Player Watch #27 Justin McInerney

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Justin McInerney
Sydney Swans youngster Justin McInerney is lightning-quick, an endurance machine and a clean user of the footy who’s best used on a wing or at half-back. The Northern Knights product was called up for his AFL debut against Melbourne at the SCG in Round 4, 2019, and although he wouldn’t feature at the top level again in his first year at the club, he was a stand-out in the NEAFL. McInerney is eyeing more opportunities at senior level in 2020.

Justin McInerney
DOB: 18 August 2000
DEBUT: 2019
DRAFT: #44, 2018 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Banyule (Vic)/Marcellin College (Vic)/Northern U18

 

Grongey

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Outside speed and kicking, we could use both. Should be suited by the new 6-6-6 rule.
At 72kg there's not much of him, I hope he's been on the weights.
Good luck and welcome to the kid.
 
Impressive write-up for 18 year old
McInerney has some serious wheels. As a year 12 student, he clocked a sub-52 second time for 400 metres and finished second in a major schools championships in Melbourne.
record the type of GPS numbers for game-day running and high-speed efforts
"He was the only player to hit one kilometre in real high-speed efforts. That's elite end of the AFL already. His work rate and running ability for a half-back or wing was exceptional."

https://outline.com/XvPu9e
 
Look this was more a reality check for the coaches, I know people close to his family and they weren't sure he would even be drafted at all.
To then get picked in the 3rd round and play his first game after only a couple of JLT games and one NEAFL game was always going to be tough on the lad. Absolutely massive leap.

My confidence with him wasn't high in the first place to say the least but reality is he was not ready and no one should write him off instantly after this game.

Strange team selection decision.
 
Jul 20, 2001
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Well I said that I thought he was ball watching too much in the last NEAFL game from what I saw and that played out at senior level as I would have expected.

Kid now knows the pace of AFL footy and it will help him going forward.

I was more supportive for playing Rowbottom as it is somewhat easier as an inside player in the sense that you just hook in and go and get the ball. An outside player needs to position themselves well as the outlet and that’s a little more complex for a young kid.

He will have learnt a lot.
 
Well I said that I thought he was ball watching too much in the last NEAFL game from what I saw and that played out at senior level as I would have expected.

Kid now knows the pace of AFL footy and it will help him going forward.

I was more supportive for playing Rowbottom as it is somewhat easier as an inside player in the sense that you just hook in and go and get the ball. An outside player needs to position themselves well as the outlet and that’s a little more complex for a young kid.

He will have learnt a lot.

Yep you and I both noted he didn’t look ready, and that was in a NEAFL game, not even the same standard as senior footy. Truthfully McInerney played about 1.5 good quarters in his most recent reserves game. I think he won over half of his possessions in the first quarter and looked pretty cooked from the second onwards. This is exactly where you would expect him to be as a skinny 18 year old playing a running role. How that translated to warranting a senior game I’m not sure, but I wasn’t surprised or alarmed by his performance, more disappointed for the kid personally.
 
his parents didnt think he was ready, werent even in the country

I hope in a month or two we can give this kid a proper debut, complete with loved ones present, a handful of possessions and a Gatorade shower!
 

momentbymoment

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Look this was more a reality check for the coaches, I know people close to his family and they weren't sure he would even be drafted at all.
To then get picked in the 3rd round and play his first game after only a couple of JLT games and one NEAFL game was always going to be tough on the lad. Absolutely massive leap.

My confidence with him wasn't high in the first place to say the least but reality is he was not ready and no one should write him off instantly after this game.

Strange team selection decision.
I agree with this.
We seem to be searching for unicorns with some of these young kids.
 
Or a year or two.

Possibly. I did say after the draft I thought in order of most ready to least ready for senior footy it would be Blakey (academy product) > Rowbottom (decent build) > Foot > McInerney and I think I’ll be proven right.

I thought even in the NEAFL on the weekend Foot looked more able to impact across the four quarters whereas McInerney’s impact was condensed into short bursts.
 

Mick Oxlong

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Possibly. I did say after the draft I thought in order of most ready to least ready for senior footy it would be Blakey (academy product) > Rowbottom (decent build) > Foot > McInerney and I think I’ll be proven right.

I thought even in the NEAFL on the weekend Foot looked more able to impact across the four quarters whereas McInerney’s impact was condensed into short bursts.
I didn’t see much (if any) of the JLT but I understand McInerney got the rub of the green over other draftees (sans Blakey) in playing time, is that about right?
 

alex4445

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Sep 20, 2006
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Was a strange selection based on his NEAFL game. I mean he showed enough to suggest he could make it as an AFL player in the future but his play and positioning was on the loose side and against AFL level players was always going to struggle.
 
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