Agree especially coming up against a young Hawthorn outfit. He’s still relatively slight compared to his opponents.
Very keen for him to play next week, showing him faith will do him wonders.
Player Watch Finlay Macrae
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Very keen for him to play next week, showing him faith will do him wonders.
Fly severely outcoached fagan today but macrae running with neale was disastrous and we could have been down 5 goals at half time as a result
And lachie Neale falling to the ground gasping for air over an open handed slap was purely disgusting
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And lachie Neale falling to the ground gasping for air over an open handed slap was purely disgusting
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Odd take.
If Pendlebury hit u full force in your guts with his palm when u weren't expecting it you'd be on the ground crying
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Nonsense.
Johnson is 26, and 26 games in… the finished product
Macrae is 22… barely played a full game, and still has some development in him
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I’d play Finn again
He’s 22. In his 4th year on the list…
It’s for mine a now or never season for him
I know he’s under contract til end of 2025… but if 12 months from now he’s still fringe… then I’d say he won’t make it long term
Others like Sullivan, Bytel, or even VFL list Ned Long will overtake him
He’s 22. In his 4th year on the list…
It’s for mine a now or never season for him
I know he’s under contract til end of 2025… but if 12 months from now he’s still fringe… then I’d say he won’t make it long term
Others like Sullivan, Bytel, or even VFL list Ned Long will overtake him
Cousin of Daicos
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Let’s see if Fly is true to his “we like to back people in” mantra with Macrae.
Kid needs actual continuity.
I’d also prefer a “quiet” Macrae who is at least reliable when he has the ball vs what’s been happening with older players who haven been absolutely crucifying us with ball in hand.
Kid needs actual continuity.
I’d also prefer a “quiet” Macrae who is at least reliable when he has the ball vs what’s been happening with older players who haven been absolutely crucifying us with ball in hand.
I didn't mean to refer to Ash Johnson, just that Finn gets favourably rated due to being the brother of a very good footballer.
Yeah I hope Macrae can develop, but I don't see him getting to 50 games.
McIness has some x factor, some top level traits that could develop into a very good AFL player. I'm not sure Finn has this at the top level. He definitely does have it at VFL level.
76woodenspooners
Brownlow Medallist
The official stats say different …
Probably the reason he went missing is because he literally was missing.
Stats showed he played 38% TOG. For context, Crisp came on midway through the third quarter and played more game time than Fin.
Even though Fin was in the starting line-up, he spent a lot of time on the bench.
Perhaps last night was another step in his development, as sub he had been coming on when everybody else was gassed. Last night might have been more about exposing him to the tempo of playing against fresh opponents rather than him playing a full game.
Gone Critical
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Not really, he played the sort of time a player coming into the team would expect. He was subbed early in the 3rd not midway, midway through the 3rd doesnt leave 38% of game time left and we know Crisp spent some time on the bench so has to be earlier in 3rd. I cant find an exact time. So Finn was on about a 70% game time rotation until he was subbed.
Thats still plenty of time to make an impression. Others on that 70% + game time for us or less were Cox 63% , Cameron 61%, Noble 71%, Mitchell 74%, Reef 75%, Hill 76%, Quaynor 79%. So more than a third of the team are on a similar game time range to Finn.
Scodog10
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I think it’s also his draft number. I’m a doubter, but I’ll bitchslap anyone who thinks he’s been “set up to succeed” to start 2024.
Fin is not up to AFL level at this point in time at least. As good as he is in the VFL it is a huge step up. You can be a dominant VFL player but still struggle in the AFL. To me his body is too light, where is the size and power? He is not a speed machine so he needs to develop a body like Lachie Neale who is not quick but he is a brick around the footy.
memoryofmchale
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Don’t be ridiculous.
His GPS would tell you his speed and it doesn’t seem like an issue. Tough enough is bull, as is skilful. There are a lot of A grade features.
You’re never going to see him develop if he’s not given a game. At the same point last night when he was subbed, Schultz had a solid one touch. IMO, that’s more alarming than Fin’s performance.
Fin at times does ie his ability to read the ball and recieve from packs and break away has been shown on several occasions. He needs to calm himself and finish better which has also been shown to be quality at times.
Fin needs game time and continuity to build confidence.
I personally couldn't care less if he is brother of...
Being sub getting a quarter every week imo is a s**t development route and would sap confidence. He looked shattered last night being subbed off.
Your 38% game time reference as an excuse for Fin’s woeful performance is misleading.
The AFL website says Fin played 50:04 mins and Crisp 51:39 mins.
Fin was on the ground for 70% - 75% of the available game time before he was subbed, and then obviously 0% of it after Crisp replaced him.
