Player Watch Nick Daicos

[unplugged]

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.

Been watching him quite closely tonight. Seen half a dozen times he has just rolled through a stoppage with no accountability to his opponent(s), rolling the dice hoping for the ball to fall in his lap. Quite often it has gone nowhere near it and it looks like he just has no idea where to run.

That said he does hunt very well for a young player. Looks desperate to tackle and tackle to hurt.

 

[unplugged]

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 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.”

Gee whiz. I just read this post and honestly if you had posted it today with no context I would assume you've written it about his game tonight. Good analysis.

 

[sr36]

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

I don't think they'd be worried at this stage. Paddy Dangerfield was the same.

 

[jonbe54]

I don't think they'd be worried at this stage. Paddy Dangerfield was the same.

Yep it's amazing what a few years and becoming an umpire's darling can do for your game . . rolleseyes.gif

 

[Bianconeri]

Yep it's amazing what a few years and becoming an umpire's darling can do for your game . . rolleseyes.gif

Our captain is the same, happens to all gun players. You need to let this go.

 

[TradeDraft]

Our Best Player in 1st Half

 

[TradeDraft]

Noticed Again Today how Badly Nick's gets Ignored by his Teammates

Runs to Good Spots but Teammates don't give it to him

 

[jonbe54]

Noticed Again Today how Badly Nick's gets Ignored by his Teammates

Runs to Good Spots but Teammates don't give it to him

Lots of players running around like chooks with their heads cut off today TD.

 

[TradeDraft]

Lots of players running around like chooks with their heads cut off today TD.

So you Think Nicks was Running to Stupid Places then?

 

[jonbe54]

So you Think Nicks was Running to Stupid Places then?

Not what I said TD - I said players were running around like chooks with their heads cut off - never mentioned Nick.

But it's no wonder he wasn't seen by them - there were a number of them . . and I include senior players in this . . that were hearing footsteps and looking behind . . . .

 

[Robroy22]

Needed a run in the mids today. I know he's been sick but 10 minutes of Nicky D could have got us a coupla clearances.

 

[eyeroller]

lol

 

[stormskye]

lol

Protected species.

 

[jonbe54]

Protected species.

Absolutely Nick will probably have to front the MRP on a charge of intentionally seeking to hurt Jack's thumb . . . rollseyes.gif

 

[#26]

Has Ginnivan gone past him in the race for the Rising Star award?

 

[TradeDraft]

lol

Big Shove in a Neck but hey Play On.

Dusty has his own Rules

 

[TradeDraft]

Has Ginnivan gone past him in the race for the Rising Star award?

No Way. Nick was my top 2 on the Ground Today

 

[nahnah]

Cloke would have kicked 1000 goals if he was allowed to do that

 

[TradeDraft]

Nick was our Best Player Today and already a Top 10 Player at the Club

 

[Soups]

Cloke would have kicked 1000 goals if he was allowed to do that

Cloke would have kicked 1000 goals if he could kick

 

[Laurie Holden]

Nick was our Best Player Today and already a Top 10 Player at the Club

Being modest. He’s top 5. Kid is a freak.

 

[jonbe54]

Being modest. He’s top 5. Kid is a freak.

As was his old man, it's just barely possible he could be better - VERY smooth movement and VERY deceptively quick.

Given a good run with injuries he could break quite a few opposition and media Pie hating hearts over the years.

 

[Magpie_96]

This kids a gun if you want a laugh though go on the main board always a group of nuffie supporters on their downgrading Nick saying he doesn’t win a hard ball is soft and turns the ball over.

 

[TradeDraft]

This kids a gun if you want a laugh though go on the main board always a group of nuffie supporters on their downgrading Nick saying he doesn’t win a hard ball is soft and turns the ball over.

Would not waste my Time to go to the Main Board

 

[loki04]

lol

Didn’t fair so well when he tried it on Mcreery did he?