What does BenKen need to do to get a game?

[mike123]

Seriously, this kid has potential coming out his eye sockets. And IMO just need a solid 3 or 4 game run to really show us what he's got.

He's got X factor, he's got defensive ability, he runs all day, and he kicks goals. Surely this are some traits that would be attractive to selectors.

He's now in his third season and should be cementing his place in our best 22. But I feel he's never been given a chance to do so. I know he's contracted but if he doesn't get a fair go this year I can see him walking.

So could someone tell me what he needs to work on to get selected? Coz I can't see it.

I thought he was struggling in the time trials this pre season, and all of last year I heard he wasn't getting a game or playing as the sub because of tank...

 

[mike123]

Also he's not getting a game this week, because the ideal player for him to replace is Jarryd Blair, who actually played well the week before.

 

[ace andy]

Also he's not getting a game this week, because the ideal player for him to replace is Jarryd Blair, who actually played well the week before.

Don't know about that. Kennedy at senior level has never been much of a goal scorer. Don't see why he is a forward pocket other than he is small. Seems a mid fielder to me.

 

[ottoman]

Ben Ken will play 200 games somewhere, just dont think thr majority will be with us. The match committee at times are just expecting way too much from him, and im sorta over all this s**t like 'he cant run out games'. Thats rubbish. The two games last year where he actually got a chance to stake his claim, he was probably in our best 3 against WC and the GC.

He's a star in the making.

He didn't play against WC

 

[Scodog10]

He doesn't have X factor. He can't rull all day (is one of our poorest aerobically, probably the worst 2km time trial of all our players under 200 cm). He isn't a great kick (average but not great). He isn't exceptionally quick. He IS tough at the contest, but isn't big enough to do much damage as an inside mid beast.

He will probably make it as a solid 10-20 ranked player in the side, but needs to work on a fair bit and will take some time.

That's my feel long term. Short term he's the fittest he's been since he stepped through the door so I'd like to see him get a chance over the next month (illness pending).

 

[Bard]

I'm all for high standards. And I'm a supporter of Buckley. But there comes a point where players like Blair are regularly vanilla (I admit last week he was quite good) and you have players like Kennedy, Karnezis and Kylie Martin, dominating the 2's and not being rewarded for good form.

No wonder Martin lost his desire. And if Kennedy and Karnezis keep getting overlooked then it's only a matter of time before they follow suit.

But that's the problem, he isn't dominating in the 2s like Martin was, and Karnezis hasn't dominated enough this year. Martin is a whole other conversation and arguably was left out because he was too 'vanilla'.

 

[THATSGOLD]

Maybe his face doesn't fit.

 

[Magpie Mason]

Playing as a sub all the time isn't a good way to learn the pace of the game. Kennedy's development will be ruined if he isn't given a good go at several full games. I hope that the Goey guy is not treated the same way. a game as a sub and then dropped. Not good for young fellas. need to show belief in them and back them in.

 

[Apex36]

Playing as a sub all the time isn't a good way to learn the pace of the game. Kennedy's development will be ruined if he isn't given a good go at several full games. I hope that the Goey guy is not treated the same way. a game as a sub and then dropped. Not good for young fellas. need to show belief in them and back them in.

DeGoey likely won't receive the same treatment because he doesn't have the fitness issues BK has had in his first two seasons.
Seriously, if Kennedy was unhappy with the way he was being treated he could easily have requested a trade back to SA last year when his contract expired. The fact that he re-signed reasonably early would indicate that he knows where he stands, and is perfectly happy with the way he has been 'treated'.

 

[MagpieBat]

Don't know about that. Kennedy at senior level has never been much of a goal scorer. Don't see why he is a forward pocket other than he is small. Seems a mid fielder to me.

Um, that's because he has 95% of the time been pigeonholed as our sub. The 2 games he actually started in and played out last year he actually kicked 2 goals in each, playing predominantly as a small forward.

Same story in 2013: when allowed to start in the 21, he kicked goals as a forward. Best crumber on our list (not that that's a high bar to jump) but to say he is only seen as a small forward pocket just because he is small is incorrect. He actually can play the position, even though the ultimate aim would be to graduate into the middle.

 

[MagpieBat]

He didn't play against WC

2nd time he did.

 

[ottoman]

2nd time he did.

sorry my bad

 

[MagpieBat]

sorry my bad

No harm done.

 

[DAWESOME!!]

Will be sure to try to screen capture for posterity the moment when BenKen does get a go, and all the whinging flips from how it's outrageous that he doesn't get picked to how he's too small, doesn't run hard enough, doesn't dispose of the ball well enough.

 

[Pera]

He didn't play against WC

Yes he did.

