Tom McDonald

[binman 41,946]

33 minutes ago, rjay said:

As strange as it seems adding Tommy and keeping Melk does make us top heavy...so if he comes in it's to replace a ruck, BB or Melk...can't take out a mid/small.

Also you would have to wonder if he would have the endurance to run as he used too...he's been off legs for a fair time and no amount of other cardio can make up for miles in the legs...

All good points.

Nice problem to have - it was only two to three weeks ago posters were desperate for JVR or a half fit Tmac to come back in and rescue us.  

Now the consensus seems to be we don't' need either player!

[rjay 24,587]

2 minutes ago, binman said:

All good points.

Nice problem to have - it was only two to three weeks ago posters were desperate for JVR or a half fit Tmac to come back in and rescue us.  

Now the consensus seems to be we don't' need either player!

I think Melk knows he's playing for his sporting life and he 'aint going nowhere without a fight.

[Neil Crompton 5,309]

2 minutes ago, binman said:

All good points.

Nice problem to have - it was only two to three weeks ago posters were desperate for JVR or a half fit Tmac to come back in and rescue us.  

Now the consensus seems to be we don't' need either player!

I don't think that's quite right Binny. We definitely need a healed and fully match fit TMac - the consensus seems to be that we don't think he'll achieve that status in time - but more than happy if he does!

 

[binman 41,946]

17 minutes ago, rjay said:

I think Melk knows he's playing for his sporting life and he 'aint going nowhere without a fight.

That fight has been so evident hasn't it. I love it.

Apart from giving his game a real edge, it has no doubt improved his leadership and impact on team mates. He has always been quite demonstrative on field, and not averse to giving a team mate a mouthful. 

But that sort of stuff does not have cut through, from any player, if they are not walking the talk, cracking in, tackling and showing high level intensity.

Melk is showing all those things now, so his teammates are more likely to take what he says on board. 

Edited August 24, 2022 by binman

[jnrmac 19,890]

37 minutes ago, Demons1858 said:

What your stats dont show are times when the club has persisted with him when he has looked sore or has just returned like he did this year and he hasn't worked his way back up to the level expected of him after a number of games ... error on the part of the selection committee at times that should have perhaps rested him and given him time to build up at vfl level ... in any case he is a key to our forward line when fit enough as he competes so hard not expecting change though unless we really struggle

Feel free to detail these instances. I don't see it

[jnrmac 19,890]

23 minutes ago, rjay said:

I think Melk knows he's playing for his sporting life and he 'aint going nowhere without a fight.

He quite likes that

[Sydee 4,184]

5 minutes ago, binman said:

That fight has been so evident hasn't it. I love it.

Apart from giving his game a real edge, it has improved his leadership and impact on team mates. He has always been quite demonstrative on field, and not averse to giving a team mate a mouthful. 

But that sort of stuff does not have cut through, from any player, if they are not walking the talk, cracking in, tackling and showing high level intensity.

Melk is showing all those things now, so his teammates are more likely to take what he says on board. 

Melk has certainly exceeded my expectations by a considerable margin. He is the epitome of a guy who knows this could be his best/only chance to taste the ultimate success and is absolutely hell bent on not letting that opportunity slip with anything less than 100% effort

Jayden Hunt is another - although I'd say he has more footy ahead than Melk he missed out cruelly last year and seems very focused to retain his spot  for which there is huge competition

This extreme competition for spots is what helps drive elite training and performance - got to be a good thing 

 

[deebunked 285]

He'd have to play a couple of blinders to be considered for call up. Melksham is locked in.

If he plays well and we get injuries then he might have a chance.  Funny things happen in finals.

The hunger that Hunt and Melksham have for a flag could be the difference this year.

Edited August 24, 2022 by deebunked

[DubDee 24,348]

One thing about T Mac is that he is a meticulous trainer and preparer. No doubt if he says he is ready to go he will be aerobically ok. A match at VFL and he will come under serious consideration. 

we miss his long leads and marking on the wings. Also his regular goals. As to who comes out, let’s just say I’m glad it’s not my decision. We have struggled so much up fwd, aside from last week, I think it is a risk worth taking given T Macs professionalism and dozen preseasons 

[jnrmac 19,890]

1 minute ago, DubDee said:

One thing about T Mac is that he is a meticulous trainer and preparer. No doubt if he says he is ready to go he will be aerobically ok. A match at VFL and he will come under serious consideration. 

we miss his long leads and marking on the wings. Also his regular goals. As to who comes out, let’s just say I’m glad it’s not my decision. We have struggled so much up fwd, aside from last week, I think it is a risk worth taking given T Macs professionalism and dozen preseasons 

This is a key to our defence. Gawn, Jackson or TMac blocking the outlets from Opp defence is vital. The mids block the corridor. TMac also does a lot of pack busting that we missed dearly when he first went out

[Sir Why You Little 36,624]

2 minutes ago, DubDee said:

One thing about T Mac is that he is a meticulous trainer and preparer. No doubt if he says he is ready to go he will be aerobically ok. A match at VFL and he will come under serious consideration. 

we miss his long leads and marking on the wings. Also his regular goals. As to who comes out, let’s just say I’m glad it’s not my decision. We have struggled so much up fwd, aside from last week, I think it is a risk worth taking given T Macs professionalism and dozen preseasons 

At whose expense?

and I agree with what you have said!

