Alex McKinnon

[Johns Magic]

Thoughts on him please? His past season, your future expectations, what position you think he'll end up at?
What do you think his role will be this season with the influx of backrowers we have coming?

Personally, if I was being brutally honest I would say I was a little underwhelmed by him last year. He looks like he has all the tools to make a rep player and I have no doubt he can achieve that down the track, but he didn't really look to take the game by the scruff of the neck enough and put his stamp on it. The likes of Cordner and Josh Jackson were more impressive in that regard this year for mine.

Harsh on a young guy in his first year I know, but I'm hoping he steps up this season and plays with a bit more gusto, especially when carrying the ball. He skippered the junior Kangaroos a month or so back so hopefully he has the leadership qualities in him to do it.

With Scott, Smith and Houston as our starting back-row and Fa'alogo in the frame I think at full squad fitness he'll be reduced to an impact role and sharing some minutes in the front-row. I feel like I'm missing another obvious name there too.

My main concern is whether he will be just a solid first-grader for the rest of his career, or whether he has another few levels in him to come. That's what I'm not convinced on yet.

 

[Jono078]

I think there was a game where he had like 3 line break assists when he played wide. We need to use him there going forward and I have no doubt he has it in him to elevate his game.

I agree I thought this year was a little underwhelming, but I think it's due to how he was used. If he was exclusively playing as a wide running backrower he'd do well.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Very skilled, lots of potential. Lets be honest, he was hampered by our packs lack of sting up front last year and had to make up for some of it, taking energy away from his natural game. Plonk him in the Melbourne side and you would have seen him running nice lines and looking dominant. His game for the NSW U20s side showed us what he is capable of.

I think he will stay in the 2nd row but be used off the bench. Smith, Scott and House will start but I can see House rotating around into the props and Fa'alongo being our bench prop/backrow hybrid. I can also see him covering centre if need be.

I see a lot of Ben Kennedy in his game if he can get his timing and confidence right.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

He's a gun. Our next captain after gidley. Will be a knight for life. Will be a regular fixture in rep football. Wil make country in 2013.

He is only 20, for a forward he is still well below the peak age which IMO is 25+. You would expect a lot of inconsistancy for a young forward, but McKinnon has displayed he is up to the task. I just hope we don't see him flop like Patterson, even though patto developed depression and what not, he was touted as a future star of the game.

 

[Silent Knight]

I definitely see him as a wide running backrower in the future, I think he would be wasted in the middle. I see Alex being in the same mould as Ben Creagh for example. He'll give us an extra option in attack that way.

Also I see Chris Houston as the next Knights Captain after Gidley. Perhaps McKinnon after that.

 

[RABK]

Good post, can't disagree with anything. Hopefully the skills he occasionally displayed improve in both quality and quantity - we need a bit of skill in what is otherwise a tough, hard nut pack.

 

[aqua_duck]

I think people forget that he's still very young, was still NYC eligible last year and played the entire year in the top grade and never really looked like he didn't belong. Put a few kg on him and he'll be a very good player. He won't start in 2013 but I expect him to be a fixture on the bench as he can cover backrow and centre

 

[Spot On]

Thoughts on him please? His past season, your future expectations, what position you think he'll end up at?
What do you think his role will be this season with the influx of backrowers we have coming?

Personally, if I was being brutally honest I would say I was a little underwhelmed by him last year. He looks like he has all the tools to make a rep player and I have no doubt he can achieve that down the track, but he didn't really look to take the game by the scruff of the neck enough and put his stamp on it. The likes of Cordner and Josh Jackson were more impressive in that regard this year for mine.

Harsh on a young guy in his first year I know, but I'm hoping he steps up this season and plays with a bit more gusto, especially when carrying the ball. He skippered the junior Kangaroos a month or so back so hopefully he has the leadership qualities in him to do it.

With Scott, Smith and Houston as our starting back-row and Fa'alogo in the frame I think at full squad fitness he'll be reduced to an impact role and sharing some minutes in the front-row. I feel like I'm missing another obvious name there too.

My main concern is whether he will be just a solid first-grader for the rest of his career, or whether he has another few levels in him to come. That's what I'm not convinced on yet.

