Saints after McKernan?

[johnearljames]

Would be better than Abbot.

Wouldn't mind for one year as a backup.

Will cost nothing. Unless we can get a better backup.

[Goose is king]

It would allow us to keep our structure if Ryder or Marshall get injured. Better than Abbot

[Impatient Sainter]

Would be better than Abbot.

Wouldn't mind for one year as a backup.

Will cost nothing. Unless we can get a better backup.

Agree a good cheap short term solutuion...and we get Ben King 2022 and he plays the forward 2nd ruck position.

[Beno88]

Please no. He is an absolute spud. The Essendon supporters I know can't stand him.

Also, Rule 1 of trading, do not trade with Essendon.

[johnearljames]

He is delisted. Free get.

[Impatient Sainter]

Please no. He is an absolute spud. The Essendon supporters I know can't stand him.

Also, Rule 1 of trading, do not trade with Essendon.

Since when did opposition supporters become the 'test' of a players worth. McKernan is a mature free get and fills a back up role that Abbott filled. I should imagine we will look at picking up a longer term ruckman in one of the draft/s.

[Joffa Burns]

Shaun or Corey?

Not as long as my hairy @rse points to the ground would I take either of them.
The younger one is a good honest battler but not a ruckmans ringer.

Get someone with upside like Peter Wright who is big enough to ruck and if he matures and learns to become more physical could become a gun AFL ruck/forward.

He has the talent without doubt, has lacked the hard edge but acknowledges it and is working hard to show how competitive he can be when he gets another crack in the big time.

[skeptic]

I don’t see the benefit of bringing in a player that we don’t think is up to it as a short term stop gap to then upgrade again in a year or two.

Feels like a loser strategy

For example, he’s either good enough to have stepped in to cover for Ryder vs Richmond or we’re better off having done what we did
Bringing in a guy like McKernan to be less terrible than Abbot is silly IMO. Invest in someone with upside

[Beno88]

Please no. He is an absolute spud. The Essendon supporters I know can't stand him.

Also, Rule 1 of trading, do not trade with Essendon.

Since when did opposition supporters become the 'test' of a players worth.

How is that any different to you determining his worth to us?

[sks023]

Would be better than Abbot.

Wouldn't mind for one year as a backup.

Will cost nothing. Unless we can get a better backup.

Agree a good cheap short term solutuion...and we get Ben King 2022 and he plays the forward 2nd ruck position.

Agree we need another ruck but I would rather see us go after someone younger like Ratugolea.
Better for the longer term

[remboy]

What they are looking for is a ruckman for Sandy who could come in if Ryder and Marshall were both injured. If not McKernan we have to find someone else who could ruck next year but would be happy to play VFL if not required.

[Josh Battle]

If he’s cheap and if it doesn’t cost in terms of draft picks it’s a good move to have a ready made back up. His ruck work is ordinary, but he’s a good mark and generally kicks straight. On a dry track at Marvel he’s going to be a handful for the opposition.

Depending on who we get this trade period, we are well and truly entering our window so we need the depth. If Marshall or Ryder go down or even if Kingy has an injury, we don’t have a tall other than Battle ( who may or may not be needed in the forward line)

We’ll be extremely lucky if Ryder goes through the whole of 2021 without an injury. It’s highly likely with Paddys’ history and the probability of big blokes getting injuries when they are 32-33 years age.

[Josh Battle]

Shaun or Corey?

Not as long as my hairy @rse points to the ground would I take either of them.
The younger one is a good honest battler but not a ruckmans ringer.

Get someone with upside like Peter Wright who is big enough to ruck and if he matures and learns to become more physical could become a gun AFL ruck/forward.

He has the talent without doubt, has lacked the hard edge but acknowledges it and is working hard to show how competitive he can be when he gets another crack in the big time.

Your comment about 2 metre Peter not being physical, kind of reminds me how we used to think of Rhys Stanley. We got rid of him because we were impatient with his development. It also took Rhys a long time for the coach and his team mates to have faith in him at Geelong. Not sure whether injuries played a role but Rhys is now a vital cog in the Cats line up.

I think a guy like Ratten could bring the best out of Peter. I think if we recruit Peter we need to keep in mind that he may not be ready to play his best football for another 2-3 years.

