Dan McKenzie

[CQ SAINT]

Cynical view

Minor back surgery (if there is such a thing) can lead to some other issues- namely hamstring problems

It’s funny JB is now a villain- having played 155 games

I bet you were cheering him on when he booted 4 in the last quarter to seal a come from behind win vs the Bulldogs

He’s gone to Melbourne for a fresh start after a couple of injury interrupted seasons

Fair play imo

They irony on your views of Billings last two years compared to Hills first two has been noted. I've filed it under fan boy and poor judgement on actual output compared to potential.

We see the decline in Paton, we saw it in Hannerbery but Jack just needs a fresh start. We'll he has one.

A fresh start to what is the question?

Apparently, he went to Melb uninjured (there's a fresh start for you) and impressed in their first session, then pulled up sore and was managed out of the running camp. After all, he has average 15 games a season for ten years.

Must be a fresh start to the end of his career.

I felt sorry for him in his last two years as a Saint.

Now I'm over it.

[fingers]

Ask SOS about the call to delist McKenzie.

[saynta]

Cynical view

Minor back surgery (if there is such a thing) can lead to some other issues- namely hamstring problems

It’s funny JB is now a villain- having played 155 games

I bet you were cheering him on when he booted 4 in the last quarter to seal a come from behind win vs the Bulldogs

He’s gone to Melbourne for a fresh start after a couple of injury interrupted seasons

Fair play imo

They irony on your views of Billings last two years compared to Hills first two has been noted. I've filed it under fan boy and poor judgement on actual output compared to potential.

We see the decline in Paton, we saw it in Hannerbery but Jack just needs a fresh start. We'll he has one.

A fresh start to what is the question?

Apparently, he went to Melb uninjured (there's a fresh start for you) and impressed in their first session, then pulled up sore and was managed out of the running camp. After all, he has average 15 games a season for ten years.

Must be a fresh start to the end of his career.

I felt sorry for him in his last two years as a Saint.

Now I'm over it.

What's with We'll for well. You are not the only one doing that. So is auto correct or something similar?

[B.M]

Billings was injured

Hill was not at peak fitness

One is in your control- other is not

Btw
Even at 80% fitness Hill was still as fit as most AFL players, and played some very good footy across HB

Just not the game breaking wingman we sold the farm for and paid 800-900k

Hill has hardly missed a game - what’s his highest B&F finish?

Freo he won one and was on the podium once. He was the best wingman in the AFL at one point. Why was he underwhelming in his fist three years at StK? He lost hi one wood! His ability to out run opponents- a big issue for such an outside player

He was deployed across hb as a result.

[1965 Saint]

McKenzie is training with Fremantle trying to get picked up. Showed him training on the news last night and he looked pretty fit and sharp. I hope we haven’t stuffed this up.

[CQ SAINT]

Cynical view

Minor back surgery (if there is such a thing) can lead to some other issues- namely hamstring problems

It’s funny JB is now a villain- having played 155 games

I bet you were cheering him on when he booted 4 in the last quarter to seal a come from behind win vs the Bulldogs

He’s gone to Melbourne for a fresh start after a couple of injury interrupted seasons

Fair play imo

They irony on your views of Billings last two years compared to Hills first two has been noted. I've filed it under fan boy and poor judgement on actual output compared to potential.

We see the decline in Paton, we saw it in Hannerbery but Jack just needs a fresh start. We'll he has one.

A fresh start to what is the question?

Apparently, he went to Melb uninjured (there's a fresh start for you) and impressed in their first session, then pulled up sore and was managed out of the running camp. After all, he has average 15 games a season for ten years.

Must be a fresh start to the end of his career.

I felt sorry for him in his last two years as a Saint.

Now I'm over it.

What's with We'll for well. You are not the only one doing that. So is auto correct or something similar?

We'll

Yes thank you, it's doing it when I type

[CQ SAINT]

Billings was injured

Hill was not at peak fitness

One is in your control- other is not

Btw
Even at 80% fitness Hill was still as fit as most AFL players, and played some very good footy across HB

Just not the game breaking wingman we sold the farm for and paid 800-900k

Hill has hardly missed a game - what’s his highest B&F finish?

Freo he won one and was on the podium once. He was the best wingman in the AFL at one point. Why was he underwhelming in his fist three years at StK? He lost hi one wood! His ability to out run opponents- a big issue for such an outside player

He was deployed across hb as a result.

It's clear that you prefer your own narrative and the cheap shots created by the media over his contract, rather than what he has said himself and what the club confirmed. .

First, his actual base contract is actually nothing like $800-900k and was immediately affected by covid tax.

