Work in progress. Steadily improving in a climate where externally fans expect too much. 

Both Oscar and Tom McDonald look far better with the assistance of Frost in the backline (our coaching staff are a clever bunch), all three were very good today.

I'm a fan of OMac for the future however this weekend against one Lance 'Buddy' Franklin, might need to be a night off.

i don't any of our backs really have the size or the wheels to go with him but I think experience will be much better served

Oscar good and bad, but more good than bad today... Sign of his developmental stage I suppose. I'm giving him credit this week though, he was still outbodied a lot, but that will improve in time, however he was spoiling a lot better this week. And as The Biz mentioned, both McDonald's look a bit more comfortable with a bigger unit around so a fair bit of credit for their games should go to Frost.

 

  On 13/06/2016 at 07:14, Petraccattack said:

This thread should be nuked for the insanity of writing off a key posiiton teenager who is looking very good today in just his 7th game

Just out of interest, who (other than picket fence) had actually written him off?

  On 13/06/2016 at 11:43, titan_uranus said:

Just out of interest, who (other than picket fence) had actually written him off?

Read back a few pages. Been plenty.  In fact there has been numerous calls to get rid of both McDonald's. Funny you mention picket, been awfully quiet today, thankfully.

For a bloke averaging nearly 20 disposals a game, as a key defender on his second year, I reckon we should be pumping his tyres up. At this point in his career, he stacks up statistically as well as any other young defender in the league. Daniel Talia, rance, Frawley and Thompson have all taken punishment as young defenders and are now premier defenders, and they all had much easier introductions to senior careers than oscar.

Still think the same thing. The club sees something in him I don't, and with this administration I have enormous faith, so I watch him, and I look on him positively. Even with that in mind, I'm not seeing enough special stuff. With his big bro, I do see special stuff. But then I didn't at first. Thought he was a clunky tall late pick defender. All we knew is he had a big work ethic. I have a feeling Ozzie might be liked by the panel because they look at Tmac's parents, and the work ethic instilled in him, and think they will have two of him now. Seems a bit of a reach tho.

I'm gonna wait a couple more seasons til I make my mind up on him, and that's ok, especially with talls. What I'm stunned by is that he's playing in a team that's hunting a top 8 spot mid year when Dunn is in the magoos. The experience, kick, and credentials Dunn has are worth more right now than a developing kid. Bravo Roos on having the guts to continue developing the kids, even though we're still in the running. Paints on the wall for Dunn though when he can't get a game against the gorillas we were against today.

  On 13/06/2016 at 18:32, Dappa Dan said:

Still think the same thing. The club sees something in him I don't, and with this administration I have enormous faith, so I watch him, and I look on him positively. Even with that in mind, I'm not seeing enough special stuff. With his big bro, I do see special stuff. But then I didn't at first. Thought he was a clunky tall late pick defender. All we knew is he had a big work ethic. I have a feeling Ozzie might be liked by the panel because they look at Tmac's parents, and the work ethic instilled in him, and think they will have two of him now. Seems a bit of a reach tho.

I'm gonna wait a couple more seasons til I make my mind up on him, and that's ok, especially with talls. What I'm stunned by is that he's playing in a team that's hunting a top 8 spot mid year when Dunn is in the magoos. The experience, kick, and credentials Dunn has are worth more right now than a developing kid. Bravo Roos on having the guts to continue developing the kids, even though we're still in the running. Paints on the wall for Dunn though when he can't get a game against the gorillas we were against today.

 I watched the replay .....amazing what you see when emotion is taken out.  Oscar's kick coming out of the backline hardly ever missed a target....I thought he was very good .....obviously he will get out bodied at times because he is only 19 but he will have better skills than his brother.  Dunn has a hamstring so wouldn't have been selected & our coaching panel aren't stupid ....if there is a better player in the 2nd's they will get picked so obviously they don't feel Dunn warrants selection

Showed more composure (at times) yesterday and showed some promise - much better performance.

  On 13/06/2016 at 21:50, #11-TonyAnderson said:

Showed more composure (at times) yesterday and showed some promise - much better performance.

Exactly the point, I said this a few weeks ago he looks ok just a bit nervous. He has the talent and smarts to be in the right spot and do the right thing, just needed to settle himself at the top level. QB clash was big test and doing well would have been fantastic for his confidence. Alot of body building over the next couple of years but I see more long term upside in him than in Tom (who i still think will be solid)

Will agree that he contested more solidly yesterday. His kicking is fine and has never been a problem, it's a decision making thing with him. Unlike his brother who is dodgy at both decision making and kicking.

Still think people are far too easily pleased and are kidding themselves if they think we'll have a future backline of Frost, Tom and Oscar McDonald. 

We played a rabble of a side yesterday with forwards White and Cox down on confidence. We come up against Sydney next week with much more capable forwards who are smarter and will make us pay every time we turn the ball over in our back-half.

