Tom McDonald 200th game this week?

[Dee Dee 1,108]

He’s certainly had an up and down career but 200 games (so far) and a premiership medal are not to be sneezed at.

But I do wish he’d smile a little more😄! 

[Fritta and Turner 4,403]

17 minutes ago, Dee Dee said:

He’s certainly had an up and down career but 200 games (so far) and a premiership medal are not to be sneezed at.

But I do wish he’d smile a little more😄! 

TMc smiled when he took that mark in the square.

Done well for a late 3rd? round pick.

Deserves 200 games.

[loges 6,767]

Given the club great service, deserves 200 games and the premiership medal.

[gs77 4,237]

Given two absolutely unforgettable moments in the goalsquare that I will cherish forever. One being his lead-snatching goal while being slung in a tackle that sealed our magnificent win against West Coast in Perth back in 2017. The other being his vital brutish shove of the Dogs defender through the goals to secure Sparrow's goal in the dying moments of the GF 3rd quarter, without which we'd have gone into the last with far less momentum and scoreboard buffer.

Absolutely fantastic work by TMac to have wrung 200 games out of his career to date - particularly given his early development occurring in the midst of our ****test years, and his latter-years reinvention as a forward.

Edited May 2, 2022 by gs77

[Ouch! 2,262]

Not so sure he will get to 200 this week against the saints.

I didn't like the optics of that mark in the goalsquare, nor his 'excuse' for why he took it rather than let it through.

Additionally I like what I have seen in the last few weeks with the Weid, and he at least feels like he is capable of getting a bag of 3 or 4. I don't get that feeling with Tom, who is more of a structural element than a player in form.

But he thoroughly deserves to get to 200, and has been a good servant of the club.

Edited May 1, 2022 by Ouch!

[loges 6,767]

4 minutes ago, Ouch! said:

Not so sure he will get to 200 this week against the saints.

I didn't like the optics of that mark in the goalsquare, nor his 'excuse' for why he took it rather than let it through.

Additionally I like what I have seen in the last few weeks with the Weid, and he at least feels like he is capable of getting a bag of 3 or 4. I don't get that feeling with Tom, who is more of a structural element than a player in form.

But he thoroughly deserves to get to 200, and has been a good servant of the club.

Do people realise Weid has only taken 1 mark in each of the past 2 games. 3 or 4 goals we can only hope.

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, gs77 said:

Given two absolutely unforgettable moments in the goalsquare that I will cherish forever. One being his lead-snatching goal while being slung in a tackle that sealed our magnificent win against West Coast in Perth back in 2017. The other being his vital brutish shove of the Dogs defender through the goals to secure Sparrow's goal in the dying moments of the 3rd quarter, without which we'd have gone into the last with far less momentum and scoreboard buffer.

Absolutely fantastic work by TMac to have wrung 200 games out of his career to date - particularly given his early development occurring in the midst of our ****test years, and his latter-years reinvention as a forward.

For this alone he deserves to play his 200th. 

#WillNeverForgetThisTMacMoment

[IRW 1,387]

22 minutes ago, Ouch! said:

Not so sure he will get to 200 this week against the saints.

I didn't like the optics of that mark in the goalsquare, nor his 'excuse' for why he took it rather than let it through.

Additionally I like what I have seen in the last few weeks with the Weid, and he at least feels like he is capable of getting a bag of 3 or 4. I don't get that feeling with Tom, who is more of a structural element than a player in form.

But he thoroughly deserves to get to 200, and has been a good servant of the club.

I reckon structure up forward is exactly what we want right now, not a bloke who can't catch the ball and goes missing when he doesn't get in the way

[Guest]

Definitely a player whose trajectory has been full of twists and turns.

