After making an impact across half-back late in 2016, emerging St Kilda defender Daniel McKenzie has carried that form through the pre-season and is poised to build on his impressive finish to last year.
The 20-year-old played only two of the first 14 games of last season before earning a recall in Round 16, where played seven of the final eight games and thrived as a small defender.
McKenzie spent a large chunk of his off-season travelling through Japan before he hit the ground running with the rest of St Kilda’s first to fourth-year players at the start of November.
From there, the athletic utility has lit the track up this summer, emerging as one of the best endurance runners at the club, trailing long distance king Jarryn Geary around Seaford for most of the pre-season.
“So far this year I’ve done most of it [the program], probably missed out on one session throughout and been really strong,” McKenzie told saints.com.au on Tuesday.
“Just consistently being able to be out on the track the whole time and actually being able to do all the work that everyone else is doing [has helped] increase my endurance.”
After receiving an extended run of exposure to senior football at the tail end of last season, where St Kilda raced home in hunt of a finals berth, McKenzie admits the experience has instilled him with confidence.
“I started playing a bit more down back which is good. I got drafted as a backman, started playing on the wing a bit, but I really like it down back and my overall confidence is pretty high at the moment,” McKenzie said.
Renowned for his turn of pace and penetrating left-foot, McKenzie believes his attributes are best suited to playing as a small defender where he can lock down on an opponent and then look to attack at the right moment.
“I think (that’s where I’ll play in 2017),” McKenzie said. “I think that’s where I play my best footy as a rebounding defender, where I’m able to use my speed and competitiveness to beat the other small forwards.”
With St Kilda possessing a plethora of experienced rebounding types in the form of transformed half-back Leigh Montagna, Shane Savage, Dylan Roberton and Sam Gilbert, McKenzie hasn’t had to look far for advice.
“I’ve benefited quite a bit (from being around that experience). They are all really great leaders,” he said.
“I think most of them are in our leadership group, so I think there is heaps to learn off them and they’ve really helped me out through the past six months.”
