Delisted Nick O'Kearney

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Welcome to a lad I've seen a lot of at the Cannons, gut-running ball-winner Nick O'Kearney!

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Nick O'Kearney (13/02/1997. 182cm, 71kg. Calder Cannons)

Medium midfielder/defender/forward

AFL biography: Medium defender/midfielder who is efficient by hand and generally kicks the ball well on either foot. Possesses strong hands overhead and reads the ball well in flight. A super competitive player who rarely fumbles and has the ability to find the footy both on the inside and outside. Makes very good decisions under pressure. Member of NAB AFL Academy . Averaged 21.8 disposals (73 percent efficiency) across five games across the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships winning All-Australian honours.

"Nick's a ball magnet. He gets himself to where the ball's going to get to. His body is still maturity so he might take a while, but I reckon he's got a bit stronger in the legs in the last half of the season. He's got a really strong work ethic and he's the sort of kid who will get into an AFL environment and thrive in the meetings. He'll be like a sponge, he'll just want to learn everything he can about how he can get quicker and how he can kick the ball further. He's not going to die wondering."

Ian Kyte, Calder Cannons talent manager
 
Good read.

"From his six games so far this season, he’s averaged 27 disposals, four clearances, four tackles and 123 SuperCoach points per match. He also accumulated 22 disposals in the AFL Academy’s clash against Werribee at the MCG earlier this year."

"O’Kearney made a big impression on the Under 18s landscape in 2014, where he won Calder’s Best and Fairest as a 17-year-old after averaging 25.6 disposals over 17 TAC Cup games"

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl...al-championships/story-e6frf3e3-1227365039936
 
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The thread I was talking about from the start of the year. http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/power-rankings-for-the-2015-draft.1085573/

Nick O’Kearney (VicM –Mid) Weight: 70 kg
Height: 180 cm
D.O.B: 13/2/97

Style: Jobe Watson
Vic Metro have something to look forward to in this kid as he is the reigning Calder BnF winner as a bottom ager in a Cannons lineup that included Touk Miller, Peter Wright and Paul Ahern. Averaged 15 disposals at 76% and 25 at 61% respectably. Has shown he is a volume accumulator that just needs to get his foot skills right if he is to cement himself as a top Midfielder. Would be heavly tagged at the championships due to the lack of high end talent in the Vic Metro lineup.

Paige's Profile:

48: Richmond – Nicholas O’Kearney
Height: 180cm, Weight: 71kg, DOB: 13/02/1997
Recruited from: Calder Cannons
Draft Range: 20-60

An unassuming, competitive ball magnet who does the small things well. Doesn’t have a swag of tricks that give him the ‘wow’ factors others have, but looms as a 200-game player given his discipline, work ethic, leadership, professionalism and finesse. Is one of the draft’s most balanced kicks, rating elite on both sides of his body and winning the goal-kicking test with a perfect score, and following it up with a top-10 showing in the kicking test at the combine. Bobs up effortlessly at the clearances, has clean and quick hands, and is rarely caught with the ball. Tackles hard, and plays tougher than he looks. Lock him in as a future AFL Captain one day; he’s a player’s player.

Knightmare had him rated top 10 (7th) at the beginning of the year.



I like this selection. Pure footballer, if we can bring out an elite element to his game it sounds like he'll be a keeper.
 
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Feerits Elf

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From Knightmare:

There is never anyone without weaknesses.

On O'Kearney by foot particularly has his troubles. Kicking efficiency is poor (had 4 more inefficient kicks than he had efficient kicks last season - around 46%). Footskills/decision making below average by AFL level, can spray kicks whether he is under pressure or not and under pressure at times pick the wrong options and feel rushed. Not super creative, sufficient but still only average penetration. By TAC Cup standards his ability in each of these categories is around average, but the standard overall in the TAC Cup isn't that high in these categories beyond those with really elite skills. But put him up a level against better competition and it's going to be relatively his most significant weakness.

Beyond his poor kicking he is only 180cm and still fairly light at only 69kg - or those were his measurements last year, so some will see that as a weakness for probably more of an inside player, though he can find it outside just as easily. Personally I see neither his height as a weakness for me 180cm is fine, and he'll put on weight in time, as long as you're not expecting 15 contested possessions per game, he'll be fine in that regard for me.

For pace not terrible and he can provide some limited run and carry, but he is hardly going to be a linebreaking threat at the next level.

I'd also like to see him add some further strings to his bow. Get forward more, be more of a marking and goalkicking threat. Just that something else to go with his midfield game.

So those are his relative weaknesses.

O'Kearney is relatively speaking the Matt Crouch of this draft as someone who stands out because of that sheer ability to accumulate, but with a better tank so he'll have an easier time covering the ground.

As for a more established player to compare O'Kearney with. Matthew Boyd is the name that most immediately comes to mind.
 
So everyone lists him as being a good kick on both feet and also a great kick under pressure but then Knightmare has him at below 50% and says he sprays kicks even without pressure?