Second, he carried an injury through the whole of 2022, and as a result we found an injury in his knee at his medical before his contract.

Your suggesting he didn't train hard or put effort in. I'd suggest ypthat he was actually quite shocked at the standards he walked into. I'd also suggest that the departure of Dunstan, Billings, Newnes, and others was a fair indication of the standards I'm alluding to.

Third, his b&f count doesn't account t for the k's and gut running that went on in a fairly defunct gameplan, based on pressure and defensive attack strategies.

[B.M]

B&F probably indicative of how effective he was in his role

That’s my experience

Brad is a good player, elite runner, good skills

He wasn’t as fit 2020-2022 as he was at Hawthorn or Fremantle
Last year, he got his running back to the very elite level

[1965 Saint]

This post is about McKenzie. Why is there a communal w..k about Hill and Billings? McKenzie is training at Fremantle and looking sharp. Hope he doesn’t come back to bite us.

[shanegrambeau]

Well, back to DMac then. I read he is to train with the purple pills and then train with Gold Coast for a stint. Either team has until Feb 19th to make a choice. Sound right?

I don't know what sort of nick he can be in right now, but I dread to think what it must be like for a guy coming off long term injuries and concussion, trying to mix it with a bunch of bulked up guys (summer bulking) full of agro, scolded after their last season and eager to repair their self-respect. Must be hard to make an impression. And then Gold Coast under Hardwick! An even more hyped up environment.

Can St Kilda still get him back?

[skeptic]

Can St Kilda still get him back?

I don’t think so. I’m under the impression we have a full list and the reason he was cut in the first place was that Schonmaker (spelling) fell into our lap with the last pick.

Happy to be corrected

[CQ SAINT]

This post is about McKenzie. Why is there a communal w..k about Hill and Billings? McKenzie is training at Fremantle and looking sharp. Hope he doesn’t come back to bite us.

The relative factor is that Billings, Hill and Dmac all got injuries at their last club.

One of them got a massive contract and one was paid to leave. Dan didn't want to go and if he accepted a train on at Freo that means he too will take a pay cut and be great value if Freo can win more games than they lose without him because he probably won't improve on what they lost in Henry.

At 3/2 againts Freo in recent years and with Hill and Henry on board, I'm happy for McKenzie to get a chance.

I understand your question though and think you might just taken a firm.grip of your own and joined the work? on discussimg realistic chances of the three players contributing to finals football at their new club.

[saintsRrising]

Can St Kilda still get him back?

I don’t think so. I’m under the impression we have a full list and the reason he was cut in the first place was that Schonmaker (spelling) fell into our lap with the last pick.

Happy to be corrected

Yes that plus Port delisting Riley Bonner. Two unexpected recruits that fell into our laps. Without either, Dmac may have been back on our list.

[SaintPav]

Given what was on offer and Dan MacKenzie’s injury history, the club absolutely made the right choice.

Chronic calf injuries are incredibly difficult to manage and travelling to Germany to seek specialist help is usually a signal that your AFL career is about to end.

PS. There are exceptions of course and Dan will probably go on and play 100 games of courageous and glorious football for Fremantle!

[Waltzing St Kilda]

I suspect that after nursing Hannebury and others for years for practically zero return, the club made the decision to end its infatuation with injury-prone players.

Hence McKenzie, Billings & Gresham were all let go.

[CQ SAINT]

That and the less than 50 % conversation rates in front of goal.

[shanegrambeau]

I suspect that after nursing Hannebury and others for years for practically zero return, the club made the decision to end its infatuation with injury-prone players.

Hence McKenzie, Billings & Gresham were all let go.

yeah...

Feels like that from 12,000 kms away ..

Now they have got Bonner, possibly as a runner/winger, but you'd guess a DMAc in full flight would be superior to a Bonner, but Bonner might be he safer bet, based on the calf, not to mention concussion.

[Dis Believer]

I suspect that after nursing Hannebury and others for years for practically zero return, the club made the decision to end its infatuation with injury-prone players.

Hence McKenzie, Billings & Gresham were all let go.

yeah...

Feels like that from 12,000 kms away ..

Now they have got Bonner, possibly as a runner/winger, but you'd guess a DMAc in full flight would be superior to a Bonner, but Bonner might be he safer bet, based on the calf, not to mention concussion.

A slightly inferior Bonner who can get on the park every week, is far preferable to a slightly superior Dmac that can't get on the park !!

