Coach #34: Jamie Macmillan - delisted after 167 NM games/46 NM goals - returns as NMFC AFL Footy Ops boss (reporting to L.Kane)

[SpearPass]

F***ing footysmart.

This is why some here and at the club were certain that he'd make it whilst others were crying that we didn't pick a guy with a great sprint time at the draft combine. The club knew they were onto a gem when they saw how footysmart he was - all it would take would be experience and honing to bring it to fruition. Those not in the know had a cry because they couldn't see any 'attributes' that he had.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

The best way to describe him is Clean.

Everything about JMac is clean. You know when he has the ball we'll keep it.

Perhaps more than anyone now in the team. Boomer is gold with the 30 metre kick but is a mediocre hand baller, Goldstein is up there and in space, dal Santo, Cunnington, Thomas and Ziebell are close too. But for allround smarts and cleanness, JMac is probably no1.

 

[Donkey Chop]

Perhaps more than anyone now in the team. Boomer is gold with the 30 metre kick but is a mediocre hand baller, Goldstein is up there and in space, dal Santo, Cunnington, Thomas and Ziebell are close too. But for allround smarts and cleanness, JMac is probably no1.

I'd prolly still have Boomer & Dal infront of him but yeah he's come a long way

 

[Digby Morrell]

Mcmillan and atley are ready to explode. They are ready to take their games to the next level next year.

 

[Event Horizon]

Mcmillan and atley are ready to explode. They are ready to take their games to the next level next year.

Over next two weeks please.

 

[shinboner magic]

Kudos to jmac for his play this year.

Has really turned the corner this year- is reliable

 

[Kcrack]

The best way to describe him is Clean.

Everything about JMac is clean.

Especially his haircut.

:stern look

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Has become one of my favourites this year. A lot more
Dependable one on one compared to previous years and his run and carry has been really valuable.

Would love to see him hit the
Scoreboard more often he is so reliable on the run!

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Given ArjenTheGreat's backflip on Jamie, I'm interested: Where does he sit for you now on hard/fast/skillful? For me he's still

* A good runner but no Atley.
* Not soft but no Turner or Garner.
* A good user but no Boomer (though I would say that's the aspect of his game that's come on the most this year).

Seriously think you need a 4th dimension - Smart. It makes up for the fact he's not outstanding necessarily outstanding at the other 3.

I would say he is now hard and skillful and has some dash.

And he is playing very smart, leadership-group quality football (leaving aside the Tom Brady action at the start of the game)

 

[muttley45]

Just read this on the club website :

http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2015-10-01/a-lead-role

 

[royalblue92]

Add four to five kg's of lean muscle mass. Increase power, plyometric and sprint training into his program this off season. Put him into the midfield rotation.

 

[Saintly31]

No doubt he is clearly improved of the poor tackling, poor decision maker who moved and structured well which he once was.

Think with further consistency in his game could raise another level to become a quality player, I hope he gets a 100% run at it.

 

[jess_1804]

 

[Black2Blue]

This must be the official pirate pose. Ats is a mirror image.

And onya Phillyroo for giving your boy a like.

 

[scooby1279]

will improve again this season. Our team is shaping up well

 

[DarkPhoenix]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/jam...r/news-story/cf4b97fa7f2fc718ee51e687dfc7fdfd

YOU don’t have to be in the heat of battle to prove yourself as a leader.

Although through unfortunate circumstances, Jamie Macmillan is living proof of that fact.

As North Melbourne enjoyed its most successful on-field period since the turn of the century, qualifying for successive preliminary finals, Macmillan spent the majority of that time battling a series of injury issues.

First it was a fractured fibula. Then a hamstring. Then his achilles. Then another hamstring.

It was hardly the way the defender imagined his first year in the North Melbourne leadership group panning out.

“The world started caving in on me when I broke my leg in 2014,” Macmillan tells foxfooty.com.au.

“It just led from one injury to another unfortunately.”

Jamie Macmillan is ready to hit the ground running in 2016. Picture: Mark Stewart.Source: News Corp Australia
He would miss 28 of a possible 34 matches in an agonising 18-month period.

