Tom McDonald (and Oscar) SIGNS.

[ignition. 1,466]

Considering both Tom and Oscar are out of contract at the end of this year I can only presume Tom won't want to blindly jump into re-signing based on loyalty until he sees his brother with an extension on the table.

If not then (not saying he will) he may consider looking at his options from more of a "it's just business" perspective.

I presume if his brother is offered an extension, which I hope he is based on his talent and potential, Tom will be more likely to re-sign than explore elsewhere. 

[Sir Why You Little 37,036]

Interesting times. The club is now in a stronger position

No need to pay overs

we have a lot of young talent to pay now...

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Hopefully we don't sell the farm to keep McDonald 

[SPC98 36]

I think that Tom and Frosty will play a key role as the main 2 backman next year.. What we really need is a medium tall defender to play the 'Josh Gibson' role of being able to read the play and distribute off half back. I thought Garland could fit this role, but he cannot defend and doesn't have the foot skills or quick thinking.. Tom is critical if we can find another similar 'strong intercept' mark type player.. Problem with Tom is, he is best suited to being a 2nd or 3rd up defender, or playing on someone who is the 2nd or 3rd tall.. If he is on the best forward, he gets exposed, particularly if he is trying to create run and carry out of the back half.. 

 

[H_T 3,047]

3 hours ago, deanox said:

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

Could well be..

2 hours 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.

Without knowledge, this could also well be the reason for stalling. He's finished high in B&F last 2 years, and his manager may have a high opinion of Tom - only natural. The rapid improvement in other areas of the ground and star players on the rise looking to have them re-sign, as well as the FD opinions on Tom in the last 12 months could all amount to a difference of opinion on the $ at the contract table. 

 

[Willmoy1947 4,086]

2 hours ago, davo said:

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

..and the rest of us are not smart enough to read it.

[beelzebub 23,374]

The club has an offer on the table... I can't see it changing much. The FD would have spent considerable effort in arriving at the money and terms etc.  It wouldn't be ad-hoc.

So at the moment  the decision to stay of go is I would think purely Tom's.  There will however be a tipping point whereby should the impasse  cement itself  then there will be no need for anymore deciding,it will have been done.

Handy if he stays as the #2 defender. Not the end of the world if he goes. Hes just not THAT good. We CAN play footy without him. As to his brother.. Work in progress  and surely not a lynch pin in all of this. Brothers dont always play together after all.

No, ego is not a dirty word, but misreading a situation can prove costly

Edited May 25, 2016 by beelzebub

[Deeoldfart 8,032]

50 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Interesting times. The club is now in a stronger position

No need to pay overs

we have a lot of young talent to pay now...

More than that SWYL, we can't afford to pay overs, if we want to keep our list together.

[DeeMfc 621]

57 minutes ago, Jesse Christ said:

Hopefully we don't sell the farm to keep McDonald 

The older one already has a farm apparently... 

[beelzebub 23,374]

11 minutes ago, DeeMfc said:

The older one already has a farm apparently... 

boom tish !! gold

[DistrACTION Jackson 8,734]

I noticed Daniel Merrett from Brissy is an unrestricted free agent.

Could be a good option as the number one stopper to release McDonald and Frost to being 2nd and 3rd talls for the next 1-2 seasons?

[bing181 9,235]

1 hour ago, Is Dom Is Good said:

I noticed Daniel Merrett from Brissy is an unrestricted free agent.

In that article, they also mention Saad (Suns) and of course, Hurley being potentially on the move.

[Little Richard 6,262]

3 hours ago, SPC98 said:

I think that Tom and Frosty will play a key role as the main 2 backman next year.. What we really need is a medium tall defender to play the 'Josh Gibson' role of being able to read the play and distribute off half back. I thought Garland could fit this role, but he cannot defend and doesn't have the foot skills or quick thinking.. Tom is critical if we can find another similar 'strong intercept' mark type player.. Problem with Tom is, he is best suited to being a 2nd or 3rd up defender, or playing on someone who is the 2nd or 3rd tall.. If he is on the best forward, he gets exposed, particularly if he is trying to create run and carry out of the back half.. 

 

I tend to agree. Frost is much, much better in defence than up forward. Wagner may end up being that third tall that we need, though I'd like to see a bit more from him in the air.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

Why is everyone going overboard about Frost playing in the backline?

He hasn't played there at all for us, so why do so many believe he will suddenly be the answer?  He's proven nothing, and potentially relying on that is a very dangerous game to play.

[Little Richard 6,262]

14 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Why is everyone going overboard about Frost playing in the backline?

He hasn't played there at all for us, so why do so many believe he will suddenly be the answer?  He's proven nothing, and potentially relying on that is a very dangerous game to play.

I'm positive he played in the backline last season, and looked pretty solid before he was injured.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

Just now, Django said:

I'm positive he played in the backline last season, and looked pretty solid before he was injured.

