Player Watch Finlay Macrae

[hellfire]

We need to give the kid continuity. He was poor tonight. But he came off two games as sub, and then got thrown onto a red hot dual Brownlow medalist. He got smashed, but we have to persist if we want him to build confidence at this level. If we’re still seeing the same problems in 3-4 games, then we move on and look elsewhere. Going back to dominate the VFL again will do nothing for him.

 

[swoop42]

We did him no favours waiting until this opponent at this ground to give him opportunity for a full game.

Unfortunately however he didn't take his chance tonight and may have to wait for another.

 

[rand corp]

He'll learn from tonight

 

[JM#1]

Just as he seemed to be getting into the game, he got subbed.

 

[LuckyLee]

Just as he seemed to be getting into the game, he got subbed.

If he hadn’t been subbed we would have lost the match. That’s the reality.

Unfortunately Fin is miles off the level needed to be an effective centre square mid at AFL level. His panicked, rushed disposal is particularly concerning.


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[ElliottsMaggies]

I hope they persist and start him next week against the Hawks.

 

[bucksisbest]

If he hadn’t been subbed we would have lost the match. That’s the reality.

Unfortunately Fin is miles off the level needed to be an effective centre square mid at AFL level. His panicked, rushed disposal is particularly concerning.


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I think he has shown composure at times in the past and can kick off both feet, so that may improve with exposure.

Not getting his hands to the ball enough around the contest too impact at all was my major concern. Because he isn't a transition player, so has to be his one wood.

 

[LuckyLee]

I think he has shown composure at times in the past and can kick off both feet, so that may improve with exposure.

Not getting his hands to the ball enough around the contest too impact at all was my major concern. Because he isn't a transition player, so has to be his one wood.

How long do we persist in the hope that it magically clicks for Fin at AFL level?

On tonight’s evidence he is a long way off and at 1-3 we can’t afford any passengers.


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[Kappa]

He'll learn from tonight

Not a lot. 38% TOG and I did think he had a clean possession. Confidence will of taken a big hit being subbed out so early

 

[jase038]

Attended only 6 centre bounces and won 2 of them

Hard to make impact instantly he needs a run of full games before you can write him off

However pulling the trigger early with crisp won us the game, 13 touches a goal, 5 tackles and 4 clearances in 51 minutes


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[FAIRANDBALANCED]

If his name was Finn Johnson we'd be calling for him to be delisted. It's not there. Not fast enough or tough enough or skilful enough, bit too ok and no a grade features.

Seems a top quality VFL player though, the top level is just a bit much.

 

[nahnah]

We did him no favours waiting until this opponent at this ground to give him opportunity for a full game.

Unfortunately however he didn't take his chance tonight and may have to wait for another.

The game we won? He was better off playing against the teams we lost to?

 

[LuckyLee]

Not a lot. 38% TOG and I did think he had a clean possession. Confidence will of taken a big hit being subbed out so early

Fin was on the ground for 50 minutes, in the heart of the action as an inside midfielder - for just six disposals, of which only three were effective. That’s a miserable night by any reckoning.

If we’d left Fin on much longer, we’d have lost the match.

If we were 4-0 then perhaps we could carry Fin for a while but not at 1-3.


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[memoryofmchale]

I just don’t see it. Tonight Fin played 50mins TOG as an inside midfielder for 6 touches at 50% DE. If he hadn’t been subbed for Crisp we would have lost.

To my eye Macrae has no traits that are elite or likely to become elite. He’s not fast, he’s not a ball-magnet, he rushes his disposals and isn’t a goal-kicker.

Unfortunately Fin’s too good for VFL but not good enough for AFL.

Let’s see what Allan, Sullivan and then DeMattia have to offer. We need to quickly find replacements for Pendles, Sidey and Mitchell.


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Don’t be ridiculous. He played 38% TOG for six disposals. As an inside midfielder, you’re not going to see him rack up a high DE. That’s not his job.

It was likely a planned move to sub Fin after a half. That’s how they’re giving him experience without holistic droppings.

Schultz played a shocker in the same half Macrae had six from limited time on. We also didn’t have much of the ball in the second. So you have to put it in context.

 

[memoryofmchale]

He deserved a crack but he’s really poor athletically and skills not great. Gonna be hard for him to make it.

I’d give Sullivan a crack instead

Actually that’s completely factually incorrect. His athleticism is not a concern with the club and his skills are quite good. Neither are commented upon. I don’t think there’s a single coach who’s said he won’t make it - time and development opportunity is the limiting factor. After a half of footy including a quarter where Collingwood virtually went missing for half of it - and let’s not pretend that it’s isolated to Fin.

 

[LuckyLee]

Don’t be ridiculous. He played 38% TOG for six disposals. As an inside midfielder, you’re not going to see him rack up a high DE. That’s not his job.

It was likely a planned move to sub Fin after a half. That’s how they’re giving him experience without holistic droppings.

Schultz played a shocker in the same half Macrae had six from limited time on. We also didn’t have much of the ball in the second. So you have to put it in context.

Fin was on the field for 50mins so his TOG was actually high before he was subbed. He had plenty of time to have an impact and wasn’t able to. You’re right in saying that we didn’t have much of the ball in the second quarter - and Fin was a centre square mid for much of it.

Let me ask you this - what attributes of Fin’s do you think are truly elite of likely to become elite in the near term?


