Prediction How many games will Daniel McKenzie play in 2015?

[Air King]

66 days to go

 

[lethalsaints]

2

 

[Air King]

11

 

[hayes]

2.

 

[12Chill]

A lot of competition off the half back line, would be nice to see him half a dozen times though.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Given his epic endurance already (which ought to allow him to play wing from the get-go), combined with line-breaking speed and excellent kicking and marking, I'm expecting that we'll see a fair bit of him this year, especially having heard that some of the wraps on him inside the club are very, very high.

 

[TN25]

I'd say about 10 games

 

[Tommy Wigs]

Given his epic endurance already (which ought to allow him to play wing from the get-go), combined with line-breaking speed and excellent kicking and marking, I'm expecting that we'll see a fair bit of him this year, especially having heard that some of the wraps on him inside the club are very, very high.

Would love to hear more on this if you can. The recruiters or what he has done at the club?

Very excited - but intrigued by what he 'ends up' - about this kid.

 

[sonnywalters]

For those who follow the TAC Cup is he better than Sam Crocker was?

 

[hayes]

Given his epic endurance already (which ought to allow him to play wing from the get-go), combined with line-breaking speed and excellent kicking and marking, I'm expecting that we'll see a fair bit of him this year, especially having heard that some of the wraps on him inside the club are very, very high.

He's all those things but he's just sooooo skinny. I see his path similiar to Webster's.

 

[SaintLex]

By far the most out of all our draftees

 

[aussierulesrules]

Would love to hear more on this if you can. The recruiters or what he has done at the club?

Very excited - but intrigued by what he 'ends up' - about this kid.

Both. Both before we got him and also since and by the sounds of it we have high hopes for him in the midfield, although I haven't heard whether that would likely be an inside or outside role.

He's all those things but he's just sooooo skinny. I see his path similiar to Webster's.

Eli was skinny last year and he had played every game until he broke his arm and the thing with Jimmy is that he came to the club off the back of about 3 injury riddled seasons and from memory also had injuries in his first season with us as well, and now Jimmy is coming up to his 4th year at the club yet he is still behind Dan in the time trials, so with that being the case I think it's fair to say that in his first year with us Jimmy's tank wouldn't have been anywhere near as big as Dan's is at the moment, so for those reasons I think we'll see more of Dan than we did of Jimmy early on, injuries and openings permitting.

 

[Persevering Saint]

My question is, who does he push out?

As a midfielder, and if we assume there are about 10 spots available in the 22 for mids (with 5 in the forward line and 7 in the backline, as a fair guess), these are the players he has to be better than:

1. Montagna
2. Steven
3. Armitage
4. Ray
5. Ross
   
6. Acres
7. Curren
8. Weller
9. Saunders
10. Newnes

Then you can add players that have been playing in either the forward or backline that are expected to go more into the midfield:
11. Templeton
12. Billings
13. Murdoch
14. Savage
15. Minchington
16. Markworth
17. Membrey
18. Shenton

Now, obviously, McKenzie isn't going to play in the same role as many of these players (Weller as a tagger, for example), but nonetheless. All of these players have "first dibs", imo, and he's going to have to show a bit to break into the 22, behind a lot of those players.

 

[L_W_P]

Dont think there is anything close to 'first dibs' as far as getting a game.

Eli and Dunstan were both clearly in Richo's 22 last season ahead of Saunders, Ross and Murdoch.

McKenzie is every chance of getting a game and keeping Wright/Ray etc out.

Dempster - Delaney - Webster
Savage - Fisher - Acres
Newnes - Armitage - Montagna
Billings - Riewoldt - Membrey
Templeton - White - Billings
Hickey - Steven - Dunstan
Bruce - Ray - Weller
McKenzie

Easy enough to see that as a best 22 for round 1 and that's without Ross, Lee, Schneider, Roberton, Longer, Gilbert, Curren, Murdoch, Wright, Saunders, Saad and Shenton who all have senior games and a claim for a spot ahead of the draftees.

Siposs, Simpkin and Minchington all have senior experience as well.

Then we have Pierce and Markworth who are basically new draftees as they are yet to debut.

Plenty of competition for spots but I wouldnt count out any of our draftees playing a number of games in 2015.

 

[crasha301]

Dont think there is anything close to 'first dibs' as far as getting a game.

Eli and Dunstan were both clearly in Richo's 22 last season ahead of Saunders, Ross and Murdoch.

McKenzie is every chance of getting a game and keeping Wright/Ray etc out.

Dempster - Delaney - Webster
Savage - Fisher - Acres
Newnes - Armitage - Montagna
Billings - Riewoldt - Membrey
Templeton - White - Billings
Hickey - Steven - Dunstan
Bruce - Ray - Weller
McKenzie

Easy enough to see that as a best 22 for round 1 and that's without Ross, Lee, Schneider, Roberton, Longer, Gilbert, Curren, Murdoch, Wright, Saunders, Saad and Shenton who all have senior games and a claim for a spot ahead of the draftees.

Siposs, Simpkin and Minchington all have senior experience as well.

Then we have Pierce and Markworth who are basically new draftees as they are yet to debut.

Plenty of competition for spots but I wouldnt count out any of our draftees playing a number of games in 2015.

With so much competition this year and next it will definitely separate the boys from the men.

 

[Sir Skid]

There are a few ways to look at the order of preference for getting games.
Whilst plenty of our players who have been there for 3 or more preseasons are developing size, strength and better tanks IMO this does not guarantee games.
If we ranked players by disposal efficiency by hand and foot then there are a few of the above group who would be sadly found wanting. McKenzie may already be seen as starting 22 depending on workload and fitness each week.

 

[TastetheBeast]

I'm defiantly going to more Sandy games this year! It might be a better watch than the firsts

 

[Nutsngum]

I went to a couple of sandy games last year (one where we got killed) and its a great experience watching the kids go at it.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Quite a few if this from the club site is anything to go by:
"McKenzie is more of an unknown, and although he’s happy to fly under the radar now, it won’t be long before his name becomes a household one."
You couldn't get much bigger wraps than that.

 

[hayes]

Sooooo does Tom Morris' opinion on where he will end up count the same as the clubs? He thinks McKenzie will end up being a midfielder FWIW.

 

[SK_MD_#7]

10-15 games i reckon..

Think he'll play most of the season if form warrants it and most of any of our draftees.