#18 Finlay Macrae

[dalyc]

I’m prepared to give Finn some time to find his feet. We need someone to pick up when Mitchell retires. He’s our best go at this point in time.

[masoncox]

I’m prepared to give Finn some time to find his feet. We need someone to pick up when Mitchell retires. He’s our best go at this point in time.

Finn is a work in progress.
Sullivan will either sink or swim very quickly.
We are still in the race for another flag even though it is more of a long shot compared to 3 weeks ago
Plenty of time to really bloody the kids.
When things go south then put them in

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

I'm trying to like this kid but it's getting increasingly difficult.

[Pies2016]

Nothing worse than premature evaluation. The club have just given him a contract extension, so they clearly see him as a required player. Let’s give him a chance ( 15 AFL games to date trying to break into a deep midfield ) to deliver that break out game that will make him feel like he belongs. Right now, he’s playing with the fear of only being one bad quarter away from being dropped again.
Personally, my biggest criticism of Macrae is that he allows himself to be to easily pushed around at the centre square. The very best clearance players have this unwavering will to gain poll position at a stoppage and not give it up. He could do a lot worse than watch clips of his former Chargers teammate, Matt Rowell ( only 180cm but plays so much bigger ) ply his craft at a stoppage or centre bounce.

[masoncox]

^

He has shown nothing of interest so far. Finn will take another 20 games or so to find out whether to keep him.
We are trying to win back-to-back flags this year.
Sullivan is a mature midfielder. He may not be good enough .... Who knows?
The point is we need another in an under midfielder and so far, it is not Finn.
So, give Sullivan a go. Nothing to lose.
We will know with Sullivan a lot sooner whether he is worth keeping.

[Culprit]

He's barely played 20 games, he will get there. You can't put 80 games into someone in a year. Sullivan should get a run, Richards keeps having a crack and deserves a run and in saying that it's all about team balance.

[RudeBoy]

^

But this is his 4th season with us. He may get some more games, but he is definitely running out of opportunities to prove his worth at AFL level. Meanwhile, Sullivan is a strong bodied midfielder, who has been tearing it up in the VFL.

[Said by Zed]

^100%

[Culprit]

^

But this is his 4th season with us. He may get some more games, but he is definitely running out of opportunities to prove his worth at AFL level. Meanwhile, Sullivan is a strong bodied midfielder, who has been tearing it up in the VFL.

4th Season and has had to sit back because of who's in front of him senior-wise. I agree with Sullivan and I refer to Kyle Martin who used to kill it in the VFL but struggled at AFL Level. The gap to AFL is more than people think. At this stage and due to where we sit in the next few drafts unless we are prepared to trade some quality out, we have no choice but to persevere with who we have.

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

I would be happy to see Sullivan get a run, don't see how it would equate to the end of Finns career....a lot of squads have 2 or 3 inside players, sometimes even more!

[Pies2016]

I would be happy to see Sullivan get a run, don't see how it would equate to the end of Finns career....a lot of squads have 2 or 3 inside players, sometimes even more!

Hard to argue against such simple logic.
Whether Macrae makes it or not, players like Pendlebury and Mitchell are close to the end. We need reinforcements at the ready.

[Said by Zed]

I would be happy to see Sullivan get a run, don't see how it would equate to the end of Finns career....a lot of squads have 2 or 3 inside players, sometimes even more!

Hard to argue against such simple logic.
Whether Macrae makes it or not, players like Pendlebury and Mitchell are close to the end. We need reinforcements at the ready.

Says a lot about your perspective if you’re suggesting Finlay can fill either of Pendle's or Mitchell’s boots…now or in the future. For that matter I’d argue there’s not one AFL coach thinking “gees, wish I had him on our list” nor is there a single team in which he could hold down a spot - Wet Toast included, let alone the reigning premier.

An even simpler and more logical approach is to look elsewhere 2024 drafts or more likely FA’s. Finn can’t and never will be the inside mid we need.

I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion but facts are facts…Unfortunately, as much we need him to be better than he is, the evidence to date over three seasons is overwhelmingly in the contrary.

No disrespect intended, but I hope our list management don’t rely on such simple logic. Blind belief is the enemy of truth. Real decisions made upon appropriate decision making rationale and ruthlessness is the secret ingredient to sustained success or rapid improvement.

[warburton lad]

May I be a dissenting voice??
I think that Macrae will become a regular player at the Pies- and a reasonably good one.
I have grave misgivings over putting a line through a player who has played a mere 20 games (some as sub) in a club which has had the midfield talent of Mitchell, De Goey, Pendlebury, Nick and Josh Daicos, Sidebottom, Lipinski, Adams, Crisp, Hoskins-Elliott... in the last three and a bit seasons.

Naturally, there will be games where he is outclassed and outmuscled (he was excellent in the first quarter against Brisbane before they really put the acid on him.
I see such experiences as just that- experience. I have no doubt the midfield coaches will study the vision and give Macrae some areas to work on- just as they would with any other up-and-comer.

As an infrequent track-watcher, I am convinced that Macrae has the level of work ethic to make it at the top level.
Again, I am not suggesting that he will be an A-grader, but he will be a reliable workhorse at the very least. Every premiership team needs such players as part of its personnel.

On an aside, I would not be surprised if his step-brother Jack is in Black and White in 2025.

Floreat Pica

[RudeBoy]

I hope you are right Laddy.

However, my worry is that this is now his 4th season with us and he is still struggling to get a regular game. Furthermore, to my mind, he has been rather underwhelming in all his senior appearances. I certainly wouldn't be discarding him just yet, but clearly he needs to be put on notice that he needs to improve significantly, or this will be his last season with us.

In the meantime, Sullivan seems a ready made, inside mid, who is in stellar form in the VFL. We certainly need another inside mid to help out Titch, but on that score we have other options, other than Macrae.

[Pies2016]

I would be happy to see Sullivan get a run, don't see how it would equate to the end of Finns career....a lot of squads have 2 or 3 inside players, sometimes even more!

Hard to argue against such simple logic.
Whether Macrae makes it or not, players like Pendlebury and Mitchell are close to the end. We need reinforcements at the ready.

Says a lot about your perspective if you’re suggesting Finlay can fill either of Pendle's or Mitchell’s boots…now or in the future. For that matter I’d argue there’s not one AFL coach thinking “gees, wish I had him on our list” nor is there a single team in which he could hold down a spot - Wet Toast included, let alone the reigning premier.

An even simpler and more logical approach is to look elsewhere 2024 drafts or more likely FA’s. Finn can’t and never will be the inside mid we need.

I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion but facts are facts…Unfortunately, as much we need him to be better than he is, the evidence to date over three seasons is overwhelmingly in the contrary.

No disrespect intended, but I hope our list management don’t rely on such simple logic. Blind belief is the enemy of truth. Real decisions made upon appropriate decision making rationale and ruthlessness is the secret ingredient to sustained success or rapid improvement.

It’s called depth, not replacement. That’s why we have lists of forty plus.