My son was coached by Brendan McCarthy and I was disappointed that my son had had a few goals kicked on him. He said forwards will kick goals that's what they do, if not one another will pop up, it is the nature of the game.

He was not worried that the forward had kicked a few goals at all, provided that they did not come from repeated silly mistakes.  

I think Oscar ticks all the boxes, I think he plays as asked and does his best. Sometimes he makes a mistake, who doesn't? Gawn makes mistakes, Hogan makes mistakes, Dangerfield makes heaps of them, they just look worse in front of the opposition goals. I think Oscar is on the way to becoming an AA defender.

4 minutes ago, ManDee said:

My son was coached by Brendan McCarthy and I was disappointed that my son had had a few goals kicked on him. He said forwards will kick goals that's what they do, if not one another will pop up, it is the nature of the game.

He was not worried that the forward had kicked a few goals at all, provided that they did not come from repeated silly mistakes.  

I think Oscar ticks all the boxes, I think he plays as asked and does his best. Sometimes he makes a mistake, who doesn't? Gawn makes mistakes, Hogan makes mistakes, Dangerfield makes heaps of them, they just look worse in front of the opposition goals. I think Oscar is on the way to becoming an AA defender.

 

4 minutes ago, ManDee said:

My son was coached by Brendan McCarthy and I was disappointed that my son had had a few goals kicked on him. He said forwards will kick goals that's what they do, if not one another will pop up, it is the nature of the game.

He was not worried that the forward had kicked a few goals at all, provided that they did not come from repeated silly mistakes.  

I think Oscar ticks all the boxes, I think he plays as asked and does his best. Sometimes he makes a mistake, who doesn't? Gawn makes mistakes, Hogan makes mistakes, Dangerfield makes heaps of them, they just look worse in front of the opposition goals. I think Oscar is on the way to becoming an AA defender.

Guys that make stupid mistakes aren't AA defenders. Yes, you can get away with it in the midfield but you have to account for your field position when making decisions. He has terrible footy IQ. Thankfully he doesn't cross goals like he used to but like I said in a previous post he doesn't know when to rush it and when to play the boundary. He doesn't understand the momentum of games. He doesn't have awareness for whats around him. The only positive is that I've barely noticed OMac this year which is only a good thing considering the horrific things he can do. 

37 minutes ago, Dr.D said:

Oscar McDonald has definitely improved from last season. There's no doubt. However that doesn't mean that I trust him at all. He is still very weak in 1 on 1 contests and is prone to some brain fades and lack of awareness (much like his brother in his first 5 years at the club). Oscar has decent foot skills and I've been happy with his overhead marking so far but he needs to continue to keep it simple and not bite off more than he can chew. He doesn't show great footy IQ. He doesn't know when to rush the behind, when to play the boundary line etc. And you can't teach footy IQ. He also gives away silly free kicks such as pushing Daniher in the back when he has already run under the ball. This are all the things that cause me worry. 

All valid points

18 minutes ago, ManDee said:

My son was coached by Brendan McCarthy and I was disappointed that my son had had a few goals kicked on him. He said forwards will kick goals that's what they do, if not one another will pop up, it is the nature of the game.

He was not worried that the forward had kicked a few goals at all, provided that they did not come from repeated silly mistakes.  

I think Oscar ticks all the boxes, I think he plays as asked and does his best. Sometimes he makes a mistake, who doesn't? Gawn makes mistakes, Hogan makes mistakes, Dangerfield makes heaps of them, they just look worse in front of the opposition goals. I think Oscar is on the way to becoming an AA defender.

All-Australian players – AFL 

• Jim Stynes (1991, 1993)
• Garry Lyon (1993, 1994, 1995)
• Stephen Tingay (1994)
• Todd Viney (1998)
• Jeff Farmer (2000)
• Adem Yze (2002)
• David Neitz (1995, 2002)
• Jeff White (2004)
• James McDonald (2006)
• James Frawley (2010)
• Mark Jamar (2010)
• Max Gawn (2016)
• Michael Hibberd (2017)

Yep Oscar is definitely on his way.........

Edited May 2, 20187 yr by jnrmac

1 minute ago, Dr.D said:

 

Guys that make stupid mistakes aren't AA defenders. Yes, you can get away with it in the midfield but you have to account for your field position when making decisions. He has terrible footy IQ. Thankfully he doesn't cross goals like he used to but like I said in a previous post he doesn't know when to rush it and when to play the boundary. He doesn't understand the momentum of games. He doesn't have awareness for whats around him. The only positive is that I've barely noticed OMac this year which is only a good thing considering the horrific things he can do. 

