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

[Jeremy Jordan]

He’s turned the ball over heaps in the 1’s and in that first clip posted he’s lucky the wind held the ball up or that was a turnover too.

‘Turned it over heaps’. Like more than average?
His kicking efficiency is over 77% and he averages 3 turnovers a game. Is that no good?

 

[JGreezy]

McKercher is fine he makes the occasional bad decision, but he'll learn. His kicking is fine.

His game breaking skill is his run, which will be a new dynamic for our midfield.

It's cool how the future mids all have different game breaking skills. It will cause so much confusion for an opposing midfield structure. You have to play them all so differently.

 

[Caracas]

He’s turned the ball over heaps in the 1’s and in that first clip posted he’s lucky the wind held the ball up or that was a turnover too.

I haven’t been close enough to speak definitively on Colby. However, I do tend to get a sense of players weaknesses at the games. It has never occurred to me that he is a bad kick. I could be wrong. Time will tell, I suppose.

 

[Twangler]

I’d have throught kicking is a strength. Best five kicks at the club I’d say are Sheezel, Powell, Phillips, Fisher and McKercher. Running full pelt and missing the occasional one is pretty good going.

 

[JGreezy]

In the example above there's a Melbourne player hidden behind the ump and the North player. It looks like McKercher is winding up to punch it at goal on his left and the Demon's player emerges, so Colby has to punch a little kick at the last second.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Has he fluffed a few kicks at AFL level? Yes. Has he lacked a bit of composure at times when running full tilt? Yes. Both those things will improve immensely with experience. He is a bit one sided, but he has a combination of speed, agility and power that will allow him to get out of most tricky situations, particularly once his body matures.

Technically his kicking is ridiculously good and he is more than capable of hitting the lowest % kicks. He can kick low flat lasers 45+m, exactly the same as Wardlaw. To say he is a bad kick is just a screeeeeaming to end up having egg on your face.

 

[Kangaroosters]

Oh my god - I was just about ready for bed after a good night at Origin. Thought I’d check Bigfooty and here I am reading some absolute donuts roast Colby for being a garbage kick because of a turnover in the VFL. Hahahahahahahah

First off - actually bugger it - I’m not wasting my time explaining this. Colby is an elite ball user. If you can’t see it you are a pelican. Remember that kick he hit at full pelt to Curtis in the 1s against the hawks after 4 bounces through the middle? Or do we only focus on VFL moments where he’s made a poor decision and left the ball in the air for too long! People consistently mix up ‘bad kick’ and ‘bad decision’ - it’s actually physically painful to read about it.

Luke McDonald was an elite kick - but an average decision maker, same way as Curtis Taylor

5

Curtis Taylor

Age

24

Ht

188cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

6.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.0

1star

No current season stats available

D

6.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.0

1star

is an average kick but a very good decision maker.

Colby is elite at both and is in year 1. Chill the f*** out

 

[Lavy_Panther]

Deary me.

And here I was thinking the negging of LDU was a low point of this forum.

 

[Frank Thring]

Colby is not an elite kick......yet

 

[Sphynx]

Colby is not an elite kick......yet

He is in certain situations.

His one wood is the 20-30m spot up kick on the run. Boomer style.

There's very few better at it. It's well weighted, low and unspoilable most of the time.

He can miss targets when he goes longer, but I think that's more decision making rather than a technical issue.



Remembering that most players with elite speed can fluff kicks. Wardlaw does it, LDU certainly does it. Judd, Dangerfield... the list goes on.

Identifying 1 missed target (after he just cut a 40m swathe through the middle of the ground) is ridiculous. How about the other 28 disposals he got in 30 minutes of game time?

 

[Harpergun]

He is in certain situations.

His one wood is the 20-30m spot up kick on the run. Boomer style.

There's very few better at it. It's well weighted, low and unspoilable most of the time.

He can miss targets when he goes longer, but I think that's more decision making rather than a technical issue.



Remembering that most players with elite speed can fluff kicks. Wardlaw does it, LDU certainly does it. Judd, Dangerfield... the list goes on.

Identifying 1 missed target (after he just cut a 40m swathe through the middle of the ground) is ridiculous. How about the other 28 disposals he got in 30 minutes of game time?

But it doesnt suit the narrative that he's a poor kick

Eye test tells a totally different story. Kid will be an absolute gun in a few years.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Probably because Duckyeah was in the Get Reid, Curtin, Wiz etc crowd.

Don't get the player you want then the alternative player becomes the whipping boy.

 

[DuckYeah]

He is in certain situations.

His one wood is the 20-30m spot up kick on the run. Boomer style.

There's very few better at it. It's well weighted, low and unspoilable most of the time.

He can miss targets when he goes longer, but I think that's more decision making rather than a technical issue.



Remembering that most players with elite speed can fluff kicks. Wardlaw does it, LDU certainly does it. Judd, Dangerfield... the list goes on.

Identifying 1 missed target (after he just cut a 40m swathe through the middle of the ground) is ridiculous. How about the other 28 disposals he got in 30 minutes of game time?

And there is the point of my first post. SCORES FROM TURNOVERS. He can contribute to 4 or 5 goals but his couple of turnovers that result in goals the other way take the shine off him a tad.

