The RWO Factor

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Ruckman
Nick Davis [is] running at less than 50% this year, perhaps that's because he's not fit?

Huh?

[pillowtalk]

Originally posted by andy0414
The value of having Nick Davis in the team is that he can take a one on one mark and is a very good kick at goal.

His one on one mark is a weakness (though improving) but his kick is a class above.

[Whitefox]

Originally posted by pillowtalk
His one on one mark is a weakness

His abilty to read the bounce of the ball and out manoeuvre his opponent on the ground goes a long way towards making up for it.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Whitefox
His abilty to read the bounce of the ball and out manouvere his opponent on the ground goes a long way towards making up for it.

Absolutely - I think this is particularly noticeable in the midfield. It's less so in the forward line, but there is less space and more opponents around so harder to do.

I've noticed his marking technique tends to be to play behind and try to push his opponent under the ball, so he can either mark from the back or crumb the ball.

[Whitefox]

Good someone agrees - I was worried i might have caused a Code Red situation.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Whitefox
Good someone agrees - I was worried i might have caused a Code Red situation.

SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

[andy0414]

The Swans one on one marking is generally pretty ordinary and their contested marks in packs is even worse. This is one reason why the Swans play the way they play. That is short passing to players on there own.

[stellation]

I think it is becoming clear that those folks who do not think Nicky D is a saint and about to become a superstar for Sydney really do, errrr, suck.

I have put alot of thought into that.

[ScottH]

Originally posted by andy0414
The Swans one on one marking is generally pretty ordinary and their contested marks in packs is even worse. This is one reason why the Swans play the way they play. That is short passing to players on there own.

Maybe the reason we are no good at contested/one on one, is that we don't have much experience due to the short game.

[liz]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Absolutely - I think this is particularly noticeable in the midfield. It's less so in the forward line, but there is less space and more opponents around so harder to do.

I've noticed his marking technique tends to be to play behind and try to push his opponent under the ball, so he can either mark from the back or crumb the ball.

My take on it is that he is very good in situations where he can read the flight of the ball well and take advantage of that, but isn't so good where he needs to grapple with an opponent and use body strength to hold his position.

I'd make similar observations about O'Loughlin too, though he is better at a subtle nudge to send an opponent off-balance, and also enjoys a height advantage over some opponents, something Davis rarely has.

One thing I don't think I've ever see Davis do is take a mark in the air, let alone a high mark over a pack. He doesn't seem to want to get off the ground. Again, there are similarities with O'Loughlin but he used to do it more. I suspect the state of his body has something to do with his reluctance to do it now.

[Doctor J.]

Originally posted by giant
If you can't tell the difference between Ben Matthews & Davis this discussion is rather pointless.

Davis is more potential than delivery atm but unlike many other "potentials" in our squad, he is potential class not potential journeyman.

Your post actually supports my arguement.

Ever heard of an analogy. Was using Matthews as the analogy to say that Ben goes and gets the hard ball, but we (collective we, being Sydney supporters) wouldn't refer to him as a class act.

Now back to my original question.

Whitefox said in an earlier post "Nick Davis seems to have silenced those who insisted he was weak and soft." I would just like to know what it is that ND has actually done, since he has been at the club that he deserves to no longer be classified as soft and overrated, (OK perhaps soft is a bit harsh). I'm not talking about potential, I'm talking about actual, what has he actually done!!!!?

Sure he has the potential to kick the odd goal from 50, but how often does he actually do this. Luke Ablett also has the potential to kick goals from outside 50, but I don't hear anyone stupidly rating Noggy at the same level as MOL

And don't start calling an average of less than 15 possessions per game an output of a quality midfielder. Players like Judd, Cousins, Riccuito, are class midfielders who achieve 25-30 possessions a game regularly. That is the level he needs to aspire to if he wants to be a midfielder. I sincerely hope he gets there, but at the moment, ND is nothing more than an overrated pinch hitting goal kicker, and to be perfectly honest players like Matera and Milne are ahead of him right now.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Nick Davis' goalkicking accuracy is running at less than 50% this year, perhaps that's because he's not fit?

Also he only averages 1.3 goals a game (lower that MOL and about the same as Dale Lewis at that stage of their careers) so I don't think he's really earned the epithet "star" yet.

[sharp9]

Well the thing of it is this....there is some subjectivity involved. If you can't see how ****in' classy Davis is when goes in and wins the ball in the midfield, then there is no point trying to explain it to you. To you a possession is a possession if it gets from one player to another wearing the same colours.

Davis dashes out of packed situations and uses the ball brilliantly and in unexpected ways. He is certainly not soft, has probably as good a fend off as any player in the AFL. The only problem is that he is doing it 10, 12, 14 times a game not 20, 22 or 24.

He does NOT handball 2 metres to a team mate standing still and under the pump (Benny) and has as much class and skill as Dal Santo, but is not dominating games with a 30 possession effort.

Don't know what the solution is but if we find one watch out.

BTW, in comparison, as I have said before if Benny got 30 possessions the opposition coaches would be wondering who was on him - if Davis got 30 possessions we would have won by fifty points.

[stellation]

Originally posted by sharp9
He does NOT handball 2 metres to a team mate standing still and under the pump

A good example of this is the play leading up to Hall getting the free kick for being held without it in the goal square. I think a large majority of our team would have got the ball and handballed to the Swans around them, Nick got the ball and looked downfield first (big difference) and not only had the nouse to go for Hall in the one out situation but the skill to put it "right there" for him.

I paid a lot of attention to Nick in the game against Freo. He covered a hell of a lot of ground for someone who was just back from 3 weeks out, had missed the pre-season and had just been starting to work the engine up for more time around the ground when they got injured. 15 disposals + 2 goals was a pretty good return.

[Mark]

Originally posted by sharp9
BTW, in comparison, as I have said before if Benny got 30 possessions the opposition coaches would be wondering who was on him - if Davis got 30 possessions we would have won by fifty points.

But isnt that DR J whole point ?

He is not questioning his ability, but the fact that he is yet to realise his potential, and was asking for specific examples of how he could be compared with MOL !

None of which has been answered. All we have had is general rhetoric about how he appears classy and you can either see it or you cant !

I personally think Davis adds alot to our forward line (is classy) especially as very few teams have 3 class defenders (Hall, MOL, Davis) and even if they do ROK would have a field day on the fourth.

Incidently DR J has a penchant for rough, tough nuts in the mould of say Errrrrrrrr Dale Lewis !!!!