Player Watch Finlay Macrae

[Jen2310]

What about when Pendles and JDG return. I doubt fin will be in the side.

I did just say it'll be dependant on those guys. The midfielders. Not richards.
Thats why he has to keep at it, keep improving.

At the start of the season I put Fin as the one that would play 10-15 games this year, and which is clearly on track. Which is a good step forward.

 

[Magpie Since 1986]

He had 16 touches. How many more disposals do you want from a kid with under 30 games?

Ill exclude the games where he has been subbed, hes averaging 14 touches a game.

I think closer to 20 touches a game would be par for a young player playing inside midfield and on track to become a long-term feature of our first choice midfield.

Even ignoring absolute superstars like Pendles and N Daicos , who has played inside midfield for us recently and what were their early career numbers?

Jack Crisp was similar age and had played less than 30 games when he came to us and averaged 22 possessions.
Tom Mitchell averaged 20 possessions in his first season of AFL for Sydney.
Taylor Adams averaged 20 possessions in his first season of AFL for GWS.
Adam Treloar averaged 22 possessions in his first season of AFL for GWS.

De Goey is about the only one that averaged 16-18 possessions early career, but he spent a huge amount of time forward and it was obvious even early he had many weapons that Finn doesnt.

Now you might say Finn is not the same quality as those guys above? Well I guess thats the point, he doesn't look like becoming a B+/A midfielder, I hope he proves me wrong.

 

[sideswipe]

Ill exclude the games where he has been subbed, hes averaging 14 touches a game.

I think closer to 20 touches a game would be par for a young player playing inside midfield and on track to become a long-term feature of our first choice midfield.

Even ignoring absolute superstars like Pendles and N Daicos , who has played inside midfield for us recently and what were their early career numbers?

Jack Crisp was similar age and had played less than 30 games when he came to us and averaged 22 possessions.
Tom Mitchell averaged 20 possessions in his first season of AFL for Sydney.
Taylor Adams averaged 20 possessions in his first season of AFL for GWS.
Adam Treloar averaged 22 possessions in his first season of AFL for GWS.

De Goey is about the only one that averaged 16-18 possessions early career, but he spent a huge amount of time forward and it was obvious even early he had many weapons that Finn doesnt.

Now you might say Finn is not the same quality as those guys above? Well I guess thats the point, he doesn't look like becoming a B+/A midfielder, I hope he proves me wrong.

He seems to be showing a pattern of improvement. Maybe just be happy with that.

 

[manicpie]

Ill exclude the games where he has been subbed, hes averaging 14 touches a game.

I think closer to 20 touches a game would be par for a young player playing inside midfield and on track to become a long-term feature of our first choice midfield.

Even ignoring absolute superstars like Pendles and N Daicos , who has played inside midfield for us recently and what were their early career numbers?

Jack Crisp was similar age and had played less than 30 games when he came to us and averaged 22 possessions.
Tom Mitchell averaged 20 possessions in his first season of AFL for Sydney.
Taylor Adams averaged 20 possessions in his first season of AFL for GWS.
Adam Treloar averaged 22 possessions in his first season of AFL for GWS.

De Goey is about the only one that averaged 16-18 possessions early career, but he spent a huge amount of time forward and it was obvious even early he had many weapons that Finn doesnt.

Now you might say Finn is not the same quality as those guys above? Well I guess thats the point, he doesn't look like becoming a B+/A midfielder, I hope he proves me wrong.

Fin is a good depth player. I can't see him playing when we get a few players back. He did some nice things and probably played his role fairly well.

 

[Piestration]

I think Mitchell's replacement isn't on the list at the moment.

Wardlaw please

 

[Eric Shin]

He’s not the best kick going around, even though I think he rushes his kicks a bit, but his hand balling could be a weapon.


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[Jen2310]

He’s not the best kick going around, even though I think he rushes his kicks a bit, but his hand balling could be a weapon.


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Good thing Fly said he doesn't care about kicking as much as other teams would. But agree, he has elite hands.

 

[Finnishpie]

More than happy to be proven wrong.
As they say, a broken watch tells the correct time twice in a day.
Let’s see how Finn backs up next week against a bunch of his peers.

