Meh I am underwhelmed big time. Kennedy gets fewer touches per game than Toumpas does.

Kennedy was sub for alot of them.

Kennedy was sub for alot of them.

Not only that, but when he was on the field, he was played at HFF or FP. Not the positions to accumulate a lot of posses, especially in the sort of season the Pies have had.

There's far more spaces in our midfield than in the Pies' midfield. I assume that our intention in getting him is not to play him as Bucks did, but to give him a real chance to develop as a mid. That alone is likely to get more value out of him than he's shown to date.

Can I just say, don't be underwhelmed by this guy. He is an absolute pocket-rocket. What he may lack in height + kicking penetration, he makes up for it on hard ball and loose ball gets. Despite what some people may think, he will be a great addition to our side playing a half forward/midfield role. Think Dayne Zorko but quicker. I think he will be a real gem.

Can I just say, don't be underwhelmed by this guy. He is an absolute pocket-rocket. What he may lack in height + kicking penetration, he makes up for it on hard ball and loose ball gets. Despite what some people may think, he will be a great addition to our side playing a half forward/midfield role. Think Dayne Zorko but quicker. I think he will be a real gem.

Sounds more like Viney to me.

Can I just say, don't be underwhelmed by this guy. He is an absolute pocket-rocket. What he may lack in height + kicking penetration, he makes up for it on hard ball and loose ball gets. Despite what some people may think, he will be a great addition to our side playing a half forward/midfield role. Think Dayne Zorko but quicker. I think he will be a real gem.

i don't.

i don't.

You don't be underwhelmed?

I am simply whelmed.

I'm in the Goldilocks Zone of Whelming.

I am simply whelmed.

I'm in the Goldilocks Zone of Whelming.

Comment of the Day rpfc.

Love it

Finally caught up to my Collingwood mate (yes, I know it sounds like a contradiction in terms) who had a few thoughts about Kennedy.

He reckons BK has never been given a proper go at Pieland and played maybe half his 25 games or so off the bench.

Says he goes very hard and looks accomplished at VFL level but this did not/was not allowed to (?) translate to the top level.

Believes that if a coach backed him he could be a good pick up.

Strong on left foot, has no right foot, small, tough, unlikely to displace any of our emerging midfielders but could work as a small forward if given time and support. Might surprise.

What?

If Kennedy turns out to be the next Ablett, we should build a gold plated statue for Mahoney and Roos outside gate 2.

Only gold plated?! Tough crowd.

http://www.aflplayerratings.com.au/Ratings/Player/117240/Ben-KENNEDY

Finally caught up to my Collingwood mate (yes, I know it sounds like a contradiction in terms) who had a few thoughts about Kennedy.

He reckons BK has never been given a proper go at Pieland and played maybe half his 25 games or so off the bench.

Says he goes very hard and looks accomplished at VFL level but this did not/was not allowed to (?) translate to the top level.

Believes that if a coach backed him he could be a good pick up.

Strong on left foot, has no right foot, small, tough, unlikely to displace any of our emerging midfielders but could work as a small forward if given time and support. Might surprise.

He's played all of his best footy at VFL and junior level as a mid, not a small forward.

Finally caught up to my Collingwood mate (yes, I know it sounds like a contradiction in terms) who had a few thoughts about Kennedy.

He reckons BK has never been given a proper go at Pieland and played maybe half his 25 games or so off the bench.

Says he goes very hard and looks accomplished at VFL level but this did not/was not allowed to (?) translate to the top level.

Believes that if a coach backed him he could be a good pick up.

Strong on left foot, has no right foot, small, tough, unlikely to displace any of our emerging midfielders but could work as a small forward if given time and support. Might surprise.

In the highlights package I saw of him, his first 2 kicks were right footed, and 1 went 50 metres. Some coaches have a directive to the players of kicking on your preferred foot.

