Toast Hamish McIntosh

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Oct 20, 2004
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I almost feel bad about West's predicament.

He will get game-time, guaranteed, but Brisbane will get cruelly exposed this season. He might fond himself reminiscing about watching from the sidelines as his team win game after game...
True, but I think he's come to terms with being a Good Honest Player who's able to make a living out of the AFL, and fair enough.
 
Oct 20, 2004
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Gee, 18 wins and 4 losses. Some teams might be tossing their ruckmen out with the bathwater to get that sort of result in a season, you'd think :)lol- not disagreeing with you but we did OK with a different game plan and no rucks last year. OK would be my rating due to what I thought we were capable of, despite not having a ruckman and with a restricted FF. However 2014 is a whole new ball game, isn't it?
We were still getting beaten out of the centre by the better teams, though, and then winning the ball back across half-back before using the pace of our outside players to slingshot the ball forward and a strong press to keep it there. We were about mid-table for clearances in 2013, and 16th for average hitout differential. This year, we're a top side in the centre again.
 

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CS pointed out in the presser that he valued Hmac's ability to mark the ball and that he was a smart footballer that used the ball well. :thumbsu:
For me that is what really separates him from Dawson, Dawson battles hard but doesn't really offer anything round the ground and really struggles marking the ball. Yes he wins a lot of taps but you need more than that. Hopefully it comes...
 
Sep 15, 2007
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Thought Hmac was very good against the Demons racking up some nice numbers and really dominating in the stoppages and most noticeably around the ground.

CS pointed out in the presser that he valued Hmac's ability to mark the ball and that he was a smart footballer that used the ball well. :thumbsu:
Yes he is quite a good mark and reasonable ball user for a player his size. Pity he is just an average ruckman and can't cover much ground. Should put him deep in the forward pocket as a second marking opting and Kersten to centre half forward.
 
Nov 12, 2002
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Yes he is quite a good mark and reasonable ball user for a player his size. Pity he is just an average ruckman and can't cover much ground. Should put him deep in the forward pocket as a second marking opting and Kersten to centre half forward.

No no no no no please. He's a ruckman and nothing else. Too slow to be a key forward.
 
Mar 6, 2014
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Yes he is quite a good mark and reasonable ball user for a player his size. Pity he is just an average ruckman and can't cover much ground. Should put him deep in the forward pocket as a second marking opting and Kersten to centre half forward.
I thought he got around the ground very well yesterday, for 20 disposals, 5 marks, 6 tackles, 7 clearances, 5 score involvements and a beautiful goal... oh- plus a lazy 26 Hitouts.
If that's not covering much ground, I hope he doesn't cover much ground like that EVERY week!!
 
Mar 6, 2014
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..and provides zero defensive pressure. If he floats forward occasionally I haven't got a problem but no way he should be a permanent forward.
Yeah, equal 4th highest (6) tackles.

:D

Just stirring. He is a bit lumbering so probably not a good idea to lock him up in a pocket where he doesn't have room to move. He needs to be running around- he's pretty good at getting into the right places at times, and it's great to see him working himself into some good form. Hope he can sustain it through to the end of September.
 
He's one of the real positives of the season amongst the injuries as I honestly thought he would never play another game for us, but finals are the real test as that's what he was bought for. I dare say we would have made the GF last year if we had him out there, so we need him fit and firing for these finals.
 
Nov 12, 2002
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He's one of the real positives of the season amongst the injuries as I honestly thought he would never play another game for us, but finals are the real test as that's what he was bought for. I dare say we would have made the GF last year if we had him out there, so we need him fit and firing for these finals.

You really see the difference a player with 10 years' experience makes. He just reads the game so well around the ground and places himself perfectly to stay involved. That's the stuff Simpson needs to develop.
 
I thought he was fantastic yesterday. A true number one ruck isn't just a hitout machine, isn't just good at ground level (hello 6 clearances) isn't just good at marking around the ground, he does all of that. That's McIntosh when he's in form. It's not yet Simpson.

That said, Simpson's no mug, although clearly still needing to improve. The contrast between this year and last couldn't be more stark having two viable options. If one of them is injured or out of form at least we have the other.
 

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Mar 27, 2006
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I thought he was fantastic yesterday. A true number one ruck isn't just a hitout machine, isn't just good at ground level (hello 6 clearances) isn't just good at marking around the ground, he does all of that. That's McIntosh when he's in form. It's not yet Simpson.

That said, Simpson's no mug, although clearly still needing to improve. The contrast between this year and last couldn't be more stark having two viable options. If one of them is injured or out of form at least we have the other.

Yes, certainly better than the West/(less experienced) Blicavs option that we were left with last year. Yesterday was possibly McIntosh's best game for the club. By no means did he dominate but for the first game in a while I thought we had the better of the ruck contest. If he can hold that form (and remain upright) coming into September then we should at worst be competitive against the likes of Lobbe and Pyke and have a real advantage over anything Hawthorn throw at us. Sandilands is another story.
 

