AFL Hall of Fame inductee Terry Wallace is at odds as to why St Kilda’s Jack Billings is struggling to fulfil his undoubted potential.
Billings was dropped for this weekend’s match against Sydney after looking like a player bereft of any sort of confidence and self-belief so far this season.
Taken at pick 3 in the 2013 National Draft, the 22-year-old’s alarming stagnation in his development is a huge concern for the Saints and for coach Alan Richardson.
“I can’t understand how it’s fallen this far, that we’ve got a player of that quality that can’t get a game in this side,” Wallace told The Match Committee.
“I’m not doubting the match committee, his performances have obviously not been anywhere near where they want them.
“But surely the coaching staff have to take some form of responsibility for why he’s fallen away and why he hasn’t developed as well.
“The player certainly has to take responsibility for his own actions as well, but this one might not have a happy ending.
“When you see a guy who’s that good and it’s gone that bad, I mean the amount of scoring shots he had last year, if only he had accuracy on his side.
“It’s a shock that it’s come to this, that he’s in that position currently running around at VFL level when you’re such a high-end draft selection, he was such a talented player for them last year.
“It’s a big, big fall from grace for the exact type of player that they need to be developing and to come on and be a leader of their footy club.
“He’s fallen so far from his best footy.”
Wallace says Billings is “second guessing himself” and that he quickly needs to regain confidence in his decision making and kicking ability in order to make a swift return to the senior side.
Catch St Kilda's clash against Sydney at Etihad Stadium on 1116SEN. Join Tristan Foenander and Terry Wallace from 7.20pm AEST.