Beast.
When we signed him I was expecting a cripple, but he has been fantastic.
When we signed him I was expecting a cripple, but he has been fantastic.Gone a bit early there. Loony has always been a quality tap ruckman and despite injuries affecting him is still reasonably athletic. Having said that he has in the past had a tendency to pick up an injury just as he starts to really string games together, hopefully he can have a good run with us.
Second efforts are fantastic. Also like that he gets involved in the fast handballs even if it’s always dangerous
He’s been great in the ruck and his attitude towards the ball and the man is great. But he’s an indirect turn over merchant. The number of times the guy he tries to handball it to gives it up because either the disposal was poor or the wrong decision was disappointing.
That was his best game for the club IMO.
From a huge sample size too.
Great game
One would describe Leuenberger as a ‘shrewd pickup’.
Looney has been fantastic, and he’s surprisingly nimble for a big man, gets down and dirty often.
Hope Jobe, Hep, and Myers are admiring his tap work right now, if that body holds up and he gets some real momentum going into 2017 those guys will be getting their fair share of it.
If they come back.
Was always going to be a great get, so long as he could stay on the park.
Can’t believe Brisbane let him go.
MATTHEW Leuenberger feels rejuvenated after moving to Essendon, saying he is now in a “far better headspace”.
Leuenberger moved to Essendon from the Brisbane Lions as a restricted free agent last October, having played 108 games in nine seasons at the Gabba.
The ruckman suffered his share of injuries at the Lions and had a delayed start to his first pre-season at Tullamarine because of a lingering Achilles tendon injury.
But the No.4 pick in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft reached the starting line in time for Essendon’s round one clash against Gold Coast and has since ably shouldered the Bombers’ ruck duties.
In Essendon’s 30-point loss to Geelong at the MCG on Saturday, Leuenberger had the better Zac Smith and Rhys Stanley at the ruck contests, winning 25 hit-outs to his Cats counterparts’ combined tally of 20.
Leuenberger also won a season-high 16 possessions and drifted forward to hit the scoreboard for the first time this season, but unfortunately registered two behinds.
It was a performance that augured well for the rest of the season.
“The body’s feeling good. I had a bit of an injury-interrupted pre-season, but I think I’m out of the woods a bit with the Achilles,” Leuenberger told AFL.com.au after Saturday’s game.
"Even with everything that’s gone on, I’m in a far better headspace now than I was this time last year.
“I just feel rejuvenated and excited by something new after about nine years up in Queensland.”
Leuenberger said the spirit among Essendon’s playing group had been remarkable since the season-long suspension of 12 players on anti-doping charges had forced the club to bring in 10 ‘top-up’ players.
The former Lion said the short time the Essendon group had been together ahead of the 2016 season meant there would be inevitable inconsistencies in their performances.
“We’ve had players joining our list in the back end of January, so we’re still sort of figuring one another out,” Leuenberger said.
"I think in that time when we’re still figuring one another out there’s going to be inconsistencies in the way that we play.
“So we’ve just got to continue training and continue rocking up on game day and hopefully in a couple of weeks it all begins to gel and we can shake it up a bit.”
But while the Bombers might have form swings like the one that saw them record a stirring win over Melbourne in round two and follow it up with a flat effort against Port Adelaide a week later, Leuenberger says they will always expect the type of effort they brought against Geelong on Saturday.
Essendon’s work rate against the Cats was hard to fault. It won the possession count 424-359, handball receives 167-133 and, remarkably against a Geelong midfield headed by Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield, clearances 42-23.
“The effort is what we speak about as being a non-negotiable. So every week that’s our primary focus, just ripping in and having a crack,” Leuenberger said.
"If we do that then anything can happen, like we saw in round two.
“That’s what we’re all about at the moment … contested ball, tackling, just the basics of the game, and effort and desire.”
against a Geelong midfield headed by Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield, (won) clearances 42-23.
Giggedy
Got the coaches votes on the weekend
Went off after we hit the front late in the 3rd and they won the next 2 center clearances easily and cleanly against Ambrose. Get smack in!
Former # 4 draft pick. Didn’t realize he went as high as that, even though Brissy have been rs for a long time. Doing all that has been asked of him right now and will only get better.
Went off after we hit the front late in the 3rd and they won the next 2 center clearances easily and cleanly against Ambrose. Get smack in!
Is SMcK that much taller or better that he would have made a huge diff there??
Or are we just rolling on the anti Ambrose train now?
Late in the 3rd, Ambrose would have been at every contest there after still fresh … would’ve Shaun?
(Thankfully, I put my flame retardant suit on about 15 minutes ago 
)
McKernan’s strength last year was his mobility and engine.
Went off after we hit the front late in the 3rd and they won the next 2 center clearances easily and cleanly against Ambrose. Get smack in!Is SMcK that much taller or better that he would have made a huge diff there??
Or are we just rolling on the anti Ambrose train now?
Late in the 3rd, Ambrose would have been at every contest there after still fresh … would’ve Shaun?
(Thankfully, I put my flame retardant suit on about 15 minutes ago
He is only about 3 cm taller but has a better leap to my eye and knows something about leverage in ruck contests. Would give a better contest.