We haven’t won a final in 12 years. If you’re seriously trying to mount a case to say we don’t have any issues in our player development then good luck with that.
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So you’re saying if we give McKenna 4 more years he’ll end up having a season that is statistically the same as Gary Ablett?
Completely different sports with no bearing on the other and what requires a huge learning curve and a completely different set of skill sets. Tall ruckman coming in seem to be the few that do manage success coming in off limited AFL exposure, as a proportion of the awareness and smarts needed evaporate, and it mostly turns into ruck taps and just contributing around the ground best they can. McKenna might have talent but I don’t think its anymore talent that any other potential AFL player and only as Essendon fan would think he’s anything above average for talent, and that’s being harsh but truthful. He has shocking awareness and positioning, slips over a lot and fumbles under pressure and has poor footy smarts for an AFL player. He might be quick in the VFL but he hasn’t shown that yet and it’s often be undone by bad decision making on his part. His kicking might be “good” but he hasn’t shown that remotely at AFL level yet, and no, one good kick for every 6 doesn’t count. People rave over an awesome kick he make by 9/10 it was a basic 40m pass that looks cool cause of his dinky kicking action.
I’m not saying not to play him as I’d rather play him over Howlett/Hocking etc and he does have pace and is young so he can learn, but we trying to play him as a running back where he doesn’t have the onfield smarts to win enough ball and he’s certainly not a dour defender. I’d rather us try him on the wing over Zaka tbh.
I think we have gotten a lot better in recent years. How many of the current coaching / recruiters were around 12 years ago? Jackets?
Now or never for McKenna.
He’s never going be learn to make quick, and probably more importantly, correct decisions by playing at VFL pace.
He’s a bloddy gifted athlete. Can deliver the ball beautifully at times.
But his vision isn’t great, panics under pressure, and has aweak handball.
Dunno. I just don’t know.
Give Zack Touy a call?
i think he looks worse than he is, meaning the errors just stand out and outweigh the good… will that last? who knows, but the good is definitely there and no one is disputing that. just needs to slow down and realise AFL isn’t faster than him and it will all click. Just needs to learn the speed of the game and the speed he can play it at, play off talent alone… reading back on this post it sounds just like jetta?
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I would say more stupid & ridiculous than odd, but each to their own.
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Conor spent his first year learning the structures to play forward as this is where he played gaelic football as a junior. He continued to train as a forward in his second year and was then changed to the backline and has been learning the structures there. He is now in his third year, thats all, the same Long, Lav & Lang.
Hopefully he is midfield bound. Is it prudent by the coaches to have him learn the game all over the field considering he is learning the game from scratch?
I think it is.
I hope he makes it
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Noticed he played as a deeper defender this week and was very focused on his opponent - This could have been because both he and McNiece lost their opponents in traffic last week - And there was no McNiece or McGrath and Gleeson was more wing - I’d have liked to see him present as a more attacking option butwas happy enough with his game.
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agreed. one of his biggest knocks is his ability in the air and I thought he actually competed quite well in a few one on ones that I saw, even took a contested mark or two. far more encouraging to see a guy seemingly improving on a deficiency than getting a couple easy possessions that highlight what strength’s we know he already has.
I reckon if he persists he will eventually make it as a regular player in the team. Maybe in 3 years time? He would only be 24 then but I just wonder how long he personally would want to continue being a fringe player at a struggling club being so far from home.
Just want to note that it is really difficult to get a formline on some players this year when they are being tried in different positions / roles each week. Particularly when not watching it live at the ground.
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He also went pick 3 in the draft, is 2.13m tall and weighs 113kg.
Physical attributes are far more important in basketball and skills less so than AFL, plus much easier to learn the game, eg 5 positions only, much smaller field, game isn’t really 360
Not a fair comparison
There are maybe 5 guys in any draft with McKennas athletic profile. He is worth the effort.
He then played half a season and got injured again. They should have drafted Cyril Rioli.
How can anyone be satisfied with an 8 possession game??
Cyril would. best 8 possession game player ever to play the game.
I asked above but I don’t think anyone answered. Does anyone know who he was on, and how they went? If he completely or mostly locked someone out of the game, then that should change how people perceive his performance. If he leaked 5 goals across three opponents, obviously that would have the reverse.
But I can’t remember seeing him too many times getting beaten down back, although I’ll admit my attention during that fourth quarter waned…
Had Balic for periods from what I saw. Balic, a 1st (or 2nd?) year player had 10disp and a goal from a free kick that he should never have received.
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sanitation
Some of you won’t be happy until McKenna’s visa is revoked and he’s deported.
I reckon he’s worth an extended run in the seniors.
Jesus, we gave Melksham 7 years.
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