Tom McDonald (and Oscar) SIGNS.

[deanox 9,924]

I wonder if we have other well developed options (like Hurley) this our offer reflects this? 

[Demon Disciple 12,131]

4 minutes ago, deanox said:

I wonder if we have other well developed options (like Hurley) this our offer reflects this? 

would rather see the backs of Garland and Dunn, before i saw McDonald's. He would elevate his game if he became the #2 backman.

[beelzebub 23,377]

5 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

would rather see the backs of Garland and Dunn, before i saw McDonald's. He would elevate his game if he became the #2 backman.

Agree. Need someone who has a better idea of things down back to relieve Tom of this burden releasing him to just do the things he's quite good at and not trying to do things he can't .

To be Frank though of the two bigfellas holding out im more interested in Jesse's  signature.

I'm confident (now) the club won't be held to ransom ever again.

The way some fawn over this bloke you'd think he was all AA . He's a player that goes OK. He does some good things and as many howlers. I'm glad to see his kicking ability has improved some ,a shame his decisions haven't always matched.

If he left I'd lose no sleep.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,837]

I shudder to think what our back line will look like next year if we lose McDonald, but don't replace with another B+ Grade key defender who's played 100+ games.

[beelzebub 23,377]

The MFC will have a contingency. It's done quite well so far overhauling the list. Tom might want to stop and think for a minute.

[ManDee 7,149]

6 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

The MFC will have a contingency. It's done quite well so far overhauling the list. Tom might want to stop and think for a minute.

He may want to join creepy at Hawthorn.

[beelzebub 23,377]

6 hours ago, hemingway said:

His right to do so. If he thinks he can increase his value by encouraging other clubs to make offers that is ok and sensible from his viewpoint. Perhaps he is not happy at Melbourne but more likely  he is taking the advice of his manager whose raison d'être is always going to be $. It will work out the way it is meant to no doubt. Along the way there are going to be disappointments but far fewer if we continue to win games and are viewed as a successful club on the rise rather than a club of no hopers.

Whilst he has every right to do so he might want to re-engage brain. Mind you as many would suggest it's his decision making at times that brings him unstuck. 

[deanox 9,924]

26 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

would rather see the backs of Garland and Dunn, before i saw McDonald's. He would elevate his game if he became the #2 backman.

But is he happy to be paid as a number 2 defender? 

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Put Sam Frost next to Tom McDonald in the backline and McDonald will be a better player (like he was before Frost was injured last year).

Edited May 25, 2016 by Clint Bizkit

[chook fowler 19,459]

19 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I shudder to think what our back line will look like next year if we lose McDonald, but don't replace with another B+ Grade key defender who's played 100+ games.

Bring back Jamie Shannahan

[Melb16 493]

10 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

He has put off contract talks again:  "Melbourne's Tom McDonald has delayed putting pen to paper on a long-term deal which would tie him to the Demons until at least 2020"  http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-season-2016-demons-stand-firm-as-tom-mcdonald-holds-off-on-contract-20160524-gp2pgs.html

" But Melbourne remain adamant the offer on the table to the 23-year-old will not be increased as the club works to retain its growing list of young guns...The feeling at the Demons is one of frustration that McDonald hasn't recommitted, with the deal on the table seen as more than fair.. The consensus  is that McDonald will eventually sign with Melbourne, but is taking time to consider his options".

This latest development looks to me that he has been open to a specific offer, received it and now walked away from the table.  Good on MFC for not upping the price to 'buy' his signature.  No wonder Healy has been at him in the media recently.

Selfish sod!  If he doesn't want to be part of what the club is building and just looking out for himself then just go,Tom!! 

Reminds me of an ex MFC player of the same name!! 

From a group of people (not saying you specifically) who don't believe a thing the media says, you've made a whole lot of assumptions and then paid out on a bloke based on them.

I'm extremely frustrated by Tom as a player, but in what will likely be the most important contract of his life, he's entitled to take his time.