Those are my thoughts exactly and as you went on to say ... he's very young so a lot of time to realise his potential. Had some great defensive moments (and a few misses) but never seemed to hit the line hard enough. He can improve in that area ten fold.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Whilst I don't feel Mckinnon was overly impressive last season, I do see a lot of potential there. I'm willing to put my neck on the line and state that he will play rep footy in the next few years.

He demonstrated that he's an aggression player, particularly late in the season. He has that desire to lift the players around him by coming up with a few dominant tackles in a row, as well has hitting the ball up hard. The main thing holding him back, I felt last season was the fact that his body hasn't developed fully yet. I kept expecting him to injure himself as he was at times playing like a 110kg prop in a 20 year old rookies body.

Once he bulks up and gains a bit more experience, I expect him to be a player that we will want in the number 11 or 12 jersey.

 

[The Showstopper]

I see him locking the scrum behind Smith and Scott before season's end. At least he would if scrum's were not a farce. Many good judges see him as future rep star. I think he is a special talent. Reminds me of Luke Lewis. Houston might have to make way. Scott and Smith will bring out the aggression in McKinnon we saw glimpses of last season. He can fire up when he wants to and those two need no introduction when it involves Bringing the pain.

 

[Butto]

I think we the forward the knights have got for next year they would be better off starting him in the centres in place of Tahu . Hopefully he would be able to provide better ball for the wingers and could be a long time centre partner for gagai.

 

[Yosh]

Very solid and I think he has gotten really big compared to when he first came onto the screen with the Dragons. He'll get bigger I reckon and will become a great prop!!

 

[red and blue]

I think for the age of the kid he went well.

Hes has been playing in the top grade all of last season and played a few games the year before with the dragons. I think the kid will be a superstar but I thought that Mullen would be a superstar too when he started with so much promise at such a young age. So I geuss time will tell.

 

[perverse]

I think he's a very promising talent. A forward that doesn't look out of place at all in his first year of first grade always gets my attention... particularly at the age of 20. He has some great ball skills and threw some great passes for try assists this year. With a bit more filling out, he's going to be quite a handful for opposition fringes.

A real, genuine prospect. I look forward to seeing him further next year. It will probably be from the bench unless injury or rep duties are intervening for others in the squad. Cordner does look better at this stage, though... I'll give you that. I think the Roosters pack got a lot out of JWH leading their aggro, too. He had a massive year up front for them. I'm hoping Scott and Smith can add a bit of their aggression and toughness to McKinnons game.

 

[Hanscholo]

Bennett doesn't often use a two wide running back rowers, and without doubt that is his best spot atm at least, he is just a big centre really. Had to play a hittup role last year that didnt suite him. Id like to see him come into games now and try to put some balls on out wide or beat people close to the try line. What will be interesting is how much game time he gets with two new workhorse style back rowers in the side and Houston is is also best used out wide. I can see him playing less minutes and being more of a utility in 2013 and hopefully with a couple of seasons under his belt and with the caliber of guys he has to learn from something special might bloom out of the talent.

 

[rabbitohs95]

I really liked what i saw of him, and i can agree he has the makings of a rep footy player in the near future. By the end of 2013 we could see:

11. Scott
12. McKinnon
13. Smith

 

[Fire]

Adding to what everyone else has said, he is also an asset (short term i.e., two seasons max, while he is growing) to you guys in the centres. If one of your centres get injured or suspended this season, Bennett will probably have him covering the centres for you. Which is great, because it will leave Scott in the back row.

 

[Inspector Gadget]

I really liked what i saw of him, and i can agree he has the makings of a rep footy player in the near future. By the end of 2013 we could see:

11. Scott
12. McKinnon
13. Smith

For a minute there I thought you were posting a Dragons back row. All you need now is a reserve back rower like Costigan..........hang on.:lol:

 

[Big Tim]

That handle of yours is apt.

 

[Spot On]

For a minute there I thought you were posting a Dragons back row. All you need now is a reserve back rower like Costigan..........hang on.:lol:

Don't know about that, he's a reserve grader at best. Should not be in the squad for mine unless he's had brain and hand surgery during the off season and plenty of practise playing the ball correctly.