Quick Question - Where is Nick Davis?

[ScottH]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
Davis suffers, and Waugh suffered from, not always being able to live up to others' expectations of what they should achieve. IMO it would make a pleasant change if people would get of Davis' back and enjoy his football for what it is, not what they think it could or should be.

I think he suffers from "he thinks he is better, than he has shown".

Originally posted by Sanecow
When did you get so wise and @@@@?

He has been sitting on top of a mountain meditating.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

I want my badge back, by the way!

Mike_B you still got a copy of that?

I want it for my collection.

JF

[Matt79]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
Davis suffers, and Waugh suffered from, not always being able to live up to others' expectations of what they should achieve. IMO it would make a pleasant change if people would get of Davis' back and enjoy his football for what it is, not what they think it could or should be.

ROK, I agree in sorts!

Unfortunately Davis' perceived attitude to his football by the media and fans as being laid back and lacking intensity at times looks spot on sometimes.

Nick can only seemingly impact on games at certain times, chime in with a few goals perhaps one half (V Brisbane Round 1, 2004) and then dissapear just as quickly in other matches. I believe he needs to and has the ability to stamp his authority on a game more regularly during a match because he is soooo talented!
He needs more consistency!

I am a great fan of Nick Davis but I do not believe he has lived up to his potential and I do question his mental strength in the game. It cannot be a good sign for a player (Nick Davis 2004) to go AWOL mid season not informing the coach or players of his absence...to me that is worrying.

I really hope that for Nick's sake and the teams' that he has a great 2005, consistent and 110% effort for 100% of the time.

[liz]

Originally posted by Matt79
ROK, I agree in sorts!

Unfortunately Davis' perceived attitude to his football by the media and fans as being laid back and lacking intensity at times looks spot on sometimes.

Isn't that a tautology?

Nick can only seemingly impact on games at certain times, chime in with a few goals perhaps one half (V Brisbane Round 1, 2004) and then dissapear just as quickly in other matches. I believe he needs to and has the ability to stamp his authority on a game more regularly during a match because he is soooo talented!
He needs more consistency!

I was under the impression that his failure to kick on in the Brisbane game had something to do with him disappearing to the bench with a groin injury.

The role he plays as the third or fourth target in the forward line is a particularly difficult one to be consistent in, especially when you don't have the fitness - either due to having had no pre-season (2003) or multiple injuries during the season (2004) - to run far and wide as O'Keefe was able to do last year.

I am a great fan of Nick Davis but I do not believe he has lived up to his potential and I do question his mental strength in the game. It cannot be a good sign for a player (Nick Davis 2004) to go AWOL mid season not informing the coach or players of his absence...to me that is worrying.

Isn't this "not lived up to his potential" tag exactly the point of ROK's post. Maybe his potential is to flit in and out of games, occasionally disappearing but at other times doing the extraordinary.

Maybe he is capable of more, but the suggestion was that we might create less angst for ourselves if we accept what he has shown he is capable of rather than project some "superstar" status onto him and then judge him harshly against it.

Judging his mental strength is a bit dodgy in my opinion - very hard to get inside someone else's head, especially from the grandstand or sofa. And I'm not even sure what is meant by the phrase.

The reported AWOL incident sounds concerning but I reckon it's better to leave the assessment and condemnation, if appropriate, to those who know the full circumstances behind it. I know that I've been guilty of mentally checking out from work at times when I've been fed up but I'm pretty much the only person who's known why. I doubt I' alone in that.

I really hope that for Nick's sake and the teams' that he has a great 2005, consistent and 110% effort for 100% of the time.

It would come as a bit of a surprise if he has a great 2005 given that he's already missed most of the pre-season. But he's still a player with a bit of that 'X-Factor" and, given that we have lots of reliable foot soldiers, that is a valuable asset to the team.

[Nico]

I though tautology was the need of having a taut instep, as in the art of kicking.

[Nico]

I reckon the key to Davis is the need to have a long run without injury.

His whole career has been dogged by injury, both at Collingwood and with us. Game after game after game after game etc.etc.etc is the only way anyone will ever be able to gauge the true talents of Davis.

Perhaps in his defence, the consistent injuries have surely been a drain on a positive attitude. We are all different when it comes to the mind games, so maybe he has trouble battling through the injuries and resultant affect on his enthusiasm eg. hoeing into pizzas.

Is it that Roos is trying to get him into as near a perfect condition as possible before he lets him hit the ground running? Ditto for Goodes.

If Davis can display his best on a consistent basis then who knows where it might lead us. It must be immensely frustrating for the coaching staff to have two incredibly talented forwards in Davis and O'Loughlin constantly under an injury cloud.