[beelzebub 23,377]

The easiest thing to observe is that he hasn't signed. The algorithm can't be that complex in nature.

[Deeoldfart 8,033]

When Tom signed up to his current contract, he was one of only a hand-full of decent players on a very poor list.  It is likely that the majority of players on the list at the time (including Tom) were 'overpaid' relative to their real AFL 'worth', just so the MFC could comply with the minimum salary cap requirements (95% or whatever it was).  If this portrays the situation correctly, and given our vastly improved list, I reckon there's a fair chance that Tom is being asked to take a smaller slice of the cake, or only a very small pay rise, at best.  My guess is that he may be baulking at this.

[davo 209]

2 hours ago, AngryAtCasey said:

The Australian's still in circulation?

redneck right wing nut job conservatives are the only ones who read it now

[Arrow 1,257]

On 28/02/2016 at 8:35 PM, Mach5 said:

Posturing/waiting for the CBA as any player of his age & ilk should be advised to do.

With his brother at the club, he won't be going anywhere.

 

This is such a big misconception. All players who have signed deals in the last 2-3 years have a clause in their contract for their wage to go up in line with the CBA agreement. If you signed for 500k last year but the CBA goes up 10%, you'll be on 550 next year. 

It's a convenient excuse for supporters to stop worrying about players who are delaying contract talks, but there is absolutely no reason for a player to delay awaiting the results of the CBA- they'd be applied to their contract regardless. \

Source: Current player

[davo 209]

6 minutes ago, Deeoldfart said:

When Tom signed up to his current contract, he was one of only a hand-full of decent players on a very poor list.  It is likely that the majority of players on the list at the time (including Tom) were 'overpaid' relative to their real AFL 'worth', just so the MFC could comply with the minimum salary cap requirements (95% or whatever it was).  If this portrays the situation correctly, and given our vastly improved list, I reckon there's a fair chance that Tom is being asked to take a smaller slice of the cake, or only a very small pay rise, at best.  My guess is that he may be baulking at this.

Reality is he's a good player, disposal is dodgy though, but he will sign like all of them, they'd be crazy to leave now, the club is going to be top 4 in 2-3 years once the young blokes have played 50+ games

[Little Richard 6,262]

Good that we are playing tough, not good that Tom hasn't signed yet. Can understand what he is doing of course, but we cannot afford to lose him.

[hardtack 10,537]

11 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

He has put off contract talks again:  "Melbourne's Tom McDonald has delayed putting pen to paper on a long-term deal which would tie him to the Demons until at least 2020"  http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-season-2016-demons-stand-firm-as-tom-mcdonald-holds-off-on-contract-20160524-gp2pgs.html

" But Melbourne remain adamant the offer on the table to the 23-year-old will not be increased as the club works to retain its growing list of young guns...The feeling at the Demons is one of frustration that McDonald hasn't recommitted, with the deal on the table seen as more than fair.. The consensus  is that McDonald will eventually sign with Melbourne, but is taking time to consider his options".

This latest development looks to me that he has been open to a specific offer, received it and now walked away from the table.  Good on MFC for not upping the price to 'buy' his signature.  No wonder Healy has been at him in the media recently.

Selfish sod!  If he doesn't want to be part of what the club is building and just looking out for himself then just go,Tom!! 

Reminds me of an ex MFC player of the same name!! 

You seem to have him gone already and have already gone into the first stage of grieving (anger/abuse - "selfish sod").  How about we just wait until the end of the season... his manager may well have told him that he can squeeze a bit more out of the club.  None of us know, so why not wait and see?

[Wiseblood 24,637]

The potential to lose McDonald is not a good thing.  Any supporter who tries to say it is, or that we can cover him easily, are kidding themselves.

However, if he wants to hold us over a barrel then I applaud the club for standing firm.  They know how tough it is to keep everyone under the salary cap, and if we have offered him a fair deal until 2020 (that is still speculation though) then it is disappointing to see him considering his options and not signing straight away.  I still think he will be here next year, but when so many others are happy to get behind the club, it's not good to see a leader take his time to commit.

