EFA
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We made so many unforced errors and had so many players lower their colours, I’m staggered that Conor McKenna’s lack of defensive nous rates a mention. We were comprehensively monstered by the best attacking team in the comp, so I’ll give a kid in his 1st game of 2017 who at least played with some flair a pass mark.
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I thought he did ok and had a good patch in the third term I think it was. Hopefully he doesn’t get suspended. Persist.
Thought he was far from our worst yesterday and if he somehow escapes suspension will hold his spot. You want guys with his skills being given every chance. Unfortunately he will be given a holiday, and the timing couldn’t be worse for his sake. He needs to be given a run of games in the AFL but if he gets two weeks he’ll be coming back through the VFL again.
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Has, dare I say it, potential.
VFL watchers - has he spent much/any time in the middle or forward?
Based off last night I think he’s more likely to make it as a forward/midfielder than a defender
I just don’t think there is any point playing him in the magoos anymore. The best learning curve for him is in the one’s. I still think there’s plenty of upside, just gotta be patient. Let him make a few more mistakes and let’s see if he learns. I can see a time in the future where he is just gonna cut up the opposition in a big way. Oh… and one other thing, play him in the guts - that’s where this cat is supposed to play.
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Cost us a few times. I’d give him another week
but, yeesh. If you’ve got two 100+ game, leadership group teammates pointing at you to cover that guy? don’t think you know better. Just do it.
Just watched the replay. McGrath is standing halfway between two opponents in no man’s land trying to get Joe to man up on the guy in the goals square (Joe just shrugs). Hurley isn’t watching the ball because he’s remonstrating with the umpires, and McKenna jogs in then walks past Hurley like play has stopped. Junk all around.
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He just needs to judge the ball better in the air, and develop more game sense.
Other attributes pace, agility,kick are great.
Play him next 10 in the ones.
If there’s an upward curve at all on those deficiencies-he gets another year.
If not, let him go.
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McKenna played better than Kelly
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Yes - Kelly cost us two goals in Q1 alone. It was Kelly’s worst game for a long, long time.
McKenna also played better than Stanton and Hurley and Watson.
When he amped up his aggression in Q3 he really stepped up (hopefully he doesn’t miss by taking an early plea; Crows player got straight back up and took his free so not much damage). He gave us some real drive along with Tippa/Fantasia rotating through the midfield and Zac Merrett he really stepped up after half time.
In fact, Goddard & Zaharakis aside, all our better players were our younger players. it was the older citizens that let us down and it’s the older players that struggle the most the week after a wet slog.
In regards to the 50m penalty that gifted them a free directly in front of goal, it was loud and Kelly didnt hear the whistle, he knows how to stall but there’s no way he would of kicked it if he knew it was theirs.
Umpire should of took the noise into consideration and just bought it back…cant burn pops for that.
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I’ve watched the replay an paid special attention to McKenna’s game after this comment. I have him down as 10 kicks (plus 2 kickins), 8 of which were marks to teammates (only one sideways/backwards cheapie), one was a dropped mark by Tippa, and one was a smother. The other two were a bad kick to Hooker and a missed 50m set shot. What’s your argument for him being 50/50?
Not going to defend his one on one ability, tackling, or game sense, because he’s often going full headless chook.
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Oh, but just wait a few more weeks after he’s been dropped for a while, and the goldfish in here will be screaming about how ■■■■ the selectors are playing old has-beens while young stars are languishing in the 2’s.
To be clear - I’ll almost always back giving a player 3 or 4 games in a row before making a call.
He’s playing in the wrong position I think. We should play him on the wing so he can use his pace more and doesn’t have to get into two many one on ones in which he struggles at. Also put Zaharakis in the midfield more and not on the wing so we can get more pace in our incredibly slow midfield.
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Thought he was ok. Hurley, Kelly, Baguley all had their poor moments as well. They could have done better but they were under the pump big time with stuff all defensive support from the midfield in the first half. For me it was the midfield as lack of defensive pressure that lost us the game.
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heres the thing. zacka isn’t overly fast anymore.
For Vfl watchers, has Mckenna played any midfield time and if so how did he go ? Would love to have a player with his hardness & leg speed busting through the packs Dangerfield style.
you just fkg knew it was coming. cheating ■■■■■.
safe nat fyfes brownlow, ban conor.
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