Player Watch Ned McHenry

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I like Ned, and I think he makes it.

He's a blunt instrument, all effort and no polish. His bad moments stand out - I see where the negativity towards him comes from. I think they're more a product of decision making/composure than poor skills though. With experience and coaching I think he'll continue to improve here.

I've watched him closely this season, especially the past couple of weeks and what I like about him is the number of times he appears in a contest at full pace and always at 100% effort. Seems like he's everywhere at times. Dozens of little half chances, spoils, smothers, spills. As a 100 game player its not enough, but as a kid I see a lot to like. The game will slow down for him & he'll develop and start to turn more of these into meaningful possession.
 
Bay62 said:
Speaking of Ned - interesting comment by Nicks in his presser about Jones showing some real urgency and spark “in patches” in the last game, how it was what they liked about him before he was drafted and they want to see more of it consistently from him

Can’t say I’ve seen it from him at AFL level so hopefully he can pop the cork and finally realise his potential
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Wasn't he drafted the year before Nicks turned up?
 
Grenville said:
I like Ned, and I think he makes it.

He's a blunt instrument, all effort and no polish. His bad moments stand out - I see where the negativity towards him comes from. I think they're more a product of decision making/composure than poor skills though. With experience and coaching I think he'll continue to improve here.

I've watched him closely this season, especially the past couple of weeks and what I like about him is the number of times he appears in a contest at full pace and always at 100% effort. Seems like he's everywhere at times. Dozens of little half chances, spoils, smothers, spills. As a 100 game player its not enough, but as a kid I see a lot to like. The game will slow down for him & he'll develop and start to turn more of these into meaningful possession.
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Composure is certainly his major issue. I'm not even convinced his skills are poor, just that he lacks the ability to calm himself down and execute. I would also like him to dial back some of the off-the-ball niggling where he gives up dumb frees. Tenaciousness is good but he overdoes it sometimes.
 
I want him to niggle players off the ball in the way Hawthorn players used to where they never once got a free kick paid against them or suspended.

Could also learn from Joel Selwood's repeated eye gouging of players. Stop with the cheap pushes in the back, just full on grab the opposition's eyes in a wrestling match, which of course won't be suspended under the Selwood precedent
 
All effort no polish - is polish something you can develop? Remembering skills were the knock on him when he was drafted. Had a few preseason now...doedee cleaned up his kicking over a few years. Matt Crouch disposal improved.

On one hand elite pressure causing turn overs great! on the other hand poor skills turn the ball over! Poor execution of a tackle so you give away a free kick.

I think I read this once. For every Clayton Oliver there is a darcy parish.

Slow burn you reckon, hope I'm wrong but I think by next year he will be pushing out by other young talent.

On SM-G988B using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
kick it to me_ said:
All effort no polish - is polish something you can develop? Remembering skills were the knock on him when he was drafted. Had a few preseason now...doedee cleaned up his kicking over a few years. Matt Crouch disposal improved.

On one hand elite pressure causing turn overs great! on the other hand poor skills turn the ball over! Poor execution of a tackle so you give away a free kick.

I think I read this once. For every Clayton Oliver there is a darcy parish.

Slow burn you reckon, hope I'm wrong but I think by next year he will be pushing out by other young talent.

On SM-G988B using BigFooty.com mobile app
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I'll take all effort no polish over all polish no effort everyday.

McHenry v Menzel?
 
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Scorpus said:
I want him to niggle players off the ball in the way Hawthorn players used to where they never once got a free kick paid against them or suspended.

Could also learn from Joel Selwood's repeated eye gouging of players. Stop with the cheap pushes in the back, just full on grab the opposition's eyes in a wrestling match, which of course won't be suspended under the Selwood precedent
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Playing for an interstate team has different rules.
 
Mr_Moogle said:
Composure is certainly his major issue. I'm not even convinced his skills are poor, just that he lacks the ability to calm himself down and execute. I would also like him to dial back some of the off-the-ball niggling where he gives up dumb frees. Tenaciousness is good but he overdoes it sometimes.
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I love the aggressive intent from him, but agree he does need to find where the line is with it.

The soft, lack of support for team mates over the years has been really hard to stomach - think back to what Dangerfield copped from Bernie Vince all day. It's so refreshing to see change here & bet Nicks loves him.
 
