Peter the Great

[South of the Yarra]

Usually would reserve this name for the Macedonian Marvel but there is another Peter who we often forget about who in my opinion is one of the greats of the game. Peter McKenna so often over looked in Collingwood discussions due to the greatness of Gordon Coventry and in AFL discussions due to the fact he was pitted against other great Full Forwards like the great Peter Hudson. This means he didn't stand out like Coleman who had no great Full Forwards pitted against him.
Look at the incredible record of McKenna
- 874 career goals
- Averaged 4.58 goals a game.
- Leading Collingwood Goalkicker 8 times
- Twice Coleman medalist
- Copeland Trophy Winner
- Kicked the ton 3 times
- incredible season tallies of 143 goals, 134 goals and 130 goals.
- All Australian
- AFL Hall of Fame
- Kicked 16 goals in a game.
- Had 20 scoring shots in s game - 16.4
- Kicked 10 goals or more in a game 13 times.
- Kicked 5 goals or more in a game 86 times.
- Went 121 games straight kicking a goal (AFL Record) and truly amazing.

One of the greats of the game and so under rated.

 

[Countrypie]

WOnderful kick. Awful singer

 

[South of the Yarra]

Imagine if someone kicked 143, 134 and 130 in a season now.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Fantastic super player. Price to him lace out - a thing of beauty.
Also Peter was a great kick.
All time great certainly.
Interesting if we rank our greates full forwardsin order.
1. Gordon Coventry
2. Dick Lee
3. Ron Todd
4. Peter McKenna
but what a super star

 

[Countrypie]

Imagine if someone kicked 143, 134 and 130 in a season now.

He wouldn't do that now - at his peak he'd still be good for 70 in today's game.
Back then he had so much space and on a platters service from Price, Greening, the Richardsons etc. He was explosive on teh lead and Collingwood created the space for him to lead into. Very hard to create that space now. BUT once in his hands you could bank on it going through the big sticks

 

[Countrypie]

I still shudder thinking that we dropped him for the 73 prelim. The official word was he was ill, but McKenna said he was dropped. We missedso many gettable goals in that last quarter. In his hands they were dead certs

 

[South of the Yarra]

He was a bit unlucky the year he kicked 143 and finished second in the Coleman.

 

[Countrypie]

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

I was born after his time, but from everything I've seen/heard he was an accurate a kick for goal as there ever was pretty much?

 

[South of the Yarra]

I was born after his time, but from everything I've seen/heard he was an accurate a kick for goal as there ever was pretty much?

He also read the play brilliantly.

 

[frizzle]

Idolised the guy as a kid growing up. Brilliant full forward.

 

[Vicky Park]

Idolised the guy as a kid growing up. Brilliant full forward.

So did I. His number on my duffle coat, and his poster on the wall. I miss this aspect of footy. The true full forward, camped out in the goal square, staring at play down the other end of the ground. One on one with the full back, ready to make his lead.

 

[left at home]

my favorite magpie growing up. ah those goals from any where, drop punts he kick
puts every one in our team now to shame. not a great over head mark but just brilliant on the lead
should be employed as our goal kicking coach. a great full forward

 

[WarrenWood]

He was such a "star". Many happy days spent at the railway end of Vic Park watching him.

Goodness knows how many goals he would've kicked in the 1970 GF if not for that collision with Tuddy before half-time.

 

[Robroy22]

Peter "Perfect"....the most perfect drop punt kicking style that's ever been. His run up was straight, his ball drop and instep were straight and guess what?? He kicked the ball straight!! He didn't run out at angles to get extra distance....he could kick 60m drop punts even with a wet ball.
Lovely man, great clubman, he knew his limitations and he played at the very highest level for 10 years. We were all very lucky to witness those times of Hudson, Wade, Jesaulenko, McKenna, Blethyn....so many 100 goal full forwards back then. The last FF that could kick with anywhere near the accuracy of these guys was Plugger....and he epitomised the stay at home FF. Maybe the next time we compare Clokey's kicking to "Peter Perfect's" we should remember that Peter Mc probably only ran a kilometer a game whilst Trav averages 12-14k's a game. Like everything else, kicking accuracy drops off with fatigue and you can't train your kicking routine whilst you're doing all the preseason running.

 

[Countrypie]

He was such a "star". Many happy days spent at the railway end of Vic Park watching him.

Goodness knows how many goals he would've kicked in the 1970 GF if not for that collision with Tuddy before half-time.

Absolutely. Barassi got the kudos for his handball instruction. It wouldn't have mattered if McKenna kicked just one in the 3rd and one in the last. Carlton would have folded and he could've kicked anything

 

[Mick39]

Was a very good FF but well behind Ron Todd & Gordon Coventry.

 

[jmac70]

Was a very good FF but well behind Ron Todd & Gordon Coventry.

How do you know?

 

[South of the Yarra]

Was a very good FF but well behind Ron Todd & Gordon Coventry.

Disagree on this one. McKenna at AFL level was better than Todd.

 

[South of the Yarra]

Was a very good FF but well behind Ron Todd & Gordon Coventry.

His AFL record far far better than Todd.

 

[Mick39]

His AFL record far far better than Todd.

That is because Ron Todd left Collingwood at 22. Todd is by far the greatest Collingwood FF, kicked 100 goals plus in successive years as a 21 & 22 year old.

Gordon Coventry, Laurie Nash, Soapy Vallence & Bob Pratt have said that Todd was the best they ever saw. That is good enough for me.

 

[jmac70]

That is because Ron Todd left Collingwood at 22. Todd is by far the greatest Collingwood FF, kicked 100 goals plus in successive years as a 21 & 22 year old.

Gordon Coventry, Laurie Nash, Soapy Vallence & Bob Pratt have said that Todd was the best they ever saw. That is good enough for me.

It's not like you to be negative about a player. What's wrong?

 

[Pie eyed]

WOnderful kick. Awful singer

Better than Sticks in both departments.
Great player and a more than decent commentator in his day.

 

[Hardas]

Usually would reserve this name for the Macedonian Marvel but there is another Peter who we often forget about who in my opinion is one of the greats of the game. Peter McKenna so often over looked in Collingwood discussions due to the greatness of Gordon Coventry and in AFL discussions due to the fact he was pitted against other great Full Forwards like the great Peter Hudson. This means he didn't stand out like Coleman who had no great Full Forwards pitted against him.
... and truly amazing.
One of the greats of the game and so under rated.

Once he had it, people would pull the record out of the pocket and just mark it down as a goal.

 

[ZEV]

Eddies hero