Past Daniel McStay (2013-2022)

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2021 Season Review: Dan McStay

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An interrupted start to the season didn’t hamper Dan McStay, who hit the ground running in 2021 and enjoyed a career-best season.

After overcoming a knee injury, McStay made his way into the team in Round 5 v Essendon and gave Lions fans their first look at the ‘three-headed monster’ alongside Eric Hipwood and Joe Daniher.

A diligent trainer and a vital piece of our forward structure, McStay showed his value throughout the season.

With Eric Hipwood ruled out for the season after rupturing his ACL in Round 17, McStay noticeably lifted and became one of the Lions most in-form players leading into finals.

Looking at the numbers, 2021 saw the Victorian become the Lions most reliable kick for goal. Sitting at 68.3% accuracy and placing him in the ‘elite’ category according to Champion Data.

Speaking on his improvement in front of goal, McStay said it all came down to consistency.

“It’s just been about continuing to build my routine,” the key forward said.

“I’m just trying to work on my confidence, especially mentally. And obviously the more you put through, the more confident you are so no major secrets to it.”

The 26-year-old’s defensive pressure was also a highlight through the season, lifting his average tackle count 1.9 to 3.1 and again landing him in the ‘elite’ category.

The only sour note for McStay came in finals when a stray knee from teammate Nakia Cockatoo ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign through concussion protocol.

Having fully recovered, he will be looking to hit pre-season at full steam.

Standout performance: Macca flexes his muscles

It was the ‘DMac’ show in Round 9 as the Lions ran away with a whopping 73-point win over the Gold Coast Suns.

With 10 individual goalkickers, McStay led the way for Brisbane with a career-high 4 goals and 8 marks from 14 disposals.

And if that wasn’t enough, Dan would then go on to repeat his career-best performance in Round 20 against Hawthorn, again clunking 8 marks and kicking 4 goals.

Season Averages:

Disposals – 10.1

Goals – 1.5

Goal Accuracy – 68.3%

Marks – 4.6

Tackles – 3.1
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How McStay Found His Confidence

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Some players enter the League with a swagger, a self-assuredness they belong.

Chris Judd, Joel Selwood and more recently Sam Walsh – all top-end draft talent who made an impact from the time they stepped on the field.

For most others, it takes time. Often a long time. In the case of Brisbane's key forward Dan McStay, it's taken 139 games and about to enter his ninth season to realise he's good enough to play at the top level.

From the outside, McStay has always been a fine player, someone used in defence during his early years and eventually settled as a forward once Chris Fagan took over as coach in 2017.

Someone who can fly for marks, someone who has a beautiful, penetrating left-foot kick – although can occasionally get a little wobbly close to goal – and someone who has a thirst for applying defensive pressure.

Someone who wants to put the team ahead of himself.

But from the inside, McStay has never been sure.

Quietly spoken and a self-confessed "introvert", the 26-year-old told AFL.com.au his mindset had now changed.

"One thing I've always struggled with is whether I belong at the level," he said.

"It might sound funny playing 130-odd games, but I actually am starting to believe I do belong at AFL level, and I'm starting to realise the player I can be.

"That's a massive part of me being able to hit my prime, be confident in my skin, flying for the ball, using my weapons to the best of my ability and being consistent.

"That's one thing I've struggled with in my game, I might have a good game, two bad ones and then another good game. Just trying to find that consistency."

McStay certainly found that last year.

After missing the first month of the season with a knee injury, he returned and was a major part of Brisbane resurrecting its slow 1-3 start.

He's a terrific complementary piece, a nice foil for fellow talls Joe Daniher and Eric Hipwood, able to roam high up the ground and then run back towards goal.

When the trio played together Brisbane owned a 10-1 win-loss record before Hipwood was struck down with a ruptured ACL.

McStay was still strong as the season wore on, kicking a career-best 28 goals from 19 games, but his finals campaign lasted just five minutes, on the receiving end of an accidental collision with Nakia Cockatoo.

The resulting concussion took him out of both the qualifying final against Melbourne and the ensuing semi-final against the Western Bulldogs.

With a faultless pre-season under his belt, the Victorian is ready to go up a notch in 2022.

"I think it comes back to belief from my teammates," he said.

"A lot of their feedback has been about how good I can kick the ball, they want me flying into packs, those sorts of things.

"When others tell you, it resonates with you that you are good enough.

"I've been working on it my whole career.

"I'm an over-thinker and an introvert at times and that feedback has definitely helped me for sure."
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News in Melbourne tonight stated that vic teams possibly offering Dan 6 years at 600k.
Collingwood, Hawthorn and Tigers named.
Maybe that’s why he’s started the year so poorly.
Crazy $$$$$
 

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Helicon1 said:
News in Melbourne tonight stated that vic teams possibly offering Dan 6 years at 600k.
Collingwood, Hawthorn and Tigers named.
Maybe that’s why he’s started the year so poorly.
Crazy $$$$$
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He’s started the year poorly, why?
Because he doesn’t want to earn 600k?
 
