For all his skill and poise ( )


We didn't really miss him at all today..................... Could this be a sign of things to come ?

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Is this a "we needed him today" thread? Coz if so, we needed him.

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Karma

Loyal & Proud

I didn't miss him.. he'd be more suited to a better side where he could get more soft touches.

Who's that Nick Stevens?

Great call scottopee. Stevens was average today and I thought myself that he is really better suited in a good team with plenty of midfielders. I had to laugh at one stage looking at Crowley on Stevens and Peake on Campo and both were getting their pants pulled down by two guys that many haven't heard off!

It's not as though we were suddenly able to win a game without him in the side. We're not yet in a position to not have every talented player in and hopefully performing.

Did any of you anti-Stevens people ever stop to think that he might not be fully over the flu?

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

excuses PJ, I think there are a few players in the team with niggles etc.

Stevens should be under the pump much more from supporters than he has been.

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I don't think anyone is anti-Stevens, pj, but rather that they are trying to show that Houlihan is not the only one in the side who is guilty of cheap possessions.

He may very well not be over his flu. He hasn't been himself, that's obvious. But then Campo has been injured for a fair bit of the year. Houlihan seemed to be injured last week, too.

The point is that some players are cut considerably more slack than others.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

DP mentioned on radio before the game the problems that occur with Kouta, Stevens and Campo.

Opposition coaches put players on these 3 and tell them to not go for the ball at a stoppage, but to charge forward whenever their teamates have it. As we have found for a lot of this season, the opposition will often win the ball at a stoppage, hence these 3 watching trying to win the ball while their opponent is charging towards goal

Then it's a case of others around them not giving Stevens etc etc the support they need like some WC players give Judd whenever he gets the ball.

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Twitter - @johnfeeney24

I agree, Stevens should be under scrutiny...BUT...this is no reason to start the 'Let's trade him' threads (not that there are any )..Yes, he's had a bad season, but he is incredibly valuable to this team and losing him would hurt us badly...

BTW...not sticking up for him...but I was under the impression that he is still struggling with that knee injury from earlier in the season...

Anyway...about Houla

According to the AFL record, rankings for Hard ball gets:

1. Kouta
2. Stevens
3. Houla

I thought this thread was about Ryan and not Nick

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Loyal & Proud

Jarusa I agree. No player is excused. If it's ok to rubbish Campo for his $30,000 a game performance it's ok to rubbish Stevens on his $25,000 a game performance - flu or no flu. Sick of these abhorrent sums being paid to our footballers who are getting a towelling from unknowns week in week out. No more excuses for these senior players!

Add Fevola to the above. What's his excuse this week for not kicking a goal? Paid handsomely to kick goals as our full forward. Listened to his interview on 3AW after the match - add to the list of footballers who are not mentally tough.

Am watching him closely - especially with his upgraded $400,000 a year contract.

Rod, you should know better. Fev is playing injured despite not admitting it on 3aw after the game.

Also, heard Denis say pre match on 3aw that as long as Fev does all the things that he expects him to do - run, chase, tackle, 2nd and 3rd efforts, tap on's, etc (team things) - it doesn't matter how many he kicks. So long as he keeps his focus on playing the game and not throwing tantrums when things don't go his way.

If he doesn't improve in the areas Denis wants him to improve in within the next 18 months, he may be tradeable and would command two 1st rounders in the 'bumper' 2006 draft.

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For some silly reason, you people want to assassinate him, and it's just rubbish. You people. All of you, ALL of you!

Fev took a looooong time to get up after Longmuir's mark. He looked to have hurt his groin and I was surprised he stayed on the ground.
I think the club needs to make a fuss about the way umpires treat him, he's joined Barry Hall on the "Do not serve this man" poster down in the Geisch's office.

Hence l am watching. IMHO Fev is starting to believe all the hype.......read Pagan's "Brendan is an exceptional talent". Denis should know better.

Fev is playing at 50% capacity.