My fave player. Still a bit awkward moving, but has some great skills and endurance. We all thought he was cooked when he went through some ankle trouble - couldn’t seem to turn. We were calling him a straight line runner. Just shows how much effect injuries have on a player.

legend.

Each season, I pick a player who I’d like to have next to me if I was bunkered down in a war and about to hit a target. Last year it was ANB, so far this season, I’ve got T-Mac pencilled in. Not fancy or flashy but a reliable, steady hand. Amazing effort to get back to where he is.

Edited Wednesday at 12:252 days by Ethan Tremblay

1 hour ago, Garbo said:

Is he mentioned in any of the rolling AA teams, feel like based on that he needs to be in the conversation

No.

Nor is any other Dee.

😠

1 hour ago, bing181 said:

Also depends on what Tom himself wants to do, but he seems to have settled into a role and a way of playing that he could maintain for a while yet. His game relies on smarts and endurance, neither of which he's going to be losing any time soon. Also, the reality is that while he's 32, you look at the likes of Dangerfield and Tex Walker, still more than holding their own and 3 years older than Tom.

I'd offer him one year with a trigger clause for a second year.

I'd just keep giving him one year deals.

I've been a critic at times but there is no doubt that Tommy will end as one of the Melbourne Football Club greats...

Well done Tommy, may you keep on keeping on.

3 hours ago, Demon Jack said:

Come a long way has Tommy Mac!

He's having another superb season after his career was halted with injuries in 22-23. Should notch up 250 games later this season if he stays fit. I can't see him being dropped once Lever returns.

Provided he wants to keep playing, I could see him playing for another 2-3 seasons.

Here I was thinking our crowd attendance is poo now, forgot it was even worse then!

1 hour ago, Cranky Franky said:

Where do you dream this stuff up ??? This is completely untrue.

TMac has generally been well liked by Demonlanders & one of the most popular players.

He most certainly has been derided by Demonlanders. “He’s cooked” “He’s too old” “He’s too slow” “He has the turning circle of the Titanic/Queen Mary” etc.

@red and blue forever didn’t dream this stuff up, he just has a better memory than you.

2 hours ago, Maldonboy38 said:

Actually, in his early career he was a turnover king, and many Dees supporters wanted him dropped, de-listed etc... He was always liked as a person and a good club man, but his skills detracted from all the good stuff he did. It all turned in and after 2018. I thought he was gone in 2022 but he keeps on improving himself and finding a place. He is a marverl and I hope he gets another year with triggers for a 2nd.

Hmm I actually still think this is untrue.

Dive back to 2012 onwards on here and you'll see that many Melbournesupporters had a huge amount of respect for Tom considering earlier on his career he was shutting down the likes of Nick Reiwoldt during those dark times.

It a time where there wasn't many shining lights, Tom was one of few who continue to hold their head up high because how much he stood tall during a time we were constantly getting flogged on the scoreboard.

Yes many would cringe at his disposal but it wasn't as bad as you're making it out to the point where supporters were actually calling for him to be delisted..

Edited Wednesday at 12:092 days by dazzledavey36

Not that anyone is suggesting it, but wanted to say with McDonald, Gawn, and to a lesser extent Viney, I feel let's not rush to pension them off, they have demonstrated a commitment to durability with their preparation. Unless we start seeing (god forbid) calf/hamstring issues, these guys are the blokes to keep standards going for a long time. Also love that TMac and Viney can be at blows in training and best mates off the track sharing family time.

In an interview a few years ago, TMac mentioned that he'd like to play until he's 35.

Not sure I'd bet against him

Yep. Just adding to the noise.

Tom McDonald is seriously respectable.

I suspect I say it so often that it bores people, but I love that level of player who always contributes solidly without ever being a top star.

Having said that, he remains, and I suspect shall remain, the only player to have kicked a goal after the siren in a grand final while 17 adult men dry-humped in a pile just to the left of the mark.

That, at least, was spectacular.

No superstar. Just a great team man, solid, reliable and effective.

If he keeps going as he started the season, another one-year deal would surely be on the table.

Has been very consistent this year Tommy McDonald.

Should be in the top 10 of our Best & Fairest this year.

Will easily play over 250+ games for the Demons.

May even be a sneaky chance to play over 300+ games?

