Past #1: Majak Daw [Part II] - 54 NM games/43 NM goals - delisted end '20 - SSP selection for MFC '21 - retired mid-'22

[Snake_Baker]

To his credit, he gave off handballs as a first option more, and given his notorious lack of tank actually held up decently when we were a couple of rotations down. And his 1v1 work is not as terrible as his first game had me fearing.

Yes. He played within his limits, which is the mark of a disciplined defender. Much less lairy stuff. Good on him. Now the pressure is on to maintain that type of football.

 

[Twinkletoes]

I've got you big dog

Thanks Goose.

Another thing with Maj the defender is how the defensive unit is performing as a whole with him in it. The stats are compelling. Taz, Hunter S and EVW are very much appreciating him lurking around with the ability to spoil the behemoths and/or take a crucial contested mark.

 

[MaddAdam]

What the hell is that for a comment?!

It would have been a different game with Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Carey & Blight out there too.

It’s irrelevent mate.

I love Majak, but jeez, if those two were there, and but for happenstance they would have been, things would have been different.

Let's enjoy where he's at for sure, I've been backing him for the best part of ten years now, but in the immortal words of Zondor I don't know if it is time to flop it out and have a Big Crank just yet.

 

[ferball]

I love Majak, but jeez, if those two were there, and but for happenstance they would have been, things would have been different.

Let's enjoy where he's at for sure, I've been backing him for the best part of ten years now, but in the immortal words of Zondor I don't know if it is time to flop it out and have a Big Crank just yet.

It is, if only in celebration of yesterday's game.

While you are right about the two little forwards changing the dynamic of Hawthorn's forward line they wouldn't have been an issue without our injuries to Higgo and the veedub. We won that game in the midfield.

 

[King Corey]

Had some extra zing in his diet this week

Imagine what a full packet would do?

 

[King Corey]

He needs those defensive leaders to help him because he lacks the natural awareness.

And so what? (not having a go at you)

All players have limitations, Maj has all the physical attributes and skills but needs some footy nouse assistance.

Conversely you get someone like McMahon who read the game like a book and had a neat kick but a pudding gut and tractor slow legs.

They all come with various pros and cons.

 

[King Corey]

I love Maj but it would have been a different game with Cyril and Poo Puller out there.

That applies to our entire team.

Why is it Daw is always subject to praise with caveats?

 

[Heaps of fun]

And there you go. The week you say that is the week I started to see the things you've been potting him for, maybe because I was sitting at the North end where we were defending in the 4th quarter. Those couple of contested grabs in the last were massive but I thought he got blown up a bit by his man, was tentative at times when the ball was on the ground and a bit uncertain with his disposal.

To his credit, he gave off handballs as a first option more, and given his notorious lack of tank actually held up decently when we were a couple of rotations down. And his 1v1 work is not as terrible as his first game had me fearing.

I'm definitely in the camp that the defense experiment is a better option than just having him play out his contract at full forward in the VFL. And good on him for making the most of the chance.

He was blowing hard in the third and did his usual thing where he stands a quarter of a kick behind the play in no man's land when he should have been flooding back. Came out like a man possessed in the fourth though played with smarts and physicality that he has been criticised for not having.

 

[Moti]

That applies to our entire team.

Why is it Daw is always subject to praise with caveats?

Yep, Impey walked through the entire team on several occasions, add Burgoyne and that could have been a lot worse.

 

[MaddAdam]

That applies to our entire team.

Why is it Daw is always subject to praise with caveats?

Because in this case the key issues with Maj are his situational awareness, decision making and reaction time, and with those two mini-cocktopuses zipping about, he'd have been under a lot more pressure a lot of the time.

He played a great game, he's going really well and I reckon there's a permanent spot for him in defense.

But, I just think we need to put things in context before flopping it out and having the proverbial Big Crank.

 

[GreatBradScott]

Corridor awareness is my only issue with him now. If you're gonna spoil it son, don't knock it back into there. Other than that, another really, really positive outing. Keep it up.

 

[MaddAdam]

Corridor awareness is my only issue with him now. If you're gonna spoil it son, don't knock it back into there. Other than that, another really, really positive outing. Keep it up.

Yep, agreed, more like that and it will be Big Cranks all round.

 

[King Corey]

Because in this case the key issues with Maj are his situational awareness, decision making and reaction time, and with those two mini-cocktopuses zipping about, he'd have been under a lot more pressure a lot of the time.

He played a great game, he's going really well and I reckon there's a permanent spot for him in defense.

But, I just think we need to put things in context before flopping it out and having the proverbial Big Crank.

Get your point but Jamie, Marley, Scooter, Robbie et al (ie the whole team) would've all also been under more pressure were there 2 additional elite pressure forwards in their lineup.

But lets single out Majak?

 

[kaboom kid]

And so what? (not having a go at you)

All players have limitations, Maj has all the physical attributes and skills but needs some footy nouse assistance.

