Player Watch #10: Colby McKercher - R9 AFL RS nom - goes bang w/ 37d on his return vs GCS

[Possession]

I actually can't wait for him to come back into the side.

 

[Sphynx]

I don’t think he’s will be at the level of either of those two but I don’t dismiss the possibility. I do think he’s a little underrated though in the football world.

I think he will reach GW's level. Obviously different players.

It's just if Harry goes nuclear and manages to reproduce his attacking numbers at u/18 level at AFL level.

I didn't think that was possible previously, but it might just be given what he's doing as a 19 year old forward of center.

Im talking 6,7,8 goal games and 15+ score involvements as a half forward


Colby's pace is just.......... GW is absurd at time with his athleticism, but it's understated because it's just pure power and over in moments. Colby breaking lines and leaving players standing still like he does leaves you open mouthed at times.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Heeney is 28 though and has been on good coin for a decade at this point. Different prospect to a fresh 18 or 19 year old suddenly earning 6 figures right out of high school.

Not saying you won't find players that fit the bill but people are kidding themselves if they don't think there will be problems retaining the under 25's.

Anyway Colby straight back into the 1's this week and stays there for all eternity.

I love how people have this image that every new recruit is going to be some bleached-haired, raving, coke-fiend out every Tuesday night trying to pick up…

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

I don’t think he’s will be at the level of either of those two but I don’t dismiss the possibility. I do think he’s a little underrated though in the football world.

Kerch leaves Wardlaw in the dust in terms of speed and acceleration (that is saying something) and his kick and vision over 35 is as good as B.Harvey (who I consider was the best kick in the modern era over that distance).

 

[the big lebowski]

I think he will reach GW's level. Obviously different players.

It's just if Harry goes nuclear and manages to reproduce his attacking numbers at u/18 level at AFL level.

I didn't think that was possible previously, but it might just be given what he's doing as a 19 year old forward of center.

Im talking 6,7,8 goal games and 15+ score involvements as a half forward

Again, personally I don’t see that happening. There was the knock on sheezel that a strong deductions nullify him at u18 level.

But where that concern has been put to bed is that he can play back, mid, wing, or forward.

I see him as a pinch hitting forward. I don’t see him ever being the dominant deep forward he was at u18 against afl standard defending.

 

[Passmore]

I love how people have this image that every new recruit is going to be some bleached-haired, raving, coke-fiend out every Tuesday night trying to pick up…

That's how I envisaged my career all those years ago....

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

 

[the big lebowski]

Kerch leaves Wardlaw in the dust in terms of speed and acceleration (that is saying something)

Not according to their 20m sprint times.

Don’t get me wrong, Kerch has more gears. But over a short distance Wardlaw smokes most

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Not according to their 20m sprint times.

Don’t get me wrong, Kerch has more gears. But over a short distance Wardlaw smokes most

I think also the aerobic capacity of Kerch comes into it.

George gives his heart in the contest and then is pretty much spent.

We have already seen Colby break away from HB, dissect the midfield and comically look like an energiser bunny streaming 80 metres to kick inside 50.

 

[Only Forwards]

I think he will reach GW's level. Obviously different players.

It's just if Harry goes nuclear and manages to reproduce his attacking numbers at u/18 level at AFL level.

I didn't think that was possible previously, but it might just be given what he's doing as a 19 year old forward of center.

Im talking 6,7,8 goal games and 15+ score involvements as a half forward


Colby's pace is just.......... GW is absurd at time with his athleticism, but it's understated because it's just pure power and over in moments. Colby breaking lines and leaving players standing still like he does leaves you open mouthed at times.

All I think I am reading here is that we have a trio with different but complementary attributes and all of them have barely started anything.

 

[Sphynx]

Not according to their 20m sprint times.

Don’t get me wrong, Kerch has more gears. But over a short distance Wardlaw smokes most

Yes, it's one of the biggest outliers though in data I can remember since covering junior footy.

It's also a very good lesson sometimes you need to trust your eye watching the game.

No testing data over the last 18 months supports Colby McKercher having anything over even average leg speed. On paper he's as quick as Harry Sheezel.

Now, he's defunct this 100 times in vision, he's now defunct this at AFL level and at VFL level.

He's without a doubt one of the quickest footballers over 20-30m I've ever seen when he cranks it up.

You wont find any pre-draft testing data that backs it up though. His GPS data supports it at AFL level, he's registered some of the highest top speeds this year, but not lab 20m data.

I have no idea if this is just pure coincidence, or Colby tanked the CTL preseason and Combine testing on purpose etc. Or he was sore, or simply missed his starts half a dozen times (they take an average over 3 times on the day)

It really is one of the largest data vs game reality discrepancy examples you could ever think of.

You could watch 100 games of his and you would come away with 100% certainty he runs a 2.85m 20m or something when going to look for his testing data.

 

[DuckYeah]

Does he have the ability to kick on his right foot as well?

not many lefties can

 

[giantroo]

There was this run as well. Gus > Colby > Cooper

View attachment 449052308_7809689249054118_8319826852608791090_n.mp4

 

[ferball]

I love how people have this image that every new recruit is going to be some bleached-haired, raving, coke-fiend out every Tuesday night trying to pick up…

Why do you say this in response to us discussing Heeney?

 

[the big lebowski]

Yes, it's one of the biggest outliers though in data I can remember since covering junior footy.

It's also a very good lesson sometimes you need to trust your eye watching the game.

