You started it, Peos took the piiss out of it, I took seriously Peos’s piisstake.
I actually think McKernan, Stewart and Daniher all have a bit in common when it comes to being tall roaming forwards who can play a bit like midfielders and can pinch hit in the ruck, but sustaining the ruck is probably too much for all of them, but as @munna1 suggested, you probably could get away with rotating all 3 across half forward and taking turns in the ruck and leave them all on the ground.
As @Paul_Peos suggests, using Smack (and the others) in the ruck until Leuey is back and potentially TBC is starting to get up to steam (we hope).
Then we can decide if we want Smack or Stewart as a 2nd ruck/HFF or even send Hooker back as an option if JD, Smack and Stewart can all function as talls in symbiosis with our small forwards and rotating mids (ie: Raz, Walla +/- Green +/- Lav +/- other rotating mids - Colyer, Zakka.
I think there could be chaos for backlines trying to cope with this and there would be a decent ability to hold the ball in and move it quickly and purposefully.
He’s got the whole world in his hands
He’s got the sun and the rain in his hands
He’s got the wind and the clouds in his hands
He’s got the stars and moon in his hands
He’s got the whole world in his hands.
SMack has an almost unique body configuration in the AFL. He is listed at 196, but has a long neck, and long arms, This accounts for the fact that he plays well below his knees, but struggles as a ruckman, because he is effectively only about 192 or 193 because of his body proportions.
Now look at one of the premier big bodied mids Patrick Cripps . Various listed at 193 or 195 and 90 kgs he is regarded as a midfield bull.
I am not joking and not trying to be funny , I reckon SMack could be a big bodied mid, but they just have sort of typecast him as either a forward or a chop out/emergency ruckman.
What we saw on Sunday was him failing as a ruckman, but starring as a big bodied mid.
He monsters games in VFL playing as a big bodied mid. Obviously a step up to AFL but reckon he’s worth putting on a flank with instruction to get to the stoppage
Don’t know if he could be played as a mid. He gets a heap of the ball as a ruck because he is more athletic than the other ruckmen he is up against but will come down to a level playing field attacking and defending as a midfielder.
I’m not saying he can’t, because he is a very unique freak of a player but I just believe he won’t.
I was only calling for them to do this all of last year when we were crying out for size asking the contest. If they didn’t do it then they are not going to do it now.
McKernan gets good clearances stats following up as a ruck, but they are not quality. Typically he just hacks it forward with a quick kick. The likes of Jobe, Hep and Zac generate quality clearances where we break from the stoppage with clean disposal. I reckon McKernan’s direct opponent would have a field day as well as Smack turns like the Fair Star and doesn’t have sharpest footy brain going around. Talk of his physical presence around the ball is grossly overrated.
I think Smack can play one role at AFL - key forward who provides ruck relief. Since we are backed into a corner with injuries and in my opinion poor list management, he will need to be our number one ruck until Looney returns or Belly gets fit enough for AFL.
Yes, the hack kicking is not good. Instead of going to even 50/50, half the time some unmarked opposition player intercepts it. In fact Tim Watson said the same thing, in effect, If SMack wants to improve as a clearance player, ( he got 10 clearances against Geelong) he needs to handball out to an outside mid or , accelerate out of the stoppage, or as a last resort hack kick it out.
A good mid can handball while being tackled, has the power to run out of the stoppage and break tackles at least 50% of the time… He should start trying these things, because for the next 3 games, he is going to play in the ruck, take possession at stoppages and needs to improve his “craft”
Essendon ruckman Matthew Leunberger is facing a stint on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury during last Sunday’s JLT clash with Geelong. The injury opening the door for rookie listed Shaun McKernan to force his way into the Bombers line-up for the round 1 blockbuster clash against Hawthorn.
Essendon’s rucking situation
With Tom Bellchambers racing the clock to be fit for the beginning of the season, the rucking situation at the Bombers is less than ideal. John Worsfold was upfront earlier this week when discussing the current ruck dilemma.
“We are a bit light on there. McKernan battled on pretty well. Obviously, it’s not ideal. He (McKernan) has done it before. A couple of years ago he carried the ruck a fair bit and even though he didn’t get as many opportunities last year he still did OK.”
Shaun McKernan’s last chance
Shaun McKernan is expected to be promoted to the senior list. He knows this is most likely his last chance saloon at AFL level. The 26 year old has only played 49 AFL games in total since being drafted by Adelaide. McKernan was pick 28 in the 2008 draft.
So far so good
The ex-Crow did his chances of a senior call up no harm with his performance on Sunday. Shaun McKernan finished with 21 disposals and was able to go forward and impact the scoreboard with 3 goals. Most importantly his centre square work was competitive with 19 hit-outs and eight clearances.
It is not ideal to get an opportunity at the expense of injury to a teammate. But sadly, that is often the nature of life on the rookie list. Now it is up to Shaun McKernan to prove his AFL days are not finished.
by Liam Sheedy – contributor
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