He was talked up big time as a first round pick early in the year though. Everyone mentions what a ball magnet he is.

Starting on ball division of the 2020 flag - OKearney, Gresham and Minchington #sizedoesntmatter #itshowyauseit
 
The thread I was talking about from the start of the year. http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/power-rankings-for-the-2015-draft.1085573/

Nick O’Kearney (VicM –Mid) Weight: 70 kg
Height: 180 cm
D.O.B: 13/2/97

Style: Jobe Watson
Vic Metro have something to look forward to in this kid as he is the reigning Calder BnF winner as a bottom ager in a Cannons lineup that included Touk Miller, Peter Wright and Paul Ahern. Averaged 15 disposals at 76% and 25 at 61% respectably. Has shown he is a volume accumulator that just needs to get his foot skills right if he is to cement himself as a top Midfielder. Would be heavly tagged at the championships due to the lack of high end talent in the Vic Metro lineup.

Paige's Profile:

48: Richmond – Nicholas O’Kearney
Height: 180cm, Weight: 71kg, DOB: 13/02/1997
Recruited from: Calder Cannons
Draft Range: 20-60

An unassuming, competitive ball magnet who does the small things well. Doesn’t have a swag of tricks that give him the ‘wow’ factors others have, but looms as a 200-game player given his discipline, work ethic, leadership, professionalism and finesse. Is one of the draft’s most balanced kicks, rating elite on both sides of his body and winning the goal-kicking test with a perfect score, and following it up with a top-10 showing in the kicking test at the combine. Bobs up effortlessly at the clearances, has clean and quick hands, and is rarely caught with the ball. Tackles hard, and plays tougher than he looks. Lock him in as a future AFL Captain one day; he’s a player’s player.

Knightmare had him rated top 10 (7th) at the beginning of the year.



I like this selection. Pure footballer, if we can bring out an elite element to his game it sounds like he'll be a keeper.
Jobe Watson is an absolutely ridiculous comparison for NOK.

I said Stanton, and I reckon that's bang on (of course, I would though wouldn't I..)
 
From Knightmare:

There is never anyone without weaknesses.

On O'Kearney by foot particularly has his troubles. Kicking efficiency is poor (had 4 more inefficient kicks than he had efficient kicks last season - around 46%). Footskills/decision making below average by AFL level, can spray kicks whether he is under pressure or not and under pressure at times pick the wrong options and feel rushed. Not super creative, sufficient but still only average penetration. By TAC Cup standards his ability in each of these categories is around average, but the standard overall in the TAC Cup isn't that high in these categories beyond those with really elite skills. But put him up a level against better competition and it's going to be relatively his most significant weakness.

Beyond his poor kicking he is only 180cm and still fairly light at only 69kg - or those were his measurements last year, so some will see that as a weakness for probably more of an inside player, though he can find it outside just as easily. Personally I see neither his height as a weakness for me 180cm is fine, and he'll put on weight in time, as long as you're not expecting 15 contested possessions per game, he'll be fine in that regard for me.

For pace not terrible and he can provide some limited run and carry, but he is hardly going to be a linebreaking threat at the next level.

I'd also like to see him add some further strings to his bow. Get forward more, be more of a marking and goalkicking threat. Just that something else to go with his midfield game.

So those are his relative weaknesses.

O'Kearney is relatively speaking the Matt Crouch of this draft as someone who stands out because of that sheer ability to accumulate, but with a better tank so he'll have an easier time covering the ground.

As for a more established player to compare O'Kearney with. Matthew Boyd is the name that most immediately comes to mind.

this is from Paige on he footy prophet site

Nicholas O’Kearney
Height: 180cm, Weight: 71kg, DOB: 13/02/1997
Recruited from: Calder Cannons
Position: Balanced Midfielder

An unassuming, competitive ball magnet who does the small things well. Doesn’t have a swag of tricks that give him the ‘wow’ factors others have, but looms as a 200-game player given his discipline, work ethic, leadership, professionalism and finesse. Is one of the draft’s most balanced kicks, rating elite on both sides of his body and winning the goal-kicking test with a perfect score, and following it up with a top-10 showing in the kicking test at the combine. Bobs up effortlessly at the clearances, has clean and quick hands, and is rarely caught with the ball. Tackles hard, and plays tougher than he looks. Lock him in as a future AFL Captain one day; he’s a player’s player.

Why did he get overlooked? O’Kearney is a vanilla player, and there isn’t much of him either. At that size, you’ve got to have a stand-out trait, although he is an accumulator and a leader – clubs considered him as a better rookie chance.

quite a disparity between he two
 
From The Age today:

Nick O'Kearney (Calder Cannons)

O'Kearney is a big ball-winner who does everything right off the field. Given that, some clubs probably wondered about how big his scope for improvement is compared to some others they had access to in the latter part of the draft. Their questions were about his size – he's a small midfielder – and whether he did enough with his disposals to hurt teams. But whoever takes him on will get someone absolutely committed to making it and determined to find a way.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...okie-draft-20151126-gl90b4.html#ixzz3seMJVPso
 

BrianSpeaking

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So everyone lists him as being a good kick on both feet and also a great kick under pressure but then Knightmare has him at below 50% and says he sprays kicks even without pressure?

