Tom McDonald

[Binmans PA 26,468]

I think Sam Blease has him covered.

Haha. True! Had forgotten about Bleasey.

PS. We need some better nicknames.

[Undeeterred 2,883]

Yep.

JR can go back to the Scorpions now.

Agree - really sad, I really rate Rivers, but its over, isn't it...

[caddypgt 30]

Yep.

JR can go back to the Scorpions now.

No. Rivers is required. Good reader of the play as a spare man to help the KPP's.

We have 4 talls down back now. Three of them can play tall or short. Rivers can only play short; unless his tall opponent is light. We need Rivers minding mid size or light frame talls so he can zone off his man, drop in the hole to take a grab, or be the extra fist in pack situations around the main fwd target (read Nick Maxwell type). Could he organise the defence like Nick? Not sure.

This will release Garland to be the running half back that the game seems to require these days (read Harry O'Brien type).

[Brayshaw Self 847]

No. Rivers is required. Good reader of the play as a spare man to help the KPP's.

We have 4 talls down back now. Three of them can play tall or short. Rivers can only play short; unless his tall opponent is light. We need Rivers minding mid size or light frame talls so he can zone off his man, drop in the hole to take a grab, or be the extra fist in pack situations around the main fwd target (read Nick Maxwell type). Could he organise the defence like Nick? Not sure.

This will release Garland to be the running half back that the game seems to require these days (read Harry O'Brien type).

Rivers is most often the first choice to play on resting ruckmen, so I don't understand why everyone is saying he is too small.

[Demonic Ascent 0]

Have you seen what the resting ruckmen do to him?

[Radar Detector 1,339]

No. Rivers is required. Good reader of the play as a spare man to help the KPP's.

We have 4 talls down back now. Three of them can play tall or short. Rivers can only play short; unless his tall opponent is light. We need Rivers minding mid size or light frame talls so he can zone off his man, drop in the hole to take a grab, or be the extra fist in pack situations around the main fwd target (read Nick Maxwell type). Could he organise the defence like Nick? Not sure.

This will release Garland to be the running half back that the game seems to require these days (read Harry O'Brien type).

My thoughts exactly! Rivers will become much more valuable as a genuine third tall that never has to play on a genuine KPF because all of Frawley, Garland and hopefully T-Mac can do so. I think Joel Macdonald is the one who would be in most trouble.

I really enjoyed watching Garland taking the game on more on Sunday and reckon he is best suited to the role that Joel Macdonald (and Grimes earlier in the year) have played. I am actually salivating at the prospect of releasing Grimes into the middle with Garland taking that mid-size back role. Garland could be AA in that spot.

[caddypgt 30]

Rivers is most often the first choice to play on resting ruckmen, so I don't understand why everyone is saying he is too small.

1st choice or only choice? Is he the right choice?

He gets soundly beaten by gorillas like Cloke because he doesn't have the right body shape for the body on body contest. He got towled up Cloke for at least a half of footy on Queen's Bday, he was giving away 15 kilograms.

A resting ruckman is down in the forward 50 maybe 20% of the game, and not all of them are aerial threats.

And further to an earlier post, I still think J-Mac is a required footballer. Pace and strength, can play mid-tall. Disposal iffy, but that may be more a symptom of a lack of structure and definitive targets rather than the skill itself.

[MadAsHell 4,089]

Have you seen what the resting ruckmen do to him?

Well I saw Rivers was close to BOG in the Essendon game earlier in the year when playing on Hille & Bellchambers when they were rested down there.

Also saw him stich up the big Q-Stick a couple weeks back. In fact apart from Cloke in the QB match and possibly Roughead back in round 2 I can't think of to many times Rivers has been beaten by his opponent???

[mordja 187]

Its a bit sacrilegious, but I like McDonald as a possible upgrade on Rivers - being 194, with pace and foot skills. He's got me excited.

Teach him to read the play and run back with the flight like Rivo does and you have a deal.

Completely agree he looked great.