Jump to content

Discussion on recent allegations about the use of illicit drugs in football is forbidden
  • IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

    Posting unsubstantiated rumours on this website is strictly forbidden.

    Demonland has made the difficult decision to not permit this platform to be used to discuss & debate the off-field issues relating to the Melbourne Football Club including matters currently being litigated between the Club & former Board members, board elections, the issue of illicit drugs in footy, the culture at the club & the personal issues & allegations against some of our players & officials ...

    We do not take these issues & this decision lightly & of course we believe that these serious matters affecting the club we love & are so passionate about are worthy of discussion & debate & I wish we could provide a place where these matters can be discussed in a civil & respectful manner.

    However these discussions unfortunately invariably devolve into areas that may be defamatory, libelous, spread unsubstantiated rumours & can effect the mental health of those involved. Even discussion & debate of known facts or media reports can lead to finger pointing, blame & personal attacks.

    The repercussion is that these discussions can open this website, it’s owners & it’s users to legal action & may result in this website being forced to shutdown.

    Our moderating team are all volunteers & cannot moderate the forum 24/7 & as a consequence problematic content that contravenes our rules & standards may go unnoticed for some time before it can be removed.

    We reserve the right to delete posts that offend against our above policy & indeed, to ban posters who are repeat offenders or who breach our code of conduct.

    WE HAVE BUILT A FANTASTIC ONLINE COMMUNITY AT DEMONLAND OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS & WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE CLUB WE LOVE & ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT.

    Thank you for your continued support & understanding. Go Dees.


Tom McDonald - How long do we wait?


Pates

Recommended Posts

3 hours ago, Pates said:

Going to start this by saying I think he still has the goods in him to get back to being a good power forward. Perhaps not the 50+ goal a year forward we need but still capable of 30-40+.

Having said that Tom has been poor for a while now. Like others he had injury issues coming into 2019 which made him start slow and aside from the Carlton game which he subsequently got injured, he never really played a game worth noting. Now in 2020, with a full pre-season of fitness under his belt, he has started with two poor games. The question in the title says it all: how long do we wait for him to turn it around?

This could potentially tie in with Weiderman and how he isn't being played, where if Tom's poor form continues and maybe if Sam is banging down the door, perhaps Sam takes on the full mantle of the FF role. 

I have long believed that Tom's form is massively linked to our ability to compete with the best, without a key forward target taking grabs, we look really lost as a team.

You will be waiting a long long time, Toms AFL career has mostly been underwhelming, I have very low expectations for what he will produce moving forward and I fear his trade value will be minimal at best. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

He found some form before a season ending injury in 2019. I think people are jumping off a bit prematurely. Yes Round 1 was not great but we've been bemoaning our forward entries in that game for the last 3 months so to a degree he was a victim of our ineptitude. Thought he started ok last week but Weitering got on top of him as the game progressed. The same Weitering that gave Tiger Tom Lynch a bath back in Round 1. Young man is a gun defender.

Hopefully he gets Hooker this week & runs him ragged. Starting deep & working the 50

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, BrisbaneDemon said:

MFC were more then happy to move him on to get May.  Goodwin has made a habit of getting rid of players that have off field issues (Watts, Hogan).  I agree with everything you have said above, the thought Tmac was the way of the future (maybe we thought Weid would come on as well) but it clearly hasn’t works over the past 1.5 years.  We need to trade in a decent forward next year to ease that pressure.

Let's not rewrite history to suit the narrative

Our defence badly needed fixing, defence is what wins you premierships, we went on a nice run in 2018  without Hogan but let's be honest we weren't really up there with the top 3 other sides.

and and here are some facts

Hogan wanted to get back to Perth, Melbourne did not move him on, but they saw an opportunity to fix our biggest deficiency.

Watts needed to be moved and you will find a big call and say was made by the leadership group, in this. A big statement re committment by senior players was required 

Edited by Pennant St Dee
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah Tom was ordinary last year but there wasn't many who weren't.

I think people are being a bit harsh on him calling for his head this early with a new look forward line.

he kicked 2 goals from limited chances in R1. and he started well enough last week and got some good touches through half forward, before our ball movement slowed down then he got worked over by Weitering in the end.

I certainly wouldn't expect him to dominate this week either with the team they've selected, but I think his main job might be to drag a key defender up the ground to give the other mid sized forwards like Hannan and Fritsch a better chance as the deeper marking forwards and also to leave space for the likes of Hunt and Kozzie to work back into. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, BrisbaneDemon said:

The MFC rolled the dice on Tom Mac after his 2018 form, they got rid of Hogan and replaced him with an expensive defender. That’s how confident they were in him.