Started as a 3rd rounder who turned into an honest as the day is long defender. Those early days when he’d try to play on, get corralled and then try to switch back into the corridor only to be picked off rival Frosty’s brain fades for pure and morbid car crash style ‘he isn’t going to do it, is he?’ fascination.😖

Who would have guessed he would turn into a dead eye set shot for goal from the 45 meter range? I remember when Roosy first had a crack with him in that position vs. Essendon in 2015 as the game was slipping away in the final quarter. I cringed hard when the move was made but from memory he jagged a goal with the flattest mongrel punt you’ll ever see (and sprayed another one). We lost, but the seeds were planted for the birth of Plugger McDonald two years later vs West Coast in Perth. Since then, of all the players who I’ve felt most comfortable 40 out on a 45 degree angle with the ball in their hands, it’s TMac.

On the non-footballing front, while his politics are definitely not my cup of tea, he has become quite the libertarian speaker talking on podcasts and the like. It’s refreshing in one way as footballers have been domesticated to such an extent that they get jumped on ala Jack Ginnivan just for being themselves. I just hope he skips the future Jonestown style event that Jordan Peterson will inevitably hold where the Milo gets spiked. 😄

It will most likely be his last year and he should be highly commended for getting one and a half solid years of football out of what looked like the end of the road. For that, he is to be admired and I admire him highly.

Congratulations Tomald on 200 games (surely if the club has learnt the lessons of years past, they’ll find a way to get him to 200).👏🏻 Like Jonesy, you remained a Demon when it could have been easier to turn tail and run. That neither of you did so made our club the place it is today!

[DubDee 25,846]

T Mac is being judged too harshly on the Harmes mark on the goaline imo. He has never had the best awareness and I reckon he wasn’t sure where the posts were and thought he better mark it to be sure. I really don’t think he would have intentionally marked it knowing the full situation around him, where defender were etc

[MadAsHell 4,212]

15 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

 

It will most likely be his last year 

He's contracted until the end of 2024.

[Guest]

Just now, MadAsHell said:

He's contracted until the end of 2024.

He may very well be. But his output, explosiveness  off the mark and ability to get his hands on the pill suggest to me this will be his last year (unless he is happy playing out much of the next 3 years at Casey).

[Ouch! 2,262]

42 minutes ago, loges said:

Do people realise Weid has only taken 1 mark in each of the past 2 games. 3 or 4 goals we can only hope.

...and yet this season Sam has taken more contested marks than Tom with one less game to his name. What is the point of that stat? Sam also kicked 3 goals last week to go with his 1 mark which I am happy to take! 

I just like what Sam is bringing to the team, and want him to have an extended run of games. I think Tom is playing on a lot of goodwill.

[dl4e 5,851]

Good luck to him. However this week I am not so sure. May have to ask Mr Jackson.

[In Harmes Way 7,767]

50 minutes ago, Ouch! said:

...and yet this season Sam has taken more contested marks than Tom with one less game to his name. What is the point of that stat? Sam also kicked 3 goals last week to go with his 1 mark which I am happy to take! 

I just like what Sam is bringing to the team, and want him to have an extended run of games. I think Tom is playing on a lot of goodwill.

Nice argument. I'm in the camp that we need all three of TMac, Weid and BBB to be at the top of their game come finals, so giving them all a solid run of games only improves us as a team should any of the three have an injury/COVID. The arguments around TMac vs Weid and dropping one of them permanently don't really help us manage future contingencies/risk mitigation in my view.

Best wishes to TMac on his 200th if selected, he was a shining light in defence for many of our dark years and his kicking for goal is eons ahead of his kicking out of defence. I hope he's picked and plays a blinder. 

[loges 6,767]

1 hour ago, Ouch! said:

...and yet this season Sam has taken more contested marks than Tom with one less game to his name. What is the point of that stat? Sam also kicked 3 goals last week to go with his 1 mark which I am happy to take! 

I just like what Sam is bringing to the team, and want him to have an extended run of games. I think Tom is playing on a lot of goodwill.

Contested marks probably relate mostly to one game, the Essendon game. Goes missing for long periods in games too many times in my opinion.

