Tom McDonald

[WERRIDEE 5,473]

We will have to cover a lot more quality talls this week compared to the Suns game. Will McDonald be allowed to zone off whenever he pleases like last week or will he need to be more accountable?

will our backline look like this:

PALMER\MCDONALD, CAMERON\DUNN, GREENE\HOWE

SMITH\JETTA, TOMLINSON\FROST, MCCARTHY\GARLAND

or will McDonald need to go on a tall?

[The Chazz 4,077]

We will have to cover a lot more quality talls this week compared to the Suns game. Will McDonald be allowed to zone off whenever he pleases like last week or will he need to be more accountable?

will our backline look like this:

PALMER\MCDONALD, CAMERON\DUNN, GREENE\HOWE

SMITH\JETTA, TOMLINSON\FROST, MCCARTHY\GARLAND

or will McDonald need to go on a tall?

McDonald is a certainty to go to Cameron.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,817]

Who was the genius that recruited him in the pick 50's?

It couldn't have been Prendergast?

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

There were a lot of geniuses here that thought he was no good.

[Guest]

Cue petition to get Tommy on the Demonland banner..

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

We will have to cover a lot more quality talls this week compared to the Suns game. Will McDonald be allowed to zone off whenever he pleases like last week or will he need to be more accountable?

will our backline look like this:

PALMER\MCDONALD, CAMERON\DUNN, GREENE\HOWE

SMITH\JETTA, TOMLINSON\FROST, MCCARTHY\GARLAND

or will McDonald need to go on a tall?

Lol, no.

McDonald will play on Cameron.

Rhys Palmer could well go to Jeremy Howe in the defensive forward role.

Christian Salem will play in our backline.

Frost will spend most of the time forward of the ball and then in the ruck.

Garland will probably play on McCarthy and Dunn on Tomlinson although could go the other way.

Looking at their forward line I am alot less worried about them kicking a winning score against us, just have to stop the midfield/smaller types kicking goals because that will be our biggest problem.

[nutbean 8,838]

Kicks the ball pretty well technically, some people just don't have it in them to be 70m darts. It's more about decision making and that comes with practice.

Decision making in most cases comes from confidence in your teammates and an understanding of exactly where they will run/present.

If we play committed football like we did on Saturday, a player with ball in hand looks up and sees a teammate breaking hard with a 2 or 3 metre space - the decision becomes quite easy.

When you play stagnant football with your teammates either being statues or giving half hearted options decision making becomes all that much harder.

It is no surprise that Hawthorn has a team full of good decision makers - they have supreme confidence in each other and have this inbuilt knowledge of knowing exactly where their teammates are/will be.

[DubDee 25,848]

We will have to cover a lot more quality talls this week compared to the Suns game. Will McDonald be allowed to zone off whenever he pleases like last week or will he need to be more accountable?

will our backline look like this:

PALMER\MCDONALD, CAMERON\DUNN, GREENE\HOWE

SMITH\JETTA, TOMLINSON\FROST, MCCARTHY\GARLAND

or will McDonald need to go on a tall?

Im searching for the quality talls there aside from Cameron. can you help me out?

[Bay Riffin 1,474]

Defenders have flourished under Roos.

So far we have had Dunn and Jetta in career best form and hopefully now McDonald will lift himself into that really reliable backman as well. that's why im keen to see how Frost goes down back under Roos as he has all the tools for a key back.

will be fascinated to see how McDonald goes on Cameron if Roos decides on that match up. he has the athleticism but des he have the guile?

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

Decision making in most cases comes from confidence in your teammates and an understanding of exactly where they will run/present.

If we play committed football like we did on Saturday, a player with ball in hand looks up and sees a teammate breaking hard with a 2 or 3 metre space - the decision becomes quite easy.

When you play stagnant football with your teammates either being statues or giving half hearted options decision making becomes all that much harder.