I thought he played forward.... ?

I am happy to stand corrected though, it was a long time ago and my brain cells don't function so well anymore!

[Outside fifty 967]

4 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

I thought he played forward.... ?

I am happy to stand corrected though, it was a long time ago and my brain cells don't function so well anymore!

 I think he did play a couple of games down back, at best he was only ok. He has some good attributes but he has proven nothing yet and needs to spend time at Casey developing his craft. The love on this forum for him has me perplexed.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

Just now, Outside fifty said:

 I think he did play a couple of games down back, at best he was only ok. He has some good attributes but he has proven nothing yet and needs to spend time at Casey developing his craft. The love on this forum for him has me perplexed.

It's the same love people have for him as a forward - he is quick, tall, athletic and a good size.  He has shown that, at the moment, he doesn't have the greatest footy brain and he is only an average kick and mark of the footy.  

I'd love him to develop into a good key back, and I think he has the potential to do it, but he is in the same boat as OMac to me.

[Little Richard 6,262]

Just now, Outside fifty said:

 I think he did play a couple of games down back, at best he was only ok. He has some good attributes but he has proven nothing yet and needs to spend time at Casey developing his craft. The love on this forum for him has me perplexed.

Yeah... from memory he might have played half/half. Love is probably an overstatement. I think he is regarded as a good potential key defender by a lot of people and his attributes suit this role, IMO. To me he looked much better down back than he has up forward. Has only played 29 games and is 22 years old.

[SPC98 36]

37 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Why is everyone going overboard about Frost playing in the backline?

He hasn't played there at all for us, so why do so many believe he will suddenly be the answer?  He's proven nothing, and potentially relying on that is a very dangerous game to play.

I am not sure whether he has played there with us, but was drafted as a backman and Roos said at the time he had the attributes of being a great KPD.

 

The forward line is really difficult to play especially for a big guy who hasn't played there.. He was only used as a makeshift forward, due to needs, but from what I hear now is that he is back playing in VFL as a backman, so expect that this is where he will stay.

 

If he and McDonald can work out a partnership together they will be a great back 2. They are both strong, quick and good endurance athletes. Just need a bit of time together and a bit more time learning the new defensive structures.

[Lucifers Hero 39,791]

8 minutes ago, SPC98 said:

I am not sure whether he has played there with us, but was drafted as a backman and Roos said at the time he had the attributes of being a great KPD.

The forward line is really difficult to play especially for a big guy who hasn't played there.. He was only used as a makeshift forward, due to needs, but from what I hear now is that he is back playing in VFL as a backman, so expect that this is where he will stay.

If he and McDonald can work out a partnership together they will be a great back 2. They are both strong, quick and good endurance athletes. Just need a bit of time together and a bit more time learning the new defensive structures.

Spot on SPC98.  Here are Plapp's comments for last week on Frost: Frosty had 14 possessions, four marks and had six rebounds. It was a really pleasing effort from Sam. The week before he only completed a quarter and a bit, due to a slight injury, but playing in a different position on the weekend, he was able to defend really strongly. He was able to give us some real offensive run from our backline. Frosty also used the ball really well and his aerial contest work was also a strong point of his game.  

Back to McD, I would sat that with Frost developing as a defender it would make us less reliant on TMc extending his contract.  If he stays he stays, if not so be it.  There will be options for us.

[picket fence 17,169]

Worth maybe between 250- 300 per year that's reality!

 

[Gator 17,350]

1 hour ago, Wiseblood said:

Why is everyone going overboard about Frost playing in the backline?

He hasn't played there at all for us, so why do so many believe he will suddenly be the answer?  He's proven nothing, and potentially relying on that is a very dangerous game to play.

"Going overboard" ?  "Dangerous game to play" ?

What are you on about ?

I reckon Frost is probably depth, but he's a better defender than forward.  He was recruited as a defender and played all of his footy at GWS as a defender.  His pace as a tall defender could be an asset.

Just because some posters see a potential role for him down back doesn't mean he's seen as some sort of future gun.  If he plays AFL I'd much rather he be tried in defence.  If he stays at Casey it's no biggie either.

[Little Richard 6,262]

7 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Worth maybe between 250- 300 per year that's reality!

 

Shocking call.

Seeing as the average player now receives about $340000 (?) PA, he deserves more than that for sure. He's our number one tall defender and players like Tom aren't easy to find.

[Ethan Tremblay 30,860]

3 hours ago, Is Dom Is Good said:

I noticed Daniel Merrett from Brissy is an unrestricted free agent.

Could be a good option as the number one stopper to release McDonald and Frost to being 2nd and 3rd talls for the next 1-2 seasons?

He's past it, nothing more than a wanna be thug now.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Ethan Tremblay