Player Watch Finlay Macrae

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TW Sherrin said:
The problem is that inside mid is a need and there's a vacancy to fill. For 2 years his role has been touted as inside mid but now well into 2024 he is a half forward?

With a full list he isnt getting a game at half forward .
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Well he's got a better chance getting one now as a half forward than he ever was of getting an inside mid role.
 
sr36 said:
Finn had a good game, but I wouldn't be anointing him yet. It wasn't a normal game. Our mids obliterated them. We just smashed them out the front of stoppage all day. He ran to good spots, linked up well and finished his work, but was barely in a contest so clean was our transition from stoppage. A game like that isn't happening very often.
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stormskye said:
That’s still my concern. The contest parts he was involved in he seemed to get brushed aside quite easily which just re-affirmed that he’s not going to replace Mitchell anytime soon

It was still a good game however. But like you say. There was next to no pressure. A step in the right direction, but a long way to go yet
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Bit harsh, legends.

He was asked to do a job and executed well. Added another string to his bow.

Give him his due. Fin can only do what he is asked to do, on any given day. This is what he should be measured on.
 
TradeDraft said:
Then other Young Players can be said to be the same today
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Agree. I don't think any of them jumped the queue today. It was just too open and dominant display from our mids - the forwards had an armchair ride like we won't see very often.

My take is:

Sullivan looked strongest in a contest.
Richards was really clean as a forward.
Macrae was good playing as that linking runner who pushes up towards the pack and then forward away from it when we win the ball.

Of those 3, it might depend on whose out as to who gets a game, but Sullivan is the one I'd take into a final.
 

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jathanas said:
Bit harsh, legends.

He was asked to do a job and executed well. Added another string to his bow.

Give him his due. Fin can only do what he is asked to do, on any given day. This is what he should be measured on.
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He was very good in his role today jathanas which was my original post. The glass half empty of me still doesn’t see him as an inside mid. HFF or wing for me, as a few have suggested in a similar role to lippa. Issue being again we aren’t short in that area.

But credit where credit is due, he surpassed my expectations today in the role he was given. 3 goals is excellent. Both him and Richards fed well off each other today.

I just don’t know why we’ve pushed him to be inside so much. His strengths lie elsewhere IMO. Until he gains strength atleast.
 
jathanas said:
Bit harsh, legends.

He was asked to do a job and executed well. Added another string to his bow.

Give him his due. Fin can only do what he is asked to do, on any given day. This is what he should be measured on.
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Finn's a good linking runner. He linked up beautifully and played his role really well. But in many ways he only had to play half his role - without the contested part that he'd usually have to do. He pushed up to the contest. Pendles, Nick, Cameron and Crisp won it and then he ran forward linking up beautifully. he didn't have to push into the contest, as the ball was already won and we exitted with ease. It was a masterclass from our mids.
 
stormskye said:
He was very good in his role today jathanas which was my original post. The glass half empty of me still doesn’t see him as an inside mid. HFF or wing for me, as a few have suggested in a similar role to lippa. Issue being again we aren’t short in that area.

But credit where credit is due, he surpassed my expectations today in the role he was given. 3 goals is excellent. Both him and Richards fed well off each other today.

I just don’t know why we’ve pushed him to be inside so much. His strengths lie elsewhere IMO. Until he gains strength atleast.
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My guess is because we like our flankers to have more weapons. Long term, improving his inside game and becoming a centre square mid is his best chance of nailing a spot.
 
sr36 said:
At least 26-27 players will play a significant role this year - like every year - you don't need to force it. Last year, with a good injury run, it was the premiership 23 plus Noble, Adams, McStay and Johnson.

This year it'll be 21 of the premiership 23 - those still at the club, plus Noble, Schultz, McStay if he returns. Then who knows out of Sullivan, Harrison, Macrae, Richards, Reef and Dean. You might need to extend it beyond 27 to ensure Finn is one of them. He's on the fringe of that 27 - with a few others.
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I'd prefer to think of it as making a plan to get game time and development into the young players and give old players rest rather than "force it"

Prior to the last two weeks, which was actually forced by injury/suspension, we've seen very little game time for the next wave.

Jen2310 said:
17 disposals. 3 goals. 5 score involvements.
It’s the type of game we didn’t expect but got from him.
Showed he can be a player. They would be pretty happy with that internally.
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He also had 18 pressure acts. 4th most for the Pies
 
Today's game was really important for Fin I reckon. He didn't get a huge amount of midfield time, but showing something up forward means he's not going to be pigeon-holed into inside mid or subbed off.

His game wasn't perfect, and he was pretty lucky to get onto the end of a couple, but he played his role & will 100% play again next week.
 
manicpie said:
I have to admit, I didn't think fin had any forward craft but he played that high half forward role very well
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I thought it was midfield running craft. They were midfielder running possessions and goals. He runs through the lines well.
 
robertg22 said:
His game wasn't perfect, and he was pretty lucky to get onto the end of a couple, but he played his role & will 100% play again next week.
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Likely, but 100% is a bit strong. With Howe out. I think we have to bring in a tall, even if it's Dean as sub. So if 3 of our outs are back, someone has to be left out.
 

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FromTheBoundaryLine said:
He’s always been good dropping back from a wing but I can’t remember him starting there and coming up at the ball like today. Was a bit of an eye opener for me tbh. His kicking was really good and more penetrating I thought.
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That's probably it. I remember at half back previously, but it's probably been dropping back as a loose man seeing he said he'd never played there before.
 
sr36 said:
Likely, but 100% is a bit strong. With Howe out. I think we have to bring in a tall, even if it's Dean as sub. So if 3 of our outs are back, someone has to be left out.
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Schultz will be available and Dean should be rewarded for his vfl form. Jordy and Mitchell sound to be 50/50.
 
Very happy for Fin. My view is that he has a low ceiling but could be a 100 game role player.

I personally can’t see him ever replacing a gun but he could be a strong link player. Teams need a combination of 15-20 possession high impact players with 20-30 possession connecting players and I reckon he could fill the latter.
 
Abdul_The_Bull said:
What stood out to me was the connection between Fin and Richards. They seemed to complement each other very well.
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Like Josh and Nick or Phil and Jimmy Krakouer but without being brothers. Provided one is playing well, they should always be able to keep each other in the game.
 
The only issue I have with Fins game yesterday was his tackling. Was shrugged off far too easily and ended up not sticking any that he attempted.

Get those numbers up and it’s a pretty complete game as a half forward/rotating mid.
 
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