4 hours ago, Deestroye said:

Here I was thinking our crowd attendance is poo now, forgot it was even worse then!

all things considered this was a good crowd for this game

Round: 23 Venue: M.C.G. Date: Sun, 28-Aug-2011 2:10 PM Attendance: 21534

gc debut year 21k on a sunday not a bad crowd at all, wasn't the game vs gws last year about 15k

13 hours ago, Demon Jack said:

Come a long way has Tommy Mac!

He's having another superb season after his career was halted with injuries in 22-23. Should notch up 250 games later this season if he stays fit. I can't see him being dropped once Lever returns.

Provided he wants to keep playing, I could see him playing for another 2-3 seasons.

Blumin hell, that’s a handy debut game. Forgot that he wore 43 too. 14 years on he is closing in on 250 games and has a flag. Too good!

You just have marvel at T Mac, he has given plenty to the MFC.

Reminds me of a decent red. Just pretty good without too much song and dance. Gets on with it and delivers.

🤔 Pepperjack Mac 😉

Tom has been clearly our best performed defender this year, and arguably was last year as well. It is an indictment on our selectors that he wasn't named in our round 1 side.

With May fading badly in the past 12 months and Lever just a shadow of his 2021 self, there is every chance Tom will still be in our best 22 at the end of 2026.

11 minutes ago, poita said:

Tom has been clearly our best performed defender this year, and arguably was last year as well. It is an indictment on our selectors that he wasn't named in our round 1 side.

With May fading badly in the past 12 months and Lever just a shadow of his 2021 self, there is every chance Tom will still be in our best 22 at the end of 2026.

as good as TMac has been I think Bowser has been our best defender.

16 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Pick 53

Along with Max, Barry Prendergast’s best picks. 😂

We are lucky to have Tmac, he's been great for us this year and last.

2 hours ago, chook fowler said:

as good as TMac has been I think Bowser has been our best defender.

Have both been outstanding at their respective roles. Bowser couldn'tplay on the monster key forwards and take the big contested marks the same way T Mac does.

14 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Hmm I actually still think this is untrue.

Dive back to 2012 onwards on here and you'll see that many Melbournesupporters had a huge amount of respect for Tom considering earlier on his career he was shutting down the likes of Nick Reiwoldt during those dark times.

It a time where there wasn't many shining lights, Tom was one of few who continue to hold their head up high because how much he stood tall during a time we were constantly getting flogged on the scoreboard.

Yes many would cringe at his disposal but it wasn't as bad as you're making it out to the point where supporters were actually calling for him to be delisted..

That's my recollection also. T Mac was and still is to an extent an awsome athlete. One of the few that could keep up with Reiwolt athletically and often kept him from impacting in games against us. T Mac was viewed as one of the elite defenders in the competition at that time, with his kicking being perhaps his only real weakness. Around that time, when we were struggling as a team on the feild, he could have walked into so many other teams, but chose to stick fat with the MFC and I have alot of respect for him for that (and I think Max and Vines would also, amoung many other things). He probably still finishes top 10 in preseason endurance time trials.

In the years since, I only think he has added more strings to his bow as a footballer. While he might have lost a bit of agility, I think he has significantly increased his physical strength from his younger years and become an excellent contested mark an, even better reader of the play and enhanced leadership presance. Although he may lack the agility to play as a full time forward, I feel he could still impact down their by pinch hitting and giving us a marking option deep if we needed a circuit breaker as he did a few times late last year.

Persoally, I have soo much love for Tommy as a MFC footballer and he'll go down as one of my all time favourites.

Also worth remembering the amazing year he had last season as well came off the back of his personal family tragedy of loosing a baby - would take amazing inner strength and resilience.

Give him a contract as long as he wants to be at the club.

Edited yesterday at 02:461 day by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

5 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

You just have marvel at T Mac, he has given plenty to the MFC.

In the same boat as Max. Did they start their careers at the same time?

4 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

In the same boat as Max. Did they start their careers at the same time?

both played their first senior games in 2011, but max was drafted one year earlier than tom, in 2009

no coincidence in my mind that plugger mac's best years as a forward - back half of 2017, all of 2018, then 2021 - were some of our most successful from his 15 seasons at the club

he was incredibly durable up until and including 2018, then 2021 and 2024 are the only seasons he's got through more than 15 games

i maintain his injury in 2022 was the sliding doors moment of our 'goodwin era'

Edited yesterday at 03:151 day by whatwhat say what