It is no surprise that Hawthorn has a team full of good decision makers - they have supreme confidence in each other and have this inbuilt knowledge of knowing exactly where their teammates are/will be.

i agree, but it does also come with multiple matches with team mates under high intensity situations and leadership on the ground, which it definitely looks like we are starting to get.

the good thing about decision making is that it can be taught through repition and T-Mac has hopefully shown the signs of much improved decision making, getting rid of it much earlier rather than running himself into trouble

[Moonshadow 17,676]

I said preseason that if any Demon player makes AA it will be T Mac

Heres hoping I get something right for the first time in my Demonland posting career

If he doesn't? No posting on Land again, right?!

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,753]

McDonald is a certainty to go to Cameron.

Why do you say that? Why wouldn't it be Dunn's job? or Garland?

(I'm not prosecuting the case for Dunn or Garland. I'm just interested in why you think McDonald will be given the role.)

[DeeSpencer 25,680]

Why do you say that? Why wouldn't it be Dunn's job? or Garland?

(I'm not prosecuting the case for Dunn or Garland. I'm just interested in why you think McDonald will be given the role.)

McDonald has the endurance, size and strength. Garland has a bit more speed but is better off in a versatile role. Dunn is the backline general who plays closest to goal and lines the team up. It would surprise me if it's not McDonald with first crack at Cameron.

[P-man 13,366]

McDonald v Cameron is going to be worth the ticket price alone. Potentially a fantastic duel.

[DeeSpencer 25,680]

Im searching for the quality talls there aside from Cameron. can you help me out?

Don't underrate McCarthy, he can play. Isn't a big solid type yet but he's very dangerous.

Cameron, McCarthy and Smith are the goal kickers. They can be 60, 40 and 40 goal forwards, or 7 a week between them types. After that Tomlinson and Palmer are role players, 2nd ruck and defensive forwards. Then they rely on midfielders. Is Hoskin-Elliott playing? He's a freaky type who can play wing but also go deep forward and take a bunch of marks, there's a lot of Fyfe about him.

Griffen, Shiel, Treloar particularly are good for a goal a game at least. Classy mids usually find a way to score. We've got Jonesy and Dom Tyson who hit the scoreboard a fair bit. Bernie Vince as well and Newton at SANFL level was scoring regularly.

[WERRIDEE 5,473]

Im searching for the quality talls there aside from Cameron. can you help me out?

McCarthy can play and Tomlinson isn't bad either.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

Don't underrate McCarthy, he can play. Isn't a big solid type yet but he's very dangerous.

Cameron, McCarthy and Smith are the goal kickers. They can be 60, 40 and 40 goal forwards, or 7 a week between them types. After that Tomlinson and Palmer are role players, 2nd ruck and defensive forwards. Then they rely on midfielders. Is Hoskin-Elliott playing? He's a freaky type who can play wing but also go deep forward and take a bunch of marks, there's a lot of Fyfe about him.

Griffen, Shiel, Treloar particularly are good for a goal a game at least. Classy mids usually find a way to score. We've got Jonesy and Dom Tyson who hit the scoreboard a fair bit. Bernie Vince as well and Newton at SANFL level was scoring regularly.

no, thank goodness. He is the player that i would be most worried about.

McCarthy is still young so not too much expectation, will be a good footballer but they would not be expecting 40 goals out of him this year!

[WERRIDEE 5,473]

Lol, no.

McDonald will play on Cameron.

Rhys Palmer could well go to Jeremy Howe in the defensive forward role.

Christian Salem will play in our backline.

Frost will spend most of the time forward of the ball and then in the ruck.

Garland will probably play on McCarthy and Dunn on Tomlinson although could go the other way.

Looking at their forward line I am alot less worried about them kicking a winning score against us, just have to stop the midfield/smaller types kicking goals because that will be our biggest problem.

What's the lol for?

My point is you play McDonald on Cameron you lose the drive he created last week, he has to show Cameron respect. He can't do what he did to Smith and Gorringe on Cameron he will destroy him.

I would have McDonald playing loose as he reads the game well and have him zoning off making sure Dunn doesn't get Cameron one on one. He led the rebound 50's with 7 he won't be doing that on Cameron.

I don't see the need for Frost to play forward when we have Dawes there.

Salem can rotate through the wing\half back. I would start him on the bench.

