WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - BEN KENNEDY

[DeeSpencer 23,293]

Got a text from a Pies mate today. Said "Are you enjoying Kennedy's kicking".

The run in to open goal was a complete stuff up, tried to massage it through instead of kicking it properly, other times he tries to kick the cover off it. Surely better he reconciles that like Matty Stokes he can only kick 40m and his team mates learn that too than him ever trying to launch long bombs.

If he can learn to relax and compose himself he might offer something, but it might take 1-2 years and 20 or so games for that moment to come and it's going to be painful watching. 

By the way I think he was clear open 40m out from goal at one stage in the 2nd quarter when for whatever reason Grimes took an extra  sidestep and launched it in to Harmes for the hanger. 

[Pates 9,537]

9 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Got a text from a Pies mate today. Said "Are you enjoying Kennedy's kicking".

The run in to open goal was a complete stuff up, tried to massage it through instead of kicking it properly, other times he tries to kick the cover off it. Surely better he reconciles that like Matty Stokes he can only kick 40m and his team mates learn that too than him ever trying to launch long bombs.

If he can learn to relax and compose himself he might offer something, but it might take 1-2 years and 20 or so games for that moment to come and it's going to be painful watching. 

By the way I think he was clear open 40m out from goal at one stage in the 2nd quarter when for whatever reason Grimes took an extra  sidestep and launched it in to Harmes for the hanger. 

I was listening to that moment on the radio, sounded like he was stuck in between kick the goal or pass it off. Sounds like he got it horribly wrong. 

I still like the sound of him, it seems like he's been working on forward pressure which is really important in todays game.

[juzzk1d 1,354]

1 hour ago, Pates said:

I was listening to that moment on the radio, sounded like he was stuck in between kick the goal or pass it off. Sounds like he got it horribly wrong. 

Players do this quite regularly, but it's a simple fix. All the players need to do is keep bouncing toward goal and two things can eventuate from it

1. You draw the sole defender to you, where you can handball over to your free team mate sitting in the goal square
2. The defender gets stuck and sticks on his opponent, allowing you to run and close in around 20m from goal where you can easily nail the goal

He panicked and kicked it from just inside 50, where all he had to do was keep running..

[Redleg 37,906]

Hasn't impressed me so far. I saw plenty of young Bulldogs better on Sunday. 

[Ted Lasso 16,931]

Looks like he wins more one v one contests then loses, i think he can play a role, certainly an upgrade on some of the blokes who have been getting a run in recent years and should have decent scope to improve

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

Hasn't impressed me so far. I saw plenty of young Bulldogs better on Sunday. 

You weren't impressed with him last week? I thought he was outstanding after half time and was one of the key reasons for our comeback.
Wasn't as impressed yesterday, and his last quarter stuff up was cringeworthy, but I've been pleasantly surprised with him overall.

[chook fowler 18,332]

God he butchers the ball

[Devil is in the Detail 883]

HE KEEPS HIS FEET IN ALL THE CONTESTS.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

7 minutes ago, Devil is in the Detail said:

HE KEEPS HIS FEET IN ALL THE CONTESTS.

DOES HE

[Devil is in the Detail 883]

5 minutes ago, Curry & Beer said:

DOES HE

Better than that stupid slide and pick up the ball thing a lot of our current players do and then get tackled.

[beelzebub 22,266]

Ben might find it harder to get a game as  more players come back into contention. Hes a trier though

[Redleg 37,906]

4 hours ago, Good Times Grimes said:

You weren't impressed with him last week? I thought he was outstanding after half time and was one of the key reasons for our comeback.
Wasn't as impressed yesterday, and his last quarter stuff up was cringeworthy, but I've been pleasantly surprised with him overall.

I don't see him in our best 22. I rate him behind ANB and I don't rate him as in our best 22.

[Wrecker45 3,378]

3 hours ago, Redleg said:

I don't see him in our best 22. I rate him behind ANB and I don't rate him as in our best 22.

