Tom McDonald as a forward

[daisycutter 30,028]

  On 14/07/2015 at 02:10, old dee said:

Correct praha

Injuries sure ain't helping.

Sadly we are probably stuck with Dawes till the end of this year because there ain't no one else

sadly, od, we are stuck with dawes till the end of next year......................sigh

[old dee 24,097]

  On 14/07/2015 at 02:13, daisycutter said:

sadly, od, we are stuck with dawes till the end of next year......................sigh

Correct dc very bloody sad. still some time to go before the Neeld era is eradicated.

[What 18,810]

  On 14/07/2015 at 02:13, daisycutter said:

sadly, od, we are stuck with dawes till the end of next year......................sigh

Someone will take him this trade period for a 3rd or 4th rounder

Then hopefully Jason Taylor can land us another Vandenberg or Kent type steal with the pick

[La Dee-vina Comedia 17,137]

  On 14/07/2015 at 02:11, hogans_heroes said:

Wonder if hes practicing his goal kicking at training today? Would be interesting to find out

Talking of which, does anyone go to training to watch (and report) any more? And what's happened to Satyr/TDI? I miss his reports.

[old dee 24,097]

  On 14/07/2015 at 02:28, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Talking of which, does anyone go to training to watch (and report) any more? And what's happened to Satyr/TDI? I miss his reports.

Good question vanished without a trace.

Probably a bit cold and boring this time of the year.

I go a few times over the summer but in winter it is a little hard to raise the enthusiasm.

[daisycutter 30,028]

  On 14/07/2015 at 02:22, hogans_heroes said:

Someone will take him this trade period for a 3rd or 4th rounder

Then hopefully Jason Taylor can land us another Vandenberg or Kent type steal with the pick

trouble with this, if it can be done, is we will end up having to pay part of his salary

[daisycutter 30,028]

  On 14/07/2015 at 02:28, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Talking of which, does anyone go to training to watch (and report) any more? And what's happened to Satyr/TDI? I miss his reports.

saty/tdi got a job..............good for him.............bad for us

[La Dee-vina Comedia 17,137]

  On 14/07/2015 at 03:22, daisycutter said:

saty/tdi got a job..............good for him.............bad for us

Thanks for the update. Congratulations Satyr/TDI. But you've left a big whole in my week. Training reports are always interesting. Bring out the best and worst of Demonland posters, too.

[hemingway 7,633]

  On 14/07/2015 at 02:11, hogans_heroes said:

Wonder if hes practicing his goal kicking at training today? Would be interesting to find out

Ask that Devil guy who used to attend training and post reports. He seems to have disappeared for better or worse!

[old dee 24,097]

  On 14/07/2015 at 07:11, hemingway said:

Ask that Devil guy who used to attend training and post reports. He seems to have disappeared for better or worse!

As I understand Ernest he got a job.

[hemingway 7,633]

  On 14/07/2015 at 07:16, old dee said:

As I understand Ernest he got a job.

That explains it. Good for him.

[beelzebub 23,392]

  On 14/07/2015 at 01:55, praha said:

Pederson is basically the player Miller would have been if he were still playing. We look much better forward of center with Pederson than we do with Dawes. Hogan pushed up the field to get involved, which is what Pederson normally did. Hogan does it because Dawes is hopeless.

If folk want a foil for Hogan then Pedersen is the better bet..Leave Mac down back.

Id actually consider Cam as a fill in FF with licence to lead far. Hogan as CHF..and just create havoc..wherever

Cam CAN mark and not to shabby a kick. If not relied upon as the MAIN man..hed do fine . ( cant believe we've come this far after we all wanted him off the list..lol ). If you had Maxxy as 1st ruck he could ( though unfashionable these days seemingly ) rest at FF whilst Cam pinch hits

[dee-luded 2,959]

  On 13/07/2015 at 14:53, Demonated said:

Long term I think he is more suited to play as a back. However, for all his kicking woes, he still changed the game when he went forward. He does have his faults but I love his endeavour and heart. Trying him as a forward sporadically for the rest of the season (maybe a quarter here and there every few weeks) will add a different dynamic to the team I believe. He is a great athlete and has always shown a willingness to learn and never gives up. Long term he is our #1 backman but if it can help the team and help him grow as a player, why not trial it now and then. Also means we get a proper look at Fitz who I believe deserves a bit of a go before the season finishes.

yep... & also when Frosty is ready for a few more games, he may come back in down back in a few more weeks; so depending on matchups, that may be a good time to run TMac up forward, now & again.

I have a gut feel, that Frosty may be back in red'n'blue for the FreeO game ?

