Reserves

[Agent 86]

Originally posted by stellation
From the same article as Nick's quote...
Jonas said. "It's fitness and form but he's got back some good form, he's dropped some weight and his fitness is up, so he'll certainly be looked at for selection next week."

Put in a bit more effort and you might give an initial run as a receptionist at Prentiss McCabe

Idea for series 2...

[Snowy]

Originally posted by chammond
I've got no argument with anything you say, but we're talking about changing a winning side. There is nothing that suggests that Davis will improve the team enough to make the risk worthwhile. While I enjoy watching Davis play, I'm willing to forego that for as long as Grundy is doing his job.

Regarding possessions, you'd obviously have to compare "apples with apples". In terms of small utilities helping out through the midfield, O'Keefe, Schneider and McVeigh are better at that than Davis.

This season, it has been rare that Davis has been clearly in our best 22, including currently. Unless he does something "special" in the reserves, he shouldn't get a game in the seniors.

Except save the West Coast the opposition has been relatively poor the last month or so. As for Davis and matchwinning games, he's had a few. I would hazard a guess that not many players, short of key forwards have ones you would consider matchwinning anyway, especially in Bloods parlance where it's a team, or group performance. But go back to 2000, the penultimate round when Collingwood played the Kangas. He had 30 touches and 4 goals, including the last couple of goals of the match which were from outside 50 and tough set shots. That's when he first really came under the radar. And I believe over his career he has often had the knack of kicking timely goals, often great snaps etc. when required.

As for Liz's suggestion that Grundy and Davis aren't playing the same role, it may have some merit but I would be surprised if a Davis couldn't play the 'tall' role as well, or if he did you would expect his output not to be any less than Grundy's. Hall, MOL and a resting ruckman should be enough tall firepower up forward, though MOL's contribution has been fairly patchy this year but he still requires minding. I believe Grundy got a game based on consistently good performances in the reserves, not necessarily because the coaches wanted another tall. It can stretch the opposition defence, but so can blokes who can mark and perform well at ground level.

[caj23]

i dont believe that davis will necessarily come in to the team at the expense of grundy, more likely to be bevan or dempster

[SimonH]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Speaking of fruit salad, Davis has 28 tackles from 12 games this year for over two tackles a game (his career best for any season and a bit of an indicator that he can rightly feel badly done by) and not one game without a tackle stat. Grundy has four from four games including two "couldn't be bothered chasing" performances.

I'm not playing favourites in this little game, and yes, Grundy's second efforts when he hasn't got the ball reek a little bit of the '1980s big forward' syndrome on occasion (i.e not my problem once the ball hits the ground). But honestly, if you were composing yearly stats on 'couldn't be bothered chasing' efforts, don't you think Nicky would be a teensy bit over two?

As others have said:
a) Grundy plays a different role in the team from Nick. Whether Nick might conceivably change his game to be more like Grundy is a moot point.
b) the selection committee clearly does not select on a 'bring in like for like' basis. Doyle was brought in, and two of the shortest and smallest guys in the team were omitted. Good game last couple of weeks, but Bevan would have to be the highest risk for the chop if Nicky gets a go.

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by SimonH
honestly, if you were composing yearly stats on 'couldn't be bothered chasing' efforts, don't you think Nicky would be a teensy bit over two?

He's only gone tackle-less (so to speak) in six games since round one, 2005 and they were all in 2005. Traditionally he has had some lean periods (2 tackles in 11 games for Collingwood) but I think he is a victim of his reputation in this regard.

Ironically the only game he hasn't laid a tackle in the past 18 was v Geelong in the finals

Source

[DST]

Davis being dropped has more to do with him not being fit enough to have a run in the midfield when required and also not being capable of pushing himself back into defence and then being useful going the other way, instead blowing up like a puffer fish (see exhibit A, Vogels for evidence of what is required by the coaching staff).

Yes forward line pressure is needed as well and Davis can tackle as per the statistics, but that is not what he is being judged on in this situation.

Add the above to his lack of an effort to adhere to team rules and you make yourself a very easy target to be dealt with by the group.

DST

[NMWBloods]

If he was so unfit, why was Davis getting as many minutes as most other players?

[Snowy]

Originally posted by DST
Davis being dropped has more to do with him not being fit enough to have a run in the midfield when required and also not being capable of pushing himself back into defence and then being useful going the other way, instead blowing up like a puffer fish (see exhibit A, Vogels for evidence of what is required by the coaching staff).

Yes forward line pressure is needed as well and Davis can tackle as per the statistics, but that is not what he is being judged on in this situation.

Add the above to his lack of an effort to adhere to team rules and you make yourself a very easy target to be dealt with by the group.

DST

You would have to think the team rules issue was the biggest factor. Is MOL really fit enough to put up the field? Does Grundy? You might suggest that they play different roles but in reality Davis was kicking or threatening to kick, as many goals from limited opportunities and his stats were at least as good. I think that Roos should have just said from the outset that it was non-football related because it's hard to justify on the score of form.

Indications are he could return this week but definitely not Crouch.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=98715

[elroy67]

I would have thought that the most likely player to make way for Davis this week (if it happens) would be Fosdike.

Not for reasons of form, but that pretty nasty bump to the head. While it didn't seem to knock him out, he was certainly very groggy making his way around the boundary. A weeks rest may be timely.

Did anyone see him at the post match?