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Tom McDonald

Elegt
Elegt
in Melbourne Demons

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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!

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    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.

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    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!

     

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    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 by binman

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    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

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    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

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    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 

     

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    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 by deebunked

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    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 

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    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

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    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!

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    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!

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    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.

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    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

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    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?

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    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

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    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

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    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 

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    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 

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    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.

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    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.

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    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”.

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    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 by YesitwasaWin4theAges

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    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 by old55

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