 

[Coalface]

can someone with access summarise the Herald Sun article below:

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a_FBK_P&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fsport%2Fafl%2Fmoneyball-all-the-latest-trade-and-contract-news-from-across-the-afl%2Fnews-story%2F3892ca4dade45c3f8af64df3fb501434&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=LOW-Segment-1-SCORE

 

[Sphynx]

And there is the point of my first post. SCORES FROM TURNOVERS. He can contribute to 4 or 5 goals but his couple of turnovers that result in goals the other way take the shine off him a tad.

I don't see how in your example that turnover would result in a goal.

You are completely ignoring the other things he brings to the table.

He ran 40m, kicked it 40m. He moved the ball from CHB to a deep entry inside 50, on his own, because of his leg speed.

IT was hardly a bad "turnover" either, it was a missed target in a area of the ground only he could achieve.

Is it better to lose the ball 35m out from our goal or if it was another player missing a pass where he first receives the ball and turned it over 80m from the oppositions goal?

If that ball goes the full length of the ground from that position and results in a goal, it's not McKercher's fault.


Errol Gulden is considered one of the best kicks and most damaging players in the league, he also averages almost 6 turnovers (3rd highest in the league) a game from his 26 disposals. Generally the guys who go for the most attacking options and run with the ball and attack the opposition will have higher turnover rates.

Bontempelli and Sheezel are both top 15, both of them are amazing kicks.

 

[franjon]

can someone with access summarise the Herald Sun article below:

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a_FBK_P&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fsport%2Fafl%2Fmoneyball-all-the-latest-trade-and-contract-news-from-across-the-afl%2Fnews-story%2F3892ca4dade45c3f8af64df3fb501434&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=LOW-Segment-1-SCORE

Can't help you, even if there were still 1c pieces I wouldn't give it to anything that supports Rupert Murdoch. Oh, ah, sorry, wrong thread.

 

[giantroo]

can someone with access summarise the Herald Sun article below:

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a_FBK_P&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fsport%2Fafl%2Fmoneyball-all-the-latest-trade-and-contract-news-from-across-the-afl%2Fnews-story%2F3892ca4dade45c3f8af64df3fb501434&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=LOW-Segment-1-SCORE

MCKERCHER TIPPED TO TURN BACK ON TASSIE ​

Tasmania’s biggest recruiting target Colby McKercher is likely to be off the table by the time the Devils come into the competition as he dedicates himself to football with North Melbourne.

Launceston boy McKercher would have been the perfect figurehead for the Devils given his style of play and status as a local star.

But those close to McKercher are aware he is unlikely to want to head home for the early seasons of the Tasmanian team, which is set to come into the competition for 2028.

Like many of the Tasmanian players who set their sights on the AFL he was keen to find himself at an established AFL club amid uncertainty about the future of Tasmania’s new side.

And while you can never say never, players like McKercher are understood to be keen to play their early years at their existing clubs in the early seasons of the Devils.

Colby McKercher seemes to be going nowhere anytime soon. Picture: Getty Images
McKercher is a Launceston boy, not a Hobart local, and while the north-south divide is no impediment to recruiting Tasmanians he would not be returning to his hometown.

His manager Nick Gieschen said recently he was in no hurry to extend his contract talks.

But it would be a shock if he jumped ship even despite what are expected to be monster offers for Tasmanian players.

“Not really, to be honest. I’ve had brief chats with the clubs, there’s no rush,” Gieschen said.

“If you look at comparing it to an AFL player, say someone that’s got two and a half years to go on their contract it is early. Normally those talks start to happen 18 months out.

“I feel like the clubs are just comfortable with where all these guys are sitting. They’re all playing. I’m happy to start whenever the clubs want to start but for now I think everyone’s happy for them to keep playing footy.”

 

[Jazny]

Messi can't kick either. Delist. Delist all players who have ever made an error.

 

[giantroo]

 

[footy2016]

Only explanation is match conditioning. In saying that he played 3 quarters last week and looked a class above. Very surprising he isn’t straight back in.

 

[Harveysuth]

I would argue that Colby is the best field kick we currently have on our list

 

[Sphynx]

Only explanation is match conditioning. In saying that he played 3 quarters last week and looked a class above. Very surprising he isn’t straight back in.

I dunno about this. It's a chance to ruffle a few feathers if he is fit.

In what universe isn't McKercher at least an unbelievable sub option, particularly if you are playing someone like Stephens in that role anyway.



More genius fixturing from the VFL also.

Why the **** wouldn't all Saturday AFL games have their reserves on Sunday and visa versa.

No, of course our VFL game is scheduled to start 15 minutes after the AFL match at Arden St.

At the very least given we are the 1:45 game, have the VFL game as a twilight game at 3:30-4:00.

Why wouldn't you swap the Richmond vs Carlton VFL game (The AFL game is Sunday afternoon) which is Sunday afternoon with the North vs Dogs VFL game which is Saturday afternoon.

 

[Horizons_00]

This reminds me of everyone bagging Wardlaw for his "butchering" of the ball

Now is a messiah

Don't forget that the kid is in his first year lol

 

[shinboner spiggs]

I don’t mind him killing it at VFL for a bit of added confidence. Not everyone takes the piss like Sheez in their first season, and whilst things are going ok with the incumbents, let these guys build on their deficiencies.

We’ve had an overwhelming reliance on our youth recently, but it’s refreshing to see the core seniors lifting their own standards and changing the fortunes. Colby will come in when we’re ready to take it to the next level.

 

[footy2016]

Left the track during match sim. Obviously not right/ something bothering him hence why not back in the seniors.