We've got more than enough players as it is. Marty being thrown around as trade bait isn't going to snare us anyone who's going to do anything more than take his spot in the best 22 (which he definitely is). Really think we'd be able to trade Gleeson for some magical watch winning running half back?
Who’s his manager anyway? It’s not Jaws is it?
What is this, like a time machine? We should get one of these half backs!
Not signing yet is interesting. Didn’t finish in the top 10 in the B&F either despite playing in 20 games - sign that he’s not seen as overly required or just waiting till all the other deals are done?
I don’t have him best 22 next year but he’s handy depth so would be disappointed if he left.
He doesn't make my starting best 22 next year but he had a very good back end and has given himself every opportunity. I'd play Bags, Goddard, Irish and Dea (if we get him) ahead of him + id have an Ambrose or Brown as a third tall.
Big call this one. Surely Gleeson has shown more at AFL level than Mckenna? Marty engenders a bit more trust in me at this stage, just having that bit more game sense.
Bags Hartley/Hooker Brown/Ambrose/Francis
Dea Hurley Gleeson
I certainly understand the rationale with McKenna as that backline does lack a genuine line-breaking rebounding defender, a position that is incredibly important in today’s game. Gleeson gives a little bit of that but not to the level of the top echelon. However, I think he has a more well-rounded game than McKenna at this stage.
Will be a great summer on the track with positions in the 22 hotly contested. Some guys, hopefully McKenna is one, will improve a few notches again and ensure they get first crack.
P.S. I think Goddard will play more as a wing sort of floating wherever he likes. And Kelly, who knows at this stage.
No, he hasn’t. Other than overhead, McKenna already is a better player than Gleeson:
I’m not sure Gleeson has ever got near near hitting the scoreboard off HB in season. In under half a season, McKenna has twice had two scoring shots off half back for 0.2 against the Lions and 2.0 against the Suns that was arguably the difference between a win and a loss given we only won that game by 6 points,
Is an infinitely better kick than Gleeson, especially on the run…and arguably the best kick on our list.
Has far more physical presence whose tackling efforts and physicality over the ball (go back and watch Carlton’s first goal in the last game) remain cringe-worthy although Gleeson has gradually improved. McKenna has a powerful core and is one of the few players to avoid Dustin Martin’s “don’t argue” and nail him holding the ball in a tackle. It’s impossible to imagine Gleeson having the strength to do this.
McKenna has only played about 35 or some games of AFL ever. He has started learning about the game. His upside is huge. Gleeson;s upside is much less and is probably limited to having a stronger body as he naturally tends to choke his kicks, especially on the run (often delivering helicopter passes rather than proper drop punts).
He doesn't make my starting best 22 next year but he had a very good back end and has given himself every opportunity. I'd play Bags, Goddard, Irish and Dea (if we get him) ahead of him + id have an Ambrose or Brown as a third tall.
Big call this one. Surely Gleeson has shown more at AFL level than Mckenna? Marty engenders a bit more trust in me at this stage, just having that bit more game sense.
Bags Hartley/Hooker Brown/Ambrose/Francis
Dea Hurley Gleeson
I certainly understand the rationale with McKenna as that backline does lack a genuine line-breaking rebounding defender, a position that is incredibly important in today’s game. Gleeson gives a little bit of that but not to the level of the top echelon. However, I think he has a more well-rounded game than McKenna at this stage.
Will be a great summer on the track with positions in the 22 hotly contested. Some guys, hopefully McKenna is one, will improve a few notches again and ensure they get first crack.
P.S. I think Goddard will play more as a wing sort of floating wherever he likes. And Kelly, who knows at this stage.
No, he hasn’t. Other than overhead, McKenna already is a better player than Gleeson:
I’m not sure Gleeson has ever got near near hitting the scoreboard off HB in season. In under half a season, McKenna has twice had two scoring shots off half back for 0.2 against the Lions and 2.0 against the Suns that was arguably the difference between a win and a loss given we only won that game by 6 points,
Is an infinitely better kick than Gleeson, especially on the run…and arguably the best kick on our list.
Has far more physical presence whose tackling efforts and physicality over the ball (go back and watch Carlton’s first goal in the last game) remain cringe-worthy although Gleeson has gradually improved. McKenna has a powerful core and is one of the few players to avoid Dustin Martin’s “don’t argue” and nail him holding the ball in a tackle. It’s impossible to imagine Gleeson having the strength to do this.
McKenna has only played about 35 or some games of AFL ever. He has started learning about the game. His upside is huge. Gleeson;s upside is much less and is probably limited to having a stronger body as he naturally tends to choke his kicks, especially on the run (often delivering helicopter passes rather than proper drop punts).
Gleeson is a better mark, a better spoil, better man on man, better at reading the defensive play and in general is more courageous (nothing against Connor because he’s no squib) . I rate Conner, and really believe he’ll be pushing best 22 next year by the end and probably has a higher ceiling. That said, Gleeson IS best 22, however I see both of them best 22 a couple of years from now.
Gleeson got better as the season went on, and has some handy attributes, but still has deficiencies. The biggest as I see it is a lack of physicality in his game. Hopefully that changes when he (finally, eventually, hopefully) puts a bit more muscle on his frame. I think he has a future given steady development, but with the influx of players next year and the development of others might find it tougher in the short term.
