Shirking the issue...

[scottydeewah]

I love the way most of our team plays. Tough hard football with an emphasis on tackling and second efforts.

Mackie though....mmmm......watching him play, I reckon i could smash his head in if i felt like getting a bit mad, just the impression he puts out.

 

[Sammy D]

Definitely agree. He hears footsteps...

 

[Silver Cat]

Riveting thread.

 

[catempire]

I don't think Mackie's soft in the true sense. I think he's been hurt a couple of times when he has put his body on the line, probably due to his light frame and inexperience at taking hits at this level. This has resulted in him being a little less than hard at the contest 100% of the time. I'm sure that he'll be right in time once his body and mind adjust to the physical nature of the game at this level.

 

[scottydeewah]

I agree with that Cat Empire, hey getting f*cked up the first couple of time I played with the big boys when i was a junior get me ********ed up. You definately couldnt be as reckless.


but the oppostion know this and car target him. He needs to become a lot harder to push off the ball. He moves WAY to easily.

 

[nananana catman]

I think Batchelor also comes under this category, many times in the VFL he pulled out. People can say he is slender, but then shouldnt Mackie fall under the same category? Weights got nothing to do with it anyway tis all in a players mind.

 

[scottydeewah]

I think Batchelor also comes under this category

didnt know this

Weights got nothing to do with it anyway tis all in a players mind.

VERY true.

 

[scottydeewah]

Riveting thread.

riveting post

 

[LifeSpan-Void]

ok so that is Hunt and Mackie out of the way, who is next for you to assassinate, scotty?

 

[JUBJUB]

ok so that is Hunt and Mackie out of the way, who is next for you to assassinate, scotty?

It must be DJ's turn next.Maybe even Monty.

 

[answerman]

It must be DJ's turn next.Maybe even Monty.

You forgot to mention Chappy and GAJ

 

[FootyGuru]

I love the way most of our team plays. Tough hard football with an emphasis on tackling and second efforts.

Mackie though....mmmm......watching him play, I reckon i could smash his head in if i felt like getting a bit mad, just the impression he puts out.

YOU THINK MACKIES BAD U SHOULD SEE GARY ABLETT JNR WAT AN APSOLUTE PUSSY

 

[iameviljez]

YOU THINK MACKIES BAD U SHOULD SEE GARY ABLETT JNR WAT AN APSOLUTE PUSSY

Yeh, remember the way he ripped you up in the 2004 SF?
Anyway... back on the subject. I agree, I think Mackie does pull out sometimes but I believe that his courage and confidence will come when he gets a bigger body - one that he can put some confidence into. It's one thing to go into a contest, another to go in knowing that you'll come off second best.

 

[catempire]

YOU THINK MACKIES BAD U SHOULD SEE GARY ABLETT JNR WAT AN APSOLUTE PUSSY

Maybe you should start reading the Ablettiser to learn how to spell.

 

[skywalk750]

YOU THINK MACKIES BAD U SHOULD SEE GARY ABLETT JNR WAT AN APSOLUTE PUSSY

 

[Turbocat]

Id say that he must play "in the teams best interest".
He is in the side not to be a bruiser but to lethal with his skill. Although he is 192 , he is more like a 180 player in style and require that type of defender. This creates a mismatch which is so often what coach's hunger for.
I agree that at some time in a game or a season or a career all players will need to "go”. The floating ball, the 3 on one, the loose ball against the bigger body. Now Mackie might not find this as natural to do as some but as much as he offers the side if he gets a "go" situation and lets the side then he may undo all the other benefit he brings. I don’t feel this has happened till now, infact he actually got hurt backing into a pack in one of his early games. This is more a testament to his natural state of play before he felt how big some of the big boys can be. That he doesn’t seek contact is probably more about him feeling he is a twig playing with the tree's.Thompson has said he is to sleeping in the gym over summer, give him a chance to put a bit of bark on and you may find he is not the softie you perceive.

