Clay Smith

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Clay smith

Didn't the recruiters want Crozier but Macca over ruled them?

I think I may've heard something like this. Not sure the Dalrymple was specifically told to pick Smith, or whether Macca gave him the instruction to pick the best inside, contested ball winning player that was available. If this was the extent of the brief, then Dalrymple hit the mark well as well as he could, as at this stage I can't see anyone else in Smith's draft class that was a better fit for that role.

[ledge]

Re: Clay smith

Really? I would have though his kicking bio mechanics are as bad as has been seen at AFL level since James Manson. It not only affects the accuracy of his disposal, but also leads to a high proportion of high floaters that take forever to hit their target and give the opposition alot of time to get to the next contest and pressure the receiver.

Also the time he takes to get ball to foot, because of his action gives the opposition that extra bit of time to either tackle, bump or smother his kick.

Again, as I said in my post above, providing we surround him in the coming drafts with some quality outside mids to whom he can hand the ball off to, this shouldn't be as much of a problem as it was this year.

Clay looks like he is kicking on the wrong foot but I dont give a hoot about the bio mechanics if it works.
Jarryd Grants action is strange too, we at the bulldogs don't discriminate on strange licking actions that's for sure.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Clay smith

Clay looks like he is kicking on the wrong foot but I dont give a hoot about the bio mechanics if it works.
Jarryd Grants action is strange too, we at the bulldogs don't discriminate on strange licking actions that's for sure.

To some degree I don't care, everyone can have their own style, however it has to be effective, that is repeatable with a great deal of consistency in the outcome. Smith's action creates too many opportunities for variances in the way the ball gets to and comes off the boot, which effects the outcome too often.
Don't get me started on Grant's action.... his kicking reminds me of the lairy types of actions as kid's we'd muck around with in the park not that of a professional.

[ledge]

Re: Clay smith

To some degree I don't care, everyone can have their own style, however it has to be effective, that is repeatable with a great deal of consistency in the outcome. Smith's action creates too many opportunities for variances in the way the ball gets to and comes off the boot, which effects the outcome too often.
Don't get me started on Grant's action.... his kicking reminds me of the lairy types of actions as kid's we'd muck around with in the park not that of a professional.

I grew up with a kid who played at the dogs when,he was little he used to throw the ball on his foot to get power it was a funny action but then one day it was gone and he had a very good fluent action, I have seen a rare few with this throw on the boot action over the years but it's only when they are very young tends to disappear around under 13s

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Clay smith

I grew up with a kid who played at the dogs when,he was little he used to throw the ball on his foot to get power it was a funny action but then one day it was gone and he had a very good fluent action, I have seen a rare few with this throw on the boot action over the years but it's only when they are very young tends to disappear around under 13s

Yep as a kid there were always a couple of kids who did this, and yes it usually disappeared once they were 13 or so.
Clay's action is different again though, he shifts the ball to his side and then seems to double handed drop the ball onto his foot. Don't know if you ever remember seeing James Manson back in the 80's and early 90's. He is the only player I can recall who has this similar action to Clay. And Manson was an absolute horror to watch when kicking.

[EasternWest]

Re: Clay smith

Really? I would have though his kicking bio mechanics are as bad as has been seen at AFL level since James Manson. It not only affects the accuracy of his disposal, but also leads to a high proportion of high floaters that take forever to hit their target and give the opposition alot of time to get to the next contest and pressure the receiver.

Also the time he takes to get ball to foot, because of his action, gives the opposition that extra bit of time to either tackle, bump or smother his kick.

Again, as I said in my post above, providing we surround him in the coming drafts with some quality outside mids to whom he can hand the ball off to, this shouldn't be as much of a problem as it was this year.

Yeah really. It definitely needs work, but it's not as bad as many think IMO. Perhaps my opinion of it is taking into consideration that I think his decision making is pretty good, and as a result he doesn't try to do things by foot that he probably can't.

I don't disagree with what you said BTW, only that I don't think he's THAT bad (which implies not that GOOD either ).

[Topdog]

Re: Clay smith

about 10 seconds in Manson takes a mark

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Clay smith

about 10 seconds in Manson takes a mark

Ahh good ole Charlie....and that was one of his better kicks. I recall some shockers where in front of goal 15 out he'd skew them off the boot with a banana like helicopter.
He was a bit of a cult hero for a while.. Seemed like an affable bloke too, one of the few Filth players of that era who I didn't despise.

[Bornadog]

Re: Clay smith

Ahh good ole Charlie....and that was one of his better kicks. I recall some shockers where in front of goal 15 out he'd skew them off the boot with a banana like helicopter.
He was a bit of a cult hero for a while.. Seemed like an affable bloke too, one of the few Filth players of that era who I didn't despise.

Clay is a pretty good shot at goal, its his field kicking letting him down, especially the short chip passing.

[chef]

Re: Clay smith

I think I may've heard something like this. Not sure the Dalrymple was specifically told to pick Smith, or whether Macca gave him the instruction to pick the best inside, contested ball winning player that was available. If this was the extent of the brief, then Dalrymple hit the mark well as well as he could, as at this stage I can't see anyone else in Smith's draft class that was a better fit for that role.

It was apparently a toss up between him and Kerridge who went to Adelaide.

[Topdog]

Re: Clay smith

Ahh good ole Charlie....and that was one of his better kicks. I recall some shockers where in front of goal 15 out he'd skew them off the boot with a banana like helicopter.
He was a bit of a cult hero for a while.. Seemed like an affable bloke too, one of the few Filth players of that era who I didn't despise.

Yeah was a thing of beauty. I just grabbed the first one that came up for those that are too young to have seen him play.

[stefoid]

Re: Clay smith

Yep as a kid there were always a couple of kids who did this, and yes it usually disappeared once they were 13 or so.
Clay's action is different again though, he shifts the ball to his side and then seems to double handed drop the ball onto his foot. Don't know if you ever remember seeing James Manson back in the 80's and early 90's. He is the only player I can recall who has this similar action to Clay. And Manson was an absolute horror to watch when kicking.

Talia's action is similar.

Neither of these guys is going to be able to hit a target while running or under pressure. Best they can hope is to get the ball a teammate when they are in space.

Doesnt mean they wont be decent players, but a decent team cant have too many players who cant kick and we are about our limit already.

[GVGjr]

Re: Clay smith

Talia's action is similar.

Neither of these guys is going to be able to hit a target while running or under pressure. Best they can hope is to get the ball a teammate when they are in space.

Doesnt mean they wont be decent players, but a decent team cant have too many players who cant kick and we are about our limit already.

Talia is more comfortable kicking the ball across the ground to an open team mate more than driving the ball forward but I think he can get better at this.

You're right, we can't have too many players with limited kicking ability and our focus going forward should be to identify players with above average kicking skills.

[Sedat]

Re: Clay smith

Clay is a pretty good shot at goal, its his field kicking letting him down, especially the short chip passing.

As a mid he will get much more ball under pressure around the ground than he will set shots at goal. His kicking needs a lot of work, but he looks the type to roll the sleeves up and work hard on all aspects of his game.

Let's not sugarcoat his weakness but lets back him in to keep working hard to make it better, while he continues to become an inside clearance winning monster of the competition. I'm not expecting him to suddenly become Mark Browning but would be stoked if he became adequate and dependable by foot. I love his attitude and his competitive instincts.

[Missing-Dog]

Re: Clay Smith

In and under star of in teh coming years! His attitude and work rate is great and think he will be a favourite in the coming years