On 05/07/2015 at 01:21, Nasher said:

Yep, that kick to NicNat in the middle of the ground... Could see it happening as soon as he turned inboard.

He hasn't learned his limitations yet. Hopefully over time he stops trying to do kicks that are too difficult for him.

That kick wasn't too difficult though. It was a medium risk kick for anyone other than McDonald or Jake Spencer. Whoever it was in the corridor had room all around them and all the kick needed to do was clear Nic Nat.

You can't play in the backline without attempting those kicks. Not unless you are some kind of defensive stopper made out of a combination of Scarlett, Silvagni and Glass.

Burning that option kills momentum which in turn discourages team mates from running to receive the ball and eventually all you do is chip the ball nowhere or bomb it down the line.

As Clarko likes to say 'If you can't kick you can't play". So McDonald has to keep trying kicks when it's that combination of risk and reward but he has to make them. It was a bread and butter switch not exactly some kind of thread of the needle.

My biggest concern is he doesn't even see the field of play well enough to know what is risky and what isn't and where he has to miss the kick if he is to miss safely.

I missed the Collingwood game but It was suggested somewhere that he took a big physical hit (as well as a psychological one, when Choke for about thenfirstbtime in his career kicked straight)?

Also another observed that his slump has coincided with the loss of Salem....they certainly did some great stuff together in those early rounds.

Some also mentioned "off field issues"........is the pure speculation or does someone really know something?? IF they do, they should share it with the club (NOT us) and help him through it privately.

I know he looked as if he really hurt deeply when we had those floggings from the top teams....maybe he is struggling to get over that, which would be a huge worry if true.

My thought is that he is a young tall who hit some great form early, has had a slump and needs our support whilst he regains his confidence. What he doesn't need is constant carping from "supporters".

He's only 22 but has 70+ games experience. That's interesting because young players tend to hit their strides around the 50-70 game mark, once they have a feel for the speed and hardness of the game. He's certainly having his best season but he's not reliable outside of a one-on-one contest. You can't trust him with the ball. Are you any more confident when he has the ball than you are when M Jones or Bail has it? I'm not.

I find it interesting because it seems as though Watts has taken 100 games to find some consistency. We've been so bad for so long that a lot of these young kids take longer to come on. I imagine that reaching 50 games in a finals side is different to reaching 50 games in a terrible side. I mean, obviously, right?

TMac is having a few poor games after numerous blinders earlier in the season. Big guys take more than 70 games to reach their peak, and as others have said he's only 22. Apart from his kicking he's a star. I'd rather he went with his first option and occasionally fail than over cook the disposal waiting for 3rd or 4th option each time like the toump

Im for him

Gives his best needs help from the midfield and needs another tall defender like frost

Needs to play forward. He's lost the plot down back.

2 of Daniher's goals were really Dunn's fault but overall Tom just can't stick with a smart opponent on the lead, he isn't making any semblance of smart decisions down back with the ball and his confidence has completely eroded.

And to think WYL wanted him to be captain.

He's reverted back to his old, bad self. The one full of sh!t disposals and decision making. Maybe a week at Casey will break him out of his funk. I reckon a good 10-15 could join him from today as well.

McDonald has shown more in his short career than Rance showed in his first 50-odd games.

Tom will be fine, more than fine. Having a bit of a bad patch after a stellar start to the year, but he'll come good.

McDonald's OK, but he should recognise his own limitations, and play within them.

I find a lot of the criticism of this kid smacking of looking for another scapegoat. We criticise Jack Watts as Number 1 but do not parise him for working to improve .

Tommy Mac was pick 52. He has been a real bargain/revelation, and that has come from hard work . Give him some space. Personally I feel he just tries too hard and at times sets too high a standard. Wish we had more like him !!

PS : There is a big difference between Edenhope/Apsley U17 and AFL.

I was right in 2014 and I'm right now. He won't stand up to the pressure of finals intensity (or anything close to it). 

Might be worth keeping around as forward/ruck to compete or back up Pedda and is probably the 2nd best ruck option on the list if Max gets injured. 

But he's done as a key defender. He's done as a leader too. 

If your a forward and mark the ball directly in front 45 out. Go back and have a shot

  On 26/08/2017 at 07:25, DeeSpencer said:

I was right in 2014 and I'm right now. He won't stand up to the pressure of finals intensity (or anything close to it). 

Might be worth keeping around as forward/ruck to compete or back up Pedda and is probably the 2nd best ruck option on the list if Max gets injured. 

But he's done as a key defender. He's done as a leader too. 

That's a very tough call DS. Not sure I agree.

Change the thread to MFC .

in toms defence he is the one who stood up in west coast and it his goal there that's kept us in the finals ATM with the 8 point swing.

Wow what a bump. You must have a hell of a memory to want to bump this post up!

He was crap from what I saw today, and moving him forward appears to have lost any ability he had in defence. His kick out was a disgrace, as was the carry on after Cox missed (we were behind you peanut, worry about your own game), and then with 3 minutes to go he has the opportunity for a set for from 45m out and immediately kicks it to a 3 on 1. 

It was his worst performance for the club. But having said all that, he has actually been good for most of this year. I think he is officially a forward though, so the question becomes how do you squeeze him, Hogan, Watts, and Pederson into the forward line?

We all have our bad days.

He was molested up forward several times.

 

  On 26/08/2017 at 07:54, Biffen said:

We all have our bad days.

He was molested up forward several times.

 

He should be molested down back after those clangers today...

Edited August 26, 20177 yr by ProperDee

  On 26/08/2017 at 07:25, DeeSpencer said:

I was right in 2014 and I'm right now. He won't stand up to the pressure of finals intensity (or anything close to it). 

over two years inbetween posts, yeah you really nailed it buffoon.

Edited August 26, 20177 yr by 3Dee

Tom needs to stay forward, he is a good marking target and seems to have far greater accuracy kicking at goals than away from goals.  Leave him forward. Bring frost back to cover in defense.

 

This thread really sucks.

 

  On 26/08/2017 at 08:14, Deecisive said:

Tom needs to stay forward, he is a good marking target and seems to have far greater accuracy kicking at goals than away from goals.  Leave him forward. Bring frost back to cover in defense.

 

I said the exact same thing today at the game - Keep Tom away from the D50

Had a bad day. Simple as that. He's been brilliant for most of this year.

I hope we get Lever in the off-season though as I much prefer seeing McDonald line-up in the forward line. 

Had ANOTHER BAD DAY. His clangers are costly. 

  On 26/08/2017 at 08:49, Demon Jack said:

Had a bad day. Simple as that. He's been brilliant for most of this year.

I hope we get Lever in the off-season though as I much prefer seeing McDonald line-up in the forward line. 

Legitimate question though: when he's been "brilliant", where has he been playing? Forward or back?

IMO, most of his good games this year were in the forward line.

  On 26/08/2017 at 08:56, titan_uranus said:

Legitimate question though: when he's been "brilliant", where has he been playing? Forward or back?

IMO, most of his good games this year were in the forward line.

Agreed. Hence why I think he should be played forward next year should we grab Lever. I haven't rated McDonald in defense this season.

His stints in the ruck and around the ball when Max was injured were also pretty good. 

Edited August 26, 20177 yr by Demon Jack