2019 Player Reviews: #25 Tom McDonald

[Demonland 73,140]

 

After leading the club’s goal kicking last year with 53 goals, McDonald struggled with form for most of the season and only started kicking goals again after the bye round. Kicked 6 goals in less than three quarters against the Blues but a knee injury incurred in that match derailed his season.

Date of Birth: 18 September, 1992
Height: 194 cm
Weight: 99 kg

Games MFC 2019: 15
Career Total: 161

Goals MFC 2019: 18
Career Total: 102

Votes 2019 Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Memorial Trophy: 151 votes

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

If he misses more than 6 games next year, we’re finishing bottom 4.

He was the only reason we beat Carlton.

He was a key reason why we lost to mediocre clubs such as St Kilda and North on the run home.

He’s kind of important.

[Ugottobekidding 1,194]

Yes he tore carlton a new ahole... think he found plenty that day. Unlucky he got injured. Bad year but i think with confidence he can be dangerous. I think we can see him doing well with fritch. Weid is my mane concern.

[Mel Bourne 4,534]

Needs to do less podcasts with the Institute Of Public Affairs. 

[JakovichScissorKick 771]

1 hour ago, Ugottobekidding said:

Yes he tore carlton a new ahole... think he found plenty that day. Unlucky he got injured. Bad year but i think with confidence he can be dangerous. I think we can see him doing well with fritch. Weid is my mane concern.

McDonald and Fritsch is going to be a fantastic duo.   But yes we are missing another KPF.  I would play Petty before Weideman, but who knows what happens over preseason.

[Diamond_Jim 12,627]

Had a good game against Carlton (16th) but his previous games were very forgettable.

Interesting to see that he had a low conversion rate by comparison to 2018 and 2017. 18 g 15 b

A major reason why we had the season we did.

Understatement to say that he needs to kick 40 if we are going to do well.

[Dee Dee 1,117]

22 hours ago, Mel Bourne said:

Needs to do less podcasts with the Institute Of Public Affairs. 

Anarcho  - Libertarian ideology and team sports really don’t mix.?

[poita 3,902]

On 10/19/2019 at 9:06 AM, Bring-Back-Powell said:

If he misses more than 6 games next year, we’re finishing bottom 4.

I'd go as far as saying we'll finish bottom 4 if he doesn't kick 50 goals next season. I'm a massive fan, but he had a poor year for the most part.

It is no coincidence that his best run of form as a forward was when playing aside Hogan or Pedersen who could give him some protection. Tom needs to be able to use his endurance and athleticism to run defenders ragged, not playing from the goal square where defenders can body him.

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,510]

I am convinced beyond any doubt that he was carrying an injury last year; he was a mere shadow of his former self.  He looked slow, lacked agility and wasn't displaying the running power and confidence that we have seen every other year of his career. He was protecting his toe at stages during the preseason, but there was little to no mention during the season itself.

 

If he's fit, we'll see the player we saw in the second half of '17 and all of '18.

[Engorged Onion 10,223]

1 hour ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

I am convinced beyond any doubt that he was carrying an injury last year; he was a mere shadow of his former self.  He looked slow, lacked agility and wasn't displaying the running power and confidence that we have seen every other year of his career. He was protecting his toe at stages during the preseason, but there was little to no mention during the season itself.

 

If he's fit, we'll see the player we saw in the second half of '17 and all of '18.

I concur, my question to the FD department would be, if this assumption was the case, was it hoped by both the FD and Tom, that by merely playing  week in and week out , his form would finally ‘snap’ improve? 

[monoccular 17,573]

On 10/22/2019 at 1:04 PM, Engorged Onion said:

I concur, my question to the FD department would be, if this assumption was the case, was it hoped by both the FD and Tom, that by merely playing  week in and week out , his form would finally ‘snap’ improve? 

And it actually did eventually, only for him to suffer presumably a quite different injury. ?

[Kent 2,914]

He said in an interview that he wasn't injured. Why don't we believe him?

What's to be gained by not telling the truth either he was or he wasn't.Unfortunately the latter means his performance slump was due to other matters, like he cant handle being the no 1 target. Pederson used to take the packs when he played. I have never seen a forward like Tom drop so many easy marks.

I guess time will tell. Ifor one wouldn't be relying on him kicking 50 plus goals next year

 

 

[rjay 25,087]

Injured or not his season 2019 was very disappointing.

Tom's football history shows he was a very promising KPD then lost his mojo.

He was moved forward and became a very promising KPF then this year again lost his mojo.

I hope he can buck the trend in 2020 otherwise his career will be at the crossroads and our season compromised.