Prediction Thompson, Mackay & Douglas. How many combined Games and what Impact in 2017

[Team DJ]

The 3 much maligned veterans of the Adelaide Football Club. Scott Thompson, Richard Douglas and David McKay.

How many AFL games combined do you see these 3 playing in 2017, and what impact are they likely to have?

If we are indeed preaching the theme of "Organic Growth" I would hope we dont see the 3 of them combining for more than 20 games total. Younger players should be squeezing them out of the lineup. However, knowing the selection panel i wouldn't be shocked if it was closer to 50 combined.

My Guess:
Thompson - 8 Games
Douglas - 6 Games
McKay - 8 Games

 

[1970crow]

I don't think Thommo deserves to be grouped in with the 'much maligned' crew. Last year was his first where he had a run of sub-standard performances and was lucky to hold his spot. Even the previous year he bounced back after a bye or the tragic week off.

I think Mackay will be lucky to play any games. Dougy will probably play most, unless he doesn't get more midfield time. Thommo I reckon plays the first 4-5 and I'm not sure he'll make it back without injuries.

Jack is Back

 

[Vader]

I think Thommo will probably only play a handful of games. I'd be expecting 5-6 at most, 1-3 being more likely.

I would be surprised if Douglas doesn't play every game for which he is available - 22 games, plus finals, less anything lost to injury.

Mackay is still preferred ahead of Seedsman and will probably start the season in the 22. I'm hoping that he'll have been overtaken by the end of the year. My guess: 12-16 games.

 

[Scorpus]

Douglas - Every game (bar injuries)
Mackay - At least 15 games, probably every game
Thompson - 10 games

 

[Hank93]

At least 40, probably 45-50.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Douglas - 20
Thompson - 6
MacKay - 0

 

[Team DJ]

Lots of people still rating Richard Douglas. I would love to know why?

I see Knight, Menzel, Wigg, Milera and even Dean Gore zooming past him

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Douglas 20 games +
Thommo 6
Dmac 2

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Lots of people still rating Richard Douglas. I would love to know why?

I see Knight, Menzel, Wigg, Milera and even Dean Gore zooming past him

He came above Laird in B and F ( in total , not per game played)

Can't see the coaches pushing him out unless his form drops further but I think he can have a slightly better season as he was pretty poor

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

They were first choice every single game bar one last season. Not a single SANFL game between them.

Would take a massive change in mindset for us to push one of them out of the 22 now, let alone all three.

I'm not sure if there's anything from the club that indicates the value of experience is going to be any less of a consideration than it was in 2016.

 

[Vader]

Lots of people still rating Richard Douglas. I would love to know why?

I see Knight, Menzel, Wigg, Milera and even Dean Gore zooming past him

If you think Douglas won't be selected, then you haven't been paying attention to AFC's team selections for the last 20 years.

Of the players you've named, I can see Knight pushing into the team. I'm struggling to see Menzel making it as an AFL player. Gore is probably more likely to be delisted than selected. Wigg is facing a make or break year, and could realistically go either way - though there doesn't seem to be a lot of drive for his selection within the club. Milera has massive potential, but needs to step it up quite a bit from last year if he's to establish himself in the team.

With Thompson's role significantly downgraded, and Lyons traded, we have 2 vacancies in the team already. I think one of those will go to Knight. I'm not sure who gets the other position. CEY hopes it will be him - I'm not so sure that it will be.

 

[Vader]

They were first choice every single game bar one last season. Not a single SANFL game between them.

Would take a massive change in mindset for us to push one of them out of the 22 now, let alone all three.

I'm not sure if there's anything from the club that indicates the value of experience is going to be any less of a consideration than it was in 2016.

The only thing to add to this is that there was a lot of publicity concerning Thompson's reduced role. I know you think he'll play most games, because of the experience factor. I think they were serious, and he'll be spending a lot of time in the SANFL as a result.

 

[hellboy1975]

Lots of people still rating Richard Douglas. I would love to know why?

I see Knight, Menzel, Wigg, Milera and even Dean Gore zooming past him

I don't think it's people rating Dougie, more that people are expecting that the team/coach will pick him. I think if it were up to many of us he wouldn't play again.

That said, out of the three in question I think Dougie is the most likely one to actually have a decent year - Thommo is past it and Mackay never had it in the first place.

 

[JPetro83]

I think Dougie will play round 1.. if he performs well I can see him playing 18-22 games.
Mackaywill be in and out so I will say he and Seedsman will fight it out for a spot. 1-12 games
Thommo will play 12 games

 

[DD#23]

IMO Douglas is the only one that gets the opportunity first up.