He's much quicker (leg speed) than ANB. Therefore he will get a game ahead of him in the foreword line to keep the intense pressure up in our forward press.

ANB seems to have a better goal sense and as silly as this seems is less important to our forward structure.

[DeeSpencer 23,293]

We brought him across to give him a consistent shot of games. 

He's making the errors he's known to make at AFL level and doing well in the things he does well in.

As I said earlier it might be a case of picking him and living with some bad kicks for a month or so. There's certainly no reason to bounce him between sides and all signs point towards him not really improving at VFL level. 

I guess he was the guy available but he seems so similar to Kent and Harmes. At least competition for spots should encourage those 3 to go to the next level.

[whatwhat say what 19,277]

alongside kent, garlett, and to a lesser degree harmes, he provides genuine frontal pressure.

 

the more we have doing so in our front half, the better.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

I think Toumpas is probably the better player.

Kennedy however offers more to the team we are seeking to become i.e. a tough contested ball side.

 

[CBDees 3,162]

I think that everybody is unduly worried as Kennedy will probably play a big slab for Casey unless we have a bad run with injuries again. Last Sunday's list has to be trimmed by four (interchange) plus we have to find room for Hogan and eventually Petracca and Trengrove. He is better depth than we have had in past years.

[beelzebub 22,266]

For mine  BK represents a somewhat better quality of insurance.   I think he'll try very hard to break into a senior spot. He'll be hungry. Thats good.  He needs to work on some area of the game and if he takes this attitude to the coaches  he may well step up. In mean time when more established players return to availability  Kennedy will be playing for the Scorps.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

16 hours ago, Redleg said:

I don't see him in our best 22. I rate him behind ANB and I don't rate him as in our best 22.

I think his speed and ball winning ability is why he's valuable. I like ANB, but think he's more of an inside mid than he is a small forward, while I think Kennedy offers more in the forward line while also able to win the hard ball. Not sure it'll stay that way in the future, but for now I have him ahead of ANB. 

When I make my best 22 (fully fit side) Kennedy doesn't make it. But I think that with Trengove/Petracca/Brayshaw out there's a very good chance he plays round one. I like his endeavour and speed, and see him as being very handy depth over the long term.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Ben Kennedy was clearly shanking the ball a lot on the weekend but I think he'll prove a great pickup by the end of the year.

He's a better user than what was on display on Saturday. Both kicking for goal and to team-mates.

 

[Skuit 9,305]

Players that have been traded to the club for genuine currency seem to get picked first. I expect Kennedy and Bugg to be in the round 1 team as would likely Lumumba and Dawes be if fit. Frost may be a loading issue back from a long lay-off but I doubt it. That said, I really liked what I saw from BenKen in the second half of NAB 1 and imagine he'll be a solid fixture season long. Just needs to be informed the sub rule no longer exists.

[praha 10,308]

I'd still prefer someone who actually gets the ball and provides some run than a bloke like Toumpas who goes missing when he makes a mistake or the team is getting smashed.

[Members' Wing 1,106]

2 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Ben Kennedy was clearly shanking the ball a lot on the weekend but I think he'll prove a great pickup by the end of the year.

He's a better user than what was on display on Saturday. Both kicking for goal and to team-mates.

 

Steve interested to know what you're basing this on as he's never demonstrated this?

Collingwood supporters used to tear their hair out over his disposal.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

2 hours ago, Members' Wing said:

Steve interested to know what you're basing this on as he's never demonstrated this?

Collingwood supporters used to tear their hair out over his disposal.

Yeh, he needs to bridge the gap but he has a really fluent action when he's not trying to kick the [censored] out of it which is what he was trying to do on the weekend.

In many draft write-ups his kicking was always mentioned as a strength and it is and can be.

As I said, on the weekend he went for too much... He has class, but he can just try and be too cute sometimes. His draft video shows that he's a natural kick. 

 

 

[PaulRB 5,985]

Would have thought Petracca would play a similar role to Kennedy and from all accounts would be an upgrade..?