[Selhurst Saint]

He is a complete plank. His game against us this year was the single worst game I have seen by an AFL footballer.

[ace]

It would allow us to keep our structure if Ryder or Marshall get injured. Better than Abbot

Abbott already gone.
Shaun McKernan has already been delisted by Essendon so he would come as delisted free agent.

As backup he would be required to disrupt the opposition ruck rather than win ruck contests much as Jonathon Marsh being used in the ruck.
If you can't win then don't let your opponent win.
Mid field then roves to a losing ruck.

[Teflon]

He is a complete plank. His game against us this year was the single worst game I have seen by an AFL footballer.

Correct if this has legs that’s not a good move
Ratogulea from cats much better bet

[cwrcyn]

Potato.....no effing way. Can barely get a kick at the sh#thole. I'd be furious is we went down that path

[sks023]

He is a complete plank. His game against us this year was the single worst game I have seen by an AFL footballer.

Correct if this has legs that’s not a good move
Ratogulea from cats much better bet

McKernan doesn't appeal to me if our goal is to be playing finals for the next decade.
A big bodied 22year ruck-forward like Ratugolea sounds more inviting

[Sanctorum]

Shaun McKernan at 196 cm is not a ruckman and I've never considered him more than "fair/average" at best. At age 31 he is never going to improve and only be a "stop gap" solution.

2 Metre Peter on the other hand would be a great investment - 203 cm and just 24 he has great potential under expert coaching and has the incentive to replace Paddy Ryder in a year or two. After 6 seasons at the Suns for just 66 games he should not coast a hell of a lot either.

Be good to get another Ranga at the club

[Goose is king]

[quote=Teflon post_id=1879373 time=1603427873 user_id=175]
[quote="Selhurst Saint" post_id=1879369 time=1603427013 user_id=705]
He is a complete plank. His game against us this year was the single worst game I have seen by an AFL footballer.
[/quote]

Correct if this has legs that’s not a good move
Ratogulea from cats much better bet
[/quote]

The game against us he had a midfield that wouldn’t kick the ball forward. They gave him no chance. They played to not get smashed after we smashed them in the first quarter. Agree I’d prefer Ratogulea.

[Joffa Burns]

Would be better than Abbot.

Wouldn't mind for one year as a backup.

Will cost nothing. Unless we can get a better backup.

here you go scoop, why do I sense deja vu?

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/10/22/ ... isted-don/

[Impatient Sainter]

If he is selected he will be just be a short term BACK UP on minimum wage! The chances of him actually playing AFL are probably less than Abbott this year.

Wright is reportedly on a huge contract at GCS and not even Dodoro would go near him for those $$$.

[johnearljames]

Would be better than Abbot.

Wouldn't mind for one year as a backup.

Will cost nothing. Unless we can get a better backup.

here you go scoop, why do I sense deja vu?

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/10/22/ ... isted-don/

Yep. Thats where I read it.

Same place as Dunny and Webby might be going to Adelaide.

Didn't know you were an ITK Jeffy.

[saintsRrising]

I don’t see the benefit of bringing in a player that we don’t think is up to it as a short term stop gap to then upgrade again in a year or two.

In isolation yes. But the focus this year may be to address particular gaps in our first 22.
Crouch for midfield be one such. Personally I think we need at least one more good inside mid.

If we get another good ruck now, he will not displace Marshall or Ryder next year. So a good ready to go ruck would not join us this year.

A kid will take years.

If list sizes are reduced then McKernan provides cover for both a key forward and for ruck.

For example, he’s either good enough to have stepped in to cover for Ryder vs Richmond or we’re better off having done what we did

Though what if both Ryder and Marshall go down?

Bringing in a guy like McKernan to be less terrible than Abbot is silly IMO. Invest in someone with upside

I agree if we can find someone, but as they will not displace Marshall or Ryder in 2021 the difficulty is finding someone who is free or cheap and who is also happy to mainly not play seniors. The lure potentially to get more games once Ryder retires. But also based on this year Ryder could well play 2 more years and not one.

[saynta]

He is delisted. Free get.

He trained with us one preseason but we weren't interested.