He was talked up big time as a first round pick early in the year though. Everyone mentions what a ball magnet he is.

Starting on ball division of the 2020 flag - OKearney, Gresham and Minchington #sizedoesntmatter #itshowyauseit
He's a player, will make it.
 

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Ha, forgot that the draft was even on today and am really happy to see that we got Nick. That's a nice surprise and he's the one I was hoping we'd get with our first, but wasn't sure he'd still be there.

Was talked up as being a potential first round, if not top 10 pick, on here going into the season and just keeps on performing, week in, week out, but aside from how much of the ball he gets obviously just doesn't have a lot of "hurt-factor", or else he would have been snapped up in the ND, given how well he's performed over the past couple of years.

Being on the rookie list gives us time to build up his body to the necessary level, which is good.
 
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One of the first people O’Kearney heard from after he was overlooked in Tuesday’s national draft was his former Old Paradians and now St Kilda teammate Jade Gresham.

“We were talking the other day and he said that he couldn’t believe that I didn’t go in the national (draft),” O’Kearney said.

“He said if there was anything, he just wanted me to get to the Saints.”

“It will be good to join forces again with Gresh and just enjoy playing together whether it be at Sandringham or if we both get the opportunity in our (AFL) careers to play together.”

Brilliant.
 
Jan 7, 2011
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Here is Quigley's write up of him. Had him rated at 16 in this year's draft crops (including the national), but it looks like he tested pretty dang poorly athletically at the combine:


"16. Nick O’Kearney

Ht – 180 Wt – 71

I find it interesting how low O’Kearney is rated by most. He might lack some class and athletic ability but this is a kid who works his arse off and will continue to work on his game. I back him to start out being a solid midfield option and to develop into a very valuable contributor in a good team before he is finished. Recruiters will often value glimpses of flash ahead of hard grind and I think that is a mistake. If you are building a team you need guys like O’Kearney to do the heavy lifting and whilst he might not win games off his own bat too often he is going to give his all to the team and he will keep his team in a lot of games when the flashy guys are nowhere to be seen. If I was asked for a comparison I would probably say that at his best O’Kearney could turn out to be a Rockliff type player. Rockliff it is worth remembering was similarly athletically challenged and slipped all the way through to the PSD. I don’t see O’Kearney slipping that far but I do think he is going to be a bargain for someone.

O’Kearney is a very good accumulator of the ball. He covers a lot of territory and works to space to present as an option for his teammates to use. He does not always get to the most dangerous spot and often seems to be working to accumulate the cheap ball. O’Kearney is a bit one paced but he keeps going and will work hard both ways. For someone who tested as badly as he did in the beep test I found his work on the park is surprisingly good. It is worth noting that he tested quite a bit better in the 3km than he did in the beep test.

It is fair to say that O’Kearney is a poor athlete. He was last in the repeat sprint, ran a 13.4 in the beep and was in the bottom 15% of the jumps. He was also close to the absolute bottom in the 20m. The only saving grace for him was in the agility where he returned a very solid 8.31. Whilst he might improve with some work, O’Kearney is always going to be more of a footballer than an athlete.

With the ball in hand he lacks a bit of adventure, preferring mostly to take the short safe options. When he does go longer some of his decision making can be a bit questionable and he is prone to turning it over. With that said there is not a lot wrong with his kicking style and he does seem quite composed with the ball. He is a reasonable kick off either foot and as he develops and puts more time into his game I see no reason why his hurt factor will not improve.

In my notes on O’Kearney I will often have conflicting comments on the same attribute. For example I have a couple of notes saying that he showed good awareness and another couple saying that he has poor awareness. I think this is a bit endemic of his game. He is a bit inconsistent at the moment and is not a finished product. He is improving various aspects of his game but he is not there yet and he can look pretty average at times.

He and Balic seemed to switch around for Metro and rarely were both performing well in the midfield together. Balic I thought showed a bit more class but O’Kearney seemed to work harder for the team and help his teammates out when they needed it.

O’Kearney has a reputation as a student of the game who loves his footy and will study carefully how other mids go about it and then work to incorporate those learnings into his own game. It is all about forward momentum with him and steady improvement. This is not a kid who thinks he knows it all. He is capable of identifying things in his game that needs improvement and he keeps working on those things. That kind of attitude is great in a prospect provided they have the requisite level of self confidence. It is also good to have in a playing group as he sets a bar for others to work toward."

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/quigleys-draft-rankings-2015.1117830/
 
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12Chill

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Said I wanted him a few days ago, I think there is definitely something there, reckon Barrels comparison of Stanton is pretty good.

Was rated by a lot of people by his last year's form as a potential top 5 pick this year. Of course there's concerns over his ceiling but like I said, he seems to do most things pretty well.
 

lewdogs

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Sounds like he could be one hell of a steal.
 

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