What if Trent McKenzie is good now?

[backtozero]

It is just ******* teeth-gnashingly deplorable that McKenzie is at least the equal of Hartlett in every area and a lot better than Hartlett in quite a few areas yet wasn't given one game even when Hartlett was likely carrying an injury.

I have to give that Hartlett is probably better at the ground ball but he more than makes up for this by the number of fu** ups he makes disposing of the ball in the oppositions forward line.

McKenzie is a slightly more penetrating kick IMO, but with a better disposal efficiency and kicking efficiency over the last two seasons, DOUBLE the metres gained over the last two seasons, more total marks.

Hartlett has only 5 less clangers in 9 games this season than McKenzie had for the entire 2020 season.

Now I know for too many reasons to calculate these stats can't be directly compared. But the trend is clear. McKenzie is going to get you far more metres gained at a higher efficiency McKenzie looks more mobile, probably quicker, better in the air and adequate on the ground. Given the opportunity he may even be better on the ground.

There is no reasonable defense to be had why McKenzie has not played one game this season and Hartlett has played nine.

Hartlett will be persisted with right up until the business end like we did with Trengove and Westhoff. Hinkley has a hard time letting go.

 

[Turiyasangitananda]

Yet it was the coaches who kept faith in McKenzie when everyone else wanted him delisted. Surely he stays in now.

 

[Pappagallo]

Wait did De Goey play against us on the weekend?

He was shelved by Pure 12.

 

[TeeKray]

He was shelved by Pure 12.

I think you'll find the previous wearer of that guernsey number was known as Pure 12. The current wearer is known as The Dulmial Gun. Thank you for your understanding.

 

[Pappagallo]

I think you'll find the previous wearer of that guernsey number was known as Pure 12. The current wearer is known as The Dulmial Gun. Thank you for your understanding.

Sorry you are objectively wrong. Pure 12 transcends the conventions of personal nicknames due to its purity which is graded high to very high.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Leinert should have come in for Clurey and McKenzie should have been in for Hartlett. When Clurey comes back, unless Leinert proves otherwise, Clurey in for Leinert. If Burton goes down, it will make things interesting as I think McKenzie was his backup.

I will never as long as I live understand this board's obsession with Lienert. Could've been delisted two or three years ago and I wouldn't have batted an eyelid.

 

[Tibbs]

I will never as long as I live understand this board's obsession with Lienert. Could've been delisted two or three years ago and I wouldn't have batted an eyelid.

I agree he is no superstar, but he is a solid defender, and a mobile tall ... And by geez, he would have been better than Hartlett these last two months!

 

[yepits2020]

I will never as long as I live understand this board's obsession with Lienert. Could've been delisted two or three years ago and I wouldn't have batted an eyelid.

He is a good solid depth player. I believe he is reliable. Played well since his debut in 2018 with some solid games. You can’t ask for more from a depth player. In the SANFL, solid, and amongst the best against Adelaide, the Eagles, Central’s and Norwood.

 

[Visenfest]

How bloody good was he today? Was basically impassable.

 

[Lefti93]

when defending becomes an art.

 

[The Hobo]

I will never as long as I live understand this board's obsession with Lienert. Could've been delisted two or three years ago and I wouldn't have batted an eyelid.

Has done a decent job every time he's come in. Can play tall and small, moves well, booming kick. From SA and seems a good team player. Why would you not want that sort of depth in your squad? If Jonas/Aliir goes down now, we could bring him in and he could do a job.

I don't understand this obsession with getting rid of players that are highly capable depth players that are happy to stick around. Especially ones that are as versatile as Lienert.

 

[The Hobo]

How bloody good was he today? Was basically impassable.

I've said it before - his defensive craft is elite. This is why I have him ahead of Clurey, who I think has comparatively poor defensive craft and gives away a lot of clumsy free kicks and gets beaten when he's in a good position.

McKenzie is better with the ball in hand too, as well as coming to assist team mates. There are obviously some match ups that work better with Clurey than McKenzie.

Having said all that - once Clurey returns, i'd probably look at playing all of them. McKenzie has done a job on medium marking players that we usually struggle with.

 

[Willsy10]

Such a good return to AFL for him so far. He was so unlucky to come out of favour given how much of a rock he was down back in 2020, he has picked up where he left off. Not sure what happens when Clurey is due back but i'm enjoying him back in the side.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

2 errors in Trent's game last night.

1. He has to pinch the ball from Jonas when a kickin from points happens.

2. He has to mix it up a bit when he kicks in. Last night he tried and rather than always kick it to his right hand side corner of the centre square, 10-15m back from that corner, he went wider by about 10m closer to the middle, but several times he hit Freo players. He has to mix it up and sometimes go closer to the boundary or sometimes go to the left hand side. Don't need to go short, short when he has a 15m run up past the goal square, but he doesn't have to go to the same basic area of 20m x 15m in the right hand corner of the centre square everytime.

Another than that, another excellent game that would be making Clurey, Burton and one or two others nervous.

 

[NoddyHolder]

I reckon our kick in strategy - almost always straight to the corner of the centre square - has about a 90% failure rate. Far too predictable. Not McKenzie's fault, obviously, it's has to be a coaching instruction.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Was also superb before he left.

 

[The Hobo]

I reckon our kick in strategy - almost always straight to the corner of the centre square - has about a 90% failure rate. Far too predictable. Not McKenzie's fault, obviously, it's has to be a coaching instruction.

100% - every player taking a kick in does the same thing.

Plan B is kick it to someone in the pocket, who then kicks it to the same spot.

Rarely works and we usually end up conceding repeat inside 50's.

 

[Harlott]

Currently I would have him over Burton or Clurey. Clurey only started to come good recently. I know there’s a lot of love for Burton and he looks like a very nice footballer but I’d have McKenzie. Hardly ever lets you down.

 

[Lefti93]

if this bloke played for richmond he'd be hailed the next king of the universe.

 

[Visenfest]

I've said it before - his defensive craft is elite. This is why I have him ahead of Clurey, who I think has comparatively poor defensive craft and gives away a lot of clumsy free kicks and gets beaten when he's in a good position.

McKenzie is better with the ball in hand too, as well as coming to assist team mates. There are obviously some match ups that work better with Clurey than McKenzie.

Having said all that - once Clurey returns, i'd probably look at playing all of them. McKenzie has done a job on medium marking players that we usually struggle with.

McKenzie and Clurey should be in the same side.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

if this bloke played for richmond he'd be hailed the next king of the universe.

Maybe he should announce a trek in Nepal.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

McKenzie, TJ, Clurey
Aliir, DBJ, Burton

Thats the first string starters.

Jones is our 7th who starts from the bench.

After that, in order (right now): Bergman, Frederick, Garner, Lienert, Hartlett, Pasini (once recovered).

There is a certain amount of wiggle room. Hammer if we need experience. Lienert if we need versatility. Bergman for rotation. Frederick for run. But as a general rule those are our top 7 on 2021 output, and shouldn't be messed with much from here.

 

[Visenfest]

Maybe he should announce a trek in Nepal.

The Dulmial Trail.

 

[TeeKray]

He's the best kick in the defence.

He's the best lockdown defender in the defence.

He's the second best intercept marker in the defence (behind Aliir).

He finished 5th in the B&F last year.

At some point it has to be said that he's actually our best all round defender. He shouldn't even vaguely be in the discussion for being out of the team.