 

[JB1975]

I'm all for high standards. And I'm a supporter of Buckley. But there comes a point where players like Blair are regularly vanilla (I admit last week he was quite good) and you have players like Kennedy, Karnezis and Kylie Martin, dominating the 2's and not being rewarded for good form.

No wonder Martin lost his desire. And if Kennedy and Karnezis keep getting overlooked then it's only a matter of time before they follow suit.

Martin wasn't an AFL standard player. Really, it's that simple. The gap between his VFL and senior performances was staggering.

Kennedy just hasn't show that much in the VFL, and when he's had a good game he hasn't backed it up the following week. He often makes poor decisions, and (most troublingly for a little bloke) he doesn't show any ability to work his way through heavy traffic. I hope he develops, but it hasn't happened yet.

Karnezis--He has Kyle Martin-like qualities. Yes, he looks a fine prospect in the VFL, then goes completely missing when given the nod for a real game.

I'm pretty bullish about so many of our players, but I just can't delude myself enough to think that Karnezis and Kennedy are up to the demands of senior footy at the minute. What's your secret?

 

[JB1975]

Martin wasn't an AFL standard player. Really, it's that simple. The gap between his VFL and senior performances was staggering.

Kennedy just hasn't show that much in the VFL, and when he's had a good game he hasn't backed it up the following week. He often makes poor decisions, and (most troublingly for a little bloke) he doesn't show any ability to work his way through heavy traffic. I hope he develops, but it hasn't happened yet.

Karnezis--He has Kyle Martin-like qualities. Yes, he looks a fine prospect in the VFL, then goes completely missing when given the nod for a real game.

I'm pretty bullish about so many of our players, but I just can't delude myself enough to think that Karnezis and Kennedy are up to the demands of senior footy at the minute. What's your secret?

Replying to my own post. Sadness. Anyway, I want to stand by my comments, except for the last one. Not sure why I'm getting so snippy. I don't like it from other posters, so I should ease up on it myself. Do unto others and that sort of thing. Apologies.

 

[rustyg70]

After todays game, just stay healthy.
There should be at least 2 outs from our forward line next week.
Bye bye Varcoe and Fas.

 

[Duggy31]

Martin wasn't an AFL standard player. Really, it's that simple. The gap between his VFL and senior performances was staggering.

Kennedy just hasn't show that much in the VFL, and when he's had a good game he hasn't backed it up the following week. He often makes poor decisions, and (most troublingly for a little bloke) he doesn't show any ability to work his way through heavy traffic. I hope he develops, but it hasn't happened yet.

Karnezis--He has Kyle Martin-like qualities. Yes, he looks a fine prospect in the VFL, then goes completely missing when given the nod for a real game.

I'm pretty bullish about so many of our players, but I just can't delude myself enough to think that Karnezis and Kennedy are up to the demands of senior footy at the minute. What's your secret?

Perhaps it's my ability to see positive qualities in our players. Because if you think that either of them would not have provided something to the dribble we put up tonight, then I'm not the deluded one.

 

[JB1975]

Perhaps it's my ability to see positive qualities in our players. Because of you think that either of them would provided something to the dribble we put up tonight, then I'm not the deluded one.

Again, I take back the tone of my previous post...the poison of post-match bitterness crept into it. And as I said before, I certainly nurse a few happy delusions of my own, and I'm generally very bullish about our developing list. All told, I think we're headed in the right direction.

But no, I disagree with many when it comes to BK and PK. I harbour a hope that they'll come good, but I just don't think that they're banging down the door hard enough to be given an opportunity. But as you suggest, if we continue to serve up the sort of garbage we did in the first half, then maybe they won't have to bang down the door to be given a shot.

 

[Duggy31]

Yeah sorry mate, didn't see your apology. Apologies from me also

 

[JB1975]

Yeah sorry mate, didn't see your apology. Apologies from me also

All good. After today, I think we all need a big hug.

 

[HFF]

I agree.

This kid needs to be given consistent games in a row. Broomhead also. Plenty of class and talent, need to develop it properly.

 

[THATSGOLD]

Also he's not getting a game this week, because the ideal player for him to replace is Jarryd Blair, who actually played well the week before.

Drop one of Fasolo or Elliott. Did sweet F all.

 

[ace andy]

Um, that's because he has 95% of the time been pigeonholed as our sub. The 2 games he actually started in and played out last year he actually kicked 2 goals in each, playing predominantly as a small forward.

Same story in 2013: when allowed to start in the 21, he kicked goals as a forward. Best crumber on our list (not that that's a high bar to jump) but to say he is only seen as a small forward pocket just because he is small is incorrect. He actually can play the position, even though the ultimate aim would be to graduate into the middle.

Yeah but he missed a lot more goals than he scored. If he was such a natural goal scorer he wouldn't miss so many.