Player Watch #27 Justin McInerney

[Kennedy Parker]

Justin McInerney
Sydney Swans youngster Justin McInerney

27

Justin Mcinerney

Age

25

Ht

189cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.2

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.8

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

12.5

3star

K

5.3

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

2.3

2star

T

2.0

3star

CL

0.5

3star

D

10.2

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.8

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.6

3star

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

27

Justin Mcinerney

Age

25

Ht

189cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.2

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.8

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

12.5

3star

K

5.3

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

2.3

2star

T

2.0

3star

CL

0.5

3star

D

10.2

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.8

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.6

3star

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

Justin McInerney | AFL

Follow Justin McInerney's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[zyzzbruh]

Hows McInerney going

I literally said he had a shit game

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

This is a good discussion.

Without wanting to take away from individual responsibility for executing the basics, when everyone is struggling it is usually sign that something systematic is going on as well.

For me, our game plan was found out mid last year and we haven’t found an effective new one since. And it makes sense, because defences in the first half of last year were criminally poor against us - we were scoring at will.

Brisbane found a way to adapt last year, by running and gunning up the ground when chip kicks failed.

I can see 3 options for the swans for plan B:
1. Run and gun
2. Long kicks for contested marks
3. Long kicks for stoppages and resets

Unfortunately none of these three suit our list which is overfilled with skinny flankers, who can’t break tackles or contested mark.

I think our best bet this year to stem the tide, and I honestly think we are approaching stem the tide territory (12 unanswered goals!), is to kick for contests. We are playing 3 rucks, might as well put them to work.

Tell each player their role is to relish the contests and tackle like mad. Add an extra man at the stoppage if we need to. Long kicks down the line to punch over the line, then start again - of course, only when the chip kick is not on.

This would also force the opposition defence wider and thereby create more space through the corridor, so that players like McInerney have more space for the creative chip kick when it is on.

 

[bedford]

I literally said he had a shit game

He has had a few and he's soft

 

[Caj]

He has had a few and he's soft

Worse, he’s faux tough

 

[bedford]

Worse, he’s faux tough

Yes

 

[ashep]

Go rewatch the Cats game last year. "Soft" is crap.

 

[bedford]

Go rewatch the Cats game last year. "Soft" is crap.

Panics with his disposal , doesn't seem to want contact anymore . Hope it turns around as ive always liked him

 

[caesar88]

Go rewatch the Cats game last year. "Soft" is crap.

I think there is a difference between "soft" and "not hard."

I don't think McInerney is soft. But I don't think he's hard enough often enough.

You can sift through any player's careers to find individual moments of hardness.

But too many of these types who are occasionally hard, but mostly not, and it makes for a team that is not reliably hard.

That's pretty much the point we're at now.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I think there is a difference between "soft" and "not hard."

I don't think McInerney is soft. But I don't think he's hard enough often enough.

You can sift through any player's careers to find individual moments of hardness.

But too many of these types who are occasionally hard, but mostly not, and it makes for a team that is not reliably hard.

That's pretty much the point we're at now.

I don't think there's such a thing as a "soft" AFL player.

Its a brutal sport & you don't get to the elite level without being very courageous. I certainly don't think McI is the outlier.

My issue with McI (aside from his kicking last week) is that he seems to feature very prominently in the "gets wrongfooted & resorts to a completely ineffective arm tackle" footage each week.

I don't know whether its because he's usually out on a wing & his opponent therefore has plenty of space to evade tackles ... but McI defensively frustrates me. Too often he gets beaten.

 

[Caj]

Just showed why he’ll never be any good

 

[The King!]

Just showed why he’ll never be any good

heck me he was in the bests today

Been shit in 2025 no doubt but today was different , missed shots sucked but

 

[MF]

Yeah very good game today. Ran hard both ways and wasn't afraid to put his body on the line.

 

[ashep]

Very good if not for a couple of clangers today. Put his head over it a few times too.

 

[Caj]

Yes it was a much better game than recently (which isn’t hard) but geez how many brain fades?

Missed goal from 10 m
3 @ sub 1m handballs to a teammate he put under the pump
Caught dropping the ball twice in 2 minutes one of which directly resulted in a goal
4 free kicks against
Missed goal from 40m

And those are just the obvious ones off the top of my head

The amount of basic errors needs to be weighed against the good things he did

For all the possession he had he only gained 355 metres

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Yes it was a much better game than recently (which isn’t hard) but geez how many brain fades?

Missed goal from 10 m
3 @ sub 1m handballs to a teammate he put under the pump
Caught dropping the ball twice in 2 minutes one of which directly resulted in a goal
4 free kicks against
Missed goal from 40m

And those are just the obvious ones off the top of my head

The amount of basic errors needs to be weighed against the good things he did

For all the possession he had he only gained 355 metres

Yer but he came from a very low base so the improvement today was very noticeable.

The fresh air misses were just panic

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

He cracked in. Hope he read my posts lol. Could have been best on ground if a few things went his way. No BCF vouchers this week.

 

[RampeRobe]

Straight back to the vfl next week I reckon..

 

[MF]

The fresh air misses were just panic

Probably also something to do with that very unorthodox ball drop he does when kicking too. Takes a lot longer to dispose when you lift the ball up so high

 

[Ehswan]

Good game. Everyone gets caught holding the ball in the back 50 from crowded pressure plays at some stage..and even the best forwards squander easy goals at some point too.
Not as though he is getting picked before Daicos or sidebottom waiting in the reserves.
Kept getting involved and presenting as an option....we won

 

[Citrus22]

He works really hard both ways and provided an outlet in defence on a number of occasions, playing more inside and still adjusting but a very impressive game nonetheless.

Also, the punch forward to Heeney that ended in the Hamling goal was exactly the kind of quick thinking and execution we need more of going forward.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

If Gus or Roberts kicked like McI did today, it’d be a pile-on.

Instead, there’s plenty here saying he had a good game because of effort.

He was better today, but still waaaaay too many clangers.

 

[Citrus22]

If Gus or Roberts kicked like McI did today, it’d be a pile-on.

Instead, there’s plenty here saying he had a good game because of effort.

He was better today, but still waaaaay too many clangers.

Him And Chad ran at 79 percent efficiency today, that’s extremely good for someone playing primarily inside. Heeney went at 63 and Rowy 57

 

[strauchanie59]

Improved effort, but he might be the worst kick inside 50 around the AFL. 95% of the time it's one of those floaters that drops 2-3m short.

 

[ashep]

Yes it was a much better game than recently (which isn’t hard) but geez how many brain fades?

Missed goal from 10 m
3 @ sub 1m handballs to a teammate he put under the pump
Caught dropping the ball twice in 2 minutes one of which directly resulted in a goal
4 free kicks against
Missed goal from 40m

And those are just the obvious ones off the top of my head

The amount of basic errors needs to be weighed against the good things he did

For all the possession he had he only gained 355 metres

Yeah this is reasonable. Feels like it was on a bit of a knife edge for him today.

If he kicks that dribbler after pinching it, or a couple more of those handballs come off, it's a very tidy afternoon.

He's not been at his best but the effort is there at the moment. Hopefully his touch is on the way back too.

 

[The King!]

If Gus or Roberts kicked like McI did today, it’d be a pile-on.

Instead, there’s plenty here saying he had a good game because of effort.

He was better today, but still waaaaay too many clangers.

what?
He had less clangers than Roberts 6-4 and less turnovers 9-1 so yeah It would be an improvement for Roberts


Anyway he needs to nail those goals !