Toast Eric Mackenzie (2007 - 2018)

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So Mackenzie is apparently one week away from playing again.
We really missed him last week and quelling Buddy would've gone a long way to keeping us in the game.
Good test for Mitch Brown today. He may line up on Mitch Clark who is no push over.
For his development it would be great to see him acquit himself well and keep Clark from having much scoreboard impact.
Of course, as Essendon proved last week, strangling the Melbourne midfield makes the job of the backs very easy.
 
Eric Mackenzie Round 6 v Western Bulldogs

Q1
16:26 – Gets a fist in a marking contest at the top of the 50 to spoil Jones.
15:35 – Runs over a bouncing ball allowing Jones to pick up 20m out. Follows up with a good tackle, killing the contest.
12:17 – Jones is in front in a congested area at the top of the square. Gets his hands on the ball in the first instance from a teammate's quick snap but Mackenzie is able to work the ball away from him before he has any more bites.
9:20 – Mackenzie taps a high bouncing ball away from Jones.
4:00 – Jones leaves Mackenzie behind on the lead but is thwarted by Brennan coming over the front on the wing.
3:43 – involved in a handball exchange with other West Coast backs.
0:17 – runs over a ball in the back pocket that Stringer picks up and duly roles along the ground for a goal.

Q2
19:50 – covers a Liberatore kick into the 50 well. Gets in front of Jones to deny him any run at the football.
19:23 – covers a Selwood fumble. Gets ball to teammate while being tackled.
17:05 – Jones clunks a big pack mark on the wing. Mackenzie only trailing him slightly and relying on the one-on-one in front of Jones to interfere with his run at the mark – which it doesn't.
15:40 – A Liberatore kick is well covered by a lunging Mackenzie in front of Jones about 30m out from goal.
11:52 – Jones marks despite a lunging Mackenzie. However, it is on the defensive side of the wing and he merely handballs the football off to Young running past.
10:24 – takes a massive one-handed screamer from a clearing Bulldogs kick. Mackenzie slightly ran under the ball but still not much he could do in the contest.
6:30 – errors by both Jones and Mackenzie as they misjudge the bouncing ball in the Dog's forward 50.
4:12 – Mackenzie goes to ground as both he and Jones are running towards the 50m line for a dribbling ball. Jones picks up and hands the ball to Addison.
4:02 – important run down on Smith who gets the ball on the boot 20m out from goal but sprays his shot at goal because of Mackenzie's pressure.
3:05 – legally shepherds Jones away from a marking contest.
0:36 – fortuitous kick from contest lands in Jones lap who is playing a couple steps ahead of Mackenzie. Bombs long to the goalsquare but West Coast win that contest.
0:15 – Cooney tries to create space for a shot on goal but is dumped by a strong Mackenzie tackle stopping the Dogs last chance for scoring in the first half.

Q3
19:46 – massive leap by Jones on the forward flank and he pulls down a big mark. Mackenzie was right on his hammer but because Jones took the ball at full stretch he could do nothing to affect the mark.
15:17 – Jones just gets his hands in front of a lunging Mackenzie on the wing. Umpire decides Mackenzie overcommitted and didn't get back fast enough and pays 50m against Mackenzie, which brings Jones to within 50m of goal. His kick is marked in the goalsquare by Sinclair.
13:53 – Jones takes a good contested mark in a contest Mackenzie was never really in. Hurn misjudged the ball and Howard almost took Jones out in the contest. Good mark by Jones.
11:15 – beats Boyd comprehensively in a marking contest but it is a free kick to Glass.
5:53 – big mark to Mackenzie in the goalsquare opposed to Jones.
3:45 – in a chain of handballs between Selwood and Shuey. Not a relevant player in the movement.
1:45 – lays a tackle on Liberatore.
1:00 – stops Macrae from getting any possession on the wing with a good tackle.

Q4
11:51 – Jones kicks goal but on Brown.
10:45 – beats Cross for positioning in a marking contest on the wing.
9:20 – C. Smith kick comes into to a one-on-one. Mackenzie has superior positioning and pushes the ball away from Jones to Hurn. Mackenzie then lays a follow-up tackle.
8:10 – great chest mark by Jones on Mackenzie at centre-half forward for the Dogs. Coughs his kick up to Hurn though.
7:10 – beats Cooney easy in a marking contest on the wing and fists the ball away.
4:23 – strong intercept mark by Mackenzie on the wing. Out bodies Addison easily. Kicks back to Schofield.
2:02 – receives mark from kick-in. Big kick outside defensive 50 to a contest.