Mackay is a serial underachiever who doesn't deserve first crack ahead of giving opportunities to a Knight, Milera, Hampton, Menzel etc when they're fit and similarly with Thommo he showed last year that he (is too old) struggled to maintain his form after the first 6 weeks, so even if he's the "best" option for each of those weeks it would be absolute madness to waste those opportunities to give a youngster a chance. Whether that's more games for CEY or debuting Wigg, Gooch or Pocahontas I really don't care, as all are better options.

barring a long injury list I'd be disappointed if Mackay and Thommo combined for more than 4 games next year. Douglas I could live with playing most games IF he his form warrants it.

despite my view on all that, if I were going to place a bet it would be on the short-priced favourite for the trio to play over 50 games between them.

 

[Shaz2012]

With Lyons gone, I think Thommo will still be in the best 22. Wouldnt surprise me if he gets 20 games with a couple of managed rests. Should have been dropped last season, but wasnt so no reason to think it will be different. But desperately hoping he is pure backup and will not get a game.

Same with Douglas and Mackay. Both should have been dropped last season, but were not and no reason to think there will be a change of thinking.

 

[TexForPM]

Spud mackay will not play, can get stuffed
Dougie 15+
Thommo 8-10

 

[1970crow]

With Lyons gone, I think Thommo will still be in the best 22. Wouldnt surprise me if he gets 20 games with a couple of managed rests. Should have been dropped last season, but wasnt so no reason to think it will be different. But desperately hoping he is pure backup and will not get a game.

Same with Douglas and Mackay. Both should have been dropped last season, but were not and no reason to think there will be a change of thinking.

The publicness of Thommo's dual role suggests reasonably strongly that there is changed thinking. It's not hard to understand why they persisted last year and would have been reasonably confident that he'd return to his early season form. Looking back on the year, it was a pretty obvious pattern, so the confidence thry held last year would have diminished somewhat. And Lyons wasn't getting much stoppage time, which Dougie can easily cover. Jack is Back .

 

[Elite Crow]

3 per round, 1 each

 

[Shaz2012]

The publicness of Thommo's dual role suggests reasonably strongly that there is changed thinking. It's not hard to understand why they persisted last year and would have been reasonably confident that he'd return to his early season form. Looking back on the year, it was a pretty obvious pattern, so the confidence thry held last year would have diminished somewhat. And Lyons wasn't getting much stoppage time, which Dougie can easily cover. Jack is Back .

I really hope thats true. But it wasnt just Thommo, it was Douglas and Mackay as well that maintained their spot in best 22 despite the fact that it was obviously going to cost us in a tough final. Even VB had no business playing last year. All great servants but past their time. Opportunities needed to be given to the next generation.

 

[GreyCrow]

33-38 games in total

 

[Jarman3]

Assuming a fully fit list, I doubt any of them see much game time if they continue their form lines from last year. You'd think the development and/or return from injury of guys like Milera, Cameron, Knight, Hampton, Menzel, Gallucci, Wigg etc would be enough to put some pressure on some of the underperforming older guys like Mackay and Douglas. Thommo is probably the most likely of the three to get a game since I think we've got less competition from outside the current 22 for that inside role. Other then CEY, who else is there to come in and take over that spot? Gore, maybe? I haven't seen enough of him to judge. Any of the new draftees?

 

[Jarman3]

I really hope thats true. But it wasnt just Thommo, it was Douglas and Mackay as well that maintained their spot in best 22 despite the fact that it was obviously going to cost us in a tough final. Even VB had no business playing last year. All great servants but past their time. Opportunities needed to be given to the next generation.

They did make the call on VB pretty early in the season, though. And it looks like they've pretty much made it on Thommo already before this season starts. Hopefully they'll also make it on Mackay and Douglas if they're not getting the job done when the season starts.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Douglas 15
Thompson 7
Mackay 3

 

[WetCrow1991]

They will probably play every game they are available for because this club is risk averse to the core when it comes to team selection.

If I had my way Thompson wouldn't be on the list anymore, so 0 games for him. 0 games for Mackay because his decision making is s**t and he couldn't kick a goal on the run if his life depended on it. As for Douglas, he gets the benefit of the doubt, even if in my opinion he was lacklustre in 2016 he has some tickets, not many, but some so depending on performance 10-22 games.

The key is Thommo, he is a flat out liability. When he starts in the middle at the beginning of a red hot game you just know we are going to get drilled by the opposition. He doesn't even come into the game as it progresses anymore, his body is cooked and any weapons he had are gone, should not play at all. There is no upside to Scott Thompson playing any games in 2017.