1 minute ago, rpfc said:

And Hibberd and Salem and Lewis and Fritsch and maybe Frost...

But this argument is irrelevant. Oscar won’t lose his spot Fritsch or Lewis. He will lose it if we think that Lever, Frost, and Hibberd with Gawn behind the footy is more value than having Oscar back there amongst that group.

I disagree. To each their own. I need my KP defenders in before rebounding defenders. Like I said, happy to put him straight in there as amongst my first 3 picked. And no, he's nowhere near losing his job even with your suggested setup.

7 minutes ago, Dappa Dan said:

I disagree. To each their own. I need my KP defenders in before rebounding defenders. Like I said, happy to put him straight in there as amongst my first 3 picked. And no, he's nowhere near losing his job even with your suggested setup.

Nowhere near? The beauty is in the grey here. Oscar is being pushed by Frost the last 8 weeks... If the MC like Smith, I don’t know who will make way, but Oscar is not ‘nowhere near’ being out of that side. He has a thin needle to middle here; he has to beat an important player, not make any mistakes, and contribute to us moving the footy up the ground.

8 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Nowhere near? The beauty is in the grey here. Oscar is being pushed by Frost the last 8 weeks... If the MC like Smith, I don’t know who will make way, but Oscar is not ‘nowhere near’ being out of that side. He has a thin needle to middle here; he has to beat an important player, not make any mistakes, and contribute to us moving the footy up the ground.

All of which he's done all year, with the exception of only a couple of games.

Like I say, you read the game how you want. Frost has been pleasing since he came into the side, but I don't have him anywhere near OMac in the role OMac has to fill in the side. He's also only been back in the side for 8 games and was overlooked for a rookie before that. OMac was starting 22 even before he got good. The Committee had him in pen on the team sheet even when he was playing badly, which he isn't anymore.

Frost is well behind OMac. I'm absolutely certain. But like I say, people can read it however they want. I'm pleased for the kid and always had a soft spot for him. But with a fully fit list he's on the bubble, OMac is not.

23 hours ago, Jaded said:

The calmest player I have ever seen. 

 

how about old red-eyed garland?

18 hours ago, red&blue1982 said:

It's interesting to read that a lot people who are happy and confident with him are also saying he get's picked on by so many. It highlights a real divide in opinion.

I personally think he get's too much leeway and first team games. Reserve and first team footy this year and last would have been good for him.

He's kicking is pretty competent. He's handballing on his right side is also fairly good. And he's spoiling is fairly good. Hopefully with time and experience he'll improve his impact off the ball, he's tackling, awareness, he's aggression and he's reaction time.

A lot of people must seem to think that playing in the reserves isn't playing for us. Pederson is a proven gun and he plays in the reserves almost every week. What i'm getting at is Omac may become this defensive beast in time and play every 1st team game like some think he will, or he may not advance that much further; but still be handy for both the reserve and first team.

 

I don't think we've had direct replacement opportunities for Oscar, until mid this season.

I think 2019_  will be different, now that Frosty has found his way around our gamestyle. he's arrived it seems... so with this, Lever hopefully trouble free in 2019,,, we will have the direct replacement depth needed.

 

On 2 May 2018 at 4:28 PM, Dr.D said:

I feel like this is a wind up. Oscar McDonald becoming an AA defender. Please tell me this is a sick joke? Is this coming from all the Jack Watts fans that said he was going to be AA this year etc. LOL. you guys have lost your marbles. 

Absolute reality as usual dr

1 hour ago, DV8 said:

I don't think we've had direct replacement opportunities for Oscar, until mid this season.

I think 2019_  will be different, now that Frosty has found his way around our gamestyle. he's arrived it seems... so with this, Lever hopefully trouble free in 2019,,, we will have the direct replacement depth needed.

 

Hopefully. I'm a bit apprehensive about Lever's knee problems being fixed for good. But with him back our depth is much improved.

Joel Smith was doing really well up until his injury. Attacks the ball without much thought of his own safety, like he's Dad. Hopefully he'll be already by next season.

2 hours ago, red&blue1982 said:

Hopefully. I'm a bit apprehensive about Lever's knee problems being fixed for good. But with him back our depth is much improved.

Joel Smith was doing really well up until his injury. Attacks the ball without much thought of his own safety, like he's Dad. Hopefully he'll be already by next season.

I agree on Levers knee, his 2nd Reco on that knee.

But I'm concerned because it went so innocuously.

That's right. I forgot about how it happened. He was only changing directions wasn't he?

I found it really easy to show Oscar some respect after training today when up close to all 196cm of him.

On 6/17/2017 at 3:17 PM, binman said:

#OMacmyths - OMac is a fringe player

One of the funniest myths in fact. Fringe players yo yo in out of the side. think ANB, Kent, Stretch, Wagner and from last year Mat Jones. OMac has been dropped once in his career, came back after a week, been in since and in likelihood will play every game for the rest of the year. In fact i would go as far as saying he may not be dropped again for years. 

A fringe player? hardly. He is key member of our back six - now and in the future. I don't think the coaching staff can make that much clearer. 

By your logic when we have Jessie and Maxy back he, as fringe player who is lucky to be in the side and only got his chance because Spencer got injured (which given they could have brought Spencer in for OMac last week and this week but haven't is a tenuous argument), is sure to be dropped. But of course he won't be. And then you will have to rely on old #OMacmyths (they are just getting games into him for the future, its not about winning games now its about the future etc etc) or make up new ones (he's lucky the swans have two bigs in Reid and Franklin, he has photos)

Mrs McDonald (aka @binman) must be choking on his Weeties.

