BJ was my favourite pre-Ess. Just great when it works out like that.
Definitely reminds me of me! Short legs and crook knees!
There goes a man who would have trouble fitting into skinny jeansā¦
3 Likes
BJ and Lenny Hayes were my favourite outside Essendon so I was very happy to get BJ.
BJ I feel has been very under appreciated by our fans since arriving. Couldnāt have done anymore than what he has done on and off the ground.
Hope we can deliver that premiership that he crossed over for.
24 Likes
He is the one I am strangely most hoping we win one this year for, even more than the returning guys in some way.
Hear me out.
He was bitterly unlucky to not win one at St Kilda, I donāt think any saint gave more in those two games than BJ.
When he chose us he saw we were building and then disaster occurred, and if anything he lifted his game even more, and truly lead the club, stuck up for the banned guys while setting the standard for the full ins, he is a true bomber, he wears the jumper with more pride than most.
58 Likes
Looks like Joel Selwood
3 Likes
AFL Fantasy team gem
Adam āWarnieā Child January 11, 2018 11:34 AM
AFL Fantasy expert Adam āWarnieā Child is expecting recruit Devon Smith to excel in his new role.
AFL Fantasy expert Adam āWarnieā Child from DT Talk and AFL.com.auās āThe Tradersā has found an upcoming fantasy gem from the Essendon Football Club. He is expecting Essendon recruit Devon Smith to excel in his new role at the Bombers and has explained why you shouldnāt miss out on selecting the former Giant this year.
DEVON SMITH
Position: FWD
AFL Fantasy: $575,000
Bye Round: 13
2017 Average: 81.6
2017 Games Played: 16
Predicted Average: 95
Draft Range: 3rd-4th round (top tier of forwards)
Why you should pick Smith
Yes, I am speaking with red and black glasses on here, but the trade of the trade period with the most Fantasy relevance was Devon Smith heading to Essendon.
The Giants are so stacked that even the best of them struggle to hit the numbers theyāre capable of achieving due to the massive depth at the club. Smith was certainly one of those.
In his third season, Smith averaged a career high 94 from 21 games. He kicked 26 goals for the season and averaged 22 disposals with five tackles per game. This included top scores of 147, 137, 133 and 128. He predominantly played forward as he has for most of his six-year career at AFL level.
If we rewind back to his junior days, Devon Smith was a MID/FWD. He averaged 103 fantasy points in his final year of TAC Cup and has always been a ball-winner, being one of two players to average 20 disposals, 10 contested possessions, one goal and five clearances per game in 2011.
He played 20 games in his debut season at an average of 67.9 and then 18 games at 74 in his second year.
The last three seasons has seen Smith knock out 20, 12 and 16 games at averages of 85.9, 80 and 81.2. As mentioned, he has spent most of his career as a small forward without the opportunity to run through the middle.
Smithās move to Essendon should see the ball-magnet get midfield clock and, in turn, scores should start flowing again. Those matches he did play through the midfield or up on the wing were when we saw the better scores.
Essendon has acquired Smith to add midfield depth, not to play as a small forward. Thereās already Fantasia, McDonald-Tipungwuti and Green up there as well as Stringer.
Verdict
Iām backing in Devon Smith to be a top-six forward. Heāll average in the mid-90s with the role that heās touted to be playing and with injuries behind him, heāll embrace the opportunity heāll get at his new club. Smith is a midfielder and will be treated as such by the Bombers.
Only 10 of the players available as a forward averaged more than 90 in 2017. One was two-gamer Jacob Townsend, a couple are key position players and only two played all 22 games.
I donāt have him at number one, but he will be among the top forwards I will select in draft. I think that we can possibly hold off a little in selecting our forwards on Draft day (get those 110+ mids and get a decent defender) due to being able to throw a blanket over a bunch in the forward group.
At the moment, picking Smith priced at the low 80s with at least 10 points upside means Iāll start with him. Iām keen but I know others arenāt, so hot tip; everyone will have him at some stage.
5 Likes
100% this. Would have been great to somehow nab one with Watson still on the teamā¦ but BJ absolutely deserves to go out a āPremiership Playerāā¦ I know it is luck of the draw but he was fantastic for Saints but has elevated even more for us imho.
Almost getting to the point where a flag this year might see him remembered as a Bomber first and saint second.
8 Likes
Heāll go close to being our most kmās run, can run all day.
doesnāt need to run all day, only during the game.
23 Likes
Iām a big fan. I reckon heāll be good. But we do need to keep in mind that he basically couldnāt get a game for gws at the end of last year. Thatās not to say he wonāt be good for us, but just important to keep expectations in check I reckon.
Only because he was injured.
He got injured in the middle of the year, was straight back into the team for the remainder of the H&W games but then re-injured and missed finals.
He was available for selection for the last final (at least) and wasnāt selected.
IIRC he came back underdone, played a few poor games and didnt make the cut for the last final.
2 Likes
Yeah but if Iām not mistaken, he got injured in the last round, and he didnāt play any finals so it would have been been risky to pick him, especially with his knee not being 100%.
2 Likes
Plus Stevie J killed it one final, kept his spot then stunk it up next final from memory
1 Like
A fully fit Devon Smith is best 22 in every team in the comp.
I donāt totally disagree that expectations should be kept in check, but not for the reason you stated. More to do with him becoming a full-time genuine midfielder.
At worst, heās a classy half forward.
11 Likes
Didnāt play a reserves game at all.
2 Likes
Iām on the 5mith bandwagon.
3 Likes
He was coming back from a knee injury, had no match fitness and it was a prelim.
The fact he didnāt get a game at end of year was purely due to injury & thus huge risk to play him,
not because he wasnāt in their best side.
2 Likes