Tom McDonald

[G-max 154]

He went at 88% disposal efficiency against Freo with only the two ineffective touches out of 17.

• 1st in rebound 50s in the comp with 33.
• 10th in total marks with 37.
• 15th in contested marks with 8. Hogan is still 1st overall with 13.
• 2nd among defenders in Supercoach points per game (112.2). He's 15th overall.

Having a great start to the year.

Edited May 4, 2015 by G-max

[John Crow Batty 8,377]

He went at 88% disposal efficiency against Freo with only the two ineffective touches out of 17.

• 1st in rebound 50s in the comp with 33.
• 10th in total marks with 37.
• 15th in contested marks with 8. Hogan is still 1st overall with 13.
• 2nd among defenders in Supercoach points per game (112.2). He's 15th overall.

Having a great start to the year.

What's amazing is he has improved not only on his strengths but also his deficiencies. Hard to fault any aspects of his game this season. Edited May 4, 2015 by america de cali

[Qwerty30 196]

On track for All Australian CHB this year.

At the moment its between Talia, Rance and him....I'd back him in to date.

Has not been beaten...not even close to it.

Must be leading the Bluey IMO.

[Deestroy All 14,262]

He went at 88% disposal efficiency against Freo with only the two ineffective touches out of 17.

• 1st in rebound 50s in the comp with 33.
• 10th in total marks with 37.
• 15th in contested marks with 8. Hogan is still 1st overall with 13.
• 2nd among defenders in Supercoach points per game (112.2). He's 15th overall.

Having a great start to the year.

I hope he's not a Jehovah's Witness.

[Binmans PA 26,766]

Clear favourite for the bluey at the moment.

How come we seem to develop so many good tall defenders yet constantly struggle for key forwards and dominant midfielders?

Or does the latter inform the former, because they see so much of the ball with ours mids routinely slaughtered?

It's a good point. Where is Jade Rawlings coaching these days? He's backline coach, right? It seems he's doing his job.

Probably our most important player after Jones and Tyson. I believe I posted that he was more important than Frawley a few years ago, I would search for that but I said some other dumb stuff I don't want to read again IIRC...

I'd agree, except I'd add Hogan to that list.

[whatwhat say what 20,468]

It's a good point. Where is Jade Rawlings coaching these days? He's backline coach, right? It seems he's doing his job.

to be honest, i was a bit surprised goodwin was brought in when rawlings has been doing a good job with the backline for a while. i thought it might be a case of learning more under roos before taking over.

rawlings has developed a strong group that has been pilfered from by the cats and the hawks in recent years.

(with the exception of watts as a half-back flanker, which obviously didn't work out like howe has done.)

[dazzledavey36 49,840]

Would be winning the bluey by a country mile.

[Little Richard 5,943]

He went at 88% disposal efficiency against Freo with only the two ineffective touches out of 17.

• 1st in rebound 50s in the comp with 33.
• 10th in total marks with 37.
• 15th in contested marks with 8. Hogan is still 1st overall with 13.
• 2nd among defenders in Supercoach points per game (112.2). He's 15th overall.

Having a great start to the year.

Is there a statistic for intercept marks?

[Binmans PA 26,766]

to be honest, i was a bit surprised goodwin was brought in when rawlings has been doing a good job with the backline for a while. i thought it might be a case of learning more under roos before taking over.

rawlings has developed a strong group that has been pilfered from by the cats and the hawks in recent years.

(with the exception of watts as a half-back flanker, which obviously didn't work out like howe has done.)

I didn't want Rawlings as senior coach and I had a question mark over him for a while, but I think now it's safe to say he seems to be doing a really good job at developing the backs. It helps we've got a bit more leadership around the ground these days and Roos in charge, but I think Rawlings is a good assistant coach. Time will tell whether Goodwin is better than that.

[Demon Jack 6,439]

Would be winning the bluey by a country mile.

Easily been our best player in at least 3-4 of the games we've played so far. If he keeps up this form, even Nate will find it hard to catch up.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Demon Jack

[What 18,810]

Would be winning the bluey by a country mile.