9 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Mrs McDonald (aka @binman) must be choking on his Weeties.

With the current list of injuries and soon-to-returns, our side does look stronger, nevertheless, with OMac out. His gamestyle does not support the running defence and pressuring that we are attempting to apply. That is all. 

6 minutes ago, Deemania since 56 said:

With the current list of injuries and soon-to-returns, our side does look stronger, nevertheless, with OMac out. His gamestyle does not support the running defence and pressuring that we are attempting to apply. That is all. 

Gamestyle? OMac has a gamestyle?

What is it exactly because I see a tall guy that is slow, with no physical presence, a poor reader of the play, often outpositioned, a poor contested mark, a poor intercept mark and one with no urgency about him at all. Needs a lot of time at Casey but I doubt he can pick up thise skills.

Other than that he is great. So what is his 'gamestyle'? What are his outstanding attributes as a player?

On 9/1/2018 at 4:33 PM, rpfc said:

Nowhere near? The beauty is in the grey here. Oscar is being pushed by Frost the last 8 weeks... If the MC like Smith, I don’t know who will make way, but Oscar is not ‘nowhere near’ being out of that side. He has a thin needle to middle here; he has to beat an important player, not make any mistakes, and contribute to us moving the footy up the ground.

I gulped when I saw the bump but...

On point once again.

On 5/2/2018 at 1:59 PM, ManDee said:

I think Oscar is on the way to becoming an AA defender.

 

I mean, one can only laugh.

 

@binman

He wouldn’t get a game in any other side in the comp! 

Come on down: May, Lever, Petty...

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

Gamestyle? OMac has a gamestyle?

What is it exactly because I see a tall guy that is slow, with no physical presence, a poor reader of the play, often outpositioned, a poor contested mark, a poor intercept mark and one with no urgency about him at all. Needs a lot of time at Casey but I doubt he can pick up thise skills.

Other than that he is great. So what is his 'gamestyle'? What are his outstanding attributes as a player?

I was not necessarily relating 'gamestyle' to 'great' in any way, shape or form as far a OMac was concerned. I was attempting to place my opinion on his form and that contribution thereof where it seemed at odds with the play patterns of the rest of the backline, and did so with little merit. Concurrently, I was also attempting to describe this form lapse (which you have now elicited from me) in a polite yet not too deleterious manner most probably in respect of his brother, Tom, but the cat is out of the bag now. I have little regard for OMac as a Melbourne footballer. 

He needs to get some agro and urgency into his game. One of the most lethargic looking players I can remember. 

1 minute ago, chook fowler said:

He needs to get some agro and urgency into his game. One of the most lethargic looking players I can remember. 

I don't think its lethargy.

it is reaction time.  His movements are incredibly slow.  Hand to hand, hand to foot.

He has done incredibly well to eke this much out of a footy career.

 

6 minutes ago, Stretch Johnson said:

I don't think its lethargy.

it is reaction time.  His movements are incredibly slow.  Hand to hand, hand to foot.

He has done incredibly well to eke this much out of a footy career.

 

Whatever it is his development has stalled. To me he lacks intensity and I’m not sure that can be taught or acquired. I hope he comes good.

Ahhh, the demotion of Oscar - it was always going to confirm a truth for some folk... perhaps the truth is somewhere in between... at least it is in my mind.

If May and Lever were playing, Oscar would be on a third tall, who are typically average players themselves, and he would be doing fine...and probably under the radar.

Oscar has been playing the number one role due to injury and well, he's having a less than stella time of it.

For mine, when it he gets some runs on the board in the VFL, I assume (rightly or wrongly) the FD will pick him again and he will form a great defensive unit with May, Lever, Salem, Jetta, Mary Hore and Hibbo (though he's hanging on by a thread on form alone).

Omac I have observed him at training many times. He is so relaxed that he has a a clean pair of hands when taking a mark and most times one on one his  kicking skills for a big man are so precise you would think he was a champion player.

Yet last season was his best season. This year his expressions on the ground, game day is of nervousness of  a worried look no where to hide sense. Lacking something, Loss of confidence as players have there downers. 

He is a much needed player when up and running lets hope he can snap out of whatever it is. Omac has his admirers. 

 

It's time for every supporter  to now get behind Oscar and help build his confidence.

We will  need either he or Frost as 3rd tall at some stage and the better the form the stronger the backline and team.

Lets move on positively please.

52 minutes ago, Stretch Johnson said:

I don't think its lethargy.

it is reaction time.  His movements are incredibly slow.  Hand to hand, hand to foot.

He has done incredibly well to eke this much out of a footy career.

 

Now we all love to play golf. I do, at least, and so do every morning at dawn (except Saturdays). A quick 1.5 hours of invigorating Aussie bush and berry, hill and dale, over 9 holes of intrepid change and frustrating form slumps. I even wrestle the corellas and the magpies if they do not leave my ball alone on the fairway as I trundle that dark abyss of hope with buggy and bourbon down the path of no return. It is so addictive. Nonetheless, my game is static; it is the same, always; it is at its peak and peril.

However, OMac is apparently a superb golfer. With his handicap, it is evident that golf is a game he has mastered. Few can do this ... you get better at golf until you reach one of point sheer surprise and joy, and never return. But the challenge remains.

See? I can compliment OMac on a very great achievement - it just does not happen to be football. It is golf, a far more difficult game with thousands of multiplying characteristics and never-to-be resolved innuendos.

Well done, OMac. 

Edited April 19, 20196 yr by Deemania since 56