Summary
Hard game to assess for Mackenzie. On the one hand he kept Jones goalless when he was playing on him (the one goal Jones did kick was when Brown was on him). On the other hand Jones had a decent day out and took a number of very impressive marks on the wing. Most of these were against Mackenzie (7 by my reckoning). Having said that, most of those marks were very impressive and for about four of them I couldn't imagine any key back would've been able to stop him from marking those balls.

Mackenzie had virtually no presence offensively (which is standard for him) but did take a couple of really important rebound marks, both on the wing and in the back 50. His use of the ball was not suspect. He is prone to turning the ball over but appeared to know his limit this week and showed a preference for safe handballs.

What is of concern though is his propensity to run over the ground ball. A couple of times against the Dogs this created a problem. Particularly at the end of the first quarter when Stringer capitalised on his mistake. Still it was a good performance from Mackenzie who was responsible for the only Dog key forward of note.
 
Eric Mackenzie's Round 5 v Port Adelaide

Q1
13:38 – Ebert overkicks Schulz and Mackenzie to the boundary line.
13:17 – small handball to Kerr after Ebert handballs it blindly forward. Good shepherd after he hands it off.
9:23 – Schulz comes up to the back flank to compete for a mark where he misjudges the ball and completely crunches Beau Waters. Free kick.
7:20 – Glass v Schulz contest about 40m out from goal. Glass successfully keeps him away from the ball.
7:10 – Schulz leads straight at Hartlett but is covered by both Gaff and Brennan. Pulls up sore on the stretch.
3:45 – bouncing ball to a wall of Eagles at West Coast's half forward line. Schulz is the only Port Adelaide player there and Mackenzie legally shepherds him away from the ball so Scooter could pick up the loose ball.
2:32 – Schulz picks up the hot ball on the wing and is tackled by Butler and Dalziell. Umpire calls high tackle – reasonably soft. Overkicks Westhoff leading from the 50m.
0:21 – receives kick on the switch at about the defensive 50m. Good kick to Glass on the offensive side of the wing.

Q2
19:34 – receives free from ball kicked OOTF about 60m around from the goals. Bombs to 20m to a contest.
17:02 – strong lead by Schulz on the wing and short 25m kick from Stewart but Mackenzie reads it well and kills the contest with a first over the boundary line.
14:47 – Mackenzie almost takes a screamer over Kerr about 35m out from Port's goals. Schulz completely out positioned and beaten.
12:43 – oddly matched up on Stewart in a 2-on-2 on the wing with Sinclair and Lobbe. Stewart and Lobbe take the front positions while Mackenzie trails behind. The ball is brought down the front.
9:42 – Stevenson kicks to Schulz in the forward pocket who has got clear of Mackenzie. However the kick is short and skittles over the boundary line.
4:45 – Schulz is on Glass. Great pickup by Schulz on the bouncing ball and sets up a shot on goal – that hits the post.
4:13 – Hill stupidly plays on and Schulz grabs the ball off him 10m out from goal. Is confused about the situation and snaps quickly and misses. Glass still on him.

Q3
18:30 – Schulz and Mackenzie jump on the ground ball. Wrapped up by the oncoming pack.
15:50 – Schulz part of a handball chain on the wing.
15:33 – Mackenzie picks up footy on 50m arc and kicks long to CHF while receiving a hip-and-shoulder.
13:02 – Schulz and Mackenzie part of a big pack in the Port forward line.
8:33 – free kick to Schulz on the offensive side of the wing. Mackenzie not on him ATM.
8:10 – Mackenzie marks a backwards kick from Gaff and passes short to Glass.
5:45 – Neade kicks poorly to Schulz and the ball goes over the boundary line.
5:12 – Schulz and Mackenzie in a one-on-one about 40m out from Port's goals. Both players have their arms linked. Mackenzie beats him with a fist away.
2:04 – Mackenzie comprehensively beats Schulz in a pack contest with a massive fist but umpire picks out a free from nowhere for a supposed “arm chop”. Schulz misses from 40m.