  On 13/07/2015 at 18:22, CBDees said:

Brad Miller might have taken marks but whenever he did (and didn't happen to be 15 metres out, directly in front) he always tried to pass the ball, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. Miller consistently wouldn't back himself to kick goals when he was 50, 40 or even 30 metres from goal (and he was paid as a KPF FCS)!

Millsy got the yips

a classic case of too much expected of one person, to fill too many ills in the side. Millsy could kick goals, but lost his nerve for a while, under pressure.

a team that plays for one another, & doesn't bludge on one another, so they ALL chase, tackle, defend, & help one another out in the Heat of battle, support one another; a problem shared is a problem halved.

this wasn't adhered to anywhere enough back in Millsy's days of playing for us. it was a self-centred team. a downhill skiing team.

that's why we didn't get further, & we were inconsistent throughout that period.

[Skuit 10,031]

  On 14/07/2015 at 02:11, hogans_heroes said:

Wonder if hes practicing his goal kicking at training today? Would be interesting to find out

I'd personally prefer he spent his time at training practicing his field-kicking.

[monoccular 17,761]

Acknowledged that Miller didn't seem to,like kicking for goad from anything outside 40 meters.

Maybe he was under instructions to hand it off: wouldn't put anything past his coaches during his career. Was there even a game plan?

Maybe (will never, can never know) he may have been a better / more productive player under Roos / Goodwin ??

[La Dee-vina Comedia 17,137]

  On 14/07/2015 at 08:40, monoccular said:

Acknowledged that Miller didn't seem to,like kicking for goad from anything outside 40 meters.

Maybe he was under instructions to hand it off: wouldn't put anything past his coaches during his career. Was there even a game plan?

Maybe (will never, can never know) he may have been a better / more productive player under Roos / Goodwin ??

I think we can expect that from every player. Not just for being "under Roos / Goodwin" but because the stability of the club on and off the field is something not seen at Melbourne for, perhaps, 50 or more years. It's a much better environment overall and therefore should encourage better performances from everyone.

[rjay 25,436]

  On 14/07/2015 at 07:30, beelzebub said:

If folk want a foil for Hogan then Pedersen is the better bet..Leave Mac down back.

Id actually consider Cam as a fill in FF with licence to lead far. Hogan as CHF..and just create havoc..wherever

Cam CAN mark and not to shabby a kick. If not relied upon as the MAIN man..hed do fine . ( cant believe we've come this far after we all wanted him off the list..lol ). If you had Maxxy as 1st ruck he could ( though unfashionable these days seemingly ) rest at FF whilst Cam pinch hits

Unfortunately Pedders is out for the season so he is not an option at the moment.

[beelzebub 23,392]

  On 15/07/2015 at 00:37, rjay said:

Unfortunately Pedders is out for the season so he is not an option at the moment.

point taken...was just thinking aloud and in general. I suspect the notion of Tmac fwd wasnt limited to this season but as an idea in general.

[old dee 24,097]

  On 15/07/2015 at 10:49, beelzebub said:

point taken...was just thinking aloud and in general. I suspect the notion of Tmac fwd wasnt limited to this season but as an idea in general.

I have this memory he was selected as a forward. Does anyone know?

[beelzebub 23,392]

He was indeed a fwd when recruited but not necessarily recruited as a fwd. Was put down the rear very early ob from memory.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

  On 15/07/2015 at 23:52, beelzebub said:

He was indeed a fwd when recruited but not necessarily recruited as a fwd. Was put down the rear very early ob from memory.

I believe his first game (at least) was as a forward. I think he's too valuable down back to move him now, though.

[Fat Tony 5,342]

A side benefit of trialling McDonald forward is that it gives us the chance to see if Fitzy can make it as an AFL defender. Personally, I don't think that McDonald and Fitzy can both play in the same back line as it means we lack sufficient skill down there.

We should also trial McDonald as the second ruck and use him as third man up at stoppages like Blicavs for the Cats.

[3Dee 1,153]

  On 16/07/2015 at 00:43, Fat Tony said:

We should also trial McDonald as the second ruck and use him as third man up at stoppages like Blicavs for the Cats.

Not sure about this, Watts is killing it in the 3rd man up role.

[hemingway 7,633]

  On 15/07/2015 at 23:52, beelzebub said:

He was indeed a fwd when recruited but not necessarily recruited as a fwd. Was put down the rear very early ob from memory.

Must admit, I was surprised that when he went up forward against the Bombers, he seemed a natural. Knew exactly how to play up and for the first time in the match we had someone to kick to. M

[Fat Tony 5,342]

  On 16/07/2015 at 01:08, 3Dee said:

Not sure about this, Watts is killing it in the 3rd man up role.

I also think Watts does this really well, but it can't be just one player given there are nearly 75 stoppages per game.