Across the two and a bit quarters that he played, Fin was on the field for 50:04 mins in the busiest and most important part of the ground and could barely get a touch.
We cannot afford to essentially play one midfielder down in the name of development. The place for development is the VFL. Anyone who comes into our AFL midfield needs to be able to play at the level almost immediately.
It would be different if he was playing forward pocket but he’s trying to make it in the centre square.
Let’s see what Sullivan and Allan can do by comparison.
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memoryofmchale
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Different roles, mate. You’re not comparing apples with apples.
Crisp is a veteran player with years of experience so knows how to impact straight away. Played in quarters where we had momentum, run and won in the last. You’re not seriously trying to discount this to justify your position are you?
One midfielder down? Have you seen what Sidey and some of our veterans are doing? Did you see WHE last night? That’s playing one midfielder down. Fin is not in that boat.
Sullivan is valid but Allan is still raw.
Your arguments are nearly identical to those that were used in support of Cal Brown, who was given 70+ games in the name of development but never got to the necessary level. Macrae is a better kick but other than that, the two look eerily similar.
We simply can’t afford players in the centre square who can’t win and effectively use the ball. It’s too vital a role. We have to be brutal about selection in the engine room. No passengers.
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I don’t know what to make of his game. Never been impressed by him until our practice game this year where he had a great clearance and linking role but he seems off the pace at AFL level. Slow, hesitant. Could be athleticism or could be confidence b it either way we are carrying him.
I’d give him one more starting position in the next 3 games but if he doesn’t impress again it’s time to prioritise others (Allan / Demattia) and treat him as depth.
I’d give him one more starting position in the next 3 games but if he doesn’t impress again it’s time to prioritise others (Allan / Demattia) and treat him as depth.
memoryofmchale
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Brown’s biggest issue was him being played out of position. HB not a midfielder. Took us until his final few months to figure that one out.
sr36
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Finn's interests don't sit above the teams.
We need to win games and our other mids are significantly better players than he's shown. For all the talk of too good for VFL, from what I saw he was basically doing what Tom Mitchell does in the AFL in the vfl.
I think the mistake they've made is developing him only as a centre square mid. I'd be sending him back to the vfl to learn wing or Lippas half forward/mid role, so they can bring him back in a less important role where he's not up against the best players in the comp.
Browns biggest issue was that he couldn't kick over 30m which is just completely unacceptable as an AFL footballer
No, Brown’s biggest issue was not being of AFL standard, as evidenced by nobody recruiting him after we delisted him, supposedly in his prime.
Fin isn’t a fresh recruit. He is a 22 yo former no.19 pick who has played 15 games since debut in 2021. Sadly he has shown virtually no evidence that he will make it as a centre square mid at AFL level. And he’s not suited to any other role.
If he was really going to make it, we’d have seen much more by now than just glimpses. How much longer do you want to give him?
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I’d persist with him for now. Give him another game. Not much else in the cupboards. He can’t get any better if not given game time.
I’d also love to see McCreery developed into an inside bull to replace the void left by Adams and cover Mitchell down the track.
I see such potential there for him to do that role.
I’d also love to see McCreery developed into an inside bull to replace the void left by Adams and cover Mitchell down the track.
I see such potential there for him to do that role.
I'd definitely play him next week against the hawks midfield
i thought his 1st Q was reasonable with a couple of CS clearances
he also seemed to be standing L.Neale early doors and Neale was relatively quiet 1Q before he got going
2Q all our mids were down as Brisbane basically owned the footy for the entire Q
compare Finn's stats in 2Q (before he was subbed) to say JDG or Pendles?
Finn deserves another game (minimum) based on his body of work in 2s throughout last year and performances over the summer
ps: i haven't been a fan of his selection (at pick #19) from the get go bc i think there were better (more athletic) options at that pick (eg. M.Holmes #20) but that's a passing swipe at Hiney ..likewise his pick of Ryan (just can't see any real afl traits) given there were better options IMO at that pick as well
i thought his 1st Q was reasonable with a couple of CS clearances
he also seemed to be standing L.Neale early doors and Neale was relatively quiet 1Q before he got going
2Q all our mids were down as Brisbane basically owned the footy for the entire Q
compare Finn's stats in 2Q (before he was subbed) to say JDG or Pendles?
Finn deserves another game (minimum) based on his body of work in 2s throughout last year and performances over the summer
ps: i haven't been a fan of his selection (at pick #19) from the get go bc i think there were better (more athletic) options at that pick (eg. M.Holmes #20) but that's a passing swipe at Hiney ..likewise his pick of Ryan (just can't see any real afl traits) given there were better options IMO at that pick as well
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