Nick Davis (quality or not)

[Plugger46]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Jeez... Mathews and McPherson better finishers than Davis...

My feelings exactly.

[Reggi]

I'm not suggesting he's crap - just people over-estimate his talent.

If he read the play well he'd get a fair bit more of the ball than he does.

He's also comapritively very weak in his lower body and does not keep his feet in contests. His decision making - particularly when he drops into the backline.

Tend to agree with those comments that he is overburdened with expectations put on by Collingwood supporters.

He ain't that talented - he's behind plenty of players on our list for talent

[Cheer Cheer]

Originally posted by Reggi
He ain't that talented - he's behind plenty of players on our list for talent

He would be equal top with any player on our list for talent - and up there in the AFL as well.
I don't know why you keep harping on this talent issue - because this is the strong part of everyones comments - you are alone on that - if you wish to pick on some other characteristic of nick please do so - but with the talent argument you are way off and have no friends on that - as others I really do wonder if you have ever seen nick davis play...

[desredandwhite]

The funny thing about talent... is that you can't measure it.

Opinions are the only thing here. What we can agree on are his results. Shows glimpses, and needs to improve.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Reggi
He ain't that talented - he's behind plenty of players on our list for talent

His problem isn't his talent. I suspect its partly work ethic and partly attitude.

Who in our side is more talented? O'Loughlin and Goodes. Paul Williams.

The big advantage of both Williams and Goodes is they work very hard. Goodes is highly skilled, yet doesn't kick as well as Davis. Davis is also probably a better or at least equal kick to Williams.

O'Loughlin is probably the most naturally talented player in our line. However, he is also one that has gone missing at times. Look at his stats after 95 games - 116 goals. Davis 117 goals.

Probably quite a few arguably around his level - maybe Kennelly, Ball, Hall, Schneider.

I don't see plenty above him though.

[dimelb]

Until reading this thread I didn't realise that his preseason in '02 was so interrupted and that he'd had the dreaded O.P. - I do miss a bit at times. Put those items in the picture and it looks even better. imo he's got the goods, and with better aerobic fitness could be a revelation - time will tell.

[stellation]

Originally posted by Cheer Cheer
He would be equal top with any player on our list for talent - and up there in the AFL as well.
I don't know why you keep harping on this talent issue - because this is the strong part of everyones comments - you are alone on that - if you wish to pick on some other characteristic of nick please do so - but with the talent argument you are way off and have no friends on that - as others I really do wonder if you have ever seen nick davis play...

Totally agree. I have been watching Nick play for a long time and have always thought him to be one of the most gifted players I have seen, on talent I would put him towards the top in the AFL also.

But, as people have pointed out that is something that cannot be measured and that view of his talent is my own opinion of him.

[monopoly19]

Originally posted by Reggi
He ain't that talented - he's behind plenty of players on our list for talent

I agree with NMWBloods on this one. I think on pure footballing (not athletic) talent, he is behind only O'Loughlin, and slightly ahead of Williams and Goodes, and then guys like Schneider, Saddington, Kennelly. It's a personal thing, sure, but I think our team is based significantly (moreso than other sides) around workhorse players who rely on things other than talent to do their job. On the Mathews-Davis comparison, there is the most striking difference watching them on the field - Davis seems so at ease when he has the ball, whereas its slightly more painful to see Mathews with it. I think Mathews has probably worked a hell of a lot harder to get where he is than Davis has, simply because one is more naturally talented than the other. Saying that, I hold a lot more respect (from a footballing) point of view for Mathews, but am still very impressed with Davis.

[Reggi]

Funny I can't begin to imagine how someone can rate N Davis as more naturally talented than Goodes, Kennelly, O'Loughlin, Hall.

He has nowhere near the natural balance of the above group - who rarely lose their feet - whereas Davis frequently loses his.

Neither does he have the power or explosive power that both Hall and Goodes have.

He is somewhere in the next group of players with the likes of Williams, Schnieder, Fosdike maybe time will show LRT and Powell.

Personally I would say Williams and Schneider would be more naturally talented. Although Williams has a tendency to go to ground when he changes direction. I have never seen evidence that N Davis has the kind of explosive power either of those guys have.

He is well balanced on the run but he still needs a few paces to get there.

Can't see it - the more I think about it the sillier it sounds

[TheHood]

Originally posted by NMWBloods

Firstly, the possession difference is not that great - 15ppg against 13ppg. I also notice that Brown finished higher in his team's handling error table than Davis.

Secondly, Brown has less competition for goalkicking - he is by far and away their main inside 50 target.

Thirdly, I think Brown is a better player at this stage, but so what.

I would also add to that, how many games did Browny help the dogs win in 2003? How many did he lose for the dogs? I reckon there was a few there when his return was something like 1.7

I bet you a steak dinner Reggi that Nick Davis is not even an end of season topic post-2004 season.

[Snowy]

Davis's junior coach Steve Wright rated him above Hayes and most of the other young guns for sheer natural talent and ability to read the play but predicted he may not necessarily do better in the long run because he is not a hard worker and not a natural leader type. I think Reggi that when he was fully fit prior to his op, he showed that he could be explosive, and he could he run the lines and break them. If he worked as hard as Goodes or a Buckley type, the sky would be the limit. I believe that Williams is one of the worst at keeping his feet despite being a very good player, is constantly slipping over and at times crucially.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Reggi
Neither does he have the power or explosive power that both Hall and Goodes have.

Power is not about natural talent, and Hall is to be expected to have a lot more than someone much smaller. As for pace, Davis has plenty, as he has shown on occasion when gathering and breaking through a crowded situation.

Can't see it - the more I think about it the sillier it sounds

Like this comment...

So you've named four, which are possibly arguable as to degree, so that is hardly 'plenty!!'

[A swans fan]

On a lighter note.....


If Nick Davis is sometimes affectionately referred to as

Nicky Dee....

does that mean that as Dick Navis we should be calling him

Dicky Knee ?????????

[stellation]

Originally posted by Reggi
Funny I can't begin to imagine how someone can rate N Davis as more naturally talented than Goodes, Kennelly, O'Loughlin, Hall.

I would actually rate him with O'Loughlin above the others for natural ability. I might be looking at it differently but we're not talking about being a big bloke who moves very well for his size, or having a big heart, or being an amazing student and picking things up quickly.

that is just my opinion anyway

[Dpw]

Love the pre-season, for what its worth I think Davis is as talented as anyone on our list its just his role is different to others. Will need to lift this year but should benefit from a full preseason.

Hope he STICKS it to the knockers!!