Yah he would, I hope we can win a decent amount of games too so he can make the AA team

The guy is a freaking gun

[G-max 154]

Is there a statistic for intercept marks?

I couldn't find that stat in isolation but it's a significant part of the Supercoach formula.

I did a quick search and also discovered...

• He's 3rd in one-percenters (47).

He passes both the eye-test and the stats test.

[What 18,810]

How about this stat - equal 5th in the Coaches votes leaderboard

AFLCA Player of the Year leaderboard

42 - Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)
30 - Dan Hannebery (Sydney Swans)
29 - Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
29 - Dylan Shiel (GWS)
21 - David Armitage (St Kilda)
21 - Josh Kennedy (West Coast)
21 - Tom McDonald (Melbourne)
21 - David Mundy (Fremantle)
21 - Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
20 - Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne)

Edited May 5, 2015 by hogans_heroes

[Deeoldfart 7,864]

Tommy is fast cementing a spot as the premium tall defender in the game (if he hasn't already done so) ......... and it's a damn long time since any Melbourne player could lay claim to being the best in the business!

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Tommy is fast cementing a spot as the premium tall defender in the game (if he hasn't already done so) ......... and it's a damn long time since any Melbourne player could lay claim to being the best in the business!

just wish anybody else in the side was even close to him

even Jones hasn't been up there this year

[Je Roos Salem 661]

After our win against the Tigers he said to a young girl in front row "What's your name, hi, I'm Tom". It seemed really unusual for an AFL player

[Radar Detector 1,339]

Has definitely gone to another level this year. I still have my heart in my mouth when he has the ball but he actually hasn't turned it over much and is a colossus as a defender.

What I love about him is his sheer will to be the best. By the end of this year he may very well be just that - best defender in the comp and best player at the club.

[monoccular 16,707]

Has definitely gone to another level this year. I still have my heart in my mouth when he has the ball but he actually hasn't turned it over much and is a colossus as a defender.

What I love about him is his sheer will to be the best. By the end of this year he may very well be just that - best defender in the comp and best player at the club.

If every player on our list showed the determination to succeed, and the pain at losing, as Tom shows we would be a long way further forward than we are now.

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 4,339]

I love the attitude when Burgan asked him whether we were too far away from Freo to beat them; he said 'no we can beat them if we play the right way but we were terrible today.'

He is one that has been instilled with confidence - he just has to take a few with him.

And he was uncomfortable laying the blame at the mids - diplomatic but not required - it was fairly obvious where we were smashed.

+ 1.

But it was also the way he said it, forcefully negating Burgo's question(point?) before he'd even finished it. Confidence...in himself, in his own view of the team's ability, and maybe that the team shares his view of its ability?

And perhaps a confidence that comes partly from the team actuallyshares that before he'd even finished itfinished his question/point Poor proof reading - how embarassment!

Edited May 5, 2015 by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

[Guest]

Bumping again.

Star

[redlegwarrior 23]

Future captain

[pantaloons 2,019]

The Chas.

[Pipefitter 2,090]

I remember a few years back him saying he wanted to be the best player in the league, or something along those lines. I giggled but i also loved his determination. This guy was always going to get the best out of himself. Absolute star.

[Binmans PA 26,766]

What I love about this bloke is he doesn't just defend, he provides excellent rebound off half back. It's nice that in one-on-one he's almost unbeatable too. Add to that, he has amazing endurance and can run opponents off their feet. He's like Frawley at the peak of his powers (in 2010?), except he has a terrific tank. He's certainly worked on his decision making and kicking. Some of those passes last night were beautiful. Just one clanger kick last night, otherwise close to a flawless performance.

Edited May 10, 2015 by AdamFarr

[monoccular 16,707]

I remember a few years back him saying he wanted to be the best player in the league, or something along those lines. I giggled but i also loved his determination. This guy was always going to get the best out of himself. Absolute star.

It would be great were that contagious