#45 Conor McKenna - the first six years

Essendon player, so automatic 3 weeks

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Can we try him in another position?
Is not a defender. Has pace and a decent kick but simply no defensive ability whatsoever which I would argue is the key requirement for a defender. Worth pushing him up the ground more? Sounded like he was up in the midfield for the last quarter

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Is 21, can run, can kick, is tough. Id keep playing but think he’ll have a holiday and have to break back in again

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This

And if you think he won’t get rubbed out you’re mad.

Pretty much stock standard from mckenna, makes some really bad decisions and stuff ups and lacks nous but some of his kicks break through the zone perfectly with his kicking.
Maybe a wing role would be better as his stuff ups usually cost us a few goals.

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Can Kick. Can’t do anything else.

Coming from the Irish game, I suspect that physical body-on-body work still doesn’t come naturally to him.

For example, tackling. He often goes for the smother rather than the tackle, and gets stepped around as a consequence.

I think he just wants to run and kick. Wing is the only place where he can do that without being a defensive liability.

Wish we had more players capable of just zipping a 10 metre kick into a teammates hands around his body.

half our fkg team can’t even handball chest high, its either 2.5 metres int he air or at their feet.

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I wish that were true. If you can’t defend, you’re a liabilty anywhere in todays game.

Conor simply needs to get better at it, or this will be a wasted exercise.

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One of Betts’ goals where he, Hurley and I think McGrath were just wandering around pointing at each other while Betts got free, got the ball, played on, and slotted the goal was some serious under 12s ■■■■. I’d have to see a replay to see who exactly was responsible for what, but it was embarrassingly bad.

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Play him on the wing

Cannot be part of back 6

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Hard task coming into that backline against the form team at home.
I hope Woosha gives him some confidence and promises him the next 6 games.

Had one great kick, otherwise 50/50 on his disposal, not the magic that most people here claim.
Defense is woeful, Dea must be wondering wtf. Until he can read the game is not up to it. Turning his back on betts, losing the ball constantly, cannot tackle.
Did love his hip and shoulder although thats a mandatory Essendon 2 week holiday.

Did as I expected, except for that schoolboy error in the second quarter - Want him to play most of the season.

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HFF /wing in the future would be his preferred spot.

Selection was justified and gave more drive then Gleeson. In the first half any small defender in the comp would’ve struggled with how Adelaide were moving the ball.

In the second half i saw a different side to him and that was he was prepared to take the high pressured kick on the 45 and play through the corridor. He looked assured with ball in hand for most of the second half.
Good signs and hopefully is given a few weeks to settle into the team.

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Unfortunately, . I don’t think we’ll have a choice next match. After watching the replay of his bump, it’s almost certain to be a week.

Only thing that might save him is having a clean (as in no) record.

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I thought he was ok. Definitely has some tools to work with.

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Give him 4 weeks, back him in. We aren’t a very good team and we desperately need an offensive running back with an elite kick. With Morgan breaking down again there is more reason to just back him in and give him a good crack.

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100% You have to look to the future. He is a fast learner and he will improve with familiarity with the other guys and learning the game plan.