“We were under no illusions how strong our schedule was going in to the bye, but I think the boys have pushed on very well,” McKenna said.
With the team having shown its ability to perform on the road against premiership favourites Hawthorn and Geelong, McKenna said his charges were well equipped to handle the challenged that faced them when they clash with Essendon at Etihad Stadium this Saturday night.
“Their ability to show resilience and perform under the microscope that is placed upon them with what has been going on at their footy club – you certainly have to take your hat off to them,” he said.
“But when the ball gets bounced all those things get forgotten.”
Bomber’s small Jake Melksham will enter the Round 12 clash coming off the back of a career high night against Carlton in which he booted the game-winning goal, with swingmen Michael Hurley and Jake Carlisle showing they can do it at both ends of the ground, McKenna is preparing for a brutal contest.
“They have a potent forwardline and a very solid midfield,” he said.
“Jobe Watson is probably in career-best form so it’s a tough ask, but it’s our last week going in to the bye and we have a job to do before we can put our feet up for the week, so we want to go down and compete for four quarters of hard football.”
With an ACL injury having ruled out Zac Smith for the remainder of the season and recurring ankle complaints hampering Charlie Dixon’s to string together performances in the seniors, Tom Nicholls has been a major positive for the Gold Coasters in recent weeks.
“He had to bide his time and wait for his opportunity, but he’s certainly grabbed it with both hands which is really pleasing,” said McKenna.
“He finished with ten tackles for a ruckman on the weekend, which is probably the first time a ruckmen at this footy has laid ten tackles.
“He’ll have another opportunity against Essendon’s talls in Paddy Ryder and Tom Bellchambers should they decided to bring him back, so it’s going to be a great test for him in just his fourth AFL game of football.”
It was a memorable night for Nicholls and fellow second-gamer Timmy Sumner, with both players singing the team song for the first time.
And McKenna believes it won’t be the last for the team’s newest players.
“They want to play and have successful careers and part of that as a collective is winning games of football,” he said.
“We’ve been void of that for the first couple of years but they’re starting to mature and have some success… the boys are really positive about it which puts us in good stead for the future.”