Q4
18:16 – reasonable run down from Mackenzie on Neade. Affects his kick at goal which hits the post.
15:54 – Schulz takes a mark in the centre square. He grabbed the ball at its highest point with Mackenzie right on his hammer.
14:46 – one-on-one contest between Schulz and Mackenzie. Again Mackenzie is too good for Schulz and gets a spoil on the ball.
12:55 – Schulz gets a quick handball away in the tackle to Boak who slots the goal from 50m. Mackenzie doesn't appear to be on him ATM.
10:10 – another contest between Schulz and Mackenzie and another win to Mackenzie who holds his ground in the front to get the ball away from the Port forward.
7:55 – a Schulz-Mackenzie contest but Schulz pushes Mackenzie past the ball and the pair are left behind the play.
7:15 – Schulz v Mackenzie marking contest on the wing. You guessed it, Mackenzie wins with a punch away.
3:46 – Schulz and Mackenzie are the 2nd pair at the back of the two ruckmen deep in Port's forward pocket. The ball comes over the back and Schulz tries a centring kick which goes to a West Coast player in the goalsquare.
0:31 – Mackenzie outmarks Schulz in Port's forward pocket but it is OOTF. He receives the free kick and pushes it short to Hurn.

Summary
Mackenzie usually takes the no. 1 key forward from the opposition. Against Port he may not have been on their best key forward (Westhoff) but was really well suited to combat Schulz. Mackenzie had a day out against Schulz. He beat him in all but one contest (Q4 15:54 – which had no real bearing) in the air. Admittedly the Port forwards were receiving no service for 2 and a half quarters. Still Mackenzie did everything required of him and while he was on Schulz (the vast majority of the game) the Port forward had no impact.

Mackenzie contributed nothing really offensively but again did not turn the ball over. He won his match up comprehensively and Schulz did not kick a goal nor even look like it. Nothing more could be asked from him.
 

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Eric Mackenzie's Round 7 v Brisbane

Q1
13:20 – trails Brown to the ball on the wing but the kick is set up for a Hurn spoil.
13:00 – wrestles with Brown to keep him from getting to Cox who intercepts the Lions thrust forward.
11:12 – beats Jordan Lisle in a contest on the wing and flicks the ball away from him.
5:25 – poor kick by Brisbane coming forward – to Brown's feet. Mackenzie lays a tackle killing the contest.
3:00 – Cox comes over Mackenzie, Glass and their opponents to spoil the ball. Footy goes to Redden who snaps a goal.
2:03 – Brown leads to the forward flank for a pass from Redden. Ball isn't kicked well and Mackenzie is right on him. Together the escort the ball over the line.
0:52 – kick perhaps going to Brown but falls well short. Mackenzie is playing in front and butters up easily giving the handball to Glass.

Q2
18:45 – Brown and Mackenzie wrestling in the forward pocket. Mackenzie reaches around and gets a fist away from the Lion forward.
14:40 – Zorko gets in the way of a leading Brown and a close-checking Mackenzie. Zorko drops the attempted mark.
12:53 – perhaps watching Brown a bit too closely. But Mackenzie keeps Brown from impacting the play on the Eagles back flank.
11:05 – Brown appears to have slipped over and Mackenzie attacks a Brisbane kick on to the wing. Kicks an ugly kick that goes to the 50m line.
7:15 – Hanley overcooks the kick to Brown in the forward pocket. Mackenzie outmuscles Brown but it is completely incidental as it goes over both of them.
6:05 – Brown v Mackenzie but Wellingham comes in front of both and spoils the ball away from them.
5:04 – Brown gets a handball when Hurn turns it over. The kick by Lisle is run over the goal line by Hurn. Mackenzie caught running back to goal when Hurn turned it over.
3:34 – wonky kick by Lester into an emptyish forward 50. Mackenzie leads Brown to the footy and slaps it away. Brown recovers and dives on the ball pushing it towards a Brisbane player. Results in ball up.
0:48 – Moloney kicks to Brown v Mackenzie but read well by Glass who marks in front of a lunging Brown.