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[memoryofmchale]

Fin was on the field for 50mins so his TOG was actually high before he was subbed. He had plenty of time to have an impact and wasn’t able to. You’re right in saying that we didn’t have much of the ball in the second quarter - and Fin was a centre square mid for much of it.

Let me ask you this - what attributes of Fin’s do you think are truly elite of likely to become elite in the near term?


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Tackling and clearances. If we give him the opportunity, he will respond to the challenge. He managed three tackles for 38% TOG which is a lot given most of that came in the first.

 

[Scodog10]

Don’t be ridiculous. He played 38% TOG for six disposals. As an inside midfielder, you’re not going to see him rack up a high DE. That’s not his job.

It was likely a planned move to sub Fin after a half. That’s how they’re giving him experience without holistic droppings.

Schultz played a shocker in the same half Macrae had six from limited time on. We also didn’t have much of the ball in the second. So you have to put it in context.

You do realise that the context is that he was absolutely mauled by Neale leading to the complete domination in clearance and contested ball in that Q, yeah? He was bad like really bad there’s no sugar coating it, but he was on a hiding to nothing with how we’d set him for the game the past few weeks. This is how it played out to me:

MC: Fin you know how you’ve played 100 mins of footy the past 5 weeks.
Fin: Yeah?
MC: Well we think you’re ready to go head to head with a two time Brownlow medalist fresh off a two week spell.
Fin: Right.
MC: Yeah well we’ve got some experienced bodies that could shield you, but we want to see what you’ve got.
Fin: Least I’m getting a full game

Seriously the kid plays a half v Richmond, nothing on opening Rd, a quarter v Sydney and a quarter v St Kilda then we throw him on the cleanest stoppage player in the game. What did we expect? Fly had a fantastic night, but the use of Macrae the past month has been s**t.

 

[sr36]

I can't see it with Finn. TBH I don't see that much when he plays VFL. Just looks like a good solid VFL player - doesn't shred it at that level.
.
I hope he proves me wrong as we need a young mid coming through. I'll be surprised if it's not Sidey for Finn next week. No other changes.

 

[Eric Shin]

Meh, he was hardly as bad as some people are making it out to be.

To be totally honest, he has been set up to fail right from the get-go.

Coming into an encounter like this, after two games as a sub, isn't the most ideal preparation for a player like Fin. This has been my only qualm (and a very minor one) with Fly. Selection integrity.

It's far from surprising that his performance wasn't going to be as good as you would hope it'd be. Still, there was some good positives to take from it in limited showing.


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[Ctracks]

Attended only 6 centre bounces and won 2 of them

Hard to make impact instantly he needs a run of full games before you can write him off

However pulling the trigger early with crisp won us the game, 13 touches a goal, 5 tackles and 4 clearances in 51 minutes


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100%

 

[Ctracks]

You do realise that the context is that he was absolutely mauled by Neale leading to the complete domination in clearance and contested ball in that Q, yeah? He was bad like really bad there’s no sugar coating it, but he was on a hiding to nothing with how we’d set him for the game the past few weeks. This is how it played out to me:

MC: Fin you know how you’ve played 100 mins of footy the past 5 weeks.
Fin: Yeah?
MC: Well we think you’re ready to go head to head with a two time Brownlow medalist fresh off a two week spell.
Fin: Right.
MC: Yeah well we’ve got some experienced bodies that could shield you, but we want to see what you’ve got.
Fin: Least I’m getting a full game

Seriously the kid plays a half v Richmond, nothing on opening Rd, a quarter v Sydney and a quarter v St Kilda then we throw him on the cleanest stoppage player in the game. What did we expect? Fly had a fantastic night, but the use of Macrae the past month has been s**t.

100%
What about “setting up for success”?

 

[LuckyLee]

Tackling and clearances. If we give him the opportunity, he will respond to the challenge. He managed three tackles for 38% TOG which is a lot given most of that came in the first.

Your 38% TOG number is a red herring.

Macrae had three tackles and six disposals (@ 50% DE) in 50mins of game time.

His replacement, Crispy, had 51 mins of game time for five tackles, 13 disposals (@ 77% DE) and kicked a goal.

Our season is on a knife-edge. I don’t see how we can carry a player who has so little impact in a vital role. It’s not like he’s learning the ropes in a forward pocket. He’s wanting to play in the most important part of the ground. Imagine what Oliver and Petracca will do to him. Or Cripps and Walsh.

Anyway, it was a bloody good win regardless! Go Pies!


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[sr36]

100%
What about “setting up for success”?

I think in the current game with individualised programs where they ensure the sub does extra work, a quarter at AFL pace is better preparation than a game in the vfl.

 

[sr36]

Your 38% TOG number is a red herring.

Macrae had three tackles and six disposals (@ 50% DE) in 50mins of game time.

His replacement, Crispy, had 51 mins of game time for five tackles, 13 disposals (@ 77% DE) and kicked a goal.

Our season is on a knife-edge. I don’t see how we can carry a player who has so little impact in a vital role. It’s not like he’s learning the ropes in a forward pocket. He’s wanting to play in the most important part of the ground. Imagine what Oliver and Petracca will do to him. Or Cripps and Walsh.

Anyway, it was a bloody good win regardless! Go Pies!


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That's the thing. You can't give him a couple of years on the flank like they often used to get, because the flanks now require specialist attributes. So he has to be able to match it with the very best players in the game.