Tom McDonald (and Oscar) SIGNS.

[Jaded No More 68,922]

12 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

Absolutely dominated

Calling Picket Fence.... *crickets*

 

We must must must sign him. There are no ifs or buts about it. I'd rather overpay him than be left without a single KPD on the list.

[deejammin' 2,370]

Must sign: 

Jesse Hogan

Tom McDonald

Jack Watts

Dean Kent

All huge for the future of this club, all yet to hit their peak. All heart and soul players. I hope our list managers are doing the right thing and signing all four ASAP.

[Jaded No More 68,922]

Just now, deejammin' said:

Must sign: 

Jesse Hogan

Tom McDonald

Jack Watts

Dean Kent

All huge for the future of this club, all yet to hit their peak. All heart and soul players. I hope our list managers are doing the right thing and signing all four ASAP.

I'm pretty sure Watts is waiting for his manager to return from an overseas trip 

Watts and to a lesser extent Kent is not my worry

Tom McDonald is one I'm starting to fret over. We need to get his signature ASAP.

[deejammin' 2,370]

Call me a pessimist but I won't be comfortable until pen hits paper for all four.

Clearly Tommy is the biggest worry, and Jack and Dean sound very likely to stay, but for my jangled nerves and MFCSS I'd really like to see this done now.

[Little Richard 6,262]

Retaining Watts and Kent isn't an issue. That will happen.

Keeping our quality bookends in Hogan and McDonald is far more important and if we don't, it'll set us back quite a way. I think Tom will sign, but it needs to happen soon!

[Generation dee 1,336]

8 minutes ago, Mach5 said:

And Oscar. Gotta be someone rotating through off the bench.

I don't care what sort of mistakes he has made so far this season, Oscar will be every bit as good as his brother.

 

It's taken a few weeks, but others are starting to see that as well. Clearly coaches knew about that as he has been getting picked over Dunn and garland etc. Frost has been in a similar position the past few games. He seems to be reading the ball better and backing himself. With more training and coaching, these three boys will no doubt improve to be strong and dependable defenders. I've said all along how imperative Tom signing on is, and ideally oscar will follow soon after. 

[Middymalt 244]

I heard Fremantle have offered him a monster pay packet.

[What 18,810]

Just now, Middymalt said:

I heard Fremantle have offered him a monster pay packet.

 

They will need to part with pick 4.

[Middymalt 244]

1 minute ago, Petraccattack said:

 

They will need to part with pick 4.

I also heard it's all about $ . We can't really afford to lose him but if you look at how there paid  550k a season seems fair. Draft picks don't cut for me anymore Morton was pick 4.

[Lucifers Hero 39,819]

4 minutes ago, Middymalt said:

I heard Fremantle have offered him a monster pay packet.

So last night was an audition in front of Ross, then.

Seriously, if you are going to post that at least give some indication of source, otherwise it is trolling!

No need for names, positions but some indication of reliability please!

[Deeoldfart 8,033]

14 hours ago, Petraccattack said:

Not often a key backman racks up 31 touches.  Credit where its due.

..... and not a blemish amongst them.. Outstanding game!

[Wiseblood 24,637]

Just now, Lucifer's Hero said:

So last night was an audition in front of Ross, then.

Seriously, if you are going to post that at least give some indication of source, otherwise it is trolling!

No need for names, positions but some indication of reliability please!

Middymalt is renowned for making stuff up.  I wouldn't put credence in anything he has to say.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

It's not that hard to say 'So and so have offered him huge dollars.....'

We will, too.

Btw, Tommy McD is a very high priority.

[Guest]

Tmac plays high risk high reward footy.  As he learns to minimise the risks he will become super valuable.

I also have little doubt that the coaching panel are pushing him to keep playing attacking football.  He creates as many opportunities as he concedes.

Plays a lot like Matthew Scarlett ...obviously has a fair way to go to.

He will stay at the dees.  His manager will make sure that he is numerated appropriately.

 

[Adam The God 30,261]

1 hour ago, Middymalt said:

I also heard it's all about $ . We can't really afford to lose him but if you look at how there paid  550k a season seems fair. Draft picks don't cut for me anymore Morton was pick 4.

