Shaun McKernan explained

Shaun McKernan
Fullname:Shaun McKernan
Birth Date:1 September 1990
Originalteam:Calder Cannons (TAC Cup)
Draftpick:No. 28, 2008 national draft
Height:196 cm
Weight:100 kg
Position:Forward / ruckman
Guernsey:27
Years1:2009 - 2014
Games Goals1:34 (21)
Years2:2015 - 2020
Games Goals2:53 (51)
Years3:2021
Games Goals3:4 (2)
Games Goalstotal:91 (74)
Statsend:2021

School/High School: Gladstone Park primary School, Gladstone Park Secondary College

Shaun McKernan (born 1 September 1990) is a former Australian rules footballer having played for the St Kilda Football Club, Essendon Football Club and the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

AFL career

Adelaide

McKernan was drafted by with pick 28 in the 2008 national draft. McKernan showed glimpses of his potential but soft tissue injuries and untimely suspensions meant he failed to cement a regular AFL spot.[1] After six seasons and 34 games with the club, Adelaide delisted him.

Essendon

He joined with pick 12 in the 2014 rookie draft. In November 2016, McKernan was delisted by Essendon,[2] however, he was re-drafted by Essendon in the 2017 rookie draft.[3] McKernan was mainly used as a forward target with the occasional role of relieving in the ruck. McKernan played 16 games in 2019, of which nine were victories and was selected in the Bombers' Elimination Final team. In that season he also kicked 4 goals twice; against Melbourne in round three and Gold Coast in round 19. In a Covid-interrupted season, McKernan played nine of a possible 17 games for the Bombers for four wins, four losses and a draw. Of his final season at Essendon in 2020, McKernan admitted that he had 'fallen out love with the game' and that he "wasn’t happy with how my time finished at Essendon."[4] McKernan wasn't interviewed as part of Essendon's football review at the end of 2020, of which he stated "for [Essendon] is probably a good thing because I would have been pretty honest."[5] Essendon ultimately delisted McKernan and five others on 20 September 2020.[6]

St Kilda

On 6 November 2020, McKernan joined St Kilda as a Free Agent. McKernan was courted by a number of clubs including Melbourne, but ultimately signed for the Saints. McKernan preferenced the Saints due to their closer proximity to his home, compared with Melbourne's training base at Casey Fields.[7] McKernan was brought in primarily as injury coverage for the Saints' forwards.[8]

With 1 round remaining in the 2021 season McKernan announced his retirement after not being offered a contract for 2022.[9]

Family

He is the younger brother of North Melbourne premiership ruckman and Leigh Matthews Trophy winner Corey McKernan.

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of 2020.[10] |-| scope="row" | 2009 || || 35| 1 || — || 1 || 4 || 4|| 8 || 2 || 3 || — || — || 1.0 || 4.0 || 4.0 || 8.0|| 2.0 || 3.0 || 0.0|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"| scope="row" | 2010 || || 35| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || -|-| scope="row" | 2011 || || 35| 16 || 10 || 8 || 98 || 38 || 136 || 60 || 24 || 92 ||0.6|| 0.5||6.1 ||2.4 ||8.5 ||3.7 ||1.5 ||5.7|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"| scope="row" | 2012 || || 35| 6 || 3 || 4 || 28 || 22 || 50 || 9 || 4 || 85 || 0.5 ||0.7 || 4.7 || 3.6 ||8.3 || 1.5 || 0.7 || 14.2|-| scope="row" | 2013 || || 35| 9 || 7 || 10 || 62 || 44|| 106 || 35 || 22 || 73 || 0.8 || 1.1 || 6.9 || 4.9 || 11.8 || 3.9 || 2.4 || 8.1

|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"| scope="row" | 2014 || || 35| 2 || 1 || 1 || 10 || 11 || 21 || 3 || 3 || 10 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 5.0 || 5.5 || 10.5 || 1.5 || 1.5 ||6.0|-| scope="row" | 2015 || || 44| 9 || 6 || 3 || 86 || 79 || 165 || 34 || 14 || 206 || 0.7 || 0.3 || 9.6 || 8.8 || 18.5 || 3.8 || 1.6 ||22.9|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"| scope="row" | 2016 || || 44| 6 || 4 || 1 || 44 || 21 || 65|| 20 || 8 || 41 || 07 || 0.2 || 7.3|| 3.5 || 10.8 || 3.3 || 1.3 ||6.8|-| scope="row" | 2017 || || 44| 3 || 3 ||- || 18 || 19 || 37 || 12 || 3 || 51 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 6.0 || 6.3 || 12.3 || 4.0 || 2.3 || 17.0 |- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"| scope="row" | 2018 || || 44| 10 || 16 || 11|| 95 || 38 || 133 || 56 || 21 || 81 || 1.6 || 1.1 ||9.5 || 3.8 || 13.3 || 5.6 || 2.1 ||8.1|-| scope="row" | 2019 || || 44| 16 || 17 || 11 || 136 || 58 || 194 || 81 || 30 || 116 || 1.1 || 0.7 || 8.5|| 3.6 || 12.1 || 5.1 || 1.9 ||7.3|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"| scope="row" | 2020 || || 44| 9 || 5 || 6 || 48 || 24 || 72 || 31 || 11 ||41 || 0.6 || 0.7 || 5.3 || 2.7 || 8.0 || 3.4 || 1.2 || 4.6 |- class="sortbottom"! colspan=3| Career! 87 !! 72 !! 56 !! 629 !! 358 !! 987 !! 343 !! 147 !! 798 !! 0.8 !! 0.6 !! 7.2 !! 4.1 !! 11.3 !! 3.9 !! 1.7 !!9.2|}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shaun McKernan. 27 March 2019.
  2. News: Dons dump McKernan, but rookie list beckons. Navaratnam. Dinny. 9 November 2016. AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 9 November 2016.
  3. News: Giants reunite ex-Dockers Mzungu and de Boer. Browne. Ashley. 28 November 2016. AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 28 November 2016.
  4. Web site: Cherny. Daniel. 2021-03-07. 'Thought I was done': McKernan fell out of love in last year at Bombers. 2021-03-09. The Age. en.
  5. Web site: Cherny. Daniel. 2021-03-07. 'Thought I was done': McKernan fell out of love in last year at Bombers. 2021-03-09. The Age. en.
  6. Web site: Essendon confirms five delistings as list reshape begins. 2021-03-09. www.sen.com.au. en.
  7. Web site: Cherny. Daniel. 2021-03-07. 'Thought I was done': McKernan fell out of love in last year at Bombers. 2021-03-09. The Age. en.
  8. Web site: Saints nab free agent to boost tall stocks. 2020-11-06. afl.com.au. 5 November 2020 .
  9. Web site: After 13 seasons and three clubs, it's the end of the road for journeyman. 2021-08-17. afl.com.au. 17 August 2021 . en.
  10. Web site: Shaun McKernan Stats. AFL Tables. 6 November 2020.