Agree. I have always preferred Longer over Hickey, and yes Hickey had a stinker, along with a few others.lewdogs wrote:Feel a bit sorry for Hick after tonight. He was clearly very nervous and lacking confidence. Didn't help him that the midfield didn't show up. He had some bad moments but he was actually far from our worse tonight, and in the period where we almost looked like we might get back in it in the last quarter he actually started to play quite well.
Having said that, Billy is about the Flemington straight ahead right now in the ruck race.
However it is always difficult coming in to a pressure game having been absent for 12 weeks, not high on confidence, with the mids having developed a synergy with Billy, and everything having to change due to Hickey being less capable in knockouts, but normally better around the ground. Like a few others he was nervous and hesitant, dropped a few marks, as did most of the team.
If Longer does not come up, I would still prefer Hickey over Holmes, he will improve, and the mids should work with him during the week and work out strategies.
Probably won't happen though, the third man up rule does not suit him.