 

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-06-28/no-room-for-rance-moments

"You don't normally watch the opposition but I was watching Nick Riewoldt – the work-rate he puts in, he just puts his (opponents) into the ground. Alex is an outstanding athlete as well but the decision-making under duress when you're tired, (he) comes a little bit undone.

"You've got to take the good with the bad (with Rance)." Damian Hardwick

 

or 

 

 

8 minutes ago, ManDee said:

 

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-06-28/no-room-for-rance-moments

"You don't normally watch the opposition but I was watching Nick Riewoldt – the work-rate he puts in, he just puts his (opponents) into the ground. Alex is an outstanding athlete as well but the decision-making under duress when you're tired, (he) comes a little bit undone.

"You've got to take the good with the bad (with Rance)." Damian Hardwick

 

or 

 

 

Good get.

More from that article:

Hardwick lauded Rance as perhaps the best one-on-one player in the AFL, but also acknowledged that the defender’s occasional costly brain fades, among others from teammates, was an area the Tigers needed to address if they were to improve.

Rance limited the influence of Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt (one goal) and collected 19 disposals himself to be one of the best players afield.

However, one passage of play summed up the Rance package.

Late in the last quarter, he beat Riewoldt in another duel deep in defence only to send a short pass straight into the arms of Saints substitute Darren Minchington, who slotted his second goal.

It was another inexplicable "Alex Rance Moment".

Alex is an outstanding athlete as well but the decision-making under duress when you're tired, (he) comes a little bit undone.

"You've got to take the good with the bad (with Rance).

"I'm going to put a huge wrap on the bloke – I don't think there's a better one-on-one player in the comp at the moment than Alex. He wins the majority of his contests. The other stuff we'll probably take now and then, but I think he's a great talent."

That article was written in June 2014. Rance was 24, nearly 25 years old at that point. Oscar has just turned 22. 

Edited May 2, 20187 yr by binman

More on the Guys that make stupid mistakes aren't AA defenders theme.

As i noted in the post match thread there is a brilliant (i think new) part of AFL.com that Telstra live pass holders can access  called Stats Pro  where you can watch edited video of every involvement in every game of every player (for all of last years and this years games0. 

I watched Oscar's video of his involvements in the Ess game. Steady as rock and barely an error.

I then watched Jake Lever's video. His first three involvements were a silly free to laverde from a one on one contest, a kick from deep inside their 50 that he shanked (albeit under pressure) straight to a bombers player and the third was a kick on the full under no pressure. To be fair things picked up after that but he has made any number of stupid mistakes this year (as i have said imagine if those mistakes came from Oscar!).

But my point is not that he is average. My point is that some posters have already anointed him a star who is a future AA lock., which to be fair is not crazy given he was in the squad last year.  Yet he we have seen in six games Lever make many stupid mistakes.

Hibberd did make AA last year. And guess what he made stupid mistakes too. It happens. But some players get criticised more when it plays into an existing confirmation bias. 

Edited May 2, 20187 yr by binman

On 5/1/2018 at 2:30 AM, Luther said:

We need someone else in there too IMO. A versatile tall, which would allow Lever to play the role he is best at, and would free up Hibberd to run like he did last year. He's all tangled up at the moment.

Sure is tangled and the extra versatile tall down there would release a more mobile and impenetrable backline. We need to take advantage of the improving cohesion before it becomes 'counter measured' by opponents and other coaches. Lever needs to be able to float more freely to do his stuff - at which he is terrifically skilled. Frosty, Keilty, Smith ... development to create a Stick Icke.

6 minutes ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Sure is tangled and the extra versatile tall down there would release a more mobile and impenetrable backline. We need to take advantage of the improving cohesion before it becomes 'counter measured' by opponents and other coaches. Lever needs to be able to float more freely to do his stuff - at which he is terrifically skilled. Frosty, Keilty, Smith ... development to create a Stick Icke.

An impenetrable backline has never and will never exist.

Just now, ManDee said:

An impenetrable backline has never and will never exist.

No, but one that is difficult to penetrate or against which, it is difficult to score, might be regarded as useful, surely?

Oscar has been flying under the AFLnradar this year but for the most part he’s been very good. He looks more confident in his ability to take marks (similar to how big bro developed) and more incredibly his field kick is much better. 

