Appearently, Tommy Mac was on the radio this morning. Did anyone have a listen?

http://www.sen.com.au/display-article/McDonald-Different-feel-at-the-Dees/60104

Audio link at the bottom

http://www.sen.com.au/display-article/McDonald-Different-feel-at-the-Dees/60104

Audio link at the bottom

Cheers M.

You going to change your avatar DJ?

Can't listen at work, any groundbreaking news?

McDonald: Different feel at the Dees

11.18AM 26-6-2013

Melbourne defender Tom McDonald has told SEN that there is a different feel around the club in the wake of Mark Neeld’s departure as senior coach.

“It was a bit of a shock, but then because there has been so much media around what was going to happen, some people were just waiting for it to happen,” he said.

“Now that it’s happened, it’s done and people can move on past it.”

“Neil Craig is a different voice and he’s been fantastic.”

“There is definitely a different feel around the club, but it was a shock to happen on that Monday morning when we came in.”

With speculation and media scrutiny engulfing the club over the past few months, McDonald said that it has been refreshing to not have every step monitored by journalists and reporters.

“It was nice to come in after the game on Sunday and not have media there first thing for recovery,” he said.

“To be honest it doesn’t really impact on how we play if there is media there or there is stuff written in the paper. I tend to just worry about what we are doing on the field.”

“It is nice to have the fanfare off, but until we start winning it’s still going to hang around.”

McDonald is one of the Demons up and coming young stars and was handed the tough task of standing St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt in his 250th game at the weekend.

Despite the daunting task, McDonald said that it was a challenge that he enjoyed.

“He’s a massive worker, everyone knows that – we have all seen it, read about it,” he said.

“I try to pride myself on endurance running as wells so I knew that we were going be in for a good battle running up and down the field.”

McDonald said that he focused heavily on his concentration levels in the week leading up to the game.

“The big thing I focused on with the coaches was concentration, because a little half a second slip up, he’s smart enough to know when to lead and where to lead when you have a mistake like that,” he said.

“That’s probably harder than the physical stuff – the concentration for 120 minutes not to make a little slip up so that he gets you on a little lead 20m out and gets an easy goal on you.”

“I was exhausted by the end of the game, and I think he was too.”

Future Leader is Tommy Mac.

Can't listen at work, any groundbreaking news?

Tommy's personal opinion of the soft free kick given to Reiwoldt was it shoulda been play-on.

He also said Jamar smells.

Tommy's personal opinion of the soft free kick given to Reiwoldt was it shoulda been play-on.

He also said Jamar smells.

I also heard that from Fitzpatrick

Tommy's personal opinion of the soft free kick given to Reiwoldt was it shoulda been play-on.

He also said Jamar smells.

robin laid an egg

Tommy's personal opinion of the soft free kick given to Reiwoldt was it shoulda been play-on.

He also said Jamar smells.

What do you mean?

Does anyone know when he is out of contract?

He still needs to learn how to kick a football....would be handy

He still needs to learn how to kick a football....would be handy

He'll learn, he's going to be a good one our Tommy.

Look forward to some battles he'll have with some of the young up and coming forwards like Paton and Cameron.

You going to change your avatar DJ?

Haha, I'm going to wait until the new coach is announced JR.

McDonald: Different feel at the Dees

11.18AM 26-6-2013

Melbourne defender Tom McDonald has told SEN that there is a different feel around the club in the wake of Mark Neeld’s departure as senior coach.

“It was a bit of a shock, but then because there has been so much media around what was going to happen, some people were just waiting for it to happen,” he said.

“Now that it’s happened, it’s done and people can move on past it.”

“Neil Craig is a different voice and he’s been fantastic.”

“There is definitely a different feel around the club, but it was a shock to happen on that Monday morning when we came in.”

With speculation and media scrutiny engulfing the club over the past few months, McDonald said that it has been refreshing to not have every step monitored by journalists and reporters.

“It was nice to come in after the game on Sunday and not have media there first thing for recovery,” he said.

“To be honest it doesn’t really impact on how we play if there is media there or there is stuff written in the paper. I tend to just worry about what we are doing on the field.”

“It is nice to have the fanfare off, but until we start winning it’s still going to hang around.”

McDonald is one of the Demons up and coming young stars and was handed the tough task of standing St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt in his 250th game at the weekend.

Despite the daunting task, McDonald said that it was a challenge that he enjoyed.

“He’s a massive worker, everyone knows that – we have all seen it, read about it,” he said.

“I try to pride myself on endurance running as wells so I knew that we were going be in for a good battle running up and down the field.”

McDonald said that he focused heavily on his concentration levels in the week leading up to the game.

“The big thing I focused on with the coaches was concentration, because a little half a second slip up, he’s smart enough to know when to lead and where to lead when you have a mistake like that,” he said.

“That’s probably harder than the physical stuff – the concentration for 120 minutes not to make a little slip up so that he gets you on a little lead 20m out and gets an easy goal on you.”

“I was exhausted by the end of the game, and I think he was too.”

That's about the 10th article this year about the club and has much it's "changed" and how influential certain people are.

What do you mean?

What do I mean about what?

I thought he was a bit overrated last year, but he was sensational on Riewoldt and he has great potential but his lack of skill by foot is a worry and has been especially problematic with the Neeld game plan. I'd probably rather see him go the whole game without a kick

He'll learn, he's going to be a good one our Tommy.

Look forward to some battles he'll have with some of the young up and coming forwards like Paton and Cameron.

Hope so... Ive seen nothing in his action to warrant that optimism.

we have to get it in our heads that OUR players HAVE to able to kick..

So many goals are given to our opposition in clumsy turnovers. POOR kicking is right up there. People may want to stick their heads in the sand but bad kicking kills us.

