Knights was the master of creating time and space, whether it be an arch of the back, a neat sidestep, a baulk or a dummy. He also had the ability to keep his feet despite fierce tackling pressure, rarely did one see Knights pinged for holding the ball. Conca exihibited these traits early last year and based on yesterday's performance, he appears to have raised his game to another level.
One area Conca struggled with last year was on the scoreboard, yesterday he became a goalkicking rover, something which Knights was renowned for, particularly in the 1995 semi-final. Their kicking styles seem to be cut from the same cloth, not overly penetrative but with an ability to gain extra mileage when kicking on the run. My biggest criticism of Conca last year was his inability to convert, he almost appeared overawed when lining up for goal. So far this year, the signs have been good, the monkey seems to have been shaken and there appears to be a little more confidence about him when taking shots on goal.
Other similarities with Knights include the physique, a seemingly low centre of gravity with strong hips and legs. Conca appears to be particularly agile and importantly, seems to be a quick thinker on the field.
Is he there yet? Of course not, but the signs are promising and he's shown as much, if not more than any of the other mids in his draft class. He may not be as flashy as some but he ticks just about every box available when assessing a footballers potential and overall worth. I would be very surprised if Conca's career stalled from this point on, if I was a betting man, I'd say we've got a 200 game, ten year footballer on our hands (and a very good one).