[CQ SAINT]

There's also the concept that DMac only appears superior because of where and who he played with.
I'm prepared to give Bonner and Mckenzie both clean slates and make an assumption on who is better based on the rest of their careers.
Neither are the same player they were anymore. Bonner attacks, Dan defended and was sometimes attacking.
Neither are renowned goal kickers but Bonner is well ahead in metres gained, inside 50's and score
Involvement.
Dan probably had more untapped potential but is a year older.
IMO Bonner will improve the list here. I'm not sure Dan's skills improve much for Freo other than handy defence mid depth.

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_ ... 2=C&type=A

Bonner gives us twice as many metres gained and his 5% less disposal efficiency is trumped completed by his 72% disposal by foot and equal stoppage clearance numbers.
Dan goes at 52% by foot with short passes
Bonner appears to be a far more effective line breaker.

It will be interesting to see if Garcia came attack at this level too.
He is probably the reason we let Mackenzie go and sent him to Germany.

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_ ... 1=S&fid2=S

Billings and Bonner are a better comparison and while Jack kicked 1 less times per games and handballed 5 times more, again his metres gained are half Bonners.

Jack was a good forward and would tend to kick shorter into the 50 to a players.
Bonner is the guy who wont handball to the nearest guy under pressure, he will spread, accelerate and can find a lead on the 50 from half back.

Owens, Membrey and Caminiti will be wrapped and the opposition will drop numbers back or get very fatigued running back with Boners kick breaking up the zones and there runners, who get back to clear the defensive 50.

From a wing/high half forward, he will be able to assist a wall structure with the opposition in retreat to our 50.

He will be very handy and we will have him, Sinclair and NWM causing massive problems for oppo defenders and runners.

[Killa]

Well, we can not fit them all in.

No matter that they are off season super Stars.

McKenzie was taken with a high Draft Pick, could not establish and command an AFL spot across seasons (plural) then, when he did produce at the level was blighted by injury and unable to make it onto the park.

We would appear to have numbers across wingers and flankers.

It remains the Ruck support for the (Super star) Marshall and our KPP players, particularly defensively, which concern me.

Hopefully some of our KPP size youth kick on demanding spots in the side.

The opportunity is before them, so we trust they out perform Mc Kenzie across his career at the Club.

[shanegrambeau]

Maybe that is a policy or strategy now. Runners who are slight and wily are also injury prone? Like disposable chopsticks. Expect ‘em to break, but just hire a chorus of them, train ‘em and rotate them? Fair enough? You have one in rehab, one in Germany, one on the wing game day, one in Zebra stripes, and one in an ambulance ?

[bigcarl]

I see DMac is trying out at both Fremantle and Gold Coast for a list spot. Hope he gets a gig, but sad it is not with us.

His last season with us before injury was exceptional.

[Scollop]

I see DMac is trying out at both Fremantle and Gold Coast for a list spot. Hope he gets a gig, but sad it is not with us.

His last season with us before injury was exceptional.

Real shame that he had such a torrid time with soft tissue injuries

His courage to put his body on the line and his relentless gut running made him one of my favourite players in 2021

He was everything that JB wasn't

He was tough, reliable, and most of all he sacrificed his own personal safety at times for the benefit of his team... He just couldn't present often enough.

I really grew to love the way he played in 2021 and 2022....but ...I was surprised looking back to see that he'd only played 12 games in each season...btw 15-9 was the win loss ratio (when DMac was in the side) playing those 2 years ...pretty good

Anyhow...the fact that he has NOT been durable makes me think the decision to cut him was justified.

[axcellence]

One of the key features of Richo’s reign was the difference players showed when their contract was up for renewal.


Armitage did so well around 2015 that Richmond wanted him. St Kilda resigned Armitage and Richmond went with Dion Prestia. Armitage then in his first contract year started to spud it up and also developed a bad back. Never reached his high from 2015 ever again.

McKenzie started getting games in the team around 2018/19. What do you know, his contract was up for renewal. He got a new contract and promptly disappeared in a haze of injury and poor form. He didn't play a senior game in 2023.

I am not blaming the players but the coach here.

You can see how many games he played here.

https://finalsiren.com/PlayerStats.asp?PlayerID=2541

[bigcarl]

I really grew to love the way he played in 2021 and 2022...btw 15-9 was the win loss ratio (when DMac was in the side) playing those 2 years ...pretty good.

No coincidence I’d suggest. His injury in 2022 coincided with our disastrous second half of the season and Ratten’s termination as coach. In the first 12 rounds or so he was dynamite.

I think we offered him the chance to train on with us, but he’s preferred to pursue other options. Good luck to him. If he does succeed, I’d wish it would have been with us.