Hope so... Ive seen nothing in his action to warrant that optimism.

we have to get it in our heads that OUR players HAVE to able to kick..

So many goals are given to our opposition in clumsy turnovers. POOR kicking is right up there. People may want to stick their heads in the sand but bad kicking kills us.

I don't think it's as big a deal if you are playing as a key back. He just needs to know his limitations and work with them. He will never be an elite kick though he probably will improve, but he should learn to only take a safe kick unless of course he is under pressure then just boot it.

Hope so... Ive seen nothing in his action to warrant that optimism.

we have to get it in our heads that OUR players HAVE to able to kick..

So many goals are given to our opposition in clumsy turnovers. POOR kicking is right up there. People may want to stick their heads in the sand but bad kicking kills us.

It's all to do with pressure and the backline at Melbourne is under heaps of it, once that pressure is taken off and players have more time, their decision making will be better and their skills will improve.

I agree we've been poor, but if those around do better, then players like Tommy will look better too.

It's all to do with pressure and the backline at Melbourne is under heaps of it, once that pressure is taken off and players have more time, their decision making will be better and their skills will improve.

I agree we've been poor, but if those around do better, then players like Tommy will look better too.

The thing that concerns me ( and seriously so , was discussiing this with another Dl'er at training ) is even when little pressure hes a horrible kick.

One morning we had a little sort of kick to kick , well Tommy was part of a trio in a circle type drill, the ball was brought in, a player marked and switched across then that player cleared out to the flank. I was watching from roughly that flank but obviously over the boundary.. Now Im not sure if Tommy was trying to include me in this drill but about 7 out of ten kicks ..I marked..lol

It was training...NO pressure. !!!

This is my ONLY concern about T Mac..Otherwise a gem.. but currently a seriously flawed one.

I really like Tom's determination, a country boy who traveled approx 3 hours to training demonstrates this.

Having said that, he really does need to work on his kicking, opposition teams know who can and can't kick. If you are identified as a player who can't kick, you will be 'zoned offed' so you are given the ball by a team mate to increase the chance of a turnover. In addition, you also become predictable when taking a mark in congestion and looking to handball backwards often eg Jamar.

Tom's grit and appetite should definitely be bottled.

edit: spelling

I really like Tom's determination, a country boy who traveled approx 3 hours to training demonstrates this.

Having said that, he really does need to work on his kicking, opposition teams know who can and can't kick. If you are identified as a player who can't kick, you will 'zoned offed' so you are given the ball by a team mate to increase the chance for a turnover. In addition, you also become predictable when taking a mark in congestion and looking to handball backwards often eg Jamar.

Tom's grit and appetite should definitely be bottles.

I agree with all your comments. I love his effort and he he is a real competitor but yes his kicking is huge issue. In addition to your points i'dd add another dilemma. In his position TMac often has ball in hand deep with the best option switching play to the 'fat' side necessitating a kick across the face of goals. If the target is missed then it usually leads to a goal. TMac has given a few of these up, often because he is so slow to kick and his mechanical kicking style.

That's a problem but perhaps a bigger problem is that he might not choose to take that option due to the not unreasonable fear of coughing it up, meaning he takes a worse option and turns back into trouble or goes to the congested side where we have no hope of easily running it of our defense. This exact scenario happened on Saturday. He turned out of trouble and the right play was go across goal to a free man. Risky but it would allowed us to run it out with ease if he had hit his target. He thought about but decided not to take the risk, turned back and kicked it down the members wing into congestion where the saints had the numbers. The Saints won the ball and brought it straight back in for a goal. Even if they hadn't got the goal it would have been really hard for us to get it past their press.

He has to learn how to hit that target, and he might as well practice at every opportunity this year - even if that means coughing it up a few times.

McDonald: Different feel at the Dees

11.18AM 26-6-2013

Melbourne defender Tom McDonald has told SEN that there is a different feel around the club in the wake of Mark Neeld’s departure as senior coach.

“It was a bit of a shock, but then because there has been so much media around what was going to happen, some people were just waiting for it to happen,” he said.

“Now that it’s happened, it’s done and people can move on past it.”

“Neil Craig is a different voice and he’s been fantastic.”

“There is definitely a different feel around the club, but it was a shock to happen on that Monday morning when we came in.”

With speculation and media scrutiny engulfing the club over the past few months, McDonald said that it has been refreshing to not have every step monitored by journalists and reporters.

“It was nice to come in after the game on Sunday and not have media there first thing for recovery,” he said.

“To be honest it doesn’t really impact on how we play if there is media there or there is stuff written in the paper. I tend to just worry about what we are doing on the field.”

“It is nice to have the fanfare off, but until we start winning it’s still going to hang around.”

McDonald is one of the Demons up and coming young stars and was handed the tough task of standing St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt in his 250th game at the weekend.

Despite the daunting task, McDonald said that it was a challenge that he enjoyed.

“He’s a massive worker, everyone knows that – we have all seen it, read about it,” he said.

“I try to pride myself on endurance running as wells so I knew that we were going be in for a good battle running up and down the field.”

McDonald said that he focused heavily on his concentration levels in the week leading up to the game.

“The big thing I focused on with the coaches was concentration, because a little half a second slip up, he’s smart enough to know when to lead and where to lead when you have a mistake like that,” he said.

“That’s probably harder than the physical stuff – the concentration for 120 minutes not to make a little slip up so that he gets you on a little lead 20m out and gets an easy goal on you.”

“I was exhausted by the end of the game, and I think he was too.”

Replace the words "Mark Neeld" with "Julia Gillard" and "senior coach" with "Prime Minister" and it could be an article in any newspaper in Australia today.