Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Connor MacDonald! Extended to 2025!

[TDS7]

MacDonald is more athletic than most of your uys are giving him credit for. His burst speed is just about as elite as they come, and he has the tank to keep at it in the guts all game. Its his speed and strength that maks him a great pick, his biggest weakness is kicking which can be worked on, especially with the dedication he has shown.

 

[TheFourPillars]

McDonald similar to Worpel then?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

McDonald similar to Worpel then?

Not really. Might be a tad cleaner, faster, more dynamic.

 

[flinchfree]

He looks more contested than ward. More like Trent Cotchin in the way he plays, or at least played at the same age. Capable on the outside and kicks goals.

I agree. Kid just looks hard, he's not considering where it's safe to go and how to position his body to safely navigate anything.
Sees ball gets ball, then quick to look to do something with it.
Contested/first use has been our weakness for some time, I like that were throwing a tonne of young quality at the area around the ball and allowing the best to simply take the spot for themselves.

 

[bumsonseats]

MacDonald is more athletic than most of your uys are giving him credit for. His burst speed is just about as elite as they come, and he has the tank to keep at it in the guts all game. Its his speed and strength that maks him a great pick, his biggest weakness is kicking which can be worked on, especially with the dedication he has shown.

Sounds like Patrick Dangerfield

 

[CobberRodgers]

Sounds like Patrick Dangerfield

He won’t be selfish though. Kid is going to play 250+ games all for the jumper.

 

[2OLD 2SLOW]

Cut up his game for Country vs Metro.
Along with Hobbs, was pretty good in a well beaten side.
Very noticeable that things went downhill in the midfield for Country each time McDonald was given a rest (ie. others were given a go).

Smooth mover - good stoppage skills - just needs to tidy up his kicking (action itself doesn't look too bad to my eyes).
Also suspect Connor is going to be very receptive to Sam's mantra about being 'tough, hard and physical.'

 

[Blackhawk42]

Who do we all compare him to? (current or past i dont mind).

Maybe a bit of Luke Shuey? Shuey with a bit of Coniglio.

 

[ralphwiggum]

Sounds like Patrick Dangerfield

Without the FIGJAM? I'm sold!

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Cut up his game for Country vs Metro.
Along with Hobbs, was pretty good in a well beaten side.
Very noticeable that things went downhill in the midfield for Country each time McDonald was given a rest (ie. others were given a go).

Smooth mover - good stoppage skills - just needs to tidy up his kicking (action itself doesn't look too bad to my eyes).
Also suspect Connor is going to be very receptive to Sam's mantra about being 'tough, hard and physical.'

I’d never noticed the quick hands at the 40 second mark, while off the ground.

sometimes his hands are almost too quick for his own good.

 

[chopflop]

I’d never noticed the quick hands at the 40 second mark, while off the ground.

sometimes his hands are almost too quick for his own good.

That's what stood out for me in that highlight tape. Takes first option and takes it quickly. Decision making with kicking needs work but his technique looks good. Pumped with this pick. Reckon he'll be a jet

 

[Mitchell Madness]

One of the afl sites write ups on this pick stopped short of saying "hawks screw bombers/blues"

 

[2OLD 2SLOW]

I’d never noticed the quick hands at the 40 second mark, while off the ground.

sometimes his hands are almost too quick for his own good.

Ward has super quick hands as well, and Tom Mitchell looks like he's wearing Richmond colours the way he flings it out so fast at times.
I would love for us to improve that part of our game, collectively.
As much as our field kicking has declined with the departure of the golden generation, I think our ball-handling and quick hands have fared even worse.

I've watched that Sydney GF over and over, and our sure, quick hands meant the supposedly best pressure team in the comp could barely lay a glove on us.
Hope it's a priority for Sam, who himself was slicker than slick.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Ward has super quick hands as well, and Tom Mitchell looks like he's wearing Richmond colours the way he flings it out so fast at times.
I would love for us to improve that part of our game, collectively.
As much as our field kicking has declined with the departure of the golden generation, I think our ball-handling and quick hands have fared even worse.

I've watched that Sydney GF over and over, and our sure, quick hands meant the supposedly best pressure team in the comp could barely lay a glove on us.
Hope it's a priority for Sam, who himself was slicker than slick.







View attachment 1288075

One of the greatest midfielder's of his generation!! With other Alpha mids like Hodge, Lewis and Burgoyne in support, no wonder we're a hard lot to please when it comes to inside midfielders.
Super excited to see what MacDonald/Ward/maginness/Worpel can do for us in years to come!!

 

[MrPremiership]

Biggest steal of the draft in my view. Very excited to see him

 

[chopflop]

In thinking of a comparison in terms of style but not quality. I see him having a similar style to James Cousins

24

James Cousins

Age

26

Ht

185cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.3

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

7.1

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

3.0

5star

CL

1.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

14.0

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

0.6

3star

. Just way more powerful. Better accumulation. Better tackling and better endurance. Also better kicking but it is similarly a relative weakness atm.

 

[Tassie Cryptik]

If his hands are as quick as Nash's, I'm sold.

 

[dreaming of another cyri]

Why draftee and AFL great were shocked when Hawks swooped

“I wasn’t really expecting it and it was a bit of a shock.”

www.sen.com.au

Like that he speaks well and wants to go up against Worps and Jai as inside bulls at training and have an immediate impact.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

In thinking of a comparison in terms of style but not quality. I see him having a similar style to James Cousins. Just way more powerful. Better accumulation. Better tackling and better endurance. Also better kicking but it is similarly a relative weakness atm.

As a Cousins lover, i disagree. He's better at just about everything. Kicking miles ahead.

 

[chopflop]

As a Cousins lover, i disagree. He's better at just about everything. Kicking miles ahead.

Maybe we should have used pick 26 on Cousins. Oops.

 

[Hawk Dork]

Maybe we should have used pick 26 on Cousins. Oops.

If the only thing that stopped you being a pro footballer was your s**t kicking you would think you would work on it, the difference it would make to your lifestyle and money would be massive

 

[MasterSamurai]

In thinking of a comparison in terms of style but not quality. I see him having a similar style to James Cousins. Just way more powerful. Better accumulation. Better tackling and better endurance. Also better kicking but it is similarly a relative weakness atm.

So, nothing like cousins then?

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Maybe we should have used pick 26 on Cousins. Oops.

No, MacDonald is better at everything.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Why draftee and AFL great were shocked when Hawks swooped

“I wasn’t really expecting it and it was a bit of a shock.”

www.sen.com.au

Interview starts at 25:45.

Very well spoken young man indeed, and Lloyd (personally like him as a pundit *shudders*) absolutely loved MacDonald.

 

[Brishawk]

Why draftee and AFL great were shocked when Hawks swooped

“I wasn’t really expecting it and it was a bit of a shock.”

www.sen.com.au

Interview starts at 25:45.

Very well spoken young man indeed, and Lloyd (personally like him as a pundit *shudders*) absolutely loved MacDonald.

Could be the bargain of the draft. Could easily have been taken in the first round. Captain material. Our Cotchin.