Helicon1 said:
Maybe he's focusing on that more than his footy?
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I think that's a very silly suggestion

He's a professional footballer.

If you have a number of suitors, it's in your best interests to consistently showcase your wares to the world , rather than drop your standards and drive your market value down with substandard performances.

McStay plays his role beautifully in our side. He draws defenders away from our other really dangerous talls and smalls and if the defenders don't pay him any respect at all, he can be damaging himself with a big mark or a ground level goal or two.

You don't measure the performance of a player like him by the number of kicks,marks or even goals he registers.

He's a fixture in our side and that's because he obviously has KPA's that are based on other inputs to the side and meeting then to the satisfaction of the Coach and match Committee

If he is getting approaches from other clubs, it's a sure sign that they also recognise his value as a consummate team player who willingly and selflessly sacrifices his own game for the benefit of the team
 
luthor said:
I think that's a very silly suggestion

He's a professional footballer.

If you have a number of suitors, it's in your best interests to consistently showcase your wares to the world , rather than drop your standards and drive your market value down with substandard performances.

McStay plays his role beautifully in our side. He draws defenders away from our other really dangerous talls and smalls and if the defenders don't pay him any respect at all, he can be damaging himself with a big mark or a ground level goal or two.

You don't measure the performance of a player like him by the number of kicks,marks or even goals he registers.

He's a fixture in our side and that's because he obviously has KPA's that are based on other inputs to the side and meeting then to the satisfaction of the Coach and match Committee

If he is getting approaches from other clubs, it's a sure sign that they also recognise his value as a consummate team player who willingly and selflessly sacrifices his own game for the benefit of the team
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Don’t doubt his value to us or the role he plays in our team.
Still think he’s been below his best to start the season.
 
Nine things we learned: The Ash-tag is a thing, who needs a coach?

1. McStay might be the hottest free agent in 2022

With Darcy Moore the latest big name putting pen to paper during the week, the free agency pool is looking a little thin. However, following his performance against Geelong on Friday night, Brisbane's Dan McStay is someone to keep a close eye on. McStay is in the final year of his contract – and says he definitively wants to stay at the Lions – and played arguably the best game of his 143-game career against the Cats. He kicked three goals from 14 disposals that included an equal career-high 11 marks, four of which were contested. The 26-year-old is entering his prime as a key-position forward and sure to demand interest from clubs in his home state of Victoria.
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UPDATE: Lions might rush gun back to fill forward hole

McStay hobbled off with an ankle injury in the first quarter of Saturday night's 75-point win over West Coast, just six days after spearhead Joe Daniher suffered a shoulder injury that will sideline him for up to six weeks.

Scans cleared McStay of a broken ankle on Sunday, but the injury will be assessed again on Monday to determine how long he will miss.
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Fagan admitted McStay's injury "didn't look great", as the 26-year-old thumped his fist into the Gabba turf in frustration after leaving the field.

He went to hospital on Saturday night to get scanned.
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QScan Injury Update: Dan McStay's Scans are In

Brisbane Lions key forward Dan McStay will miss 3-4 weeks after scans confirmed some lateral ligament damage in his left ankle.

The 26-year-old sustained the injury in the first term of Saturday’s triumph over the West Coast Eagles.

The injury comes off the back of a stellar start to the 2022 season for the key forward.

Brisbane Lions High Performance Manager, Damian Austin said scans on Monday confirmed the damage.

“We had a scan, obviously he’s got a bit of ankle damage there which is an ankle sprain, so we’ll give him about 3 weeks.

“We’ll hopefully get him up and moving by the end of the week.”
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Lions set to welcome back key forward, but where's Joe?

McStay has missed Brisbane's past two matches – a win against Adelaide and loss against Hawthorn on Sunday – after tweaking his ankle against West Coast in round eight.

Coach Chris Fagan said McStay was a "chance" to return against the Giants after a strong recovery from his injury.

He will need to get through training this week, with the main session on Thursday, to get back into the 22.
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Super sub keen to stay, who has most uncontracted players?

BRISBANE has upped the ante to keep key forward Dan McStay, offering the in-demand free agent a five-year deal.

The out-of-contract goalkicker has been courted by Victorian clubs, with Collingwood among those interested, whilst piecing together a consistent season with the premiership contenders.

But the Lions are keen to keep him and are understood to have lifted their offer from four to five years in the hope they can ward off rivals and retain him in Brisbane. Chief executive Greg Swann last week said the Lions were quietly confident of keeping the 26-year-old.

McStay has been a key part of Brisbane's build and rise up the ladder and last year booted 28 goals. The left-footer has kicked 12 goals this season as an important marking option for the club inside attack and last week returned from an ankle injury to help the Lions overcome the Giants at the Gabba with two goals and 14 disposals.

The 148-gamer shapes as one of the most valuable free agents in the market given the scarcity of key position options available. Brisbane is not able to match a free agency bid for McStay given he is an unrestricted free agent.
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