Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Connor MacDonald! Extended to 2026!

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

If this kid can develop into a player that gets it 25 times a game, then it'll be super exciting as he isn't often wasteful with his touches.

He definitely has this potential and could average a goal a game. The sky is the limit with this kid.

 

[Dewwwww]

Forget the doubters, our current crop of young midfielders are likely going to be elite. McDonald along with Ward, Newcombe, Butler and whoever we add this year with a very early pick are going to blossom with a few pre-seasons and games under their belts.

On that note, Reeves hasn't played 20 games yet, and his development will make them better as well.

Sam Mitchell has said pretty clearly that he'd rather develop a wining team and suffer some short term pain to achieve that goal, instead of producing a team that will scrape into the 8 each year but never challenge.

McDonald is a big part of this plan. He's smooth, clean, quick and super smart. He's got some height too. Great to see him in the midfield the last couple of weeks.

100% on the money.

Throw is pick 4-5, 22-23 plus Lawrence this year (And possibly other picks / player swaps for Mitchell etc) Plus another top pick next year and plenty of cash to grab free agents and we are well on our way.

Fremantles midfield wasn’t elite when Brayshaw / Serong etc were 19yos running around. Give those guys you mentioned another 40 games under their belt and they will be putting up similar numbers Brayshaw and Serong

 

[MrPremiership]

Best game of the year. Silky.

 

[hawkman]

Needs more centre square time. Would have him in there for at least 10 a game

 

[burner1]

Not sure his midfield craft / body is up to spending serious minutes in middle. He struggled at vfl level when playing as a mid (but came to life when moved to a flank). As a first year player no need to rush - he’s getting heaps of exposure already as is already ahead of most of his draft class. We need him to develop the right habits (eg defensive running which could be a weakness) so may be a steady burn over next two years.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Not sure his midfield craft / body is up to spending serious minutes in middle. He struggled at vfl level when playing as a mid (but came to life when moved to a flank). As a first year player no need to rush - he’s getting heaps of exposure already as is already ahead of most of his draft class. We need him to develop the right habits (eg defensive running which could be a weakness) so may be a steady burn over next two years.

He needs a couple of more pre seasons to be a mid full time. Playing the way he is atm is the best for him as he will play more games gain that valuable exposure at AFL level

 

[PenAndPaper]

Not sure his midfield craft / body is up to spending serious minutes in middle. He struggled at vfl level when playing as a mid (but came to life when moved to a flank). As a first year player no need to rush - he’s getting heaps of exposure already as is already ahead of most of his draft class. We need him to develop the right habits (eg defensive running which could be a weakness) so may be a steady burn over next two years.

From what I've seen I have liked his defensive running. Seems to love a chase but yeah definitely needs a bit more time before full-time midfield minutes but boy does he look good

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Maybe I misread all of the draft write-ups for MacDonald - but based on the footage it seemed to me that he was a contested, fairly unversatile, midfielder who was going to do the harder in-and-under stuff.

He definitely looked clean to me based on the videos. But no one warned me that he was going to be such a classy mover, nor did they warn me that he was actually going to be able to have an impact playing on the HFF.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

He never had trouble finding the ball at NAB league level, and once he gets the midfield minutes I think it will be much the same at AFL level.

Sam's doing a good job of developing him in other roles first.

 

[The Chad and I]

MacDonald plays like a top 10 pick.

 

[chopflop]

Maybe I misread all of the draft write-ups for MacDonald - but based on the footage it seemed to me that he was a contested, fairly unversatile, midfielder who was going to do the harder in-and-under stuff.

He definitely looked clean to me based on the videos. But no one warned me that he was going to be such a classy mover, nor did they warn me that he was actually going to be able to have an impact playing on the HFF.

Has surprised me in this way. I remember McKenzie in the draft wrap up said that they believed he could play HFF and, yeh, they were spot on

 

[The hands of stone]

Good stuff by the track watchers, they called pretty early in pre season that C-Mac looked most likely this year.
Will be a jet

 

[HODGEYROAD]

MacDonald plays like a top 10 pick.

Yep if I didn't watch the draft and was told to guess who our Pick 7 was last year, I'd be guessing Connor Macdonald.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Is our best handballer

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Got the talent to play midfield, just needs a couple of pre seasons in the gym to build the body up.