But, while the experiences were frustrating, Macmillan searched for ways to find a silver lining from his time spent on the sidelines.

He mentored North’s brightest young players, spent time in the coaches box with Brad Scott and began noting tactical observations that would help his game when he did eventually return to the field.

“I want to be able to identify things as a player and to sit in the coaches box and see what they’re picking up, I was able to get back out on the field and say ‘I’ve seen what happens here’,” Macmillan says.

“I found myself thinking a little more tactically about the game. That’s helped me get involved more and help the other guys around me.”

Those invaluable lessons had an immediate impact on Macmillan’s footy.

Although 2015 was still an interrupted one, he established himself as one of the competition’s most improved attacking defenders.

He was ranked elite for metres gained by Champion Data and above average for intercept marks and intercept possessions. He also led North Melbourne for rebound 50s.

Jamie Macmillan with North Melbourne coach Brad Scott. Picture: Michael Klein.Source: News Corp Australia
Having an impact going forward has subsequently become a continued aim for Macmillan as he heads into 2016.

“Just getting a little bit more involved is something I’ve been working on,” he says.

“I worked pretty closely with Brady Rawlings when I first came to the footy club. He instilled in me that defence is going to get you games, so I’ve always had that defensive mindset. But it got to the point where I said ‘okay, I can do that side of the game reasonably well, now it’s about what else can I add to the side.’

“I worked really closely last year with Josh Drummond on being able to defend while having an impact going the other way. While it doesn’t really come naturally to me because I’m used to that defensive role, now I’m finding out how it fits into my game. I’ve found it as I’ve matured.”

Jamie Macmillan missed the most of 2014 with a fractured fibula.Source: News Corp Australia
At 24, Macmillan is the youngest member of North Melbourne’s five-man leadership group.

But, without being able to have as much of an on-field impact as he might have liked last year, he instead honed his skill set away from the park with the help of some of the club’s more experienced players.

“It was pretty eye-opening,” he says.

“Last year was a lot about keeping things pretty simple. I was able to learn off the guys in the leadership group, led by Andrew Swallow, but then you had Drew Petrie and Nick Dal Santo as well. I was able to feed off them, so last year was an educational year for me in that sense.

“The relationship with the young guys and being able to teach them both the game and the way to go about your footy, those sorts of things are what I’m pretty keen on doing.

“I’m hoping this year I’ll be able to have a bit more of an impact.”

And things are looking up.

Aside from a bout of illness preventing him from one session before Christmas, Macmillan hasn’t missed a beat this pre-season and is priming himself for what would be a richly deserved injury-free year.

“The last two months have been really good,” he says. “I’ve had a solid pre-season, as the majority of our list has.

“Fingers crossed this year I can avoid those stupid injuries and put a good run together.”

 

[Daniltchenko You Beauty]

Seriously underrated footballer. Back in him in for a big year.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Has been a decent contributor so far.

Hopefully he can become more.

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

Has been a decent contributor so far.

Hopefully he can become more.

He will deliver. [/Phillyism]

 

[kangaspurs]

Seriously underrated footballer. Back in him in for a big year.

I completely agree. Got a feeling that if he can keep himself fit he can get push himself up to borderline All-Australian standard this season,

 

[Jasemon]

He definitely provides a sense of calmness when he's got the ball. Reliable disposal and you feel he's going to make the right decisions with ball in hand. For me though I still feel as though he's searching for his exact role in the team. Strange to say that when he's in the leadership group but I feel as though he can get beaten more times than not against the elite players in the competition. In saying that he's a favourite of mine and the positives I mentioned at the beginning of this post are not to be underrated.

 

[kangaspurs]

 

[boneofshin]

Carey referring to North as 'we' all of a sudden. Interesting.

 

[kangaspurs]

Carey referring to North as 'we' all of a sudden. Interesting.

I noticed that as well. It's the first time I've heard it in a while. Last year in the media we were exclusively 'the Kangaroos.'

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Carey referring to North as 'we' all of a sudden. Interesting.

With the new Membership campaign including him as well I'm wondering if an attempt at mending bridges is being made.