Player Watch Ned McHenry

[1970crow]

Didn't the club say recently that they're planning more midfield time for him?

Not sure. I was commenting based on Moogle gleaning differently from whatever he heard. I hope you’re right though. At a minimum it means a deeper rotation. Reckon he could be really suffocating at the stoppage but then set up a damaging possession change.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I think the club certainly would have drafted Ned to play as a midfielder. They just have a tendency of being pretty conservative when it comes to experimenting with midfield rotations.

 

[Jcpdragonx]

Would prefer Ned play high HF and come up to stoppages when needed. Would prefer to give time to Berry/Pedlar instead of making them play forward pocket.

 

[Sanders]

Would prefer Ned play high HF and come up to stoppages when needed. Would prefer to give time to Berry/Pedlar instead of making them play forward pocket.

even though Ned was drafted as a midfielder?

 

[WaynesWorld19]

even though Ned was drafted as a midfielder?

Yes, why would you not use the elite running strengths of a player ? .....I think people's POV is rooted in what they see a player was in the last couple of years ...not what he's becoming

 

[Jcpdragonx]

even though Ned was drafted as a midfielder?

It’s a partial midfield role. Going to be difficult to get minutes right now

 

[Jcpdragonx]

Yes, why would you not use the elite running strengths of a player ? .....I think people's POV is rooted in what they see a player was in the last couple of years ...not what he's becoming

Mids need more than being an elite runner, Ned has a long way to go if he wants to be a full time mid. His attributes suit the forward half

 

[Jcpdragonx]

Like what?

chayce is an elite runner

 

[maxlilly]

even though Ned was drafted as a midfielder?

I think this is partly due to the disconnect between the recruiters and the coaches having different ideas
A bit like we drafted Jones as a midfielder but he is now playing in the backlines

 

[DaKids]

Not sure why you’d want to put any player in a pre prepared box. They’ll have lots of practice games between themselves and the scheduled pre season games. Whoever is playing best in a particular role will get the job.

Surely that’s the way to go isn’t it.

 

[MarcusP2]

I think this is partly due to the disconnect between the recruiters and the coaches having different ideas
A bit like we drafted Jones as a midfielder but he is now playing in the backlines

Because he was no good as a midfielder.

Anyway, having players all over the ground that can play in a stoppage seems like a worthwhile objective to me. Even if Ned isn't attending many CBs there are plenty of stoppages in the forward half he could play 'midfield' in.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Mids need more than being an elite runner, Ned has a long way to go if he wants to be a full time mid. His attributes suit the forward half

Ned's an endurance beast. His running is not one of his deficiencies.

I don't see how anybody could say that Ned looks like a natural forward.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Mids need more than being an elite runner, Ned has a long way to go if he wants to be a full time mid. His attributes suit the forward half

We've lacked 2-way runners in our midfield ....that & a preparedness to play defensive footy and harass the opposition mids with hard tackling

We tend to only look at Mids offensive games

 

[GROTTO]

We've lacked 2-way runners in our midfield ....that & a preparedness to play defensive footy and harass the opposition mids with hard tackling

We tend to only look at Mids offensive games

Yes.

Nicks has expressed this.

 

[Jcpdragonx]

Ned's an endurance beast. His running is not one of his deficiencies.

I don't see how anybody could say that Ned looks like a natural forward.

I didn't say Ned is a natural forward or that running is a deficiency. High HF means he can attend stoppages but start forward and push up. He's done very little to date to suggest he deserves starting mid rotations.

 

[Jcpdragonx]

We've lacked 2-way runners in our midfield ....that & a preparedness to play defensive footy and harass the opposition mids with hard tackling

We tend to only look at Mids offensive games

I see it a bit differently. Mids defending was an issue last year but not as much this year. Laird and Keays are two way runners and Shoenberg has a good work rate. Sloane is a liability though these days.

Kicking inside 50 is one of the main issues, and then having a matchup for tall, powerful mids like Oliver and Bont who seem to kill us every time. Ned doesn't solive either of these.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Kicking inside 50 is one of the main issues, and then having a matchup for tall, powerful mids like Oliver and Bont who seem to kill us every time. Ned doesn't solive either of these.

Yep ...agree with these thoughts ....and a contested marking mid certainly would help

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I didn't say Ned is a natural forward or that running is a deficiency. High HF means he can attend stoppages but start forward and push up. He's done very little to date to suggest he deserves starting mid rotations.

Aside from his pressure and evasiveness, I don't think he has qualities that suit playing as a forward. His kicking lacks penetration, his set shot kicking is mediocre at best and he doesn't have the explosive pace you want in a small forward his size. His lack of hurt factor is also exacerbated by our other small forwards being very underwhelming (Murph, Rowe). We don't have a good mix in there. As it stands right now, we'd have to be in the running for worst small forward brigade in the entire league.

I wouldn't be writing off McHenry as a midfielder because he sucked in that role when he was still raw. He seems to have adjusted to the speed of AFL so I'd at least be trying him in the role we drafted him to play.

 

[1970crow]

Because he was no good as a midfielder.

Anyway, having players all over the ground that can play in a stoppage seems like a worthwhile objective to me. Even if Ned isn't attending many CBs there are plenty of stoppages in the forward half he could play 'midfield' in.

strategically our full stoppage rotation roll down to attend those stoppages. We don't have any hang back to create a defensive structure, it's all guns blazing at the contest.

 

[1970crow]

Yes.

Nicks has expressed this.

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unfortunately Brad was our hardest tackler but neither him or any remaining choose to spread defensively from the stoppage.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

And we know who fits that bill best of all in this draft!

Erasmus or Goater .....both good grabs, but Goater the guy who could break a game open

Erasmus more the Langford type .....who finally broke out of his mediocrity this season under Truck

Still think Ned has a lot to offer the midfield as well ....we need 8-10 guys to rotate thru

 

[weneverland]

Infuriatingly Mackay played games where he lowered eyes and hit targets. But for some reason in most games he ignored even trying and just dumped the ball long. But he could do it and did execute pretty well when he did.

I don't agree. My recollection of David is that he usually drilled his passes to leading teammates. The exceptions were when he was under the pump or the forwards were static waiting for it to be bombed on their heads.

 

[Sanders]

It’s a partial midfield role. Going to be difficult to get minutes right now

our midfield sucks, there’s a problem in the box if there aren’t any minutes available

 

[Sanders]

He's done very little to date to suggest he deserves starting mid rotations.

that’s a circular argument

 

[Red mist]

I don't agree. My recollection of David is that he usually drilled his passes to leading teammates. The exceptions were when he was under the pump or the forwards were static waiting for it to be bombed on their heads.

Which means there was a lack of leadership on field to understand momentum and wrest control of the game.
We have leaders that go into self preservation mode rather than maintain a semblance of game Plan.