Player Watch Nick Daicos

[Lockyer24]

They seem to be giving him an education with the half back behind the ball to begin with, now he is starting as a high half forward or centre half forward even if you want to call it that. Either way it’s all good experience and his ball use would be appreciated anywhere. I would like to see him kick a few more goals and get some assists while he is in the current phase. When he becomes one of the premier midfielders in the game the key is to get him having 25/2 rather than 30-35/0.

 

[gouki88]

They seem to be giving him an education with the half back behind the ball to begin with, now he is starting as a high half forward or centre half forward even if you want to call it that. Either way it’s all good experience and his ball use would be appreciated anywhere. I would like to see him kick a few more goals and get some assists while he is in the current phase. When he becomes one of the premier midfielders in the game the key is to get him having 25/2 rather than 30-35/0.

He'll be a 30+ and 1-2 goals a game guy in his prime. Book it!

 

[loki04]

I don't get the knocks on Nicks pace. He's burnt off a few players in open play already. He's plenty quick.

Nothing wrong with his pace or kicking.

Wait till his team mates start learning what a 1 - 2 is, then we will see his best. He often gives and goes to recieve forward in space but most his current team mates ignore him despite him being in a better position if they gave it to him.

Just like Gablett Jnr his team mates would often feed back the ball and he buys a few meters space to run forward and deliver often unpressured. Nick plays similar but dumber or hoggier teammates.

 

[loki04]

Yea one thing that has surprised me with Nick is his pace. Unlike Pendles who just stands still whilst everyone else falls over around him, Nick gets out of trouble with his pace and repeat sprints.

Apparently tested very well.

 

[Bianconeri]

Nothing wrong with his pace or kicking.

Wait till his team mates start learning what a 1 - 2 is, then we will see his best. He often gives and goes to recieve forward in space but most his current team mates ignore him despite him being in a better position if they gave it to him.

Just like Gablett Jnr his team mates would often feed back the ball and he buys a few meters space to run forward and deliver often unpreserved. Nick plays similar but dumber or hoggier teammates.

As experienced as he may seem he’s still just a first year player. You don’t see Pendlebury get burned on those often.

 

[Vicky Park]

JHF is an amazing young player. He’s already intimidating!

Will enjoy watching this crop of ‘2022’ kids for years to come.

 

[#26]

The North bloke at work is crowing about JHF. Who's gone better so far, Nick or JHF?

 

[danielnajdek]

The North bloke at work is crowing about JHF. Who's gone better so far, Nick or JHF?

Do you work with David King?

 

[gouki88]

The North bloke at work is crowing about JHF. Who's gone better so far, Nick or JHF?

Nick, comfortably. But Horne-Francis plays for a basketcase of a club, so he deserves a bit of credit for that

 

[sr36]

The North bloke at work is crowing about JHF. Who's gone better so far, Nick or JHF?

Nick has.

Both look awesome. Nick is unbelievably good for a first year player. JHF projects to being the most prized player type in the game - an inside contested beast who can burst from stoppage. Both groups of supporters should be stoked with what they've got.

 

[#26]

By what measures has Nick gone better?

 

[sr36]

By what measures has Nick gone better?

I'm not looking at stats, but from observation Nick's playing his linking role to a high AFL standard, regardless of experience. JHF isn't playing his role to a high AFL standard - he's playing it to a very high standard for a first year player.

 

[gouki88]

By what measures has Nick gone better?

Disposals (obviously largely uncontested on Nick's part), marks, disposal efficiency & effective disposals, score involvements, metres gained and intercepts. Horne-Francis has more contested possessions (less overall), more tackles and more clearances. JHF has a 0.1 advantage in inside 50s per game. The clearance numbers are the biggest in JHF's favour, naturally, whereas score involvements is proportionally the thing that favours Nick the most.

 

[unplugged]

The highlights video they put up for JHF's rising star nomination game... Looks good, then ****s up a bounce. Still ended up alright but I had to laugh.

 

[Dynamics]

JHF is going to be a jet, no question. He's a kid in his first year and he's already tougher and more willing than most of his teammates (and yes, North are a basket case). Will be smashing packs and winning contested ball for years.

Which has literally no bearing on Nick whatsoever. He's such a different type of player.

Both will be multiple AAs, guaranteed.

 

[golazo]

Daicos at Norf would have 100% time in the midfield and have even better looking stats than he does now

 

[loki04]

As experienced as he may seem he’s still just a first year player. You don’t see Pendlebury get burned on those often.

Yes he is a first year player I get that but he is one who has the work rate of a senior player and makes great position for the 1 -2 more then any of his team mates.
Has a burst of pace not being utilised and generally great kick and option taker when given time. He is being under utilised by his team mates.

I guess he just hasnt fully earnt the "respect" of some seniors yet.

 

[jonbe54]

Daicos at Norf would have 100% time in the midfield and have even better looking stats than he does now

And possibly burnt out at the end of the season.

 

[Mollythedolly]

Good as he is and potentially can be, do you think he’ll reach those lofty heights at Collingwood (considering he re-signs)?

