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Hardly a position of need for us right now though. Maybe Read coming in has forced them to mix it up for Mac

I get it’s pre-season and we’re trialling things. Just felt he was coming on well as an intercepting defender.
Re-watching practice, Read impressed in 3rd period. He does look like another Ballard only with better kick :) Also Read put on some weight contrary to Mac. I suspect it will take Mac 5-6 years to reach a good weight (similar to Chol).
 

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Yeah not sure what the plan with Mac is. You can't have King, Luko, Walter and Mac all in the same forward line.
He was looking very assured as a 3rd defender by the end of last season. Seems a waste to let that potential go.
You clearly didn’t watch the dominance that was the King, Lukosius, Levi, Chol MEGAline then. :p At least the 4 you listed have some sort of ground ball ability I guess?

My only concern with Mac in defence is the lack of defensive intent he often shows, mainly when the ball hits the deck and he just watches it shoot past him or just jogs around to it with no really intensity. Obviously that can be trained into him, but I don’t know if Mac is the type of player to develop that side of his game. Plus with Mac in the forward line we can have as many Macphersons as we want just launching the ball forward and no one is out reaching him, and his skills in the centre would genuinely make him a unicorn. 🦄
 
You clearly didn’t watch the dominance that was the King, Lukosius, Levi, Chol MEGAline then. :p At least the 4 you listed have some sort of ground ball ability I guess?

My only concern with Mac in defence is the lack of defensive intent he often shows, mainly when the ball hits the deck and he just watches it shoot past him or just jogs around to it with no really intensity. Obviously that can be trained into him, but I don’t know if Mac is the type of player to develop that side of his game. Plus with Mac in the forward line we can have as many Macphersons as we want just launching the ball forward and no one is out reaching him, and his skills in the centre would genuinely make him a unicorn. 🦄
Happy for Mac to do some rucking, especially when Casboult is replaced by Jed in a few weeks. Use that leap and might add something different at times.

Maybe Witts as main ruck, Jed (or Luko lol) as a forward ruck, Mac as a support ruck when Witts is off. Could be a way to mix it up.
 
Happy for Mac to do some rucking, especially when Casboult is replaced by Jed in a few weeks. Use that leap and might add something different at times.

Maybe Witts as main ruck, Jed (or Luko lol) as a forward ruck, Mac as a support ruck when Witts is off. Could be a way to mix it up.
Teams quite often like their ruckman to push deep forward to try and use their height to grab a mark or 2, gawn does it a lot and Draper is another I can think of. Could witts do this and Mac pushes outside the arc to play the back play, which he is well suited to. Get the feeling dimma really wants to have a point of difference with him.
 
Hardly a position of need for us right now though. Maybe Read coming in has forced them to mix it up for Mac

I get it’s pre-season and we’re trialling things. Just felt he was coming on well as an intercepting defender.
Completely agree with you, mac was making great strides as a defender. Not sure what the logic is behind moving him forward when we are so stacked at that position. I personally think it’ll stunt his development and confidence but I hope I’m wrong. I feel like he just needed more game time in defence to keep learning the craft. He has the ability to be an elite defender in the league. Tall defenders are a need for us so hopefully this is just a quick throw of the magnets on the board which they realise isn’t working and put him back in defence where he can flourish.
 
I still remember early last season, people were screaming that Mac can't play in defence, should spend years in VFL. He did cost us in some games. Now, he is indispensable in defence. I actually almost believe that Read can play that role if he gets some games under his belt (like Mac did last year).

Dimma said, he has potential to become one of the best players and they are sorting his role out at the moment.

He is 202cm and unfortunately still skinny. With his leap and some extra weight he could become unbelievable ruck (that's what he considered himself becoming eventually when drafted).

But also who says that with experience and learning and more weight he can't become a great forward. With his leap, I bet on proper lead even both Kings can't come close his reach.

He is far from finish product, just scratching surface. Dimma is figuring out his best use, strongest traits.

I am looking forward to watch his progress wherever he plays. Hopefully he stays with us and stays OK off field. Just wish he was already 95kg.

Adding Read, Walter, having Moyle made things interesting. I suspect Moyle will be gone.
 
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Clohesey..

emg..

Gotta be kidding
Clohesy! Amazing that they leave him out of the 26 based on last week's game. Ellis on last chance I hope. Joel Jeffery another stunning call. Should at least have made the travelling squad - played very well last week. Atkins another who could consider himself unlucky. The lucky ones - the usual suspects - Ace, McPherson, Fiorini. My delete finger always hovers over Ainsworth, Sexton and Holman but guess they all deserve a few chances. This is it though for all three if they don't fire and fire big time.
 
It's pretty clear it's Ellis and Fiorini for now as our wings.

Not sure who W Graham is competing with. I would say only one of Ace, Berry in round one.
Will Graham is a swing man - can cover most positions so really pleased that he's being given an early shot. There's a lot of Dimma in Will - and assume Hardwick can also see that.
 

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Clohesy! Amazing that they leave him out of the 26 based on last week's game. Ellis on last chance I hope. Joel Jeffery another stunning call. Should at least have made the travelling squad - played very well last week. Atkins another who could consider himself unlucky. The lucky ones - the usual suspects - Ace, McPherson, Fiorini. My delete finger always hovers over Ainsworth, Sexton and Holman but guess they all deserve a few chances. This is it though for all three if they don't fire and fire big time.
Ainsworth? Surely you jest
 
Ainsworth? Surely you jest
No jesting - all three have never shown the promise expected. Good and reliable team players no doubt, but they were all expected to be so much better. Ainsworth had a burst late last year that showed promise - let's see how he goes tonight. Was pretty quiet last week as well. I lump them with Ace, McPherson, Fiorini, Lemmens as the remnants of a time I'd rather forget. As always I'm happy to be proven wrong.
 
No jesting - all three have never shown the promise expected. Good and reliable team players no doubt, but they were all expected to be so much better. Ainsworth had a burst late last year that showed promise - let's see how he goes tonight. Was pretty quiet last week as well. I lump them with Ace, McPherson, Fiorini, Lemmens as the remnants of a time I'd rather forget. As always I'm happy to be proven wrong.
Ace and MacPherson where pre season draftees, I don't think they have underperformed at all. They are right about where their draft position shows. Ainsworth plays probably the hardest position on the ground, has a top 5 work rate for our team and consistently puts in great performances for a forward line that gets terrible delivery at the best of time. Yes, he isn't a game changer but he would absolutely be one of the first picked every week. To lump him in with those players is utterly ridiculous in my opinion.
 
Ace and MacPherson where pre season draftees, I don't think they have underperformed at all. They are right about where their draft position shows. Ainsworth plays probably the hardest position on the ground, has a top 5 work rate for our team and consistently puts in great performances for a forward line that gets terrible delivery at the best of time. Yes, he isn't a game changer but he would absolutely be one of the first picked every week. To lump him in with those players is utterly ridiculous in my opinion.
Let's review all three at year's end....
 
Thomas berry much better than McPherson
 

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