Past #23: Ben McKay - gone to * as RFA - NMFC awarded Band 1 pick #3 compo

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This is the thing for Ben;

Was going great guns and not rewarded by Brad who preferred to play the old guard at the time. I think got a bad wrap for complaing and even whispers of him leaving.

Got a great contract and seen as a potential Tas replacement with no rush but young guys want to play.....

Then has pneumonia etc and stuggled but managed to get the odd BOG or top 3 players but never quite back there as next in.

Doubts creep in and here we are.

He's a young guy with a massive frame and has shown skill but needs time IMHO.

Agreed brad screwed him. 2018 waite was out injured most of the season. That season majak was killing it in the backline but also played some good games fwd also. Kicked 4 vs Sydney 3 vs Collingwood etc. Mckay was on form and should've been brought in at the time lackey was the same that season won the frosty Miller in the vfl could've come in for Waite. That season was a waste for these sorts of players
 

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Share some info then, what do you know?

My strong suspicion is that a lot of folks here are making definitive calls on little more than him taking time to come to hand.

He's developing. I know he's been reasonable when I watched the preseason stuff and that scamper put a bit of one on one time in to him. That's it as far as this year goes. I also know that he was young and genuinely underdeveloped when we drafted him and the position he plays is up there with ruck as far as developmental time is concerned. Look no further than Jacob Weitering, who hasn't missed anywhere near the football that Ben has, was drafted in the same year, and is just starting to come to hand now.
 
Did we pick him just because he was the Twin or was he actually a decent player?
I'd take half as good as his brother at this stage.




If remember rightly he was a late comer to footy bit like Toddy. Hadn't played alot of junior stuff but looked good because of his size. Bit of a punt.

He has had setbacks, most significant being knocked uncon. in his first game. Gottta wonder if his heart is really in it. Covoid > no VFL an even bigger setback.

Hope he can come on, be great. But might join the recent ranks of Black, Garner & Wood. All the potential in the world but just not the drive.
 
I have one of those distant aunties friends kid links, a reliable one mind you. Apparently it's all between the ears. He doesn't have the confidence, which was pretty obvious in the games he has played. Skill wise I've been told he is just as good as Harry (twins n that)



Be great with Larkey out you could plonk him CHF next week. But l could see Sicily being sent to him and running riot.
 
If remember rightly he was a late comer to footy bit like Toddy. Hadn't played alot of junior stuff but looked good because of his size. Bit of a punt.

He has had setbacks, most significant being knocked uncon. in his first game. Gottta wonder if his heart is really in it. Covoid > no VFL an even bigger setback.

Hope he can come on, be great. But might join the recent ranks of Black, Garner & Wood. All the potential in the world but just not the drive.
It could be any number of factors holding him back. He walked away from rep U/18 footy, believing he wasn't up to the standard required, and had to be coaxed back by The Blogger and convinced he was good enough. Played half a season at Gippy and showed good signs at CHB. We recruited him on limited exposed form and on his size, athleticism and potential.

Was the quieter of the two twins and I get the feeling that he kinda lived in his bros shadow a bit, given Harry was the one who did more as a junior footballer. He also strikes me as a bit immature.

The lack of VFL games is killing him this year tho. He is one who needs games, needs to play and develop but obviously can't do that. Such a shame.
 
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My strong suspicion is that a lot of folks here are making definitive calls on little more than him taking time to come to hand.

He's developing. I know he's been reasonable when I watched the preseason stuff and that scamper put a bit of one on one time in to him. That's it as far as this year goes. I also know that he was young and genuinely underdeveloped when we drafted him and the position he plays is up there with ruck as far as developmental time is concerned. Look no further than Jacob Weitering, who hasn't missed anywhere near the football that Ben has, was drafted in the same year, and is just starting to come to hand now.
If remember rightly he was a late comer to footy bit like Toddy. Hadn't played alot of junior stuff but looked good because of his size. Bit of a punt.

He has had setbacks, most significant being knocked uncon. in his first game. Gottta wonder if his heart is really in it. Covoid > no VFL an even bigger setback.

Hope he can come on, be great. But might join the recent ranks of Black, Garner & Wood. All the potential in the world but just not the drive.
I'd certainly like to see him come through, otherwise the 2015 draft will go down as one of our worst.
From what i'm hearing he probably shouldn't have gone first round, seems like we took him on potential due to his brother.
I'd like to see him tried forward, at least there you don't get punished with a goal if you make a mistake. Might get that confidence up.

In regards to Garner, i think he has the drive, injuries have really messed him up. real shame that we cant/ couldn't make anything out of Garner, Black and Wood.
 
Back in the emergencies. Positive step forward for the big fella. Apparently some good signs from both he and Durdin in the 2s. Further improvement from these two would be huge for the club, and allow us to shift our recruiting focus elsewhere. Hopefully some more steps forward over the coming weeks.

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Back in the emergencies. Positive step forward for the big fella. Apparently some good signs from both he and Durdin in the 2s. Further improvement from these two would be huge for the club, and allow us to shift our recruiting focus elsewhere. Hopefully some more steps forward over the coming weeks.

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app
Having him as emergency before Durdin might imply Tarrant might be out....
 
I'd certainly like to see him come through, otherwise the 2015 draft will go down as one of our worst.
From what i'm hearing he probably shouldn't have gone first round, seems like we took him on potential due to his brother.
I'd like to see him tried forward, at least there you don't get punished with a goal if you make a mistake. Might get that confidence up.

In regards to Garner, i think he has the drive, injuries have really messed him up. real shame that we cant/ couldn't make anything out of Garner, Black and Wood.
not all bad, we got rid of basti. the trade meant we slipped one spot so the only comparison is if we would have been better with Burton than Ben. You would take the Jed for Basti every day of the week and twice on a Sunday. The 2nd and 3rd round selections, well thats another story.
 
I have one of those distant aunties friends kid links, a reliable one mind you. Apparently it's all between the ears. He doesn't have the confidence, which was pretty obvious in the games he has played. Skill wise I've been told he is just as good as Harry (twins n that)
Heard he came into the system thinking he would dominate and didn't realise how professional you had to be at AFL level. Wouldn't hurt to see what he could in the seniors over a four week period.
 
McKay as a key forward...

Jesus christ just shoot me now. Do not want.

Probably correct.

But after all these years we’ve invested in him, wasn’t he worth a look, before Larkey came back?

We know he’s a dead man walking, just would’ve been interested to see if he had something to offer.

Instead we chose to go down the Xerri/ Campbell path, not noted KPPs


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Probably correct.

But after all these years we’ve invested in him, wasn’t he worth a look, before Larkey came back?

We know he’s a dead man walking, just would’ve been interested to see if he had something to offer.

Instead we chose to go down the Xerri/ Campbell path, not noted KPPs


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Maybe, but it's not going to be a position he'll slot right into straight away with ease. Not with Larkey or Majak or Hosie or Wood or Xerri (Who's VFL form suggests he's a more natural forward than a ruck) in front, players with actual forward experience.

He'll have to be trained as a forward and that's just even more investment of time developing for a position he may not excel at. Obviously there's a craft to being a good defender, but being an effective forward is I would say, a more difficult curve to master.

Really that notion is thrown out there because the situation at present is dire, and his own situation as a player at the club is dire. But so are many other players who much like him, haven't proven to be worth keeping. The only reason we even still have him is because of Joyce's bizarre 3 year extension.
 

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Past #23: Ben McKay - gone to * as RFA - NMFC awarded Band 1 pick #3 compo

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