GFrost

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Apr 15, 2014
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Dawson may be out of form, but if we do well in finals, he may have played a very important role this year... If McIntosh is fit, healthy, and energetic for September as a result of being able to have weeks off during the year and splitting the ruck load with Dawson so often in the first half of the year.
 

GFrost

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Hamish happy either way...


Cat's big men enjoying rivalry for ruck spot

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-07-13/big-cats-big-rivalry

..........

“Dawson and I had a really good relationship and partnership the first nine or 10 weeks and it worked really well. Since then (we've) been in and out of the side.
"If it's one of us or both of us each week, if it's myself and 'Blics', I'll do what I'm told from 'Scotty' and we'll go from there.

"But I'm looking forward to reuniting my partnership with 'Daws' - if that happens in the next few weeks - and I feel like I can be a real positive strength for the side."

........

McIntosh carried most of the ruck load against the Demons at the MCG on Saturday.
The 203cm former Kangaroo tallied a season-high 20 disposals, took five marks, won 26 hit-outs and booted a goal on the run from 40m just before half-time.
He easily outpointed Mark Jamar, who had 24 hit-outs but only six disposals.
"You love going into the game knowing the responsibility is on you. It was a real one-on-one match up on Jamar," McIntosh said.

"(If) next week I get the chance to do it again I'll be lapping it up and hopefully play a good game."

.....
 
Good also because before anyone says 'he was just playing Melbourne' Jamar has been a beast the last month or so, I'd say he's been one of the top ruckman in that time
 
Mar 6, 2014
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Hamish happy either way...


Cat's big men enjoying rivalry for ruck spot

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-07-13/big-cats-big-rivalry

..........

“Dawson and I had a really good relationship and partnership the first nine or 10 weeks and it worked really well. Since then (we've) been in and out of the side.
"If it's one of us or both of us each week, if it's myself and 'Blics', I'll do what I'm told from 'Scotty' and we'll go from there.

"But I'm looking forward to reuniting my partnership with 'Daws' - if that happens in the next few weeks - and I feel like I can be a real positive strength for the side."

........

McIntosh carried most of the ruck load against the Demons at the MCG on Saturday.
The 203cm former Kangaroo tallied a season-high 20 disposals, took five marks, won 26 hit-outs and booted a goal on the run from 40m just before half-time.
He easily outpointed Mark Jamar, who had 24 hit-outs but only six disposals.
"You love going into the game knowing the responsibility is on you. It was a real one-on-one match up on Jamar," McIntosh said.

"(If) next week I get the chance to do it again I'll be lapping it up and hopefully play a good game."

.....
Another interesting comment in that article:

"Chris Scott, who said it's likely the Cats will play two ruckmen again this season, was pleased with McIntosh's work around the ground against Melbourne."

I guess it's going to be horses for courses. If we can get both of the big boys in- or if Blitz needs a break (I can't imagine that he would), we will be playing both #1 rucks.

But, then, Scott's said a lot of things, hasn't he?
 
Good also because before anyone says 'he was just playing Melbourne' Jamar has been a beast the last month or so, I'd say he's been one of the top ruckman in that time

Was is in the 3rd quarter where Jamar came straight from the bench for a ball up, and he ran & jumped straight into McIntosh's back - that looked like it could have done some serious damage because he had no interest in going for the ball, just in taking a 15m or so run and leap into the back of an opponent. I was close to losing it when the umpire blew his whistle for a free kick & initially signaled Melbourne's way before correcting himself, but for McIntosh to get up from that and to continue to have an impact I thought showed his value.
 
Sep 15, 2007
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We're playing 2 ruckmen already. It's whether we play 3... I'd only be playing Simpson if Blicavs needs a rest or McIntosh is injured. I reckon the experiment of playing all 3 has been tried and failed miserably. The current setup is the best and shouldn't be tinkered with now.
It beat Hawthorn and gave us a 5-0 start. Our record with the three is actually better than our record without the 3 at this point.
 

DanA

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May 15, 2006
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Not keen on 3 rucks simply because it will take a good player out of the side. It worked alright but Blicavs has been very good since being used in the ruck.

The comparatively good record with three rucks compared to two also coincides with S.J, Selwood and Taylor getting knocks. I'd suggest that was a bigger factor than the ruck situation.
 

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"You love going into the game knowing the responsibility is on you. It was a real one-on-one match up on Jamar," McIntosh said.
"(If) next week I get the chance to do it again I'll be lapping it up and hopefully play a good game."

.....


I actually wondered if this was the same reason that Dawson Simpson had dropped off in form. It seemed to be that his best was last season when he knew he was clear #1 choice and had the responsibility... now that Hamish is competition he doesn't seem to know his place as much perhaps?
 
Sep 15, 2007
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Not keen on 3 rucks simply because it will take a good player out of the side. It worked alright but Blicavs has been very good since being used in the ruck.

The comparatively good record with three rucks compared to two also coincides with S.J, Selwood and Taylor getting knocks. I'd suggest that was a bigger factor than the ruck situation.
actually Our only loss where Sj and Selwood werent injured was against Port when we didnt play the three. our only two losses where we did play the three came after that.
 

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