I still have kittens when he looks around for kicks but he’s more poised now and is making better decisions. If our defenders start to improve their communication with one another we will look much more solid down there. 

1 hour ago, ManDee said:

 

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-06-28/no-room-for-rance-moments

"You don't normally watch the opposition but I was watching Nick Riewoldt – the work-rate he puts in, he just puts his (opponents) into the ground. Alex is an outstanding athlete as well but the decision-making under duress when you're tired, (he) comes a little bit undone.

"You've got to take the good with the bad (with Rance)." Damian Hardwick

 

or 

 

 

Worth watching again just to see Jack Viney in action

13 minutes ago, Bimbo said:

Worth watching again just to see Jack Viney in action

Great, old footy action - despite its recency.

2 hours ago, Cards13 said:

you missed "the guy who has been his biggest critic can't be bothered to put up a big post rebutting all the positive posts".

edit: nope sorry there he goes.

I think he was busy finishing off his equivalent of War and Peace, called "Why Tyson shouldn't play".

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. 

24 minutes ago, Bimbo said:

Worth watching again just to see Jack Viney in action

Bloody hell, I miss that guy ?.

52 minutes ago, Bimbo said:

Worth watching again just to see Jack Viney in action

Even after just one game it’s not hard picture Charlie Spargo in there with Viney in the future..

52 minutes ago, Bimbo said:

Worth watching again just to see Jack Viney in action

Even after just one game it’s not hard picture Charlie Spargo in there with Viney in the future..

3 hours ago, ManDee said:

 

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-06-28/no-room-for-rance-moments

"You don't normally watch the opposition but I was watching Nick Riewoldt – the work-rate he puts in, he just puts his (opponents) into the ground. Alex is an outstanding athlete as well but the decision-making under duress when you're tired, (he) comes a little bit undone.

"You've got to take the good with the bad (with Rance)." Damian Hardwick

 

or 

 

 

Still one of the most dangerous and most dirty acts i have seen on the field in recent times. Should have been 6 weeks, elbowing a bloke in the back of the head while he lies on the ground in a disgrace and a dog act.

4 minutes ago, deanox said:

Still one of the most dangerous and most dirty acts i have seen on the field in recent times. Should have been 6 weeks, elbowing a bloke in the back of the head while he lies on the ground in a disgrace and a dog act.

You obviously haven't heard how much of a 'good bloke he is...'

 

 

 

4 hours ago, jnrmac said:

All-Australian players – AFL 

• Jim Stynes (1991, 1993)
• Garry Lyon (1993, 1994, 1995)
• Stephen Tingay (1994)
• Todd Viney (1998)
• Jeff Farmer (2000)
• Adem Yze (2002)
• David Neitz (1995, 2002)
• Jeff White (2004)
• James McDonald (2006)
• James Frawley (2010)
• Mark Jamar (2010)
• Max Gawn (2016)
• Michael Hibberd (2017)

Yep Oscar is definitely on his way.........

If Jamar can make it Oscar can for sure, and don’t give me “what a great year he had” Jamar body of work as a whole was average at best.

5 hours ago, Dr.D said:

Oscar McDonald has definitely improved from last season. There's no doubt. However that doesn't mean that I trust him at all. He is still very weak in 1 on 1 contests and is prone to some brain fades and lack of awareness (much like his brother in his first 5 years at the club). Oscar has decent foot skills and I've been happy with his overhead marking so far but he needs to continue to keep it simple and not bite off more than he can chew. He doesn't show great footy IQ. He doesn't know when to rush the behind, when to play the boundary line etc. And you can't teach footy IQ. He also gives away silly free kicks such as pushing Daniher in the back when he has already run under the ball. This are all the things that cause me worry. 

Your concerns listed are all experience learning's, + confidence accompanying. Another 3 seasons and he will do these things intuitively.

But he does Have to improve his intensity, for when required.  He just has the one laconic speed at present.

I am loving the stats pro tool on AFL.com. Fantastic innovation. Watched Hannan's involvements and he was really influential.

They have video of every time a player is involved in the play - whether that be free kick against, a spoil, a marking contest, goals, one on ones, one per-centers, kicks, etc etc.

Had to laugh. Oscars package didn't include the Smith goal, presumably because it wasn't defined as an involvement. But apparently Smiths's goals was Oscar's fault.  

Edited May 2, 20187 yr by binman

Are people seriously still arguing OMac is no good?

25 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Are people seriously still arguing OMac is no good?

Oscar must be approaching afl standard.....