Sure it's all good experience for Oscar but clearly he still lacks urgency and physicality around the contest which is why he gets pinged with it and out-marked.

In a perfect world, he'd still be plying his trade at Casey. But we are short of quality KP defenders.

Would rather reserve judgement until we play a team of substance. 

Sydney at Sydney will be one.

 

1%ers update: 

Against Collingwood the 1% count: 

10 T. McDonald 

7. S. Frost 

6. O. McDonald 

2. some others and others at 1 and 0. 

I know that it is no surprise that the defenders are leading the 1%ers but great to see those three up there once again. And O Mac with a couple of contested marks as well. O. Mac also played the most minutes out of anyone on the ground which is great to see from a 2nd year player (95% TOG). 

  On 13/06/2016 at 16:16, Generation dee said:

Read back a few pages. Been plenty.  In fact there has been numerous calls to get rid of both McDonald's. Funny you mention picket, been awfully quiet today, thankfully.

For a bloke averaging nearly 20 disposals a game, as a key defender on his second year, I reckon we should be pumping his tyres up. At this point in his career, he stacks up statistically as well as any other young defender in the league. Daniel Talia, rance, Frawley and Thompson have all taken punishment as young defenders and are now premier defenders, and they all had much easier introductions to senior careers than oscar.

Sorry but that's a lame response. Name the posters other than picket who have written Oscar off?

I don't think you can name more than three. Plenty that think he shouldn't be learning his craft in the seniors but writing him off? That's overreach and hysterical rhetoric.

  On 14/06/2016 at 00:49, jnrmac said:

Sorry but that's a lame response. Name the posters other than picket who have written Oscar off?

I don't think you can name more than three. Plenty that think he shouldn't be learning his craft in the seniors but writing him off? That's overreach and hysterical rhetoric.

I have no problem with saying "he is not AFL standard YET". I always believe it is premature to write off young talls in their first couple of seasons because they have to develop. History shows you that talls don't really start to come into their own until around 23 - and yes there are always exceptions.

As yet, I am not convinced either way on Omac but anyone writing him off is doing so prematurely in my opinion.

  On 14/06/2016 at 00:59, nutbean said:

I have no problem with saying "he is not AFL standard YET". I always believe it is premature to write off young talls in their first couple of seasons because they have to develop. History shows you that talls don't really start to come into their own until around 23 - and yes there are always exceptions.

As yet, I am not convinced either way on Omac but anyone writing him off is doing so prematurely in my opinion.

Agree. The point being only one or two have done that.

  On 14/06/2016 at 00:09, Dee-licious said:

1%ers update: 

Against Collingwood the 1% count: 

10 T. McDonald 

7. S. Frost 

6. O. McDonald 

2. some others and others at 1 and 0. 

I know that it is no surprise that the defenders are leading the 1%ers but great to see those three up there once again. And O Mac with a couple of contested marks as well. O. Mac also played the most minutes out of anyone on the ground which is great to see from a 2nd year player (95% TOG). 

I wqnder who tallies these stats. How Vince isn't right up there is beyond me. was doing everything to buffet, shepherd, [censored] etc to help his teammates.

A step forward, but he's still a mile off competing against strong forwards and he hasn't learnt how to hit bodies in spoiling contests.

  On 09/06/2016 at 10:44, dazzledavey36 said:

How on earth is our backline old?

I'm referring to Grimes (27), Garland (28), Dunn (29), Lumumba (29).

  On 14/06/2016 at 08:04, G-max said:

I'm referring to Grimes (27), Garland (28), Dunn (29), Lumumba (29).

But none of these guys are getting games! The ones that are are young with Jetta the oldest.

Yeah and that was my point. I'm happy to see the young guys getting games because they're our future. I'm all for getting games into our young players.

IMO if we play him next Sunday in wet heavy conditions we are throwing a kid to the wolves.

 

  On 19/06/2016 at 05:54, picket fence said:

And I'll ask the same question, This bloke is NOT the answer, Easily outbodied, SLOW and drops chest marks! Seriously MUST be dropped next game Dreadful!

You are a clown Picket, heard nothing from you last week about him when he played well, but here you are to stick the boots in, troll

  On 14/06/2016 at 08:18, G-max said:

Yeah and that was my point. I'm happy to see the young guys getting games because they're our future. I'm all for getting games into our young players.

Yeah cos Bailey went down that path and .........oh, hangon a minute....

  On 19/06/2016 at 06:02, jnrmac said:

Yeah cos Bailey went down that path and .........oh, hangon a minute....

Honestly how can you compare the Era of Bailey opposed to the current Era? It's just bizarre. Should we not play any players until they are 22 and have 70 vfl games? Would that please you? 

he will make it. name another kpd in their first year besides weitering that is even close. especially playing back with no seasoned role models. there are none