Past #23: Ben McKay - gone to * as RFA - NMFC awarded Band 1 pick #3 compo

[The chorus]

Go the Richmond route and the mosquito fleet next year

Brown, Wood, Turner, Simpkin, Hrovat, Ziebell.

Draft a key forward next year.

I've never been a fan of the triple towers. That line up you have looks pretty good, although I think garner should fit in there somewhere

 

[Snake_Baker]

I've never been a fan of the triple towers. That line up you have looks pretty good, although I think garner should fit in there somewhere

Garner goes in the mid/forward rotations with Simpkin, Hrovat and Ziebell.

 

[jess_1804]

Will be interesting to see how he develops moving into next season. Carlton talk about 'their' McKay like he's the next second coming lol.

Keep our McKay in the backline so he can towel up their McKay when we play next year

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Looks a lot more natural in defence.

Could be one of those players that starts as a defender early in his career and progresses to a forward once he gets his footy smarts and confidence up

 

[tales129]

I never understand the whole concept of taking really handy key defenders and trying to make them forwards,

I.e. Jake Carlisle, Harry taylor

You either have the ability to play forward from a young age and can move around well and to the right spaces or you just get lost. Some blokes just look better with the ground in front of them and positioning defensively.

He looks much more comfortable down back, but how does that fit into our structure with Taz, Nielsen, Durdin and EVW

 

[Kciza]

He looks much more comfortable down back, but how does that fit into our structure with Taz, Nielsen, Durdin and EVW

It doesn't, which is why the club was hoping one of Durdin or McKay would turn out to be a key forward. Hell even Larkey played his best Footy down back as a junior. I know it's early days still but at the moment it's looking like we spent a first rounder on a back up, whether that be Durdin or McKay

 

[ansonholt]

Some positive signs from Benny.

If you look at 0:24 in this video up in the back of the stands behind the marking contest there is a solitary figure in blue. That's yours truly.

I point this out because from that vantage point he was very impressive in the positions he got to in order to mark or spoil and in the way he attacked the footy. Will be an adequate Taz replacement in time I think.

 

[Groin guru]

Go the Richmond route and the mosquito fleet next year

Brown, Wood, Turner, Simpkin, Hrovat, Ziebell.

Draft a key forward next year.

I'd be all for it if we improved our forward entries. The triple towers brought about a lazy "bomb it in" approach that needs to be rectified.

 

[Moti]

I don't think Wood is exactly a tower, I think you could class him as mid sized forward, certainly with his athletic traits. Brown plus another key forward (Daw, Waite, Larkey, McKay) would work. We just don't have any quick small forwards. Simpkin is close but would love a pressure forward in addition to Tunrer.

 

[King Corey]

Thought McKay looked very nice as a developing roaming forward last year. Has his interrupted 2017 been that bad that he's now considered a dud forwrad?

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

I don't think Wood is exactly a tower, I think you could class him as mid sized forward, certainly with his athletic traits. Brown plus another key forward (Daw, Waite, Larkey, McKay) would work. We just don't have any quick small forwards. Simpkin is close but would love a pressure forward in addition to Tunrer.

Even then, Anderson did some important hb shutdown jobs working off half-forward as a defensive forward.

We have really missed the likes of Turner and even Anderson, as Hvorat's defensive tackling in the forward fifty, outside chasing, is not exactly great.

 

[shintemaster]

Don't know whether this is the long term plan but reality is that we'll need a replacement for Tarrant either way in the next few years. Just means we need to keep bringing in the odd KPF via the draft.

 

[giantroo]

 

[chubbspeterson]

Today's game is all about versatility, so being able to play both defense and attack is handy.

 

[ansonholt]

It seems like they might be playing him in defence to take the pressure off a bit from getting on the scoreboard, and then maybe move him forward later, as per Drew. Not a bad plan. Only problem is, there are very few places in the North backline at the moment. Hopefully someone will swing forward in the Hawks game, and be effective, opening up a spot for Ben to debut.

I really think he needs at least one game this year to give him a taste and get his mind in the best possible place for the upcoming pre-season. It's a good bet that's what the selection committee is thinking too. We can afford to play him in the last two rounds, so I'm all for "resting" someone and bringing him in.

 

[latheat87]

Looks a lot more natural in defence.

Could be one of those players that starts as a defender early in his career and progresses to a forward once he gets his footy smarts and confidence up

has always been harder to play as a forward,

Looks a lot more natural in defence.

Could be one of those players that starts as a defender early in his career and progresses to a forward once he gets his footy smarts and confidence up

agreed, has always been alot harder to play as a forward, he looks great in defense.

 

[spurs]

Even then, Anderson did some important hb shutdown jobs working off half-forward as a defensive forward.

We have really missed the likes of Turner and even Anderson, as Hvorat's defensive tackling in the forward fifty, outside chasing, is not exactly great.

We haven't missed Anderson, he has been missing all year.

 

[Rockstar6]

Got some good looking kick on him. Rare for big blokes to be able to kick the pill well

 

[Snake_Baker]

Got some good looking kick on him. Rare for big blokes to be able to kick the pill well

A bit of hang time on some of those handballs. It will need work.

 

[Hojuman]

Level headed boy. Fingers crossed.

 

[Hannem]

A bit of hang time on some of those handballs. It will need work.

Needs to nail the "hit em on the shin"boner handballs if he wants to cement a spot in the seniors

 

[Rockstar6]

A bit of hang time on some of those handballs. It will need work.

Can fix the handballs more easily than shitty foot skills

 

[Steele7]

Liked how Benny gave a big stare down the camera. He will be giving that to the opposition next year after Big Benny has a massive pre season.

 

[giantroo]

McKay’s defensive move
Ben McKay played his second game as a full-time defender, again proving his versatility.

The key-position player did his best to withstand Williamstown's second half onslaught, impressing his coaches with his ability to shut down his opponents.

“He’s really starting to grow into the role,” Dyer said.

“Whether in the future this helps him when he goes forward again remains to be seen, but we are liking what we see from him as a defender.

“For two weeks now he’s been one of the positives for us.”

 

[roos_fanatic08]

If he turns out to be a key defender we really need to look at 2 key forwards in the upcoming draft