Player Watch Ned McHenry

[Rory Walkerfield]

Some people need to go and look at FootyWire for the stats of current good players from their early years.

kids just take time. We need to invest consistent games in them and then like Jones, if after a solid block of poor performances, then you give them a rest.

 

[fortunatecrow]

Just checking - are the people who started sh*t canning Jones and McHenry before they'd touched a ball because they're 180cm and are therefore apparently incapable of ever becoming elite footballers the same ones raving that we should have drafted 181cm Butters instead?

Need to be centimetre perfect in recruiting!

 

[OzSparrow]

Some people need to go and look at FootyWire for the stats of current good players from their early years.

kids just take time. We need to invest consistent games in them and then like Jones, if after a solid block of poor performances, then you give them a rest.

Totally agree.
Interesting that of the 5 Pick 16s I highlighted I see that 2 of them (40%) got Rising Star nominations in their debut years (Richards and Lang).
Ned is nowhere near showing that type of game so far.

 

[King Elvis]

If only this guy was a bit taller he might have made it at AFL level. Such as shame he will never make it as a midfielder because he is less than 190cm

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Already said that Neale and Tom Mitchell are the outliers.

List me the 20 best mids in the comp, I bet most of them are 185+.

 

[BringbackWebb]

Already said that Neale and Tom Mitchell are the outliers.

List me the 20 best mids in the comp, I bet most of them are 185+.

Totally agree with you, it is a fact that some great midfielders are under the 180 mark, but on balance most of the great ones are bigger, as a recruiter you just make it that much harder for yourself when you start to limit potential by going for a lad who has to overcome additional physical disadvantages from the get go.

 

[ADL9798]

Totally agree.
Interesting that of the 5 Pick 16s I highlighted I see that 2 of them (40%) got Rising Star nominations in their debut years (Richards and Lang).
Ned is nowhere near showing that type of game so far.

I couldn’t care less what McHenry or any of these guys are doing in their first 50 games, if they’re able to meaningfully contribute while learning their craft it’s a bonus. Far more interested in what they can contribute in their second, third and fourth 50 games.

The expectation at this stage should be that they continue to improve while playing a periphery supporting role to a stable, core group of senior players.

The main reason there is so much heat on our youngsters at present is because our structures are a complete mess, and the senior players aren’t doing their job, leaving the kids completely exposed.

The hysterical overreactions and frequently inconsistent opinions offered by many Crows fans when talking about our interstate youngsters vs other (mostly South Australian) kids across the league is embarrassing. Case in point, this nonsense about player height. Like there’s never been a 6’3 midfielder who’s flopped?

 

[Tex200]

Just checking - are the people who started sh*t canning Jones and McHenry before they'd touched a ball because they're 180cm and are therefore apparently incapable of ever becoming elite footballers the same ones raving that we should have drafted 181cm Butters instead?

I couldn’t care less what McHenry or any of these guys are doing in their first 50 games, if they’re able to meaningfully contribute while learning their craft it’s a bonus. Far more interested in what they can contribute in their second, third and fourth 50 games.

The expectation at this stage should be that they continue to improve while playing a periphery supporting role to a stable, core group of senior players.

The main reason there is so much heat on our youngsters at present is because our structures are a complete mess, and the senior players aren’t doing their job, leaving the kids completely exposed.

The hysterical overreactions and frequently inconsistent opinions offered by many Crows fans when talking about our interstate youngsters vs other (mostly South Australian) kids across the league is embarrassing. Case in point, this nonsense about player height. Like there’s never been a 6’3 midfielder who’s flopped?

I think the unusual circumstance they face is that 2018 is choc full of wonder kids.

And it’s not just about the super 8 taken before, there’s a number of them taken after who are playing regularly and having an impact. As at today Jones and McHenry look like the poor relations and if you re did the draft now they’d barely make the top 20.

But as you say, they get 40-50 games before any call can reasonably made. This should include time for a better coaching panel too.

 

[BACCS]

Reckon some of these blokes would make your cut just for starters.
Joel Selwood's not
Lachie Neale's not
Adam Treloar's not
Zach Merrett's not
Andrew McGrath's not
Andrew Gaff's not
Josh Kelly's not
Jarryd Lyons not
Luke Parker's not
Dylan Shiel's not
Jack Viney's not
Shaun Higgins' not
Taylor Adams' not
Stephen Coniglio's not
Travis Boak's not
Tim Kelly's not
Dion Prestia's not
Michael Walters' not
Jy Simpkin's not
Jack Billings' not
Tom Liberatore's not
Jaeger O'Meara's not
Touk Miller's not
Andrew Brayshaw's not
Ed Langdon's not
Luke Shuey's not
Zak Jones' not
Harry Perryman's not
Jed Anderson's not
Jade Gresham's not

Oh King Elvis

 

[Apsaalooke]

Reckon some of these blokes would make your cut just for starters.
Joel Selwood's not
Lachie Neale's not
Adam Treloar's not
Zach Merrett's not
Andrew McGrath's not
Andrew Gaff's not
Josh Kelly's not
Jarryd Lyons not
Luke Parker's not
Dylan Shiel's not
Jack Viney's not
Shaun Higgins' not
Taylor Adams' not
Stephen Coniglio's not
Travis Boak's not
Tim Kelly's not
Dion Prestia's not
Michael Walters' not
Jy Simpkin's not
Jack Billings' not
Tom Liberatore's not
Jaeger O'Meara's not
Touk Miller's not
Andrew Brayshaw's not
Ed Langdon's not
Luke Shuey's not
Zak Jones' not
Harry Perryman's not
Jed Anderson's not
Jade Gresham's not

Yeah yeah, but apart from those?