Scorpus said:
I want him to niggle players off the ball in the way Hawthorn players used to where they never once got a free kick paid against them or suspended.

Could also learn from Joel Selwood's repeated eye gouging of players. Stop with the cheap pushes in the back, just full on grab the opposition's eyes in a wrestling match, which of course won't be suspended under the Selwood precedent
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Niggling is overrated. Just get the ball and put it on the scoreboard where it matters. Can't stand idiot players that go up to a player with the tough guy act after they have just missed a goal. Weak campaigners in my book. That bullshit could be cut out of the game in a week if umpires just awarded a free kick for goal if anyone does it. It's embarrassing to our game.
 
Murray2503 said:
Niggling is overrated. Just get the ball and put it on the scoreboard where it matters. Can't stand idiot players that go up to a player with the tough guy act after they have just missed a goal. Weak campaigners in my book. That bullshit could be cut out of the game in a week if umpires just awarded a free kick for goal if anyone does it. It's embarrassing to our game.
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It is embarrassing and I hate it. But while the AFL doesn't police it, we should be doing it. All the successful clubs do it; they're all at the top of the suspension ladder because they constantly push the line.

I want our team to make the other team into a bunch of Ricky Hendersons and Rory Atkins
 
Scorpus said:
It is embarrassing and I hate it. But while the AFL doesn't police it, we should be doing it. All the successful clubs do it; they're all at the top of the suspension ladder because they constantly push the line.

I want our team to make the other team into a bunch of Ricky Hendersons and Rory Atkins
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Go as hard as you can at the ball and play smart. I don't have any problem with a player steam rolling another player if they are in the way of the ball. I encourage it. I just think the behind the play stuff of whacking players in the back 100 metres off the ball is just crap. Generally teams that aren't very good employ these tactics. Go hard at the ball, put it on the scoreboard and keep the chirp to a minimum.

Chirp amongst your team mates about how great you were after the game has been won.
 
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Mutineer said:
Size moreso specific to midfield duties I think was that reference, he's not slow by any means and has top end evasion/agility skills, and surprisingly enough as it may seem his decision making was considered to be in the top end of the draft prospects. People just need to be patient, it'll come together.

Honestly does this look like a slow player, and I've seen it up close, he's not slow.?

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I look at that video and what I see is perfectly in sync with 2021 Ned.

- every 2nd or 3rd clip is a tackle. Sometimes 2-3 in the same sequence.
- some nice crumbing
- a kicking style that isn't "ooh aah" Sholl level, but gets the ball to where it needs to get to.
- pace, determination and energy.

He's somewhere between more confidence and one more pre-season away from trying the fend off and breaking a tackle or 2. It'll come.
 
Murray2503 said:
Go as hard as you can at the ball and play smart. I don't have any problem with a player steam rolling another player if they are in the way of the ball. I encourage it. I just think the behind the play stuff of whacking players in the back 100 metres off the ball is just crap. Generally teams that aren't very good employ these tactics. Go hard at the ball, put it on the scoreboard and keep the chirp to a minimum.

Chirp amongst your team mates about how great you were after the game has been won.
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Yeah, Ben Stratton never whacked anyone behind the ball and Sam Mitchell wasn't an absolute thug who wouldn't drop his knees into players at every opportunity.

It's a complete fabrication that it's bad teams who do all of that, and it's what also rans tell themselves when they run into a team who is more desperate to win then they are. Good teams sure as s**t do that because they're doing everything in their power to win.
 
Golumless said:
Yeah, Ben Stratton never whacked anyone behind the ball and Sam Mitchell wasn't an absolute thug who wouldn't drop his knees into players at every opportunity.

It's a complete fabrication that it's bad teams who do all of that. Good teams sure as sh*t do that because they're doing everything in their power to win.
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Yeah they were thugs but Hawthorn wasn't great due to their thug acts. I don't see Richmond being thugs out on the field. All successful teams needs to be aggressive. My attitude is to direct it in the right areas where it will have maximum effect on the outcome of the game. Genuine toughness is putting your body on the line going back with flight of the ball. I don't see genuine toughness being a pest with fake aggression when your built like a flea such as McHenry is.
 
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