Conversely you get someone like McMahon who read the game like a book and had a neat kick but a pudding gut and tractor slow legs.

They all come with various pros and cons.

Or Brad McKenzie who was a beautiful kick but couldn't do much else.....

 

[DesertRoo]

Lol. If Maj has Roughhead covered, I’m calling it now - we’ll win the flag!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Underrated post!

 

[Rooboy 96]

Watching general play live Maj sticks out to me, not in a good way. With everyone else you can usually see their positioning and movements and make sense of them based upon where they're fitting in with nearby teammates and the overall structure. Watching Maj I usually get the impression that he isn't quite fitting in with the others. Is that just me?

It makes me wonder why, if I'm seeing it correctly, is it so? If a player isn't a coheasive part of the team's roving structures then that slack must be attempted to be taken up by others, obviously a high burden with multiple downsides. So i wonder what are my options to make sense of this.

1. Maj is selected with the expectation of being an integral part of the team structure (IPTS), he is doing that and I just can't see it.
2. Maj is selected with the expectation of being an IPTS and is failing.
3. Maj is selected without the expectation of being an IPTS.

1. This makes sense.

2. This makes sense if
a) being an IPTS is just one criteria to measure and despite failing at this Maj's overall value on field is still greater than the next in line for his spot
b) we aren't pushing for wins, want to finally settle on whether or not to keep him on and value that over giving game time to the next in line for his spot
c) other (times a bazillion)

3. This makes sense in the same way as 2(a) but without the failure.

What do you make of the above?

I'm not a gambler but at a guess I'd go with 3. Maj has aerobic and footy nous shortcomings that prevent him from being an IPTS but his impact on the contests he can be involved in outpoints that in the mind of the selection panel.

that probably explains why we have the best defensive unit in the league at the moment.

 

[Only Forwards]

But, I just think we need to put things in context before flopping it out and having the proverbial Big Crank.

This can be said about the win in its entirety.

People are talking line in the sand game and finals.

We kicked the s**t outta Adelaide last year and wound up bottom 4.

Don't get me wrong promising signs are promising. Expectations should remain tempered.

 

[Firestarter]

This can be said about the win in its entirety.

People are talking line in the sand game and finals.

We kicked the s**t outta Adelaide last year and wound up bottom 4.

Don't get me wrong promising signs are promising. Expectations should remain tempered.

On the other hand I can write off Hawks as a premiership winner now too.

 

[Only Forwards]

On the other hand I can write off Hawks as a premiership winner now too.

Did you think Richmond could or would win it at round 5 last year?

 

[Firestarter]

Did you think Richmond could or would win it at round 5 last year?

More along the "Well, there goes Adelaide's chances" last year. I believe in a curse.

 

[MaddAdam]

Get your point but Jamie, Marley, Scooter, Robbie et al (ie the whole team) would've all also been under more pressure were there 2 additional elite pressure forwards in their lineup.

But lets single out Majak?

Yes, on Majak's thread let's single out Majak?

But yes, in realityness, Maj is the newest member of the backline, and also the most likely to be run down by aforementioned min-cocktopuses like those two.

Anyway, I hope he keeps the good form up and I think he's got a very high ceiling in terms of defensive play - if he can start to get some runs from the backline, bursting out and then going deep into the open forward line, well, it will definitely be time to flop it out have that Big Crank.

 

[Groucho]

Did you think Richmond could or would win it at round 5 last year?

Hell no. Remember some clown ringing 3AW about this time last year and saying "put Peggy O'Neill at centre half forward and you might win a game!". They looked way off it.

 

[The Butcher]

that probably explains why we have the best defensive unit in the league at the moment.

How is that at all a response to anything I wrote? I'm seeking understanding, not confirmation of some inferred criticism.

 

[hilly]

Yep, Impey walked through the entire team on several occasions, add Burgoyne and that could have been a lot worse.

Not surprised you love Impey, the outside midfielder's outside midfielder.

 

[giantroo]

Boomer backs Daw to succeed
By SEN 7 minutes ago

• 
  

North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey has backed his former teammate Majak Daw, saying he is improving with every training session.

Daw has struggled to secure a spot in the Kangaroos’ best squad during his career, but a move to defence this year has seen him work his way back into the team.


After his 13-disposal effort in the win over Hawthorn, which included eight intercepts, Harvey believes Daw is starting to find his niche.

“I think he is improving with every training session,” he told SEN’s KB and The Doc.

“Natural footballers start at seven or eight years old, but Majak didn’t start until he was 14 or 15, so we do have to cut him a bit of slack.

“Every training session you see him picking it up.

“I think he is a decent forward on his day, but the good games were probably too far in between.

“Going down back has really made him work for his spot, he didn’t start the year in the seniors, so he was disappointed with that.

“Now he is getting his opportunity and I think he has grabbed it with both hands and has been sensational.”

Harvey also added North is playing some exciting football, but their real challenge will come in the next three-to-four weeks, when they battle Port Adelaide, Sydney, Richmond and Greater Western Sydney.