If he did go, then I think a backline of Dunn, Garland and Frost can generally get the job done with OMac waiting in the wings.  You would think that if things went pear shaped with Tom then we would be in the hunt for at least an experienced key back, whether that be Hurley or we look to the VFL/State leagues and try and find a diamond in the rough like Marcus Adams.

What we do need to get behind is the club - they are taking a tough stance and not allowing the players to dictate our future, and that can only be a good thing.  We can't just bow down to their every whim and, potentially, put our future in jeopardy.

[beelzebub 23,377]

44 minutes ago, deanox said:

But is he happy to be paid as a number 2 defender? 

Ahh.. possibly  the crux.

If his ego won't allow him this then he's just as likely to not like playing  as it either 

[Undeeterred 3,124]

31 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

The easiest thing to observe is that he hasn't signed. The algorithm can't be that complex in nature.

Gee this attitude is easy sitting in the bleachers.

If you had 10 years to basically earn all the money you were ever going to earn in your life (give or take) and you were thinking about a contract for, say, 5 of those years, I'd say you'd make a pretty big effort to make the right decision.

It is so easy to sit here and say 'oh, sign up and take less money to be part of a team on the rise'. God, how many people on this board would turn down substantially more money at a competitor because they love their current employer so much? 

Very, very few.

[Undeeterred 3,124]

24 minutes ago, davo said:

Reality is he's a good player, disposal is dodgy though, but he will sign like all of them, they'd be crazy to leave now, the club is going to be top 4 in 2-3 years once the young blokes have played 50+ games

Yep, I'd turn down $150k at NAB because my $80k for the same job at Westpac feels so much better because they're a 'bank on the rise'.

Please.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Undeeterred

[Little Richard 6,262]

4 minutes ago, Undeeterred said:

Yep, I'd turn down $150k at NAB because my $80k for the same job at Westpac feels so much better because they're a 'bank on the rise'.

Please.

People don't play football professionally for the same reason they'd work at a bank. Poor comparison.

[beelzebub 23,377]

2 minutes ago, Undeeterred said:

Gee this attitude is easy sitting in the bleachers.

If you had 10 years to basically earn all the money you were ever going to earn in your life (give or take) and you were thinking about a contract for, say, 5 of those years, I'd say you'd make a pretty big effort to make the right decision.

It is so easy to sit here and say 'oh, sign up and take less money to be part of a team on the rise'. God, how many people on this board would turn down substantially more money at a competitor because they love their current employer so much? 

Very, very few.

It's easy.....because it is. What is hard. You've described much of it already. That's really all there is.

A) stay for what is offered 

B) try to extract a tad more

C) go journeyman for lotto

It's no harder than this.

Now some players arrive at a comfort quicker than others no doubt but if Tom/manager want to deny the logic that brings the club to the offer it has then they of course are welcome to entertain others.

They are playing  a game of "blink's

Tom looking at it from Tom

Club looking at bigger picture.

IsTom really as  good as his stance would have us believe?No

If he isn't  careful the club will make his mind up for him.

[Older demon 2,741]

If the club has made a fair offer and Roos is on the record as saying they are building a team then Tom should expect that the offer on the table will not change. The Geelong/Hawthorn model of players taking under to keep together is wise and the superstar complex used by Sydney is less stable as it all hinges on Buddy and Tippet (and Tom is not in their ball park).

Tom does not make good decisions on the field at times and maybe this is the same off field. Frawley held out and some said at the end he was coming around and considering staying, but the club decided for him especially with Petracca and Bradshaw as the possible compensation. I like it that the club is now well managed, not reactionary and refuses to be held to ransom. I hope Tom does sign on but I certainly don't consider hime an elite defender. He is a good mark and can run and gain yards. He struggles with taller opponents, makes poor decisions and often turns the ball over. Lets not forget last year he spent time up forward after Cloke monster him and destroyed his confidence. I am sure PJ has evaluated his worth and made a fair offer.