Having nothing much better to do on a Thursday evening I decided to revisit last Friday night's games while the better half was watching the Biggest Loser upstairs.

The thing I noticed the second time around was how good an acquisition Joel Macdonald has been during his short time at the club. Not much has been said of him in the past week while everybody has been raving about Liam Jurrah, Jack Watts, Jack Grimes, Colin Garland etc. but Joel Mac's contribution was equally important.

I know that keeping you know who is a major objective of the club but, once again, a view of what many would regard as the opener of such an inconsequential pre season competition proves that there's a lot more to a football club than one talented youngster.

Been great value.

Probably benefits most from Bruce pissing off.

Ka-macca-kazi Joel Macdonald!

I'm glad he's wearing red and blue, glad to see him busting the lines without regard to mind or body. He'll play his 100th game early in the season...his maturity shows!

The Joel Mac pick up has been a beauty, In a lot of ways it reminds me of Ingerson when he arrived.

Very low key but so important.

i heard him on K.B's show before the adelaide game...He is pumped about 2011 make no mistake, i think he really enjoys his new home.

I think he will be a very important defender this year as rpfc says, without Bruce, Joel Mac goes right up the experience ladder down back.

Blue collar, hard as nails, heart of a bull and no white boots.

I know he wears them but only because he's tough enough to get away with it. They don't look white on him.

Edited February 17, 201114 yr by america de cali

excellent pickup in a line of great recruits by the club. Delisted by Brisbane, thanks fellas, and thanks for Jack Grimes too

Wtf is up with Brisbane?

Recruiting a cavalcade of spuds and NQR's, and letting good, honest footballers like Joel MacDonald walk. Not to mention the 2 that went to GC and the picks they've traded.

Complete hatchet job on that list.

Crazy in this day and age.

Wtf is up with Brisbane?

Recruiting a cavalcade of spuds and NQR's, and letting good, honest footballers like Joel MacDonald walk. Not to mention the 2 that went to GC and the picks they've traded.

Complete hatchet job on that list.

Crazy in this day and age.

Not so crazy. History repeating itself. Hangover from too much success. Just like us after 1964.

Garland and MacDonald stood out like crazy for mine in defence last Friday. Joel is the definition of a PSD bargain and I'm glad he chose us over the other options available to him at the time. He is a very solid addition to the list and even more important now with all the veteran departures in the past two years.

I don't agree with Brisbane's list being a "complete hatchet job", though I definitely think they dropped the ball something shocking in letting MacDonald go for nothing.

I was giving a friend an initiation to the Dees over here in the states, and as part of it I showed him the last 10 minutes of the Lions win in 2008. Was weird seeing Joel in opposition colours... He's always looked right at home. Exactly the kind of depth player you want. One who can play 22 games if need be and give you good honest service in the majority of those without starring. They can't all be Jack Watts.

The main feature I like is his high efficiency - he rarely wastes a possession and, for the most part, always has time to assess his options. I just wish Beamer would follow suit.

The main feature I like is his high efficiency - he rarely wastes a possession and, for the most part, always has time to assess his options. I just wish Beamer would follow suit.

I love him. So much courage, judgement and anticipation. Occasionally his kicking lets him down but generally he is sensational. Can play on small or much bigger opponents. Watching our game against Sydney last year he was opposed to a much bigger Jesse White. They were running back towards the Swans goal. White was slightly in front of him and in the box seat. He just gave White a judicious nudge, like he was nothing, grabbed the ball, and was away. I think, from memory, the turnover resulted in a Melbourne goal. He only had one bad game in 2010. It was against Nth at darklands. It was a clanger-fest and he was dropped for the following week. Must have been bad bio-rhythms because he was great for the rest of the year after that.

I love him. So much courage, judgement and anticipation. Occasionally his kicking lets him down but generally he is sensational. Can play on small or much bigger opponents. Watching our game against Sydney last year he was opposed to a much bigger Jesse White. They were running back towards the Swans goal. White was slightly in front of him and in the box seat. He just gave White a judicious nudge, like he was nothing, grabbed the ball, and was away. I think, from memory, the turnover resulted in a Melbourne goal. He only had one bad game in 2010. It was against Nth at darklands. It was a clanger-fest and he was dropped for the following week. Must have been bad bio-rhythms because he was great for the rest of the year after that.

He has the one attribute that I love the most in footballers - Even with some of our boys I have sometimes thought to myself "if only he had gone that 1% harder at the contest it may have had a different outcome". I never have and never will have think that about Joel MacDonald.

The main feature I like is his high efficiency - he rarely wastes a possession and, for the most part, always has time to assess his options. I just wish Beamer would follow suit.

Disagree with that.

He's not the best kick and is hardly damaging to the opposition.

He has the one attribute that I love the most in footballers - Even with some of our boys I have sometimes thought to myself "if only he had gone that 1% harder at the contest it may have had a different outcome". I never have and never will have think that about Joel MacDonald.

Agree with that.

He often surprises me with his ability to win 50/50s.

I thought he'd be gone from the list pretty soon as the kids supersede him, but I now think he has at least another year or 2 in him after this one.

