Player Watch #10: Colby McKercher - re-signed until the end of 2028

[giantroo]

Welcome to Colby McKercher!

 

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View attachment Snapinsta.app_video_6E45A1BD3774ED9163E91A02274F22BC_video_dashinit.mp4

 

[gokangas]

McKercher it is - welcome.

 

[noobermensch]

A link to a playlist with all my Colby videos:

 

[hsquid]

"We're just rapt. We tried to trade up to get him, but there he was at two anyway! Dodged a bullet with that one." - [PLAYERCARD]Brady Rawlings[/PLAYERCARD]

 

[gokangas]

Colby says huge surprise he is picked by us.

 

[shinboner magic]

Yes my boy - will be a huge for us

 

[Mr north man]

Who’s the guy in the north recruiting team with the Afro that looks like the singer from Wolfmother

 

[The Nostradamus]

 

[showusyacunningt]

Surely this kid gets pinched by the Tassie team when they come in

 

[XU1-ROO]

Surely this kid gets pinched by the Tassie team when they come in

His family are NMFC supporters

 

[Horizons_00]

midfielder galore....

 

[showusyacunningt]

His family are NMFC supporters

Love to hear this!

 

[CURVE]

Welcome to North Colby. You'll play a big part in an all-star midfield.

 

[zoomba23]

His family are NMFC supporters

But he's not?

Delist

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Surely this kid gets pinched by the Tassie team when they come in

Not surely at all. What a dismal thing to say tonight.

 

[discodaddy]

Welcome Colby. I hope you smash it.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

North Melbourne - Colby McKercher - Tasmanian Devils - 182cm & 78kg.

North are simply in no position to be picking and choosing, when it comes to the top end of the draft we simply have to take best available. While we have plenty of midfield depth, we don’t have players that can consistently accumulate the footy and cover the ground with ease. That’s where McKercher offers a point of difference to our other developing midfielders in LDU, Phillips, Wardlaw, Thomas and Powell.

Because of our midfield depth North can take their time with McKercher and allow him to develop his body before unleashing him in the big leagues. He has so many attributes that make him perfect for modern day footy: dynamic movement, agility, endurance, a powerful burst of pace, stacks of footy IQ and sound decision making.

As a midfielder, he finds the ball in and around the stoppages as both a primary ball winner and first receiver. He then uses his speed to burst away from the contest, which is a real highlight of his game. From there his damaging left foot comes into play, often kicking inside 50 lace out to his leading forwards. McKercher has an innate ability to find the footy on the outside too, racking up plenty of uncontested footy all across the ground. He loves to get involved in link up play and he uses his running capacity to great effect.

This year he predominantly played as a pure centre square midfielder, given the freedom to play his own game. His talent was on show no matter what level he played at. He averaged a smidge under 33 disposals per game for the Allies and was the runner up Larke Medalist. At NAB league level he was Tassie’s premier midfielder and averaged 29.5 disposals per game. He also doesn’t mind getting forward of centre and impacting the scoreboard as he was a consistent goal kicker across both levels. However, he can at times be a little wayward in front of goals.

The three biggest critiques of his game would be his one sided-ness, his kicking consistency and his overall physicality. I’d say his opposite disposal will improve over time, but it’s one thing he needs to work on. He can sell himself into trouble at times trying to find space to get to his left foot. At times he can also over kick the ball, but in a full time AFL environment I wouldn’t think this will be a long term issue. While he had no worries in and around the contest, he is by no means a bash and crash type, more relying on his footy IQ to find the footy. He’ll have to improve this side of his game to get the most out of himself at AFL level.

As an AFL footballer, I think he’ll start off as a hard running wing and transition to becoming a genuine mid across the space of a few seasons. He’ll be a slower burn than some might expect as he has to add a good 4-5kg to his frame to withstand the mature bodies of AFL level.

An exciting pick who will no doubt be a 200+ game player.

 

[Val Keating]

Will compliment our midfield nicely.

Reckon he's ready to go playing off a wing?

 

[koshari]

Colby, aka the cheese

 

[bhoysdontcry67]

Great pick up! Give him the 7