McPhee the Midfielder

[Side Bet]

The former All-Australian began his career at Fremantle and said he wanted to finish his career playing as a midfielder, an option not available to him at Essendon. McPhee said he had five years left in him and was excited about helping the club's youngsters develop.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/afl/6588966/money-not-the-reason-for-move-mcphee/


Taz v2?

 

[samseenee]

Lets hope so SideBet... Would be great if he could play prodominatley in the mid field allowing Pav (as others have mentioned) to play forward and stay there.

 

[JungleMuffin]

If hes up the the standard, itd be great. We certainly dont lack for flankers.

 

[4n20]

McPhee in the midfield.....hmmmmmm.

Does he have the right attributes for a role like that?

 

[silverscope]

Does he have the right attributes for a role like that?

We will find out soon enough

 

[malpaso]

McPhee in the midfield.....hmmmmmm.

Does he have the right attributes for a role like that?

From all reports, McPhee is a disciplined player who sticks to his task, very fit and he certainly has the size to do some damage in there.

I would reckon he's the sort of player that the coach can give a job to and the coach knows he will do try his hardest to get it done..

 

[Godzke]

I certainly want a Freo fan's perspective on this ... I really didn't see this comment coming.

 

[4n20]

From all reports, McPhee is a disciplined player who sticks to his task, very fit and he certainly has the size to do some damage in there.

I would reckon he's the sort of player that the coach can give a job to and the coach knows he will do try his hardest to get it done..

Well, i hope we throw him straight in the guts for the NAB and other pre-season games coz i dont want us to spend a lot of time in the proper season trialling him there.

His decision making has been mentioned as a flaw of his game and its not going to help Pav, or anyone else for that matter, in the forward line if its flooded due to his indecision.

Id prefer him forward, with stints in defence when certain match-ups are needed. But hey, im no AFL coach.

Anyway, good luck to him...and Welcome Back!!!!!!

 

[silverscope]

I certainly want a Freo fan's perspective on this ... I really didn't see this comment coming.

What comment? The fact that he want's to play through the midfield?


And by perspective do you mean what we think about it.

Well it all depends on IF he can maintain a certain standard when it comes to playing through the midfield. IF he is up to it then I see no problem in adding him to the midfield rotation of:

Palmer, Hill, Crowley, Hasleby, Suban, Mundy, Ibbotson, Duffield, Ballantyne, Pavlich, McPhee...

Seems like a pretty versatile list of players able to go through the middle.

 

[dominguez]

From all reports, McPhee is a disciplined player who sticks to his task, very fit and he certainly has the size to do some damage in there.

I would reckon he's the sort of player that the coach can give a job to and the coach knows he will do try his hardest to get it done..

The same could be applied to Luke Webster and Matt Carr.

 

[Dormammu]

I certainly want a Freo fan's perspective on this ... I really didn't see this comment coming.

One of the key midfield tasks I see him fulfilling for us is at the stoppages.

He has a strong defensive mindset and a big body so I see him putting in the blocks for the outside mids like Ibbo, Hill and Suban to receive the handpass from our inside mids, or applying the blocks to clear a space for the inside mids (Hase, Palmer and Schamm when he's thrown in) to work in if 211 or whoever else is rucking doesn't get the tap directly down to them.

 

[Godzke]

What comment? The fact that he want's to play through the midfield?


And by perspective do you mean what we think about it.

Well it all depends on IF he can maintain a certain standard when it comes to playing through the midfield. IF he is up to it then I see no problem in adding him to the midfield rotation of:

Palmer, Hill, Crowley, Hasleby, Suban, Mundy, Duffield, Ballantyne, Pavlich, McPhee...

Seems like a pretty versatile list of players able to go through the middle.

Well... we're delving into the "ifs" aren't we. I'm sure Freo were looking at what McPhee did down back (or up front as a leading HFF) when they decided to take him. But, honestly, did any freo fans here seeing him as having a midfield role before he said this? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to gee you up like you may have read on the Essendon board ... I backed McPhee when he left and criticised our supporters for ridiculing him. Although I backed him on the basis of a three-year deal being the selling point ... not a midfield position. Maybe it was just a pretence?

It's not to suggest he can't play in the middle but does he really have the tank or the awareness? My opinion was that his stamina was actually very good, except he had lost a lot of his acceleration. Also, at Essendon, his biggest criticism was his split-second decision making. I don't see how he can overcome this, which would have dire implications upon your team's work around the stoppages.

Anyway, my thought would be that he would do alright on the wings, but someone above has posted that your wingers are in good stocks so I dunno.

 

[Godzke]

One of the key midfield tasks I see him fulfilling for us is at the stoppages.

He has a strong defensive mindset and a big body so I see him putting in the blocks for the outside mids like Ibbo, Hill and Suban to receive the handpass from our inside mids, or applying the blocks to clear a space for the inside mids (Hase, Palmer and Schamm when he's thrown in) to work in if 211 or whoever else is rucking doesn't get the tap directly down to them.

Alright, well yes he has the body, but you'll need to read my opinion on his decision-making. And that's not just my opinion ... a lot of Essendon supporters would agree. He is quite prone to brain farts.