No testing data over the last 18 months supports Colby McKercher having anything over even average leg speed. On paper he's as quick as Harry Sheezel.

Now, he's defunct this 100 times in vision, he's now defunct this at AFL level and at VFL level.

He's without a doubt one of the quickest footballers over 20-30m I've ever seen when he cranks it up.

You wont find any pre-draft testing data that backs it up though. His GPS data supports it at AFL level, he's registered some of the highest top speeds this year, but not lab 20m data.

I have no idea if this is just pure coincidence, or Colby tanked the CTL preseason and Combine testing on purpose etc. Or he was sore, or simply missed his starts half a dozen times (they take an average over 3 times on the day)

It really is one of the largest data vs game reality discrepancy examples you could ever think of.

You could watch 100 games of his and you would come away with 100% certainty he runs a 2.85m 20m or something when going to look for his testing data.

I think when you’re looking for it it’s more apparent. He’s average of the mark, but elite from 2nd to 5th gear.

 

[the big lebowski]

A bit like boomer who I argue was never lightening quick off the mark, but had short spaced gears and a confidence running the footy

 

[Sphynx]

I think when you’re looking for it it’s more apparent. He’s average of the mark, but elite from 2nd to 5th gear.

I've been of the opinion over the last 18 months, he's just very slow from a flat footed start around a stoppage etc, which is reflected in the testing times of the same scenario.

Given during matches you are often on the move and have momentum, he moves through the gears a lot quicker in a match vs a testing scenario.

His top speed I think is the other difference, he just has 1 or 2 gears that very very few players ever have and it stands out on a football field so much when he hits it.

I don't think this is necessarily captured in something like a 20m, where he's not even at top speed yet compared to other players.

I imagine if they did a 20-40m test he'd blow every single player in the comp out of the water.

 

[speedy]

How has he pulled up?
He definitely was feeling out his foot at one point then missed a chunk of minutes before coming back on at the end.

 

[KangaRooster]

I've been of the opinion over the last 18 months, he's just very slow from a flat footed start around a stoppage etc, which is reflected in the testing times of the same scenario.

Given during matches you are often on the move and have momentum, he moves through the gears a lot quicker in a match vs a testing scenario.

His top speed I think is the other difference, he just has 1 or 2 gears that very very few players ever have and it stands out on a football field so much when he hits it.

I don't think this is necessarily captured in something like a 20m, where he's not even at top speed yet compared to other players.

I imagine if they did a 20-40m test he'd blow every single player in the comp out of the water.

Mate, do they do combine testing on the juniors while carrying/bouncing the footy?

Just on the eye test, Colby looks like the fastest bloke on the field while carrying the ball.

His bounces are short, fast and neat (he actually tends to take more than he needs to, I assume to buy himself time on the last one to take more steps to evade tackles and gain distance on the release), and he accelerates out of them like he was born to do it.

 

[Blightys Barrel]

Not according to their 20m sprint times.

Don’t get me wrong, Kerch has more gears. But over a short distance Wardlaw smokes most

GW is a Leopard and identifies his kill and goes flat chat for 4-6 secs at manic speed.

Kerch more a Gazelle that flys across the Savannah at serious sustained pace.

 

[My Left Foote]

Still of the opinion he might be the best of the lot and everyone knows how much I rate GW and HS.

His pure ability to get the ball and then that game changing acceleration and pace is just a combo you almost never see.

He has pretty much everything other than body size and probably an overhead threat, I don't even think body size is a disadvantage as it adds to his agility in tight.

I think we don’t quite realise yet just how genuinely spoiled we are with Harry, George & Colby. Three exceptionally talented footballers each with individual elite skill sets that complement each other beautifully. I'm not going to try and say who will be the best of the three, and I truly don't care, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride for the next 10+ years because with these three we are definitely going places.

 

[ferball]

I've been of the opinion over the last 18 months, he's just very slow from a flat footed start around a stoppage etc, which is reflected in the testing times of the same scenario.

Given during matches you are often on the move and have momentum, he moves through the gears a lot quicker in a match vs a testing scenario.

His top speed I think is the other difference, he just has 1 or 2 gears that very very few players ever have and it stands out on a football field so much when he hits it.

I don't think this is necessarily captured in something like a 20m, where he's not even at top speed yet compared to other players.

I imagine if they did a 20-40m test he'd blow every single player in the comp out of the water.

Its pretty rare that a human reaches top speed even by 40m let alone 20. Bolt's record for the fastest ever speed reached by a human was between 60 and 80m of a 100m race I think.

 

[ChairmanZia]

I actually can't wait for him to come back into the side.

He can replace tucker

 

[ChairmanZia]

I think we realise quite yet just how genuinely spoiled we are with Harry, George & Colby. Three exceptionally talented footballers each with individual elite skill sets that complement each other beautifully. I'm not going to try and say who will be the best of the three, and I truly don't care, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride for the next 10+ years because with these three we are definitely going places.

The best of all is not any one player but the synergy they create when firing on full cylinders.

 

[JGreezy]

McKercher, Wardlaw, Sheezel and LDU is just a sickening amount of midfield talent. And they compliment each other so well. They'll feed off each other's standards and improve each other.

 

[lockheed]

McKercher, Wardlaw, Sheezel and LDU is just a sickening amount of midfield talent. And they compliment each other so well. They'll feed off each other's standards and improve each other.

Add in rotations from Simpkin, Powell and Phillips, with cameos from Zurhaar and Curtis. It's not looking too bad when it fires.