Tmac hasn’t fired a shot since 2018.  He looked as agile as cruise ship on Saturday night.  He has 1-2 matches to turn it around or he’ll be sitting next to his brother on the sidelines.

Play him as a goal square forward with Fritta and Bennell Delivering the ball, that’s his only hope.

Physical strength or high marking are not TMac's strengths.

He is a tall running machine. Can't see him working as a stay at home fwd.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites


He’s a good player.

Something’s not right though (and it’s not his attitude). He was unreal in 2018 yet he’s been super ineffective ever since (but for that one game last year in which he re-discovered his form, and then got injured).

For us to be good this year, McDonald simply needs to become more effective again. I can’t see Weideman holding down FF without some other KPP in the forward line, whereas I reckon Tom can.

As as aside, I really like Melksham and Hunt in and around our forward line. They’re decent mid size forwards.

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, faultydet said:

Physical strength or high marking are not TMac's strengths.

He is a tall running machine. Can't see him working as a stay at home fwd.

He's not a player that plants his feet and defends a 360 degree radius of physical space like a natural fwd like Hogan did. Heck I saw more shades of Hogan in the way Fritsch wrestled and held out an admittedly weak Carlton opponent. When has TMac jostled and taken a one hander in the space he's made for the fall of the ball? 

I think TMac and Weid are currently very straight line lead up run and jump players. Many clubs similarly dont have a natural gorilla fwd though, but have compensated by recruiting 200+cm lead up players that are aerially dominant due to height. 

Here's hoping Tmacs bulk, clean hands and athleticism can return and give him an edge in a marking contest and he kicks 40+

However we still might need to bring in that 200+cm marking forward though come end of the year and let go of one of Weid or TMac as I fear we just won't have any edge on the opposition when it comes to inside 50 marking contests. Unless Jackson fast tracks his physical gym development in the next 6 months and we back him in to come in and do an Aaran Naughton next year.

 

 

Edited by John Demonic
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Half forward flank said:

Odd comment, Would you say the same of Robbie Flower? 

it's absurd really, like saying TMAC is currently above them all, because the future is unwritten. A brilliant player of a bygone era because they never won a premiership, couldn't make a bigger difference to a current team than a current player? Our forward line and wings in 94 or 2000 + our mids and defenders in 2020. There's our drought breaking premiership, thank you very much.

 

Why show up on Sunday, the Bombers have recruited Premiership champion Jacob Townsend and he's better than any player we've ever had. He has the medallion to prove it. ?

Edited by John Demonic
  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Killer said:

Cant help but wonder if we'd be better off with him returning to the backline and seeing if May Lever or even OMac can present with something. Nothin to lose imo

Roos was the one that tried TMac fwd. I'd be highly surprised if Goodwin sprung a May or Lever up forward if we were behind and needed 3, 4 or 5 goals in the last, in the next month. The great irony is we're relying on a KPF that was discovered through a hail Mary experiment! May as well rtry another experiment, if it's not working.

He might do it when the season is over like he did OMac. He strikes me more as a coach that needs to follow the same process, while the season is on the line. Like our inside 50 philosophy, keep doing it as much as possible until it eventually works. 

Edited by John Demonic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Put him back in defence. 
 

I really miss the level of anxiety I got when he was in control of the ball and kicking back up the ground. 

  • Like 7
  • Haha 8
  • Shocked 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, TheKozzieExperience said:

What does this even mean?

I think he’s alluding to the fact that Tmac is a better player than all of those guys put together. 

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites


1 hour ago, Killer said:

Cant help but wonder if we'd be better off with him returning to the backline and seeing if May Lever or even OMac can present with something. Nothin to lose imo

May was a power full forward back in his under 18's days. 

I remember I was watching the 2009 under 18 championships at Etithad Staduim at the time and I remember watching a 18 year Steven May absolutely dominate from full forward.

He reminded me so much of David Neitz in his ability to crash pack and lead straight and hard.

I'd love Goodwin to try it, but he won't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

May was a power full forward back in his under 18's days. 

I remember I was watching the 2009 under 18 championships at Etithad Staduim at the time and I remember watching a 18 year Steven May absolutely dominate from full forward.

He reminded me so much of David Neitz in his ability to crash pack and lead straight and hard.

I'd love Goodwin to try it, but he won't.

I think you've raised this before dazzle.

These are the moves i would hope Goody would at least trial (on odd occasions) when all else isn't working.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

May was a power full forward back in his under 18's days. 

I remember I was watching the 2009 under 18 championships at Etithad Staduim at the time and I remember watching a 18 year Steven May absolutely dominate from full forward.

He reminded me so much of David Neitz in his ability to crash pack and lead straight and hard.