I really like the fact he wins 50-50 contests. Such an important quality in todays footy, being able to regularly beat your opponant in a one-on-one.

His disposal is ok, what he adds is toughness and reliability.

He will be important for at least the next 2 years imo. A really good pickup for a pre-season pick

Blue collar, hard as nails, heart of a bull and no white boots.

I know he wears them but only because he's tough enough to get away with it. They don't look white on him.

I am about to agree with ADC here.....

Big fan of Joel and a great pick up for the team.

Edited February 17, 201114 yr by Robbie57

in the FReo game last year where we had that huge 20 minute period and kicked like 6 goals, there was an important moment in the FReo forwardline. Ballantyne came through and gave Jones a good bump off the ball, gathered it and turned to head towards goal but the Joel MacDonald express was bearing straight at him and absolutely smashed him into the turf for a deliciously sickening tackle. He doesn't mess around.

Shaky start early last year (at one stage he put 3 out of bounds on the full from 5 kicks if I recall correctly) but has settled nicely. Love the way he plays.

Shaky start early last year (at one stage he put 3 out of bounds on the full from 5 kicks if I recall correctly) but has settled nicely. Love the way he plays.

I dont think he will ever be a carve you up or kill you with creativity and disposal type footballer. But his approach to the contest would have all the boys thinking - this is one guy we want to go to war with.

ahh love him! tough, courages good mark. adds alot to our backline and as someone pointed out. bruce pissing off could just be a good thing for him!

i cant believe people haven't brought up the infamous fev and joel mac talk last year at the MCG just as fev came and confessed to having so much debts and possible losing alot of his possesions. story goes as players were lining up into there positions before the bounce, fev was walking towards goal and saw his opponent would be joel. and this was what was mutted..

Brendan fevola: ahh looks like another new tv for me this year ( rubbing hands)

Joel Macdonald: atleast i got a house to put it on mate!

ahh love him! tough, courages good mark. adds alot to our backline and as someone pointed out. bruce pissing off could just be a good thing for him!

i cant believe people haven't brought up the infamous fev and joel mac talk last year at the MCG just as fev came and confessed to having so much debts and possible losing alot of his possesions. story goes as players were lining up into there positions before the bounce, fev was walking towards goal and saw his opponent would be joel. and this was what was mutted..

Brendan fevola: ahh looks like another new tv for me this year ( rubbing hands)

Joel Macdonald: atleast i got a house to put it on mate!

I missed hearing that story - hysterical - rates up there with the comeback to Glenn McGrath when he sledged a SA fast bowler who played and missed for the umpteenth time - "Why are you so fat " the reply came " because everytime I sleep with your wife she feeds me a chocolate biscuit"

Edited February 17, 201114 yr by nutbean

the comeback to Glenn McGrath when he sledged a SA fast bowler who played and missed for the umpteenth time - "Why are you so fat " the reply came " because everytime I sleep with your wife she feeds me a chocolate biscuit"

The legendary Eddo Brandes! He's a Zimbabwean by the way...Saffas aren't that smart.

On topic: love the way Joel Mac plays.

in the FReo game last year where we had that huge 20 minute period and kicked like 6 goals, there was an important moment in the FReo forwardline. Ballantyne came through and gave Jones a good bump off the ball, gathered it and turned to head towards goal but the Joel MacDonald express was bearing straight at him and absolutely smashed him into the turf for a deliciously sickening tackle. He doesn't mess around.

That was one of the highlights of the year for mine. Ballantyne is such an unlikeable little git and Joel Mac absolutely owned him. Amazingly the tackle wasn't rewarded.

His hardness and ability to win 50/50 contests is as good as anyone in the league IMO. He's not the most creative of players, and has a no frills approach so will rarely get the plaudits... but if we were playing a Grand Final tomorrow, he'd be amongst my first picked (along with Sylvia, Jamar, Jurrah, Davey and Green). Excellent acquisition.

I remember him at Brisbane and he was exactly the same up there. Voss is a moron.

Edited February 17, 201114 yr by Sylvia Saint

Geez take a cold shower fellers. He is a journeyman aka a good ordinary player. Plays well when we win & ordinary when we lose.

Fearless & tough but skills let him down under pressure - really just another run of the mill flanker.

Probably would have got the same value by putting games into Cheney.

I for one would have used the pick to try & get a smokey or picked Dylan Grimes.

I really like the fact he wins 50-50 contests. Such an important quality in todays footy, being able to regularly beat your opponant in a one-on-one.

His disposal is ok, what he adds is toughness and reliability.

He will be important for at least the next 2 years imo. A really good pickup for a pre-season pick

Agree completely. I think one really important factor in his ability to win the 50-50s is body strength. This is something that has been lacking in our side, particularly in our backline, in recent years. Joel MacDonald shows what difference a mature strong body can make. It's no accident that Frawley's ability to beat opponents like Jonathan Brown coincided with his physical development. This should give us even more cause for optimism as our young list gets stronger, including players we use across half-back like Grimes and Morton.