20 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

So you think a player who has played 64% of one game is impacting more for us than the guy who's played all six games and is coming third in the Coaches' Votes and leads the (admittedly pretty pointless) Supercoach points? You're hard to please.

In that Saints game, yes;  and last years games, yes.

The structure of the side currently with TMc &/or Pedo following, and up across the midfield has a profound sort of impact on the side, and how we transition thru into 50.

Gawn does not have that same influence as they do.  This seems to me one reason why Hogan is playing so high up the ground and being tried as ruck-rover.

The influence after half time with TMc back in that role was almost immediate,,, and the teams response followed his heavy work in the mid zone up to half foward-line.

Add the Sparrow at the feet of packs, and we were a totally different outfit, from that time on.

15 hours ago, sisso said:

We look so much better with big Tom in the side, loved his curling snap for goal in the last quarter

He's gone from an almost liability as No1 down back,,,,  to being almost No1 up forward, and most important.

The transition, almost unrecognisable.

Not sure if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but he was limping noticeably during the game on the weekend. 

He came off at one stage during the second half and ended up coming back on, but he was definitely nursing his foot.

Obviously I have no idea if it’s toe related but if it is, I can’t see him playing this week. Didn’t look great.

5 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Not sure if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but he was limping noticeably during the game on the weekend. 

He came off at one stage during the second half and ended up coming back on, but he was definitely nursing his foot.

Obviously I have no idea if it’s toe related but if it is, I can’t see him playing this week. Didn’t look great.

are you speaking of Tom Mc.... we now have so many walking wounded my head is spinning

49 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

are you speaking of Tom Mc.... we now have so many walking wounded my head is spinning

Yes.

4 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Yes.

No, I didn't notice that.

I wonder if his injury is still being managed?

1 hour ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Not sure if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but he was limping noticeably during the game on the weekend. 

He came off at one stage during the second half and ended up coming back on, but he was definitely nursing his foot.

Obviously I have no idea if it’s toe related but if it is, I can’t see him playing this week. Didn’t look great.

Maybe just a bit of soreness Steve. The hard surface at Shithole stadium would likely test a bloke with a tender foot.

I had wanted him tried forward a few years back. Then he went forward in the second half of a game, saw a bit of it and sprayed every shot he had. Thought he was no chance of making it as a forward after that.

 

His set shot ability is one of the most remarkable turnarounds I have seen and he has obviously worked his backside off on it, a huge credit to Tom

1 hour ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Not sure if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but he was limping noticeably during the game on the weekend. 

He came off at one stage during the second half and ended up coming back on, but he was definitely nursing his foot.

Obviously I have no idea if it’s toe related but if it is, I can’t see him playing this week. Didn’t look great.

He was interviewed on SEN last night and stated that he pulled up extremely sore from the game. 

Hopefully just general soreness.

2 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

He was interviewed on SEN last night and stated that he pulled up extremely sore from the game. 

Hopefully just general soreness.

Didn't seem to me he was referring to his toe, more muscular from not having played for a while.

1 hour ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Not sure if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but he was limping noticeably during the game on the weekend. 

He came off at one stage during the second half and ended up coming back on, but he was definitely nursing his foot.

Obviously I have no idea if it’s toe related but if it is, I can’t see him playing this week. Didn’t look great.

Yes, I noticed that as well.   I started worrying we had brouight him back too early, but came back on in the last and seemed fine.

1 hour ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Not sure if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but he was limping noticeably during the game on the weekend. 

He came off at one stage during the second half and ended up coming back on, but he was definitely nursing his foot.

Obviously I have no idea if it’s toe related but if it is, I can’t see him playing this week. Didn’t look great.

I noticed in the back of a number of shots on the tv he was really stretching the hammies out in the second half. I’ve noticed him do this last year and hoping it is just a bit of rust coming off not tightness and a week off. 

after being out for so long i'd be surprised if he wasn't feeling a bit sore

tmac has great aerobic capacity and stamina. a week of smart training will do him wonders

43 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

after being out for so long i'd be surprised if he wasn't feeling a bit sore

tmac has great aerobic capacity and stamina. a week of smart training will do him wonders

Providing he's not actually...injured.

4 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Providing he's not actually...injured.

of course, but i can only go on him quoted as saying he pulled up quite sore (no mention of injury)

53 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

of course, but i can only go on him quoted as saying he pulled up quite sore (no mention of injury)

Truck thought it was just a dog bite

For the Tmac non believers, in case there's still a few of you lurking out there:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-05-02/big-macs-back-stats-highlight-demons-mcdonald-flexibility#/

 

I also noticed he looked uncomfortable most of the game. Had both boots off in a huddle I think it was quarter time so I can see them being careful with him. The fact he played out the game was a good sign. Hopefully he can be light on it this week but I also hope the club is cautious.

20 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Not sure if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but he was limping noticeably during the game on the weekend. 

He came off at one stage during the second half and ended up coming back on, but he was definitely nursing his foot.

Obviously I have no idea if it’s toe related but if it is, I can’t see him playing this week. Didn’t look great.

He'll play. They wouldn't have brought him back on and risked him after all his time out if it wasn't something he could shake.

20 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Not sure if it’s been mentioned in this thread, but he was limping noticeably during the game on the weekend. 

He came off at one stage during the second half and ended up coming back on, but he was definitely nursing his foot.

Obviously I have no idea if it’s toe related but if it is, I can’t see him playing this week. Didn’t look great.

He seemed to cramp up in the goal square in the last, but this was in the hamstrings/lower leg, which is pretty normal for most guys playing their first game for the season. Hopefully that was the reason behind the soreness.

With his flexibility and Hoges running wild this season, I think it makes us much much more dangerous going forward, swinging capable guys around who need direct opponents must be a nightmare for oppositions to match up on. 

51 minutes ago, A F said:

He'll play. They wouldn't have brought him back on and risked him after all his time out if it wasn't something he could shake.

Hope that is the case for Viney also.....

53 minutes ago, A F said:

He'll play. They wouldn't have brought him back on and risked him after all his time out if it wasn't something he could shake.

Well it's happened before so I'm not so confident but we'll see.

I also saw him stretching hammies and understand he was sore.

But there was one moment during the game where I saw him nursing one foot and limp off.

He generally does have an awkward running gait but did anyone see him yesterday at training. Whilst driving slowly by Gosch's yesterday morning I did see JV and from what I briefly saw he looked ready to go.

21 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

He was interviewed on SEN last night and stated that he pulled up extremely sore from the game. 

Hopefully just general soreness.

The context in this interview  was that he had forgotten how hard the game is after such a long layoff, and he would normally have come through Casey to get that adjustment back, but they chose to get him match hardened in an AFL game instead.

Works for me.

1 hour ago, longsuffering said:

He generally does have an awkward running gait but did anyone see him yesterday at training. Whilst driving slowly by Gosch's yesterday morning I did see JV and from what I briefly saw he looked ready to go.

The Age is reporting this morning online that Viney is strong chance for this week.  They may do a T Mac and match harden him in th AFL,  or maybe avoid Etihad and next week in Qld.