He’s a different player to McKenna, but they’re both shaping up for the same position. I see a bigger upside in McKenna just in natural improvement, but I also rate his much superior kicking, and his ability to take on the play. Connor is becoming, and will be, a playmaker off the HBF, unlike Marty, who is more reactive. He’ll set-up a lot of attacking plays and he’ll drift down and kick regular goals. Longer term I see him as a much better prospect than Gleeson.
And given that we’re in the hunt for Jaeger, and that the Suns are on record saying they’d prefer players to draft picks I reckon he’ll be a trade prospect. I think Jackson Merrett might be another - and it might be in his best interests to move somewhere where he’ll get regular game time.
The way I see things. Bags is 29. Kelly is 30 something. Walla is a forward or mid only. I’m not a fan of any of our mids bar Heppell near the backline, and don’t want Heppell wasted there.
So I see Gleeson, Dea and McKenna as actually all pretty freaking important going forward - that they both stay and improve. With Ahby not up to it and Hibberd leaving we’ve no depth beyond them in the younger group at all. We need all three staying, we need McKenna promoted, and we really need another small defender somewhere in the draft. Assuming injuries, all three will play lots of footy in 2017.
The way I see things. Bags is 29. Kelly is 30 something. Walla is a forward or mid only. I'm not a fan of any of our mids bar Heppell near the backline, and don't want Heppell wasted there.
So I see Gleeson, Dea and McKenna as actually all pretty freaking important going forward - that they both stay and improve. With Ahby not up to it and Hibberd leaving we’ve no depth beyond them in the younger group at all. We need all three staying, we need McKenna promoted, and we really need another small defender somewhere in the draft. Assuming injuries, all three will play lots of footy in 2017.
Yep, for the first time in a while I will not roll my eyes when on draft night we call out the name of a half back flanker with good leadership. Even if it is inside the top 25. The time is right!
P.S. Almost forgot Alex Morgan existed and that we drafted him just last year.
The way I see things. Bags is 29. Kelly is 30 something. Walla is a forward or mid only. I'm not a fan of any of our mids bar Heppell near the backline, and don't want Heppell wasted there.
So I see Gleeson, Dea and McKenna as actually all pretty freaking important going forward - that they both stay and improve. With Ahby not up to it and Hibberd leaving we’ve no depth beyond them in the younger group at all. We need all three staying, we need McKenna promoted, and we really need another small defender somewhere in the draft. Assuming injuries, all three will play lots of footy in 2017.
Yep, for the first time in a while I will not roll my eyes when on draft night we call out the name of a half back flanker with good leadership. Even if it is inside the top 25. The time is right!
P.S. Almost forgot Alex Morgan existed and that we drafted him just last year.
Connor doesn't have a defensive bone in his body. Cannot believe people see it fit to compare them.
Agree about the invalid comparison. To be fair, Conor started his first year in the VFL as a goal square forward. He kicked about 20 goals . Not bad . Gradually they moved him up the ground first high half forward, then wing and then on the back of some great VFL games in the first half of this year they brought him into the AFL side off half back, giving him a consistent message to “take the game on”
Well, is it any surprise he has a deficit in defensive skills ? They will work on this over the pre-season, and he will become the Pig replacement next year.
As for Marty, lets see if he can put on some muscle by the time the season starts. As has been said he is more the “Corey Enright” type of player.
Connor doesn't have a defensive bone in his body. Cannot believe people see it fit to compare them.
Agree about the invalid comparison. To be fair, Conor started his first year in the VFL as a goal square forward. He kicked about 20 goals . Not bad . Gradually they moved him up the ground first high half forward, then wing and then on the back of some great VFL games in the first half of this year they brought him into the AFL side off half back, giving him a consistent message to “take the game on”
Well, is it any surprise he has a deficit in defensive skills ? They will work on this over the pre-season, and he will become the Pig replacement next year.
As for Marty, lets see if he can put on some muscle by the time the season starts. As has been said he is more the “Corey Enright” type of player.
I would have thought defensive skills are the easiest to learn. Zoning etc. can be hard I’m sure but that’s not what I’m talking about. Connor is a pretty poor tackler.
Connor doesn't have a defensive bone in his body. Cannot believe people see it fit to compare them.
Agree about the invalid comparison. To be fair, Conor started his first year in the VFL as a goal square forward. He kicked about 20 goals . Not bad . Gradually they moved him up the ground first high half forward, then wing and then on the back of some great VFL games in the first half of this year they brought him into the AFL side off half back, giving him a consistent message to “take the game on”
Well, is it any surprise he has a deficit in defensive skills ? They will work on this over the pre-season, and he will become the Pig replacement next year.
As for Marty, lets see if he can put on some muscle by the time the season starts. As has been said he is more the “Corey Enright” type of player.
I would have thought defensive skills are the easiest to learn. Zoning etc. can be hard I’m sure but that’s not what I’m talking about. Connor is a pretty poor tackler.
I am pretty confident Conor will come out a better defensive player next year ( hopefully Harves stays on as defensive Line coach ).
Marty’s body development is apparently “pre-natal”. He might be a late developer.
It will be interesting which of these 2 line up in round 1 2017