 

[dominguez]

Well... we're delving into the "ifs" aren't we. I'm sure Freo were looking at what McPhee did down back (or up front as a leading HFF) when they decided to take him. But, honestly, did any freo fans here seeing him as having a midfield role before he said this?

Lloyd and Knights have both already said that was the case.

I backed McPhee when he left and criticised our supporters for ridiculing him.

What did he say and when ??

 

[Dormammu]

The same could be applied to Luke Webster and Matt Carr.

Hopefully more effective because he is such a bigger, stronger unit. IMO the challenge for him will be to keep moving forward when he does get his own ball and to quickly lift his eyes to locate targets further upfield - not as easy as it sounds when you're in the trenches.

 

[Godzke]

Lloyd and Knights have both already said that was the case.

Yeah, but did anyone really think he was serious? Even now I'm thinking "it was the extra year" and I don't blame him for it.

What did he say and when ??

Sorry, my bad, I'll rephrase that sentence

"I backed McPhee when he left and I criticised our supporters for ridiculing him for wanting an extra year."

 

[Alfonz]

Seems to me that the article is mainly saying that McPhee did not want to play under Knights.

 

[silverscope]

Well... we're delving into the "ifs" aren't we.

Well that's the whole point isn't it. Currently Mark Harvey and Adam McPhee think that Adam can play through the midfield. Until he starts training and we get some reports or he starts playing games we just have to wait and see.

I mean can you say now that Mark Williams will kick 50+ goals playing FF. Probably not... It's all about If's or Could... He is able to kick that many goals as FF but only IF he gets the right delivery out of the middle. But until the season starts you just don't know.

McPhee was not being played in the middle as often, if at all, as he liked. Therefor was offered a better position here at Fremantle. He took it.



Look I think if he can play the role, let him. If he tries and fails I hope to god that Harvey doesn't persist with it. But hey he could do a Tarrant and prove us all wrong

 

[silverscope]

Seems to me that the article is mainly saying that McPhee did not want to play under Knights.

I got that feeling reading it also, but it could also be the fact that he is at a new club now

 

[Godzke]

Well that's the whole point isn't it. Currently Mark Harvey and Adam McPhee think that Adam can play through the midfield. Until he starts training and we get some reports or he starts playing games we just have to wait and see.

I mean can you say now that Mark Williams will kick 50+ goals playing FF. Probably not... It's all about If's or Could... He is able to kick that many goals as FF but only IF he gets the right delivery out of the middle. But until the season starts you just don't know.

McPhee was not being played in the middle as often, if at all, as he liked. Therefor was offered a better position here at Fremantle. He took it.



Look I think if he can play the role, let him. If he tries and fails I hope to god that Harvey doesn't persist with it. But hey he could do a Tarrant and prove us all wrong

I see where your coming from. With Williams though we recruited him as a forward because that's what he is and that's where he played for the Hawks.

You recruited Tarrant as a forward though didn't you? It's only when he failed and needed to revamp his career he turned into a defender?

 

[JungleMuffin]

If McPhee wants to play Mid, i cant really see how our list could force him out of there, atm.

Worse case, i reckon hed be a better than average tagger, allowing someone like Crowley to be a little more offensive. Best case.....

 

[Dormammu]

Lloyd and Knights have both already said that was the case.

What did he say and when ??

Lloyd's comments here
http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/af...-bears-no-grudge/story-e6frg1xu-1225801640899

Knights here
http://www.watoday.com.au/afl/afl-n...-to-attempt-a-hardball-get-20091124-j4yi.html

 

[Sman-21]

his future at essendon didnt seem safe.
he saw the terrible treatment of Lucas an lloyd he didnt want to end his career early and play the next 3 years as a gap filler, while knights put all the younger developing players in the roles guys like lucas lloyd an mcphee should of played.

Cant blame knights too much as they do have to look to the future and cant blame mcphee as he wants his future secured and doesnt want to be someone who will keep getting overlooked and pushed into roles not suited for him to assist a younger player.

Comes here and he is a required experienced player who as long as he keeps performing will be valuable.

I dont think he should be playing midfield though, i think he should be back or forward.
If he plays midfield once again its looking to me like Harvey is completly rolling out the red carpet for him and handing him everything he wants on a silver platter.
We have plenty of good young guys who need to play midfield, plus theres haselby crowley and mundy(should be in defense) for the experience.

Down back or up forward he is a required player for us.
In midfield i dont think hes required would much rather see the young midfielders playing there .

 

[greenred]

Alright, well yes he has the body, but you'll need to read my opinion on his decision-making. And that's not just my opinion ... a lot of Essendon supporters would agree. He is quite prone to brain farts.

If he knows which one is Pavlich, he shouldn't have too much trouble deciding what to do when he has the ball.

Fremantle are accumulating a number of good ball users and good decision makers. If McPhee uses his size and strength to extract the ball, there should be no shortage of finishers waiting for him to hand it over.

 

[Dormammu]

If he knows which one is Pavlich, he shouldn't have too much trouble deciding what to do when he has the ball.

Depends on how many opposition defenders he has hanging off him.

>4, then try and spot someone else.