For mine a fit Davis may have to be given the responsibility as a hard working midfielder to keep his mind on the job.

Who can forget his freak goal off the ground at Optus Oval, and his 4 goal burst in R1 2004.

[Matt79]

Originally posted by liz
[B]



I was under the impression that his failure to kick on in the Brisbane game had something to do with him disappearing to the bench with a groin injury.

Liz, I respect your posts on the footy forum but you have shred mine to pieces!!

I reply to one section, I know Nick left the field after kicking his fourth goal against the Lions (Round 1 2004) with his hip injury. I was referring to other games where he has done similiar, kicked a few goals and then not sighted again either for that game or a few games after.

I do like Nick Davis as a valuable player just as much as anyone else but he does need to develop a little more consistency.

Also, don't write him off for 2005 yet and the possibility of having an impact because of not being sighted yet pre season or you might as well add Goodes, Micky O, Crouch etc. to that list!

It's good to have a healthy debate!

[liz]

Sorry Matt - not my intention. I just happened to be in an argumentative mood.

I actually agree with your assessment that he is probably capable of more than we have seen. I guess that at times, though, we judge the players against unrealistically high standards in an endeavour that few of us have any idea of what it takes to achieve.

But I know I too assess players against what I think they are capable of rather than any absolute scale. I guess our hopes sometimes get mixed up with reality.

There's one particular player on our list, now nearing the end of his career, who I have been particularly scathing of at times, not on here but at games, much to the amusement of the friend that I sit next to, who happens to rate this player. He's one who, in his prime, was occasionally sensational but but not as often as he threatened to be. Ironically, now that his powers are somewhat reduced I am more far appreciative of what he does actually contribute.

[Matt79]

Liz,

I know what you mean about judging the players against a high standard. The only thing I would say in reply, is that I am involved in coaching / selecting potential AFL players in the Sydney U 14 to U 16 rep sides and part of my job is preparing the kids in understanding what is required to realise their dream of playing AFL footy and the high standard and hours of training and self-sacrifice required.

I (to my regrett) did not put enough work in when I had my chance of playing AFL. I played for North Shore and had a brief training opportunity with the Swannies but never did enough, I was too lazy and laid back and I can see that same attitude in Nick Davis ,although you are right the only person who knows what is going on in his head is Nick himself!

[Rushed Behind]

bollocks

[chammond]

Originally posted by Rushed Behind
bollocks

You finally spelled a word correctly??

[Matt79]

Originally posted by Rushed Behind
bollocks

Bollocks to what????

[liz]

Originally posted by Matt79
Liz,

I know what you mean about judging the players against a high standard. The only thing I would say in reply, is that I am involved in coaching / selecting potential AFL players in the Sydney U 14 to U 16 rep sides and part of my job is preparing the kids in understanding what is required to realise their dream of playing AFL footy and the high standard and hours of training and self-sacrifice required.

Fair enough - you're far more qualified than most (and definitely than me!) to make a call on this.

Given your background, are you surprised at how many players seem to get to an AFL club yet still take a few years to understand how much work is required at AFL level?

Or do you reckon that most realise it but it just takes a few years for their bodies to be capable of matching their wills?

Given that you work with boys just a year or two away from being drafted (at the top end of your range) do you reckon that 17 is the right age for them to be drafted?

[ScottH]

Originally posted by Matt79
although you are right the only person who knows what is going on in his head is Nick himself!

And the other people who live in there!!

[Whitefox]

Originally posted by Matt79
I (to my regrett) did not put enough work in when I had my chance of playing AFL. I played for North Shore and had a brief training opportunity with the Swannies but never did enough, I was too lazy and laid back and I can see that same attitude in Nick Davis ,although you are right the only person who knows what is going on in his head is Nick himself!

It's not the same attitude at all. It's something that makes you feel better about yourself.Nick's played 100 games, you trained with a club. If Sydney don't tolerate a lazy and laid back attitude, and that's why you didn't go any further there -- why do they still have Nick, if you say he suffers from the same attitude?

If you would have made it, and then had a career where on average you were injured around every 4 - 6 weeks and often forced the carry those injuries into games, only to be injured again -- you too, might have sometimes asked yourself was it all worthwhile.

Last year would have been a pretty good time for him to turn it up and throw it all away if he was weak or a head case. He didn't. So where's this lack of mental toughness crap coming from?

If you're waiting for him to turn into an onfield workhorse, you'll be waiting forever. Then again someone like him who can damage sides with few possessions, doesn't have to.

What's going through his head? Well today it's training, Newcastle, Cranbourne and Eagle Farm.