He’s improved just about every year so for what reason are you suggesting he wouldn’t in 2023 and beyond if he re-signs?

 

[Rusty Beam]

Horne Francis has barely broken 50% disposal efficiency for the year.

A fair portion of his clearances have been direct turnovers.

The big thing about him playing midfield is that he is also massively unaccountable for opponents and allows them to link up.

Ironically he is way too offensively focused and has no balance to his game, and it doesn’t allow him to link up in uncontested chains of play. Been banging on about it for ages now.

 

[gouki88]

Horne Francis has barely broken 50% disposal efficiency for the year.

A fair portion of his clearances have been direct turnovers.

The big thing about him playing midfield is that he is also massively unaccountable for opponents and allows them to link up.

He is way too offensively focused and has no balance to his game, allowing him to link up in uncontested chains of play. Been banging on about it for ages now.

Shh, let the Roos fans have their fun. They don't have much going on over there.

Your critiques of JHFs games last year rang true to what I had seen, and they continue to ring true. Unaccountable and uncomposed. He certainly has potential, but there is lots to work on

 

[stormskye]

Horne Francis has barely broken 50% disposal efficiency for the year.

A fair portion of his clearances have been direct turnovers.

The big thing about him playing midfield is that he is also massively unaccountable for opponents and allows them to link up.

Ironically he is way too offensively focused and has no balance to his game, and it doesn’t allow him to link up in uncontested chains of play. Been banging on about it for ages now.

Can you post this on the north board

 

[Rusty Beam]

Shh, let the Roos fans have their fun. They don't have much going on over there.

Your critiques of JHFs games last year rang true to what I had seen, and they continue to ring true. Unaccountable and uncomposed. He certainly has potential, but there is lots to work on

I’ve said it for ages.

Nicks strengths are JHF weaknesses and vice versa.

But seeing JHF play more midfield minutes this year than he was afforded last year really makes me question his footy IQ.

He is awesome within 20m of the footy, but seems completely lost outside that inner circle.

 

[Rusty Beam]

Can you post this on the north board


View attachment 1393867

I got smashed for daring to critique him last year. Pretty sure I wouldn’t be welcome there…

 

[Rusty Beam]

An overview I wrote last year

“ That’s probably a similar feel I get for Horne.

Horne-Francis is able to do elite things when the ball is in his immediate vicinity. Principally he aims to burst onto the loose ball from taps or balls that bobble out of the contest. His quick acceleration over that first 10-20m and lateral side step enable and play a part in this. South have even quite often tried to open up the drop zone specifically for him to run through. Which is a show of confidence from them to him, given that he is the 18 year old member of that midfield rotation.

IMO he’s not that extractor of the stagnant contested ball from inside contrast though. Not in that Libba or Oliver (dare I say Danger) inside the coalface way. He’s not that player. It’s more from sharking a tap to the drop zone or space, and swooping on the loose bobbling ball, within 5-10 metres of the contest.

The way he prefers to get a clear run and hit the ball at pace actually reminds me a lot of DeGoey as a midfielder. It’s in the eye of the beholder as to how well you think that approach to the contest translates to AFL level. Personally I think he’s gonna need a super strong tap ruckman to play that way (think Shuey when paired with Nic Nat) and will need to further develop other facets to his stoppage craft.

I think away from the contest he has a tendency to get lost in his running patterns and struggles to get involved in chains of play. That’s even considering the fact he’s been played a lot through the midfield and should fundamentally be working hard to provide the backline an outlet kick/switch, handball receive option, or running in waves/tandem with his fellow midfielders.

(Admittedly he did do it a bit better when played on the wing today, by managing to maintain his width, than he otherwise has for the rest of the season. Credit to JHF for sticking to he gameplan and showing coachability, but sometimes that was completely unopposed. So as much as that’s a rap for JHF it was also an unbelievably bad tactic from Norwood. )

Furthermore whilst his hands are generally great around the contest, his kicking around the ground is definitely hit and miss.

He has a tendency to dump kicks long without assessing options, miskick short stab passes trying to pin point short stabs, and intermittently grub the ball at the leading players feet. Some of that is decision making, some is technique.

I’m not sure how the SANFL work out that kicking efficiency stat because his recorded season stat it is definitely not reflective of the reality.

Maybe it’s because I’m a Collingwood fan, but I just see similarities between his kicking to Taylor Adams

3

Taylor Adams

Age

31

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.9

5star

K

13.5

5star

HB

11.4

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

4.8

5star

CL

5.0

5star

D

20.4

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

5.9

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

18.2

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

3.0

5star

CL

2.2

4star

in his short kicking and the way Beams used to dump long kicks. I can see supporters of JHF’s club either forced to make similar excuses, or getting ultra frustrated, like we do/did.

I don’t think much needs to be said about his defensive efforts in so far as tackling and chasing pressure. That is elite. If an opponent is within his general vicinity, he is generally the first to try apply physical pressure. The fact that is his natural reaction is key. Particularly in an environment where there are a plethora of midfielders whose natural inclination is to only give one way effort.”