Player Watch #49 Kaleb Smith - Re-Signed for 2025

[Grrr]

I loved the idea of some VFL midfield minutes. We have seen plenty of HB's with speed become damaging mids.

Yes I would love to see what he can do in there. He was very good in that last Q when they threw him in there, but I guess his AFL debut (not sub) was not far away so they wanted him back at HB. Going forward it could be interesting.

 

[Tigerbob]

Delisting this kid?

 

[Forensi Tiger]

I think you can safely assume if Smith should have been playing 10 weeks earlier, then he would have been. But one or a combination of the following kept him out of the team:

• no clear opportunity in the back 7 to slot him into
• insufficient conditioning for AFL level
• lack of knowledge of team structures
• lack of defensive side to his game

As we've seen with Cumby, just accelerating when you think you can win the ball only is not going to get you anywhere near being an AFL footballer. Smith will need to establish he can defend as well, and then at a certain point put the 2 sides of his game together at a sufficient standard to get it done at AFL level. We have seen this took a few years with Mansell and M Rioli to put both sides of the game together. Cumberland seems to be proving this year he just can't do it. Ralphsmith has taken several years but appears to be getting it now, with a much higher amount of tackles and pressure acts to go with some nice attacking glimpses as well. Jack Ross is one who was held back a little by being too heavily tilted towards attacking energy versus defensive energy. Campbell seems to have a nice balance immediately, but will develop his decision making over coming seasons. Green appears to have been doing all the defensive and team orientated stuff in the VFL, but often isn't getting enough of the ball. Smith just seems to be very much at the start of this journey to develop the 2 sides of the game almost all players need to be AFL footballers.

Good post. When will Jayden short learn to defend?

 

[RockJobster0312]

A few things stood out to me, his ball use in transition was very good. Wasn’t afraid to bite off a target and hit it more often than not.

Second thing was he failed to keep his feet in key contested situations. You’d think experience would see that part of his game cease, but also why he may have had zero pressure acts and tackles; in situations where you’d expect it to happen he went to ground.

 

[Joker91]

Some hard judges in here.
Kid has played 1 game.
A lot to work with.

 

[tora tora tora]

Neither, he’s a high probability of being delisted imo


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Dunno. he's our only small defender depth.

 

[Coach_Required]

Some hard judges in here.
Kid has played 1 game.
A lot to work with.

More like some absolute nuffies in here.

 

[SA_Tiger11]

Decent size on this fella. Seems to of filled out pretty well.

 

[SA_Tiger11]

More like some absolute nuffies in here.

Some absolute spanners on here.

 

[TigerImposter]

Perfect Short replacement.

 

[sregit]

Some hard judges in here.
Kid has played 1 game.
A lot to work with.

Very encouraging display for what I perceive to be his first game.

 

[Madtiger2006]

Neither, he’s a high probability of being delisted imo


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lol. 1 in a billion are the odds of that. Actually less than that

 

[Hank Heavenly]

was ok for a 1.05 gamer, not sure what else people expect

 

[Tigerbob]

Watched my fair share of vfl this year. Kid is a ripper.

 

[Noidnadroj]

He had a slow first half, but was super impressive with 11 touches in the second half in hostile territory. Very very happy with the potential of this kid.

It’s funny, but with Steely showing a fair bit in the last 2 x weeks, the Hopper trade could turn into an absolute bottler.

To remind you it was 8 and 31 for Hopper, Steely and Smith.


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[LTT]

Looked decent running our way. But zero tackles, zero pressure acts is the area he will need to do some work on.

Needs to stop modelling his game on Short

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Needs to stop modelling his game on Short

If he wins a B & F in a Tiger flag year with some Smith Medal votes that is fine with me LTT.

 

[Bojangles17]

A few things stood out to me, his ball use in transition was very good. Wasn’t afraid to bite off a target and hit it more often than not.

Second thing was he failed to keep his feet in key contested situations. You’d think experience would see that part of his game cease, but also why he may have had zero pressure acts and tackles; in situations where you’d expect it to happen he went to ground.

I too noticed he lost his feet often , his coaches would focus on that as a weakness

 

[tigs2010]

If he wins a B & F in a Tiger flag year with some Smith Medal votes that is fine with me LTT.

Will be the Dusty Medal by time we rebuild

 

[T4P]

My favourite first AFL goal celebration of recent times. Cool, collected, got the job done, minimal celebration

 

[Coach_Required]

Kid has played 3 games and gets marked like he has played 50 games. Some supporters in here have lost the plot more than our actual team. LOL

 

[tigs2010]

Kid has played 3 games and gets marked like he has played 50 games. Some supporters in here have lost the plot more than our actual team. LOL

Going to be an interesting few years on here.

 

[Morro]

I am suprised he isnt finding more ball from HB

 

[Tomnat Tigers]

I am suprised he isnt finding more ball from HB

Our top four disposal winners were defenders and he is last in line when it comes being in placed in positions to win the ball or be given an easy kick. Give him Shorts or Riolis role in the team and he would finish with 20 or so disposals as well.

 

[59Stanley]

This lad is something to like. Unlike most of his teammates he has skill