Peter McKenna may have been ready. Chris Judd was ready. Michael Newton is neither Judd nor McKenna. He's a talented but immature player.

I think the point is that the Noonans and McKennas of bygone days were ready to play elite level in the '60's because suburban and bush football was so much stronger when emerging players had to play against men at a young age. Newton's grounding was with the Murray Bushies playing against other Under 18's. Since then he had a back injury that interrupted most of 2005 and last year, he spent more time in the VFL reserves than in the seniors. On top of that, the standard down there is rather ordinary.

I think the kid's good but he needs to toughen up mentally in order to play full time with the men. Should he do this, it will be a bonus for the club and he'll play a lot of quality AFL games because he has the skills and is a potentially exciting player.

i would love to see newton make it. this kid truely excites me, because he is capable of the freakish, and he does have the skills to do it all day long.

Peter McKenna may have been ready. Chris Judd was ready. Michael Newton is neither Judd nor McKenna. He's a talented but immature player.

I think the difference is not the mcKenna's of this world, but the game has moved so far forward to those days, in regard to the speed by foot & the speed the game is played at & the fitness, stamina & recovery from the last combat. Yesteryear the teenagers were naturally fit plus their training & the senior VFL footballers were busy at halftime with a [censored] in one hand & a pie in the other.