 

[ADL9798]

as a recruiter you just make it that much harder for yourself when you start to limit potential by going for a lad who has to overcome additional physical disadvantages from the get go.

Is there any evidence to support this?

 

[King Elvis]

Oh King Elvis

Yea, I’ll cop that.

But I still think taking three short arse midfielders with first round picks is a massive blunder.

 

[Golumless]

Totally agree with you, it is a fact that some great midfielders are under the 180 mark, but on balance most of the great ones are bigger, as a recruiter you just make it that much harder for yourself when you start to limit potential by going for a lad who has to overcome additional physical disadvantages from the get go.

In the end of the day, the difference between 177 cm and 183-184 cm is pretty negligible size wise especially when other skills play a role in ball winning and that. Not only that, but size is not everything in this game, and likely pales as a tool to endurance and speed.

There are plenty of players who have bombed despite being big.

 

[Geoffa32]

Yea, I’ll cop that.

But I still think taking three short arse midfielders with first round picks is a massive blunder.

For me the issue isn't Jones and McHenry's height in isolation.

It is the lack of balance in our midfield. The lack of a tall, big bodied mid. And these picks worsen it.

Is there a plan to build a cohesive balanced midfield or just continually draft the same type?





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[Golumless]

For me the issue isn't Jones and McHenry's height in isolation.

It is the lack of balance in our midfield. The lack of a tall, big bodied mid. And these picks worsen it.

Is there a plan to build a cohesive balanced midfield or just continually draft the same type?





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We have potentially gone in that direction with O'Connor and Gollant. Definitely need one in the mix as a point of difference though.

 

[Geoffa32]

We have potentially gone in that direction with O'Connor and Gollant. Definitely need one in the mix as a point of difference though.

Very speculative.

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[Golumless]

Very speculative.

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Yup, it is, but at least there is some collateral spent there.

 

[spexau]

O'Connor has good potential imo

 

[Thetrader15]

IN: R.Lester, R.Mathieson

OUT: D.Rich (suspension), C.Ellis-Yolmen (omitted)

Who's going to block and be their big bidied mid now?

 

[Thetrader15]

For me the issue isn't Jones and McHenry's height in isolation.

It is the lack of balance in our midfield. The lack of a tall, big bodied mid. And these picks worsen it.

Is there a plan to build a cohesive balanced midfield or just continually draft the same type?





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So if we had CEY on yhe list we'd be top 8?

 

[Geoffa32]

So if we had CEY on yhe list we'd be top 8?

Nope.

But we needed a guy like Hately for the future.



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[Geoffa32]

I still believe hately plays his best football outside mid/forward/wing where he can use his running power and whilst he might have a big body he doesn't use it the same way as blokes like Patty Cripps, Nat Fyfe, Dangerfield, Kennedy, Mundy etc and I'm not convinced he'll ever be that style of player.

Fair point.

I remember Danger being similar when he started. Pure outside player.


Not saying Hately is in that class.

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[Geoffa32]

I just don't think he's that style of player i.e. a bull at the contest.
His break down of contested possessions this season tend to support that surely? 14 Contested 56 uncontested.

Could that also be due to the depth at GWS in the middle?

Pushing him to the outside. I know he played a few roles at Centrals and Trinity. But was very much considered an inside mid in his draft year.

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[jackster83]

I still believe hately plays his best football outside mid/forward/wing where he can use his running power and whilst he might have a big body he doesn't use it the same way as blokes like Patty Cripps, Nat Fyfe, Dangerfield, Kennedy, Mundy etc and I'm not convinced he'll ever be that style of player.

They seem to use him in a similar role that Lynch plays for us.

 

[jackster83]

Why not he has great running power, it's one of his best assets., not sure a contested inside bull is his future personally which some are putting forward.

I'd like Hately, but I'd also be going after either Valente or Sparrow to fill that inside role.

 

[kulak]

For me the issue isn't Jones and McHenry's height in isolation.

It is the lack of balance in our midfield. The lack of a tall, big bodied mid. And these picks worsen it.

Is there a plan to build a cohesive balanced midfield or just continually draft the same type?





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I doubt it matters.

In finals I think the team with more skill and run and pressure has the advantage. Slow big bruising teams who grind down their opposition in a wet day in July find themselves run off the park in September.

Not too many premiership teams with midfields led by slow bruising average skill brutes like Wines Cripps etc.