VFL Past #65: Shaun McKernan 🐴 - Returns to the Dons

[Gumby2Hurley]

Say hello to our new no.1 ruckman by default.
View attachment 344976

Hello darkness my old friend

 

[Bunk Moreland]

There's a player in there somewhere.

 

[Vander18]

There's a player in there somewhere.

A mystery inside an enigma,wrapped in a riddle.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

There's a player in there somewhere.

It's a midfielder.

Seriously, every time he's shown a fair bit, it's been in the middle. He's usually ordinary to rank as far as actual hitouts go, but great when the ball hits the deck. He links up through the middle really nicely, and weirdly, kicks way more goals when he doesn't start forward.

 

[Ambrosia]

There's a player in there somewhere.

He's clearly super talented. I feel like if he just had a slightly higher football IQ he goes from undersized ruckman to Roughead like utility.

 

[Darealrath]

It's a midfielder.

Seriously, every time he's shown a fair bit, it's been in the middle. He's usually ordinary to rank as far as actual hitouts go, but great when the ball hits the deck. He links up through the middle really nicely, and weirdly, kicks way more goals when he doesn't start forward.

Agree. If we are smart enough to set up in a way that doesn't rely on him winning many hit outs then we can also play to his strengths.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Agree. If we are smart enough to set up in a way that doesn't rely on him winning many hit outs then we can also play to his strengths.

I'm ok with him not winning the hit outs as long as he gets the ball out.

 

[Ambrosia]

It's a midfielder.

Seriously, every time he's shown a fair bit, it's been in the middle. He's usually ordinary to rank as far as actual hitouts go, but great when the ball hits the deck. He links up through the middle really nicely, and weirdly, kicks way more goals when he doesn't start forward.

Bit harsh on his ruck work imo. He does remarkably well for a bloke with his length.

 

[Doss]

I don't think Smack himself knows what type of player he wants to be.

But he can absolutely play if the self belief is there.

 

[Howard Moon]

He looks like manchild kid in the under 16s who the coach just let's follow the ball around and do what he wants.

Maybe that's his schtick. Don't pigeon hole him with silly things like roles and positions..

Just Play mate, and do stuff.

Btw I bet if you go back 4 years to the ade smack thread you'll see the line "Gee there is a gun in there if we could only just...."

 

[yodellinhank]

Wants to be Barnes doesn't he?

 

[habib1984]

Smack reminds me of charlie sheen in platoon

 

[Beerfish]

Smack reminds me of charlie sheen in platoon

Intriguing. In what way?

 

[akiva]

Maybe the new ruck rule is good for him. Coz I also thought he did well in the intra club game.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

Bit harsh on his ruck work imo. He does remarkably well for a bloke with his length.

Sure, but that's kind of the point isn't it? Despite doing well, he's almost always up against guys who are bigger than him, so it has a reasonably big effect on his output there.

He looks like manchild kid in the under 16s who the coach just let's follow the ball around and do what he wants.

Maybe that's his schtick. Don't pigeon hole him with silly things like roles and positions..

Just Play mate, and do stuff.

Btw I bet if you go back 4 years to the ade smack thread you'll see the line "Gee there is a gun in there if we could only just...."

This is pretty close to what I meant. He seems to get it when he's in the middle, because he can just go for the ball and run around.

Whenever he's been played forward for significant periods at VFL or AFL level, it seems like he doesn't have much of a clue when it comes to leading regularly, or working his opponent over, and he becomes far more of a passenger.

 

[Bennett.]

Luey out 3-4 according to scooter

 

[eth-dog]

Luey out 3-4 according to scooter

Means we get him back for Adelaide. Hopefully it's only 3 so we can get some match practice vs Kreuzer.

 

[Ambrosia]

Luey out 3-4 according to scooter

I imagine we'll be cautious given his injury history.

 

[Beerfish]

Scooter was quoting Mitch Cleary who has since deleted his tweet..

 

[Howard Moon]

Tweet journalism 101

Hamstring = 3- 4 unless torn from the bone.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Luey out 3-4 according to scooter

So back in round 3 against the Blues

Perfect. will give Carltons' rucks a spanking.

 

[MightyDons4]

I'm as big a Smack fan as there is but...

It's going to be painful watching him as our #1 ruck.

 

[Howard Moon]

This will sound dumb I understand this, but I was in delerium last night while looking after a sick kid, my brain cooked up a scenario at 3am on no sleep.

It seems our great strength at the minute is our 'playing on the counter attack' or the creative ping off HB, getting over the back and catching the opposition on the hop while their defensive pack or zone isnt settled and has been sucked up the ground in the mode of keeping it in their half.

We are deadly at it this year.

But for this to happen you need to actually take possession off the opponent's fwd entry

If you win the centre clearance and move forward often you are moving into a pack of defenders in their ideal formation

So maybe having smack as ruck and losing the tap/clearance may not actually be the death of us? Might play into our hands if our rebounders are our strength.

Straws I know...

 

[Bennett.]

Scooter was quoting Mitch Cleary who has since deleted his tweet..

Which is why I said according to scoot!
I'd be extremely impressed with 3 weeks however..

 

[Laverde2Smack]

I'm ok with him not winning the hit outs as long as he gets the ball out.

This. He might not win a heap of hitouts but he becomes another midfielder as soon as the ball hits the deck. He was by far our best clearance player yesterday.
Leuey wasn't dominating the ruck yesterday, our mids just wanted the pill more. When Smack started rucking we continued to dominate clearances from stoppages.
It wasn't till after half time that the tide turned. It wasn't down to Smack rucking, but due to our mids losing their intensity.