I don't think he's been too inconsistent this year . I think players with above average ability and bit of flair, are scrutinised far more than the average bread and butter guys for obvious reasons. That only happens because the above average ones have obviously shown more, and are constantly expected to perform to a much higher standard week in, week out I guess. There's been quite a few " next big things " from Collingwood though, who've gone onto achieve more than enough, but without becoming a champion the way the media ( Ed ) had promised .

I do believe Nicks body language can be deceiving to people who don't know him though . If you watch him on the field from time to time, he can look as though he doesn't give a rats ass about anything . But then he's likely to pop up and do something freakish .Maybe it comes down to what you prefer in a way . The guy who tries his butt off but doesn't really have a huge impact, or the guy who appears to be taking it easy, but all of a sudden can turn a game around in the blink of an eye . Its a tough one ...

I agree with stellation. If he keeps performing how he has of late ...

Then again, maybe I've lost the plot completely ...

[sharpie]

I certainly wasn't having a go at him, just thought I'd come across an interesting point. It always annoyed my that Dlae Lewis was so supremely gifted but his consistency let him down. Exactly the same with Mark Waugh. Both these guys were beautiful to watch at full flight, so it was such a let down when they couldn't achieve those heights often enough.

On the other hand, I have been hugely impressed by his efforts this year. There is nothing better than watching him with the ball outside 50. I actually think he has been consistent mostly throughout the year, and improved his midfield game immensely as the year has progressed. It's just that some of the comments this morning made me realise that maybe he might be one of those under-performers. Only time will tell.

[stellation]

I think he is "under-achieving" as far as his talent goes, but as far as his football maturity goes he is on the money. I honestly believe, and I am not gushing (though it may look like I am), that he will be a serious Brownlow contender level player in 3 seasons.
<HUGE STATEMENT>If he commits himself I believe he has the chance to be the ultimate footballer.</HUGE STATEMENT>

[Ruda Wakening]

Originally posted by sharpie
I certainly wasn't having a go at him, just thought I'd come across an interesting point. It always annoyed my that Dlae Lewis was so supremely gifted but his consistency let him down. Exactly the same with Mark Waugh. Both these guys were beautiful to watch at full flight, so it was such a let down when they couldn't achieve those heights often enough.

It was an interesting point, and you made it well. Though I guess freakish/gifted players in any sport, who perform to the absolute best of their ability, each and every game, and tend never to frustrate us, are rare .

Now you've got me thinking ...

Purely out of curiosity, how many sportsmen can we honestly say, have NEVER frustrated us , annoyed us , or made us feel let down at various times ?

[sharpie]

Probably Bradman, but i doubt anyone on this board was around to see it! Michael Jordan? These sorts of guys are few and far between. But then again, it'd be boring if everyone was perfect.

[dimelb]

Nick is a fine player, and I'm glad he came home. I think he hasn't shone in some games because he's being moved around a bit and often moves between midfield and forward, sometimes even down back. I suspect this is a Roos policy to make sure he doesn't just end up as a one trick pony, and he's still on a learning curve. His delivery into the forward line is generally magnificent, and if I had to pick a Swan to kick a goal for my life, he'd be top of the list.

[Snowy]

Actually I guess people have hit the nail on the head, why he frustrated me is that either he has been playing within himself or has not used some untapped talent. I guess he probably has lots of room for improvement. A local friend with Sydney connections has told me that he has just got a new baby brother so there could be another Davis in many years to come playing for the Swans.

[omnipotent]

Just to back up what I said about Nick's talent here is what Steve Wright said, an excerpt from an article a few months back. But Hayes would have been a handy pickup too.

Steve Wright, the former Sydney rover, now coach of the NSW/ACT Rams in the under-18 competition, considers Hayes a natural leader, temporary or otherwise. He captained the Rams in the 1998 TAC Cup grand final, a team that included Mark McVeigh, Ray Hall, Craig Bolton and Nick Davis.

"No doubt our most talented player was Nick Davis, he was just exceptionally skilled and read the play so well, but the guy that got the most out of himself was Lenny Hayes," Wright said. "He was our captain and our leader and he showed the way. He's a fantastic person. I used to say that if you had a son, and he turned out like Lenny Hayes, you'd be happy."