I'd love Goodwin to try it, but he won't.

Maybe it's time for the May, Weideman switch 'Daz'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

May was a power full forward back in his under 18's days. 

I remember I was watching the 2009 under 18 championships at Etithad Staduim at the time and I remember watching a 18 year Steven May absolutely dominate from full forward.

He reminded me so much of David Neitz in his ability to crash pack and lead straight and hard.

I'd love Goodwin to try it, but he won't.

I too wouldn’t mind seeing that, but not so keen on swapping for TMac. I just don’t think he’s got the necessary foot-speed to keep up with young gun forwards all day. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, BrisbaneDemon said:

MFC were more then happy to move him on to get May.  Goodwin has made a habit of getting rid of players that have off field issues (Watts, Hogan).  I agree with everything you have said above, the thought Tmac was the way of the future (maybe we thought Weid would come on as well) but it clearly hasn’t works over the past 1.5 years.  We need to trade in a decent forward next year to ease that pressure.

What off field issues did they have?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    DEPTH CHARGE by Whispering Jack

    The jubilation on the coach’s face as he danced a celebratory jig by the playing bench after the final siren sounded to record his team’s four-point victory over the Demons when the teams last met, said it all.    On that rainy Friday night at the Adelaide Oval, Ken Hinkley’s young midfield secured much more than four points on offer. The victory over one of the big dogs of the competition after a succession of wins over some of its lesser lights gave his team respect and validation fo

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    TRAINING: Monday 25th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Demon Dynasty & Kev Martin were trackside at Gosch's Paddock today to bring you their observations from training. DEMON DYNASTY'S TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Kade Chandler's left knee heavily strapped. BBB, Spargs & Jake Lever also in rehab group. Jake Bowey solo running separate kicking/sprint/agility drills. Super fine morning / early arvo at Gosch's for the boys to blow out some cobwebs. Choco initially had the light duties / rehab group

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    HIBERNATING by KC from Casey

    When they locked up the rooms for summer at the end of last year’s football season, the rooms gathered cobwebs, the atmosphere became dense and the place developed a sleepy feel. They opened up the rooms to let Casey out to play on Sunday but the team was still hibernating and they missed the bulk of the opening quarter. By the time they worked out it was game on, their opponents from Box Hill had accumulated five goals and, if the game wasn’t over, it might as well have been. For a se

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Casey Articles

    A FORK IN THE HAWK by George on the Outer

    For too long in the past, Demon fans became habitually sick and tired of watching the Hawks hand out thrashings to their side. But Melbourne’s empahtic 55-point win at the MCG on Saturday has truly put a fork in the Hawk and turned that history well and truly on its head. The Demons have now won nine of their last ten encounters with the other result, a draw.     And like a fork, it was the multi-pronged options that Melbourne had all across the ground.  It certainly helped that Hawthorn

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Match Reports 8

    PREGAME: Rd 03 vs Port Adelaide

    The Demons head on the road for the next 2 weeks as they travel to Adelaide to play Port on Saturday and then have a 5 Day break before facing the Crows in the Gather Round. With injuries to May and Lever who comes in and who goes out?

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 262

    PODCAST: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 25th March @ 8:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons victory at the MCG against the Hawks in the Round 02. You questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human. Listen & Chat

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 46

    VOTES: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    Last week Steven May took the lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Jack Viney. Clayton Oliver & Max Gawn round out the Top 4. Your votes for the win/loss against/to the Hawks. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 50

    POSTGAME: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demons cruised to an easy 55 point win over the Hawks at the MCG but but paid a heavy toll on the injury front with Steven May & Jake Lever possibly sidelined for a number of weeks.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 357

    GAMEDAY: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    It's Game Day and after mixed results in the first two weeks of the season the Demons have the opportunity to capitalise on their good form last week when they take on the Hawks at the MCG today.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 437
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

  • Podcast 

  • Podcast 

  • Podcast Stream 


    Open Stream in
    New Window
        TuneIn    Opens in New Tab
  • Support Demonland  



  • 2021 Premiership  

  • Social Media 

  • Non MFC Games  

    NON-MFC: Round 03

    Discussion of all the other games that don't involve the Demons in Round 03 ... READ MORE

    Demonland | Round 03

  • Match Preview      

    DEPTH CHARGE by Whispering Jack

    The jubilation on the coach’s face as he danced a celebratory jig by the playing bench after the final siren sounded to record his team’s four-point victory over the Demons when the teams last met, said it all ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 27

  • Latest Podcast      

    PODCAST: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The boys dissected the clinical thrashing of Hawks praising the immense performance of Christian Petracca whilst lamenting the injury toll to our defensive unit ... LISTEN