[DubDee 24,348]

2 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

At whose expense?

and I agree with what you have said!

It’s too hard!!

structurally Melk makes the most sense but he is playing well. 

Spargo? But then are we too tall and not enough pressure?

Harmes / Sparrow probably the other two options

so yeah. No idea mate!

[#11-TonyAnderson 705]

4 hours ago, binman said:

But tmac would also drag his opponent up the ground and out of the back line. That will mess with their defensive structure. They could hand off, but that has risks too - nor least of which being tmac clunking marks at hb or up on the wing

It's that part of tmac's game we have missed the most. You only have to watch how hard bb has had to work in the last 3-4 weeks to get a sense of that.

If TMac is fit enough it will allow BBB to stay at FF and potentially clunk a few or get a free or two for interference.

[Sir Why You Little 36,624]

3 minutes ago, DubDee said:

It’s too hard!!

structurally Melk makes the most sense but he is playing well. 

Spargo? But then are we too tall and not enough pressure?

Harmes / Sparrow probably the other two options

so yeah. No idea mate!

None of those players deserve to miss out. 
TMac makes the Bench at best

[#11-TonyAnderson 705]

2 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

None of those players deserve to miss out. 
TMac makes the Bench at best

If he makes Medi-sub does Jordon miss out?

[Sir Why You Little 36,624]

1 minute ago, #11-TonyAnderson said:

If he makes Medi-sub does Jordon miss out?

The most likely scenario. Someone is going to miss out, as they did last year

[DubDee 24,348]

6 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

None of those players deserve to miss out. 
TMac makes the Bench at best

I reckon T Mac is too important to us structurally. A tough decision will have to be made. My guess, Harmes dropped again. Although good last week he doesn’t have the consistency of others

[Sir Why You Little 36,624]

2 minutes ago, DubDee said:

I reckon T Mac is too important to us structurally. A tough decision will have to be made. My guess, Harmes dropped again. Although good last week he doesn’t have the consistency of others

Harmes will be crucial in the middle tagging and making plays. I wouldn’t be dropping him. The pressure goes up 10-20% in September 

[loges 6,767]

2 hours ago, jnrmac said:

I have seen this written a few times now and curious as to how you arrive at this conclusion?

• 2012 played 20 games
• 2013 player 17 games
• 2014 played 21 games
• 2015 played 22 games
• 2016 played 22 games
• 2017 played 22 games
• 2018 played 20 games (starting at rd 6 - next games he had 2, 2, 5, 4, 2, 4, 6 goals)
• 2019 played 15 games (didn't play after rd 16)
• 2020 played 9 games (covid year - he had a poor year along with the club)
• 2021 played 23 games

I think its complete BS frankly.

He has had one poor year and now it is set in stone that TMac takes a long time to get back up to speed. "a stumbling block to his career" your form impou say. "Diabolically once he reaches a patch of his best form he gets injured again"

2018 he didn't start till rd 6 and played well out of the blocks

 

Tom will be fine.

Was definitely good to go in 2018 in fact our form improved once he was back in the side 

[rjay 24,587]

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

He quite likes that

As a side note, I'm not sure if many noticed Melk & May hugging it out after the final siren in the Carlton game.

[rpfc 28,048]

Super Sub?

[sue 9,005]

7 minutes ago, rjay said:

As a side note, I'm not sure if many noticed Melk & May hugging it out after the final siren in the Carlton game.

It's been noted on DL, but I haven't seen any mention of it in the media.  Not many clicks in a hug compared to a whack.

[Redleg 40,094]

1 hour ago, rjay said:

I think Melk knows he's playing for his sporting life and he 'aint going nowhere without a fight.

Don’t mention “fight”.

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,532]

It will all come down to the Casey game on Sunday, if he is clunking marks and kicking goals, his agility and his leading patterns are up to scratch i reckon they will pull him at half time. 

I can't see him being deployed as a sub though. You either play him from the start or not at all.

He is the difference between us winning comfortably and taking one of the McCartney brothers away from possible double teams against either BBB, Gawny or Jacko.

This allows Fritta of the leech from the 2nd, 3rd best defender to do all sorts of damage.

Or they may keep things the same play him till 3 quarter time as the turn around from Sunday arvo to Friday night is too short.

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by YesitwasaWin4theAges

[old55 22,779]

12 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Super Sub?

Agree. I haven't liked our sub strategy with smalls in Bedford or Chandler. I prefer Tomlinson who enables us to cover a tall out which has been costly in games this year.

Even more risk now that we are only playing one KP in Brown plus the rucks forward. TMac would be a good option as sub.

Especially with Gus in the midfield and a full complement of small backs. We can cover a small out easier from the 22.

Hard on JJ but there it is ...

Edited August 24, 2022 by old55