Welcome to Collingwood #20 Iliro Smit

[stui magpie]

^
He's playing in No 20. Looks like a solid boy.

[Dave The Man]

Had a Great Debut.
Played 3 Qtrs and had most Hitouts with 22. Center Bounce work was Amazing
Took 6 Marks and 6 Tackles

Looks very Promising and worth keeping an Eye on at VFL Level
Not Stick Skinny like most Young Rucks

[RudeBoy]

Those are great stats Dave.

Reckon he might have a big impact next year, which would be much earlier than most young ruckmen do at such a young age. The thing I love the most is apparently his aggressive competitiveness.

[LaurieHolden]

He'll gain invaluable experience from having coach and importantly former Ruckman in Josh Fraser guiding his journey.
Has Fraser made a statement internally to suggest Steene and Begg are lacking the required ruck DNA required to push into AFL? I suspect Smit simply came available at the right time, and at 18 remains a project player behind Steene.

By 25 y/o, you'd expect Smit to bulk out towards Shane Mumford / Max Gawn playing weight (110kg). Twice he clocked sub-3-seconds in the 20m sprint in 2022 pre-league testing, showing great speed that belies a 200cm / 95kg frame.
Several have indicated Smit is aggressive. Might that suggest Steene and Begg perhaps lack that aspect? Echoing Dermott Brereton - if you are a big man, play as a big man.

Go well young man.

[think better]

The first bounce of fourth quarter. Smit gets a great tap out then follows up very quickly and handballs to Allan who kicks into the forward 50. Reminded me of Max Gawn type of play.

Appears about 1:36 in the replay. https://www.afl.com.au/video/1148612/vf ... MATCH:6436

[The Black and White Lion]

That was a very good highlight from Smit and Allen and Johnson to show how things could be. Pretty much a one time event on Sunday. Johnson missed the long kick unfortunately but definitely Smit's endeavour at the ruck and Allen on the move were highlights.

Smit tried hard most of the game time he played. I think he was far more effective in the ruck and around the ground than Purcell who just tapped it to the ground or straight to a Casey Demon.

Smit's first game in the system with a week under his belt wasn't a great game but showed some glimpses. Has a big frame, a little clumsy falling to ground a lot like Cox but physical in the ruck and got a few taps here and there and generally followed up ok.

No doubt he's got to work on his fitness, ruck craft and skills but there's a bit to work with there. I'd say more so than Begg or Steene.

[stui magpie]

It may have just been perception, but it seemed to me that most of our goals were scored when Roo was in the ruck.
I think there's definitely a lot to work with there. He's not one dimensional in is ruckwork, I saw one instance where he held the other Ruckman off with his left arm, and did a deft tap backwards straight to one of our players.
I really love his follow up, he becomes an extra midfielder at contests. Similar to Begg but he's bigger and stronger than Begg and already able to hold his ground against mature bodied rucks.
I reckon the recruiters believed that if he played the remainder of the season in the U18's he would go high in the draft so they jumped in and nabbed him now.
He should be No 1 ruck in the VFL and Begg and Steene will need to work on being KPP/2nd ruck.

[The Black and White Lion]

yeah ok Stui I can buy into a little bit of that.

Ok just noting as it stands with Cox injured and AJ unplayable, if Cameron goes down then we swing Frampton into the ruck.
If Frampton goes down then we have Smit as our next available option. He's second in line at the moment.

We have Xerri, Witts/Moyle, Goldstein, Stanley/Conway and Meek/Reeves to come over the next 6weeks assuming Cox's timely recovery.

[Dave The Man]

Steene has shown last year he can Clunk Strong Mark

[Rd10.1998_11.1#36]

Wow, 18yo, one VFL game and already being touted as our second best backup ruck

Think the “aggressive” comments are just based on this?

https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1 ... ason-draft

[LaurieHolden]

VFL key takeaways - Smit stars up forward

With Cox returning, mid-season draftee Iliro Smit spent much more time forward than he has across his first five games in Pies colours, with the move working with immediate effect.
The 200cm tall kicked the opening goal of the game - his first in the black and white - and provided a strong presence in attack for his side.
He had a second early in the second term to continue his hot start of the game, while he took a strong contested mark in defensive fifty to showcase his versatility.
Only 19 years old and less than two months into life as an AFL footballer, Smit is showing significant progression each week.

Source :
https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1 ... pies-blues

[Charlie Oneeye]

He was in no mans land in th F50 defending space between 2 Carlton backs as they switched play. There was a disposal error and he was able to 'swoop' onto the ball and ..... the little thing that impressed me was his poise for a big guy to take possession and calmly slot a goal on his left.
Often Rucks looks a little like a fish out of water in these plays.

There is still a LOT of development needed, somewhat still a kid among men, but I am noticing at times he has that special 'presence' around the ground.

And what about the straight-as-an-arrow goal from 45...it looked like he could do it from 55.

[Piesnchess]

This kid will be a gem , another Allir allir, he has all the makings of him.

[The Black and White Lion]

This kid will be a gem , another Allir allir, he has all the makings of him.

oh man I'm looking at this screen with my eyes stretched so wide but I can't understand the Allir Allir reference. Please help?

[LaurieHolden]

^maybe P&C meant Iliro becomes Alliro...it was as close as I could get...