    Demonland | March 26

  • Training  

    Monday, 25th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Demon Dynasty & Kev Martin were trackside at Gosch's Paddock today to bring you their observations from training ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 25

  • Casey Report      

    HIBERNATING by KC from Casey

    When they locked up the rooms for summer at the end of last year’s football season, the rooms gathered cobwebs, the atmosphere became dense and the place developed a sleepy feel. They opened up the rooms to let Casey out to play on Sunday but the team was still hibernating and they missed the bulk of the opening quarter ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 25

  • PreGame      

    PREGAME: Rd 03 vs Port Adelaide

    The Demons head out on the road for the next 2 weeks as they travel to Adelaide to play Port on Saturday and then have a 5 Day break before facing the Crows in Gather Round. With injuries to May and Lever who comes in and who goes out? ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 28

  • Match Report      

    A FORK IN THE HAWK by George on the Outer

    For too long in the past, Demon fans became habitually sick and tired of watching the Hawks hand out thrashings to their side. But Melbourne’s empahtic 55-point win at the MCG on Saturday has truly put a fork in the Hawk and turned that history well and truly on its head ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Post Game      

    POSTGAME: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demons cruised to an easy 55 point win over the Hawks at the MCG but but paid a heavy toll on the injury front with Steven May & Jake Lever possibly sidelined for a number of weeks ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Votes      

    VOTES: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    Last week Steven May took the lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Jack Viney. Clayton Oliver & Max Gawn round out the Top 4. Your votes for the win/loss against/to the Hawks. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Game Day      

    GAMEDAY: Round 02 vs Hawthorn

    It's Game Day and after mixed results in the first two weeks of the season the Demons have the opportunity to capitalise on their good form last week when they take on the Hawks at the MCG today ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Training  

    Friday, 22nd March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatcher Kev Martin and I attended the Captain's Run at Gosch's Paddock on this lovely sunny morning to bring you the following observations from the training session ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 22

  • Training  

    Tuesday, 19th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Kev Martin & Walking Civil War attended Tuesday morning's training session at Gosch's Paddock to bring you the following observations ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 19

  • Training  

    Saturday, 16th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Kev Martin and Dee Zephyr wandered down to Gosch's Paddock on Saturday morning to bring you their observations from the Captain's Run in the lead up to Sunday's Round One match against the Bulldogs ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 16

  • Farewell  

    Angus Brayshaw Retires

    After 167 games including the drought breaking Premiership Angus Brayshaw has made the heart breaking decision to medically retire from football as a result of a series of serious head knocks over his nearly decade of footy. We wish Gus all the best and he'll always be a hero at Demonland ... READ MORE

    Demonland | February 22

  • Latest Podcast  

    PODCAST: Koltyn Tholstrup Interview

    I interview the Melbourne Football Club’s newest recruit Koltyn Tholstrup to have a chat about his journey from the farm to the Demons, his first few weeks of preseason training, which Dees have impressed him on the track and his aspirations of playing Round 1 ... LISTEN

    Demonland | December 14

  • Latest Podcast  

    PODCAST: Jason Taylor Interview

    I interview the Melbourne Football Club's National Recruitment Manager Jason Taylor to have a chat about our Trade and Draft period, our newest recruits, our recent recruits who have yet to debut as well as those father son prospects on the horizon ... LISTEN

    Demonland | November 27

  • Next Match 

    .

    Round 03

       vs   

    Saturday 30th March 2024
    @ 07:30pm (AO)

  • MFC Forum  

  • Match Previews & Reports  

  • Training Forum  

  • AFLW Forum  

  • 2024 Player Sponsorship

  • Topics

  • Injury List  


      PLAYER INJURY LENGTH
    Jake Lever Knee Test
    Clayton Oliver Hand Test
    Oliver Sestan Concussion Test
    Steven May Ribs 1 Week
    Lachie Hunter Calf 1 Week
    Daniel Turner Hip 2-3 Weeks
    Charlie Spargo Achilles 2-4 Weeks
    Shane McAdam Hamstring 3-5 Weeks
    Jake Bowey Shoulder 7 Weeks
    Jake Melksham ACL 12-14 Weeks
    Joel Smith Suspension TBA

  • Player of the Year  


        PLAYER VOTES
    1 Christian Petracca 27
    2 Steven May 25
    3 Max Gawn 21
    4 Jack Viney 20
    5 Bayley Fritsch 19
    6 Clayton Oliver 18
    7 Christian Salem 12
    8 Blake Howes 11
    9 Jack Billings 10
    9 Alex Neal-Bullen 10

        FULL TABLE
  • Demonland Interviews 



  • Upcoming Events 

×
×
  • Create New...