We won't overpay for him. We'll follow the Geelong and Hawthorn models. Take less to stay together and build something special. We will, however, pay what we deem is fair.

Edited July 10, 2016 by AdamFphlebeb

[Macca 16,972]

Like many of our other players, Tom has been told to take the game on and take more risks.

Previously, he (along with the rest of the list) was told to hug the boundary and/or not take any risks.  So, like any of our other players, he's going to make the odd error as part of the new style of coaching that we're currently seeing.

I see Tom as a player who is expanding his game to a point where he can be a far more damaging player ... which is the case for any number of our players.  Viney,  Jetta,  Kent,  Harmes,  Hunt and others are taking more risks with their footy ... and because of those risks, they're going to make the odd error as they get better. 

To expect error-free performances from non A grade players is unrealistic.  We don't have a bona-fide A grade player on our list (right now)  Tom is a good player and sometimes very good but he's not a star of the game. 

Edited July 10, 2016 by Macca

[Willmoy1947 4,090]

Lets face it he needed a bloody rocket. Everyone needs one every now and then.....

[jnrmac 20,090]

Great game last night. Hardly put a foot wrong and took mostly the first option. Exactly waht people here have been crying out for. 

[Mach5 4,767]

5 hours ago, Middymalt said:

I heard Fremantle have offered him a monster pay packet.

 

Mate, come on... You can't be serious.

[dazzledavey36 54,947]

13 minutes ago, Mach5 said:

 

Mate, come on... You can't be serious.

Theres your first mistake.. Don't ever take him seriouse.

[poita 3,902]

Tom will be shortly, if he isn't already, a top 5 defender in the competition. We just have to find a way to sign him on a long term deal, minimum four years. If we have to delist Dawes and Lumumba and give Tom their salaries, we should just make it happen.

[TheoX 1,222]

15 minutes ago, poita said:

Tom will be shortly, if he isn't already, a top 5 defender in the competition. We just have to find a way to sign him on a long term deal, minimum four years. If we have to delist Dawes and Lumumba and give Tom their salaries, we should just make it happen.

Labumhaed got a 4 year deal on big money didn't he? We'd have to pay that ridiculous contract out.

[Lucifers Hero 39,819]

17 minutes ago, poita said:

Tom will be shortly, if he isn't already, a top 5 defender in the competition. We just have to find a way to sign him on a long term deal, minimum four years. If we have to delist Dawes and Lumumba and give Tom their salaries, we should just make it happen.

I suspect the problem isn't the $$$ per se.  It is Tom's next contract relative to the rest of the team, the market value and keeping enough salary cap to pay our other up and coming players.

Sometimes, the stumbling block with contracts isn't the $$$ but the composition and any performance based conditions (eg top 3 B & F, following coaches instructions, adherence to club rules, media work etc etc).  Players usually want the contract $$$ guaranteed whereas clubs want a 'performance' component.  It is a way to get to a contract when player and club are a fair way apart.

TBH I am all for having sizeable 'performance' components in contracts, to avoid players tapering off once a big or long contract is signed.  Otherwise the risk is entirely with the club whereas it should be shared and the player has some sizeable incentive to preform on and off the field.

[mauriesy 7,298]

20 hours ago, Middymalt said:

Draft picks don't cut for me anymore Morton was pick 4.

So was Marcus Bontempelli.

[nutbean 8,838]

46 minutes ago, poita said:

Tom will be shortly, if he isn't already, a top 5 defender in the competition. 

No he won't be until he cleans up some of his disposal and decision making errors. He was great on Saturday night. I am definitely in the "must keep" camp as he is a very very good defender. His good far outshines the errors he makes but by the same token just because we can all see how good certain aspects of his game are and  just because he has a blemish free night it won't make a history of pressure free brain fades and poor turnovers go away.

I absolutely see TMac as must to be resigned. I absolutely can see him as a top 5 defender in the comp. All he has to do is eliminate the bad turnovers as he did successfully on Saturday night. ( I am not talking about the ball being turned over under pressure. Also it does not happen all that often but it is a momentum and morale killer when it happens when he is under little to no pressure).

There was one passage of play where he took a great mark and went to ground on taking it  - there was a teammate standing dead still next to him and you could see him getting ready to fire out the handball but I was delighted to see him hold back.  Keep it simple Tom.