Q3
19:01 – Mackenzie vs Brown for a bouncing ball on West Coast's forward flank. Brown grabs the ball but is bustled over the boundary by Mackenzie.
18:43 – spoils an attempted Brown mark on the wing then tackles Lisle over the boundary when he reads the crumbs.
18:20 – ball clears one-on-one contest in front of Mackenzie and Brown. Brown grabs the ball and is immediately tackled at CHF for Brisbane by Mackenzie. Great tackle and Brown is forced to just place the ball on the ground.
17:12 – Brown vs Mackenzie again. Brown gets a knee on the ball but that's all the impact he has on the contest.
15:58 – another contest inside 50 for Brown and Mackenzie. Mackenzie open palms it away from Brown and then tries to soccer away. Redden sharks the ball and kicks a behind.
14:20 – Brown v Mackenzie. Mackenzie wins with strength and a big fist away.
13:14 – Mackenzie comes over the top of a pack including Brown and spoils the ball over the boundary line.
11:00 – Brown vs Mackenzie in the centre. Subtle fist to Mackenzie again.
9:55 – Brown vs Mackenzie 10m out from Brisbane's goals. Big spoil by Mackenzie.
8:10 – Brown has a metre on Mackenzie and marks about 30m out from goal on a small angle. This mark can be attributed to Mackenzie slipping as Brown starting leading. Brown goals.
6:55 – Mackenzie reads Priddis' toe-poke and marks (but not far enough). Goes one-two with Wellingham and then handballs it to Brown.
0:37 – Brown outmarks Mackenzie on the second grab while leading up to the wing. Goes long to Leuenberger vs Glass.
0:19 – Leuenberger just manages to get a palm on the ball from a throw-in in Brisbane's forward pocket. Falls fortuitously with Raines who is wrapped up.

Q4
19:28 – poor kick to a leading Brown. Sheppard in front and Brown gives away a free.
17:20 – Mackenzie reads the play well, leaving Brown and cutting off a Black kick. Hands off to Hurn.
14:30 – quick snap by Lisle out of the centre goes to Brown vs Mackenzie. Brown goes for the chest mark which makes it too easy for Mackenzie to get a big fist into the ball clearing the area.
10:01 – a quick kick forward by McGrath lands in a desperate Jonathan Brown's lap as he throws himself at the ball near the boundary line. Lines up from 40m out on the boundary line. Kick goes over the face of goal and fisted through.
8:48 – leaves Brown behind to impact a marking contest that Lisle would've marked were it not for Mackenzie's involvement.
8:12 – Brown marks from a Rockliff kick in the forward pocket. Appears to have left Mackenzie in traffic or doubling back because he has 3-4 metres which is more than he has had all game. Lines up from 25m out on a 45 degree angle and slots it.
7:10 – Rockliff kicks to empty space on the wing and Brown and Mackenzie duel for the ball. Brown slips over under Mackenzie pressure so Mackenzie waltzes off with the footy. Kicks well inside 50 to a leading Kennedy who misjudges the ball and drops the mark.
5:16 – playing on Leuenberger but kick goes well beyond their contest on the wing.
4:36 – skidding ball meets Brown vs Mackenzie. Mackenzie gets a small boot on it as both players run past the ball. Schofield mops up. Ball ends up with Redden who is pulled down by a lunging Mackenzie. Not rewarded but causes the turn over.
2:12 – Brown monsters Cox in the marking contest but Cox falls over and Brown loses the ball out back to Mackenzie. Good handball to Wellingham.

Summary
Hard to fault Mackenzie's game against Brown.
Dominated most contests where they opposed and it was only a slip in the mud that allowed Brown to kick his first goal.
Brown ended up with two which didn't accurately represent how often Mackenzie was beating him. But Brown made the best possible from his chances and so ended with a respectable two disposals.
 
With the changing of a season comes the changing of his sponsor and therefore a change of form and luck.

So it is with great pleasure that I inform all and sundry that I am The Big Ezy's sponsor for 2017.

We will keep things pretty insular in the Western Suburbs and Eric finds himself sponsored by a fellow Claremont Football Club player ( Me being the Junior Football Club and him League matters neither here nor there ;) ).

I will encourage the former Christ Church Grammar School lad as best I can , after all he did attend the second best boys Private School in the area.

Beware of the former Club Fairest and Best as he regains the form that won him his first Worsfold Medal, his second in on the way.
 
I watched an old episode of eagles backchat. They interviewed Emac and he explained how bad his feet were and they may have to fuse his toes. Anyone know how he recovered after 2018?
 
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