OK, how about this.

One thing the coaches want to practice in the practice matches is transition from defence to attack.

So our main transition or "link" players from defence to attack (some of you aren't going to like this bit, but they are the ones who usually link up through the middle of the ground) are: Salem, Watts, ... Grimes, Mc Donald, ... Vince, maybe Kent, maybe even Jones this year, maybe Lumumba when he comes back. 

Now obviously some of these do it better than others. But if we're going to move the ball quickly through the middle of the ground, it's these who we're going to have to rely upon.

These guys are under instructions - in the practice matches - to take the game on, to go all out attack - to take risks, to run hard, and to go for attacking delivery every time. This gives them plenty of material to analyse & work on with the coaches during the week. They will be expected to be more discerning about their disposals during the season proper, but it makes more sense to improve by taking risks than by playing it safe.

This would explain the unusually high number of kicking mistakes made by Watts & Salem, even though they've both played fairly well. It also explains why Grimes is being played further forward. And as a team we had far more clangers than the Dogs, maybe because we're taking more risks. 

OK, so I might have the details wrong. But it's basically about some players, including McDonald, being under instruction during the practice matches to take risks with moving the ball and to avoid safe disposals, to try to improve our transition from, say, d50 to f50.

At least it's possible.

Or maybe we are just crap.

rule 101 of footy...possess the ball

everything else works tothis rule

 

how does clanger kicking help this ?  just asking....love to know 

One kicking incident at training does not indicate a general attitude problem, nor that he 'needs to take a good hard look at himself'.

35 minutes ago, mauriesy said:

One kicking incident at training does not indicate a general attitude problem, nor that he 'needs to take a good hard look at himself'.

Unless you suffer from confirmation bias.

Happy with Salem and Vince being a bit rusty and turning it over in practice games with ambitious kicks, that's part of finding their groove. Happy for Tom McDonald to do that occasionally as well. But not when he's shanking it consistently. Same goes for Grimes with his indecisive decision making. And Watts when he does lazy things like not get back from the mark and getting the ball smothered.

If he has time and space to run and kick to space then I'll live with McDonald turnovers should they come. 

If he's taking risky options under pressure or spraying the ball off the boot then there's no excuse.

That awkward moment when you find out there's a 9-page Demonland thread telling you to take a good hard look at yourself. 

 

Welcome to the leadership group - Tom McDonald

He did and he liked what he saw. 

Was excellent today, although Bruce bettered him a couple of times early.

agree;storm in a tea cup.

I guess someone got him a mirror...

2 minutes ago, rpfc said:

I guess someone got him a mirror...

Whatever it takes !!

Did ok today.

18 disposals at 72%. 8 marks, 3 of them contested. 10 one-percenters, and a couple of running bounces for a laugh.

I mean, he wasn't in the stellar zone of Jack Watts, but he went ok.

Maybe he and Jack are looking in the same mirror?

When McDonald got the ball today,he had a good look before disposing it then kicked the ball to loose teammates.

A good performance today, but today's game should be his standard output, not like the mare he had last week.

His aerobic capacity and overhead marking are elite. Wouldn't look out of place at CHF with those traits. Dawes would dearly love to have them at his disposal.

 

For someone not born with great natural ability and coordination, yesterday's performance really highlights the pride he takes in his own performance which is a quality all leaders possess. He is another whose attitude is first class and he consistently wants to get the best out of himself as a player.

For that I commend him. His positive contribution yesterday greatly outweighed the turnovers he made, (again)  and it's clear he kept it simple and thought his way through situations which he needs to do.

Last week he was rightly lambasted and this week he rightly wins the applause. 

But again I stress the following: The difference in performance from last week to this week needs to be a lot smaller. The team will improve if our key posts play consistently well and it needs to happen if we're to keep rising.

Take note Colin Garland. 

Edited March 14, 201610 yr by stevethemanjordan

14 hours ago, Forest Demon said:

Was excellent today, although Bruce bettered him a couple of times early.

That was Oscar Mac not Tommy..

This is the type of game we all want McDonald to play. Didn't rush his kicks and actually took a bit more pride in his disposal.

As Steve Jordan said his gap between his best and worst is still too far. Hopefully this is the start of some good form.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-03-14/mcdonald-wont-sign-a-new-deal-soon-but-expects-to-remain-a-demon

17 minutes ago, Baghdad Bob said:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-03-14/mcdonald-wont-sign-a-new-deal-soon-but-expects-to-remain-a-demon

From the man himself:

-"We've been having open chats with the club. It's not 'contract talks are on hold', like the newspaper said a couple of weeks ago," McDonald said.

-"That's happening in the background. It's definitely moving on, but not anywhere near finalised just yet.

-"I don't really know (when he will re-sign). My manager and the club are always talking. He gives me a call every now and then.

-"It will happen. It's slowly coming on, so I'm not too fazed."

-McDonald dismissed the suggestion that he would only re-sign if gun forward Jesse Hogan signed a deal to stay at Melbourne.

He is staying! 

Just now, Lucifer's Hero said:

 

He is staying! 

I wouldn't say that just yet, but he is certainly saying the right things.

As so many of us have said - if we win games, the players will stay.  It's that simple.

2 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

But again I stress the following: The difference in performance from last week to this week needs to be a lot smaller. The team will improve if our key posts play consistently well and it needs to happen if we're to keep rising.

The same goes for the entire team.

This season is much about lifting our best as it is about lifting our worst. We are going to lose games this year but I sorely hope we are past the non-competitive, start-to-finish beltings where we don't look like we care or try. 

Now that the practice matches are over, the mangling of the English language will be over until next year.

I advise you all to take my advice, you practise football at football practice.

A simple mnemonic is to remember that ice is a noun, is is a verb.

IMO and it seems those responsible for the appointment of the leadership group TMc  is held in high esteem. Never gets easy assignments , is rarely beaten, has grown in the role.

Sure he has a couple of weaknesses, he knows that and is working on them . Essentially mentions that in his missive today and also said on TV yesterday that the coaching is now more about defensive rebounding and creating opportunities and they are working their way through this.

I think Tom is doing well with the transition ( as are the whole team) but I don't think you just flick a switch with this stuff.

As for needing to have a good hard look at himself, ridiculous.

 

I really like the way he got the ball moving in to space and then delivered out in front this week. Took away a lot of the bad errors. I think that's the team and his responsibility. He needs to go get the ball when it's a fast play, but when it's a kick out or slow play he shouldn't be chasing kicks. Let Salem, Vince, Jetta etc work for those kicks, which of course means they have to work hard!

The main criticism I'd have this week is he still gave away a goal kicking the ball when he could've handballed (the one to Grimes, which wasn't his fault but he didn't make it easy) and trying a one handed mark instead of punching.

But he played really well within the zone defending which is something I was looking for him to do. 

I hope he brings his A game against Stewart/Lobb/Tomlinson/Patton now that won't be up against Jeremy Cameron.

We need to remember The Saints game was a great effort considering his side kick Dunne was out of the side.

With Dunne and to a lesser extent LaMoomba back from the Congo the pressure on him will ease.

He has filled the breach left from Chip Frawley and excelled for his age.

This year they are working to a new defense game plan. Not yet perfected.

A born Leader. A key bookend for Hogan