Edited April 9, 2015 by WERRIDEE

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

What's the lol for?

My point is you play McDonald on Cameron you lose the drive he created last week, he has to show Cameron respect. He can't do what he did to Smith and Gorringe on Cameron he will destroy him.

I would have McDonald playing loose as he reads the game well and have him zoning off making sure Dunn doesn't get Cameron one on one. He led the rebound 50's with 7 he won't be doing that on Cameron.

I don't see the need for Frost to play forward when we have Dawes there.

Salem can rotate through the wing\half back. I would start him on the bench.

The lol, was because the match ups just don't seam feasible.

Tom McDonald will play on Cameron or Mcarthy and he will continue to run off them and try to effect as many contests as possible.

Cameron will have to play accountable football as well and it's only a major issue if the ball is turned over, if we are able to maintain possession out of our defensive 50 then it's useless.

Why would he not be leading the rebound 50s, sure he has to respect him but he can still take intercept marks and look to use his run when he has the football. I think your point is completely ridiculous. Why would he not play his style of football because he is changing his opponent, he would be encouraged by coaching staff to play in the same manner

[DubDee 25,848]

McCarthy can play and Tomlinson isn't bad either.

I reckon Dunn, Garland and potentially Frost will have no worries with these 2.

why do i get the feeling i just jinxed us?!?!

[The Chazz 4,077]

Why do you say that? Why wouldn't it be Dunn's job? or Garland?

(I'm not prosecuting the case for Dunn or Garland. I'm just interested in why you think McDonald will be given the role.)

It's about keeping it simple. TMc is our best key defender, Cameron is their best key forward. They match well with height, weight, size, etc. If TMc can play like he did last week, it will make Cameron accountable, which I think can be his biggest weakness.

[The Chazz 4,077]

What's the lol for?

My point is you play McDonald on Cameron you lose the drive he created last week, he has to show Cameron respect. He can't do what he did to Smith and Gorringe on Cameron he will destroy him.

I would have McDonald playing loose as he reads the game well and have him zoning off making sure Dunn doesn't get Cameron one on one. He led the rebound 50's with 7 he won't be doing that on Cameron.

I don't see the need for Frost to play forward when we have Dawes there.

Salem can rotate through the wing\half back. I would start him on the bench.

Can see Lumumba dropping back to half back this week to zone off and provide the rebound that TMc provided last week. With Vince coming in, it's a luxury to be able to put H back, and provide the drive that you seek.

[WERRIDEE 5,473]

The lol, was because the match ups just don't seam feasible.

Tom McDonald will play on Cameron or Mcarthy and he will continue to run off them and try to effect as many contests as possible.

Cameron will have to play accountable football as well and it's only a major issue if the ball is turned over, if we are able to maintain possession out of our defensive 50 then it's useless.

Why would he not be leading the rebound 50s, sure he has to respect him but he can still take intercept marks and look to use his run when he has the football. I think your point is completely ridiculous. Why would he not play his style of football because he is changing his opponent, he would be encouraged by coaching staff to play in the same manner

The reason he was able to take so many intercept marks because he didn't he didn't have a reasonable player to worry about. To say that he will treat one of the best forwards in comp the same way as he would treat an ordinary player is just plain wrong.

I tell you what if he is able to do the things you say he can do on Cameron give him an All Australian jumper all ready because he will be BOG by a country mile.

You can ridicule me all you want I just have a feeling I will have to remind you of these comments like I had to remind Curry & Beer's about his comments on Brayshaw last week.

[WERRIDEE 5,473]

It's about keeping it simple. TMc is our best key defender, Cameron is their best key forward.

Is he? After 1 game? who finished 4th in our B&F? who got Gold Coast best forward Day last week?

[WERRIDEE 5,473]

Can see Lumumba dropping back to half back this week to zone off and provide the rebound that TMc provided last week. With Vince coming in, it's a luxury to be able to put H back, and provide the drive that you seek.

I can see Palmer tagging him. T.Mc's greatest strength is his ability to zone off and take marks I can't see him use this ability if he's wrestling one of the best forwards going around.