Northern Knights midfielder Kieran Malone racks up 285 SuperCoach points against Dandenong Stingrays in TAC Cup

THINK Gary Ablett is a SuperCoach gun? Check out the score this Northern Knights player achieved in the TAC Cup on Saturday.

TAC Cup: Dandenong Stingrays v Northern Knights Knights #5 Kieran Malone takes a strong mark. Shepley Oval, Dandenong. Picture: Jason Sammon Saturday 30th May 2015

IT IS a SuperCoach score that not even Gary Ablett has achieved.

In fact, since Champion Data began the rankings system in 2005, the highest ever was Jonathan Brown’s 283 against Hawthorn in 2006.

But in the TAC Cup on Saturday, Northern Knights midfielder Kieran Malone eclipsed that feat with 285 points in a performance that had to be seen to be believed.

Appointed a co-captain for his side’s match with Dandenong Stingrays in the absence of all members of the Knights’ leadership group, the 18-year-old had 52 possessions including 27 contested, 17 clearances, five marks and kicked four goals.

It was enough for him to eclipse former teammate Reece McKenzie’s 256 SuperCoach points in Round 13 last year and will no doubt have some AFL recruiters taking another look.

“For a kid who’s endurance is questioned, it was a standout performance,” Northern Knights coach Andrew Shakepeare said.

“Somebody’s going to have to notice that.

“He had 15 possessions in the first quarter, 16 in the last quarter. It was just fantastic for him.

“I understand that with the nationals on, the competition is a bit thinner. But the kid can only go out and do what’s asked of him in the circumstances.”

Crippled by injury and without captain Jade Gresham and fellow star midfielder James El Moussalli who were tied up with Vic Metro duties, the young Knights put in a brave performance in the weekend’s match.

They fell 14.11 (95) to 11.10 (76) but won three quarters of the match at Shepley Oval, a six-goal-to-none second term the only let-down.

“We had one bad quarter and it cost us the game,” Shakepeare said.

“But that’s footy. We’ve just got to keep working away at understanding the requirements of the game, that we’re consistent across the four quarters.”

Michael Ercolano — who was the Knights’ other stand-in co-captain — also impressed with 23 disposals and two goals while Sam Peet was good at centre-half forward in his return match from a broken hand.

The TAC Cup will observe a bye this weekend, with the Knights’ next match scheduled against Northern Territory in Darwin on June 13.