Knightmare from 2012 on Ben Kennedy:-

#18 Collingwood (Via West Coast) - Ben Kennedy (SA –Fwd/ Mid)

Height: 174cm, Weight: 76kg, DOB: 03/03/1994

Recruited from: Glenelg

Style: Brent Harvey

Player comparison:

Range: 13-30

Profile: Very small midfielder, but he can play. Has really elite explosive pace which would be in the very top percentile. As well as that pace he also uses it effectively and willingly takes on opposition players to effect. More than has the performances on the board and showed a lot during the 2011 and 2012 U18 championships. Kennedy is a big accumulator and can hit the scoreboard for a number of goals. Ball use generally very good. Has a neat left foot kick with nice real penetration and hurt factor with it. Very capable of winning his own ball. Marking ability good for a player of his height. I have some queries about eventual position. Not an elite inside ball winner or stoppage player to suggest his inside game develops into anything particularly outstanding, doesn’t really have much of an outside game, not finding enough outside ball then as a forward despite his pace his tackling game is good but not elite as you’d probably expect in a player of this type. Likely he develops into a rotation forward who can push into the midfield with his explosiveness for periods but it will be interesting to see if he can develop into more than a rotation/role player. Kennedy has a big chance of doing what Dion Prestia and Devon Smith have done in recent years in getting drafted early despite lack of height.

And by recruiting Kennedy I keep wondering whether that means that we don't hold out great hopes of securing Prestia next year as some here believe. It could be the issues with his recovery from the knee problem but also what if Kennedy has a big year and fulfills the promise he showed as an 18 year old with Glenelg? Would we really be chasing another small midfield type in those circumstances?

Knightmare from 2012 on Ben Kennedy:-

And by recruiting Kennedy I keep wondering whether that means that we don't hold out great hopes of securing Prestia next year as some here believe. It could be the issues with his recovery from the knee problem but also what if Kennedy has a big year and fulfills the promise he showed as an 18 year old with Glenelg? Would we really be chasing another small midfield type in those circumstances?

Trading out next year's 1st round pick to GC is a dead giveaway.

Knightmare from 2012 on Ben Kennedy:-

And by recruiting Kennedy I keep wondering whether that means that we don't hold out great hopes of securing Prestia next year as some here believe. It could be the issues with his recovery from the knee problem but also what if Kennedy has a big year and fulfills the promise he showed as an 18 year old with Glenelg? Would we really be chasing another small midfield type in those circumstances?

I reckon that we'll still have a go at Prestia, and if he says that he wants to play for the MFC we'll make it happen. Regardless of what Kennedy becomes this season, Prestia would automatically make our team better.

Trading out next year's 1st round pick to GC is a dead giveaway.

Are you saying that we have done a deal, or now can't do a deal?

Knightmare from 2012 on Ben Kennedy:-

And by recruiting Kennedy I keep wondering whether that means that we don't hold out great hopes of securing Prestia next year as some here believe. It could be the issues with his recovery from the knee problem but also what if Kennedy has a big year and fulfills the promise he showed as an 18 year old with Glenelg? Would we really be chasing another small midfield type in those circumstances?

And also if we draft another not big mid, in Parish.

Are you saying that we have done a deal, or now can't do a deal?

I understand that we can still trade our 2017 1st round pick next year for Prestia, so a deal can theoretically still get done, but the machinations of the GC trades are in theory to hasten our improvement, which lessens the value of the future pick to GC. IF GC were certain Prestia is leaving and we are his preferred destination, they're potentially getting a lesser return.

I don't think it says much - Kennedy plays a different role, and is in a different stratosphere to Prestia - a much lower one.

i'll be more than happy if ben ken becomes a reliable b-grader

We lack speed In the middle so I hope this guy can change that.

The woman that runs the Supercoach website "Supercoach Paige" is a massive Collingwood fan. I follow her on Twitter and I remember last season her tweeting every time Ben Kennedy was sub how annoyed she was as she thought he was an absolute gun and that Buckley wasn't giving him a go. I really feel that Roos/Goodwin are going to get the best out him and we will end up a great pick up for us.

Knightmare from 2012 on Ben Kennedy:-

And by recruiting Kennedy I keep wondering whether that means that we don't hold out great hopes of securing Prestia next year as some here believe. It could be the issues with his recovery from the knee problem but also what if Kennedy has a big year and fulfills the promise he showed as an 18 year old with Glenelg? Would we really be chasing another small midfield type in those circumstances?

We dont need Prestia. We will do just fine without him.

if we get him, all well and good. But hes hardly worth losing sleep over.

We dont need Prestia. We will do just fine without him.

if we get him, all well and good. But hes hardly worth losing sleep over.

Prestia is a star