Jump to content

Tom McDonald

jayceebee31
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

I think Sam Blease has him covered.

Haha. True! Had forgotten about Bleasey.

PS. We need some better nicknames.:P

  • Quote
    •  

    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).

  • Quote
    •  

    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.

  • Quote

    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.

  • Quote

    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.

  • Quote

    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???

  • Quote
    •  

    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.

  • Quote

    • Archived

    This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • REPORT: St. Kilda

      When looking back at the disastrous end to the game, I find it a waste of time to concentrate on the final few moments when utter confusion reigned. Forget the 6-6-6 mess, the failure to mark the most dangerous man on the field, the inability to seal the game when opportunities presented themselves to Clayton Oliver, Harry Petty and Charlie Spargo, the vision of match winning players of recent weeks in Kozzy Pickett and Jake Melksham spending helpless minutes on the interchange bench and the powerlessness of seizing the opportunity to slow the tempo of the game down in those final moments.

      • 1 reply
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Sandringham

      The Casey Demons rebounded from a sluggish start to manufacture a decisive win against Sandringham in the final showdown, culminating a quarter century of intense rivalry between the fluctuating alignments of teams affiliated with AFL clubs Melbourne and St Kilda, as the Saints and the Zebras prepare to forge independent paths in 2026. After conceding three of the first four goals of the match, the Demons went on a goal kicking rampage instigated by the winning ruck combination of Tom Campbell with 26 hitouts, 26 disposals and 13 clearances and his apprentice Will Verrall who contributed 20 hitouts. This gave first use of the ball to the likes of Jack Billings, Bayley Laurie, Riley Bonner and Koltyn Tholstrup who was impressive early. By the first break they had added seven goals and took a strong grip on the game. The Demons were well served up forward early by Mitch Hardie and, as the game progressed, Harry Sharp proved a menace with a five goal performance. Emerging young forwards Matthew Jefferson and Luker Kentfield kicked two each but the former let himself down with some poor kicking for goal.
      Young draft talent Will Duursma showed the depth of his talent and looks well out of reach for Melbourne this year. Kalani White was used sparingly and had a brief but uneventful stint in the ruck.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: West Coast

      The Demons return to the scene of the crime on Saturday to face the wooden spooners the Eagles at the Docklands. Who comes in and who goes out? Like moving deck chairs on the Titanic.

        • Haha
      • 76 replies
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: St. Kilda

      This season cannot end soon enough. Disgraceful.

        • Sad
        • Like
      • 470 replies
      Demonland

    • VOTES: St. Kilda

      Captain Max Gawn still has a massive lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Christian Petracca, Kozzy Pickett, Jake Bowey & Clayton Oliver. Your votes please; 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

        • Sad
        • Thumb Down
        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 25 replies
      Demonland

    • GAMEDAY: St. Kilda

      It's Game Day and there are only 5 games to go. Can the Demons find some consistency and form as they stagger towards the finish line of another uninspiring season?

        • Haha
      • 566 replies
      Demonland
    View All