[DeeZone 9,823]

Like you WCW that strength shown by TMac to snatch the game against the Weagles and to push Cordey through the goals for Sparrows goal in the Granny we’re inspirational. I am hoping that he not only plays 200 but could reach 220 - 250 games. His personal thoughts are irrelevant as are everyone else’s. A few backhanded compliments for a player taken at pick 53 who will be remembered as a legend of the MFC. Good luck Tommy.!!!

[chook fowler 19,458]

2 hours ago, DubDee said:

T Mac is being judged too harshly on the Harmes mark on the goaline imo. He has never had the best awareness and I reckon he wasn’t sure where the posts were and thought he better mark it to be sure. I really don’t think he would have intentionally marked it knowing the full situation around him, where defender were etc

Agree. Happy to give him the benefit of the doubt - I well remember that great effort in the goal square that allowed Sparrow’s goal in the GF.

Edited May 2, 2022 by chook fowler

[leave it to deever 17,511]

2 hours ago, Ouch! said:

Not so sure he will get to 200 this week against the saints.

I didn't like the optics of that mark in the goalsquare, nor his 'excuse' for why he took it rather than let it through.

Additionally I like what I have seen in the last few weeks with the Weid, and he at least feels like he is capable of getting a bag of 3 or 4. I don't get that feeling with Tom, who is more of a structural element than a player in form.

But he thoroughly deserves to get to 200, and has been a good servant of the club.

i get it was the wrong thing to do but sometimes thats just a fwds nature, often just reflex.

Edited May 2, 2022 by leave it to deever

[58er 6,422]

40 minutes ago, In Harmes Way said:

Nice argument. I'm in the camp that we need all three of TMac, Weid and BBB to be at the top of their game come finals, so giving them all a solid run of games only improves us as a team should any of the three have an injury/COVID. The arguments around TMac vs Weid and dropping one of them permanently don't really help us manage future contingencies/risk mitigation in my view.

Best wishes to TMac on his 200th if selected, he was a shining light in defence for many of our dark years and his kicking for goal is eons ahead of his kicking out of defence. I hope he's picked and plays a blinder. 

OUCHI

Many fans are far too quick to condemn Tmac. His ability to provide a contest in marking and prevent our opponents get a clean mark is without question. Weid does not do that consistently and our small forwards need those crumbs for their tackling or goalkicking opportunities. 
Tmac is a more rounded player than Sam but Sam is improving his versitility and awareness week by week and will have breakout days of 3/4/5 goals occasionally. Tommy has  about 3 goals max but provides more score involvements.  Sam is msybe ahead slightly as a second ruck snd can mark well as does Tommy around the ground.

Of course Tmac can play CHB or FB and I would have him in the 22 to combat if needed on King on Sunday, especially if Petty is not 100% or not playing.

Agree  we need all of BBB Tmac and  Sam fit and firing for selection at any stage. 

[58er 6,422]

15 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

i get it was the wrong thing to do but sometimes thats just a fwds nature, often just reflex.

PS Remember R17 vs Eagles goal in square match winner and in GF Tommy Sparrows shepherded goal and earlier in year another similar shepherd. He has some brownie points surely here !!! No one else seems to do it!!  

[DeeGee 177]

My nephew played junior representative footy with Tom many years ago. He reckons Tom was nothing special as a junior, and he was staggered he got drafted. Great effort to get to where he has in the game, as a 200 game player who is pretty well respected I think.

Meanwhile, my nephew (who was apparently a far better junior) is still running around a local country league.

[DeeZone 9,823]

3 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

For this alone he deserves to play his 200th. 

#WillNeverForgetThisTMacMoment

Thanks WCW I have watched that moment over 100 times now that goal was part of the sequence that I and most Dlanders will never forget. It is seared into my brain.❤️💙💕

[daisycutter 29,613]

3 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

For this alone he deserves to play his 200th. 

#WillNeverForgetThisTMacMoment

 

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

 

Only thing I dislike about that moment is that it happened in our ‘Bali knockoff’ away strip. 😕