This is why you should never tank to get top ten draft picks, there is gold to be mined in those picks in the 20s and 30s.

 

[Billyc]

Yep if I didn't watch the draft and was told to guess who our Pick 7 was last year, I'd be guessing Connor Macdonald.

The write ups had Macdonald as a good inside ball winner with some iffy disposal, whereas Ward was seen as the guy with clean skills. While I’m sure Ward will improve his skills with more experience (he has so far seemed a bit rushed at AFL level), MacDonald has looked very clean and silky. Adapted to the pace really well. Reminds me of Dayne Beams (on field !). Seems to do everything well.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

The write ups had Macdonald as a good inside ball winner with some iffy disposal, whereas Ward was seen as the guy with clean skills. While I’m sure Ward will improve his skills with more experience (he has so far seemed a bit rushed at AFL level), MacDonald has looked very clean and silky. Adapted to the pace really well. Reminds me of Dayne Beams (on field !). Seems to do everything well.

Good comparison with Dayne Beams. I like that one a lot.

Hopefully he develops into a 30 touch, 1 goal, 4 tackles, 6 clearances per game kind of player like Beams did.

 

[kirbatron]

His ball to Lewis in the first qtr was basic enough yet had a pin point deliciousness to it where you couldn't help but think ...

 

[Billyc]

Good comparison with Dayne Beams. I like that one a lot.

Hopefully he develops into a 30 touch, 1 goal, 4 tackles, 6 clearances per game kind of player like Beams did.

Whatever he was off field, Beams in his first Collingwood stint and his Brisbane stint was an absolute gun. One of those mids who did everything well. I have been pleasantly surprised by Macdonald's ball use and composure, which were not reported as features of his U18 game.

 

[kenneje]

The write ups had Macdonald as a good inside ball winner with some iffy disposal, whereas Ward was seen as the guy with clean skills. While I’m sure Ward will improve his skills with more experience (he has so far seemed a bit rushed at AFL level), MacDonald has looked very clean and silky. Adapted to the pace really well. Reminds me of Dayne Beams (on field !). Seems to do everything well.

Love this comparison. CMac is already one of the mids I want to be pulling the strings forward of centre. Very creative and clean. As Wbby mentioned, he's already our best handballer. A lot of similarities to Errol Guldens first year.

Beams 2012 season was utter insanity. An offensive force.
Averaged over 30 disposals, 6 clearances, 2 Goal/Assists and 5 inside fifties. He was number 1 for effective disposals, 50 ahead of Sam Mitchell who was second best and played the same amount of games.

 

[Roger Rogerson]

The run in the VFL did him the world of good.

Was his best game to date. He was in everything. Noticed that he ran hard defensively too which I think would have been a focus at VFL level.

Real class and a playmaker.

 

[TheFourPillars]

The run in the VFL did him the world of good.

Was his best game to date. He was in everything. Noticed that he ran hard defensively too which I think would have been a focus at VFL level.

Real class and a playmaker.

Similar to worps when he came back from a stint at box hill when he started.

 

[grumbleguts]

Love this comparison. CMac is already one of the mids I want to be pulling the strings forward of centre. Very creative and clean. As Wbby mentioned, he's already our best handballer. A lot of similarities to Errol Guldens first year.

Beams 2012 season was utter insanity. An offensive force.
Averaged over 30 disposals, 6 clearances, 2 Goal/Assists and 5 inside fifties. He was number 1 for effective disposals, 50 ahead of Sam Mitchell who was second best and played the same amount of games.

Brownlow medal or it didn't happen.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Love this comparison. CMac is already one of the mids I want to be pulling the strings forward of centre. Very creative and clean. As Wbby mentioned, he's already our best handballer. A lot of similarities to Errol Guldens first year.

Beams 2012 season was utter insanity. An offensive force.
Averaged over 30 disposals, 6 clearances, 2 Goal/Assists and 5 inside fifties. He was number 1 for effective disposals, 50 ahead of Sam Mitchell who was second best and played the same amount of games.

He was a special midfielder. Always thought he never got enough recognition given the stats he was pulling. And his game wasn't just raw stats, he was a classy and damaging user and did the hard stuff. IMO he was better than Pendles for a period.

Billyc again credit for the comparison. I couldn't for the life of me think of one that suited MacDonald.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]