 

[scottydeewah]

ok so that is Hunt and Mackie out of the way, who is next for you to assassinate, scotty?

Hey I havent shot down anyone. I honestly believe that Hunt must continue to improve his defence skills and Mackie must learn not to be pushed off the ball.

 

[JUBJUB]

YOU THINK MACKIES BAD U SHOULD SEE GARY ABLETT JNR WAT AN APSOLUTE PUSSY

Can you guess which Bigfooty poster has a day off from Primary School ?

 

[Rosso]

Id say that he must play "in the teams best interest".
He is in the side not to be a bruiser but to lethal with his skill. Although he is 192 , he is more like a 180 player in style and require that type of defender. This creates a mismatch which is so often what coach's hunger for.
I agree that at some time in a game or a season or a career all players will need to "go”. The floating ball, the 3 on one, the loose ball against the bigger body. Now Mackie might not find this as natural to do as some but as much as he offers the side if he gets a "go" situation and lets the side then he may undo all the other benefit he brings. I don’t feel this has happened till now, infact he actually got hurt backing into a pack in one of his early games. This is more a testament to his natural state of play before he felt how big some of the big boys can be. That he doesn’t seek contact is probably more about him feeling he is a twig playing with the tree's.Thompson has said he is to sleeping in the gym over summer, give him a chance to put a bit of bark on and you may find he is not the softie you perceive.

Well put Turbocat. Can remember him copping a big hit against the Kangas in 2004 when he kept us in the game kicking 3 in the first quarter. Got a hospital pass from Benny G and came off a little worse for wear. Must say that I haven't actually seen him pull out of a contest. Seems to cop a fair bit of stick simply for the reason that he was an early pick that hasn't came on straight away. Was always going to take time to develop an AFL friendly body but as a very mobile 192cm, he has already shown signs of being able to cause a bit of havoc with miss-matches going his way (Round 1 2005).

 

[scottydeewah]

Must say that I haven't actually seen him pull out of a contest.

Are you serious? Try opening your eyes next time you watch a game.

 

[Rosso]

Are you serious? Try opening your eyes next time you watch a game.

He may not go in full throttle like a Jimmy Bartel or Chappy but I've seen him put his body on the line quite a few times in marking contests.

If he elects not to go into a heavy situation, that's not pulling out unless he back peddels or runs away (which is usually pretty obvious for all to see).

In this day and age we have inside and outside players. In years gone by they were tough nuts and receivers. Mackie is an outside player and I'm sure the recruiters knew that when they picked him up. He looks to be capable of having an impact at AFL level but just don't expect to see him at the bottom of packs week in week out.

 

[scottydeewah]

When he slows down to reach a contest second so he can tackle rather than be tackled that is not right.
When he gets a half bump and falls off the ball - not good enough.
When he takes a step sideways to avoid a collision but also avoids the ball - not right.

All I have heard is people stick up for him. He will stop become tougher when he gets bigger, it isnt his role to go in hard, he is an outside player.

WHEN IT IS YOUR TIME TO GO ITS YOUR TIME TO GO. You cant be an outside player for ever and if his body isnt ready he shouldnt be played.

The guy hears footsteps and moves. It is like an asian man - WONG.

Take this from an NHL rookie
"Once I first got out there, I couldn’t feel my legs, they felt like Jello," admitted Lapierre, who wasted little time introducing himself to the NHL. "I just went out there and honestly just tried to hit the first Panther I saw."

What a tough ********er. And this is a kid playing in a sport where the average hight and weight is about 2 inches and 10 kg more than the AFL.

Stop with the excuses people. I admitted I was too harsh on Hunt and saying i thought his defensive skills needed to improve. But go back and watch the games from last year, MACKIE plays very weak very often.

And why bring up Bartel to prove a point? That dude gets knocked out comes back and starts flying into packs and doing crazy stuff. And he is about the same size as Mackie just shorter.