Ex-#44 Shaun McKernan

Disagree with this. Hooker makes very excited when he’s at his chest thumping best.

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Not sure if he’ll still be on the list in five years, but good luck to Shauney McKernan, he has a good go when he gets the chance in the seniors.

Fixed

Only problem moving him back to the backline. Though I’d love a chest beating after a big spoil.

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Part of me is expecting the traditional drop in form after an exceptional game. The other part of me thinks he deserves us to back him in after a career best pre-season and 2 very strong performances in a row. Very good problem to have if Smack remains dominant and Joey gets his form back.

he owes me $810

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He is athletic, good mark, good kick, good leap, good aerobic capacity, good size, reads the flight of the ball well… fark me, there’s not much he doesn’t have. His only downside (and it’s big) is the dumb decisions he can make when the adrenaline kicks in and the brain checks out. With maturity, he’ll probably learn to take a breath a little more often before disposing… At 27 he’s probably just acquiring that maturity now - so yeah… he could well be a 800K a year forward who is probably on closer to 80K. Back him in Woosh, at least for three or four weeks, and let’s see if that prefrontal cortex has matured… could have a bargain on your hands.

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I disagree on the lack of talent comment I think he has plenty. Great hands, big kick, moves well I believe his issue has been consistency and understanding his game. He is in the best shape in his career and he looks to have improved significantly since arriving. We have the perfect opportunity to put a month into him and see what he can do. Far more suited to rucking than Stewart also.

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The commentary from the weekend had it exactly pegged, does a couple of superstar things that make you think he is a 200 gamer. Then he goes missing for a couple of weeks. Consistency is the thing big Shaun is in search of. There is no real physical trait that he lacks. It all in his head.
His first round game in 2017 against the Hawks was his best game for us I reckon. But then he went missing and we didn’t see him for the rest of the year.
He seems to do a couple of things in the ruck that umpires don’t like. Gets pinged a lot. I can’t always make out what it’s for.

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He’s always undersized in ruck so panics against the bigger players.

Fwd/pinch hit ruck is his go at AFL level but inconsistency always a big issue. Not like our midfield has made it easy for forwards of recent years though.

8 shots on goal is no mean feat. He certainly knows his way around the forward line.

Depth is his level.

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Last three games he’s played in the ones, he’s been in the best players.

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Simply cannot drop him based on the form he’s showing! Will be very interesting to see what happens once Daniher comes back…unthinkable at the start of the year, but Stewart may be forced out if Smack can keep up his form.

Gee Boot, you don’t value the bloke much do you … “depth is his level”. The 2018 model is a far different proposition to previous years. He is currently (and has been since preseason) in career best form and if people can put aside their bias / pre-formed notions, he is easily top 7 at Essendon based on performance and importance to the team.

As things stand, McKernan makes Essendon a better team. I don’t expect past fluctuations in output to be so extreme and I do expect he’ll continue performing at a high level. Nothing he’s done in 2018 says otherwise.

Keep it up Shaun! There’s quite a few of us right behind you. A real beacon in an otherwise dull year, who could very well help this team turn things around.

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SMACK

Acid test for him this week to throw off past perceptions.

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Nope.

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They are seemingly giving Stringer more and more midfield time.

So we may revert back to 3 tall fwd line, the structure that worked so well last year. And then just rest Stringer fwd when one of talls on bench or in ruck.

No way does Stewart go out.

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Very happy with his game, the rest of the team also allowed him to flourish, but at the same time he gave our mids a focal point up fwd, works both ways. Its what he does over the next few weeks that tells the story for me. He has had some brilliant games over his career, but you never know, when its going to happen. He needs to show consistency.

Does’t have to be to that level every week, but he needs to at least have an impact on the game everytime he plays. Until then I am not getting to exited.

if mckernan keeps up this form at FF, id persist with Stewart as the sole HF and get Daniher right up the ground. Play him off the wings. If he can snag two goals a game and take 10 or so marks just roaming up and down the wings all day, I’ll take it.

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