Fair enough. And it's not like he has secured a spot in the 22. I just think the moment you say "total bust' it's too black and white. But you're right, let's see how he goes.

 

[31550]

Good thing Fly said he doesn't care about kicking as much as other teams would. But agree, he has elite hands.

Not the most poignant thing to say ( about kicking efficiency) in my opinion. The evidence was there again yesterday. It's the most important skill in the game, and remains the most underrated. Fly should know. It was his weapon.
How important would it have been for Melbourne to have finished more efficiently? How many scores from turnovers by foot? Have a look at Harrison's three goals and imagine if they had missed (none of them were easy).

 

[Mick F]

Good thing Fly said he doesn't care about kicking as much as other teams would. But agree, he has elite hands.

It shall improve with time. Experience leads to stored confidence = less perceived pressure and better decision making and execution of skills.

Our young blokes can only do their best. The football department aim to give them the opportunity to do so.

 

[Jen2310]

Not the most poignant thing to say ( about kicking efficiency) in my opinion. The evidence was there again yesterday. It's the most important skill in the game, and remains the most underrated. Fly should know. It was his weapon.
How important would it have been for Melbourne to have finished more efficiently? How many scores from turnovers by foot? Have a look at Harrison's three goals and imagine if they had missed (none of them were easy).

Going by what fly said, it's not the most important when it comes to how we play. It's how he described the recruitment of Ned Long with the question marks on his kicking.

But don't actually think Fin's kicking is too bad. But his hands are elite on the other hand.

 

[Chameleon75]

Not the most poignant thing to say ( about kicking efficiency) in my opinion. The evidence was there again yesterday. It's the most important skill in the game, and remains the most underrated. Fly should know. It was his weapon.
How important would it have been for Melbourne to have finished more efficiently? How many scores from turnovers by foot? Have a look at Harrison's three goals and imagine if they had missed (none of them were easy).

people are making too much out of his comments regarding kicking, you need to look at the context in which they were made.

Fly was trying to tell a positive story about Long being drafted and the interviewer went straight to the negative about his kicking. Fly was just batting away the question to pivot back to pumping up his player.

 

[Jen2310]

Thought his centre clearance was quite good. And when he gets a run on through he middle in the chains, looked unstoppable.
Just needs to chill on some composure and realise he has more time than he does, and kick accurately.

His kick to Kreuger inside 50 was good.

 

[LuckyLee]

Good thing Fly said he doesn't care about kicking as much as other teams would. But agree, he has elite hands.

The word “elite” gets thrown around very loosely these days!

But I agree with you that Fin’s handballs are better than his kicks. In that regard the Mitchell comparison is valid.

North will be an interesting game for Fin watchers, as he takes on lots of his 2-4 year contemporaries. Hopefully he can put together a 4-quarter performance.


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[Ted Potter]

people are making too much out of his comments regarding kicking, you need to look at the context in which they were made.

I took Fly's comments to simply refer to kicking out of clearance and congestion to gain territory. I presume Long is being considered as a replacement inside mid where precise kicking is not the number one priority.

 

[sr36]

He may see opportunities elsewhere, I see him in that Lipinski space when he came to us from the kennel. Good enough but not established with proven best 23 ahead of him.

I tend to agree, particularly with Pendles going around again.

 

[Mollythedolly]

Ill exclude the games where he has been subbed, hes averaging 14 touches a game.

I think closer to 20 touches a game would be par for a young player playing inside midfield and on track to become a long-term feature of our first choice midfield.

Even ignoring absolute superstars like Pendles and N Daicos , who has played inside midfield for us recently and what were their early career numbers?

Jack Crisp was similar age and had played less than 30 games when he came to us and averaged 22 possessions.
Tom Mitchell averaged 20 possessions in his first season of AFL for Sydney.
Taylor Adams averaged 20 possessions in his first season of AFL for GWS.
Adam Treloar averaged 22 possessions in his first season of AFL for GWS.

De Goey is about the only one that averaged 16-18 possessions early career, but he spent a huge amount of time forward and it was obvious even early he had many weapons that Finn doesnt.

Now you might say Finn is not the same quality as those guys above? Well I guess thats the point, he doesn't look like becoming a B+/A midfielder, I hope he proves me wrong.

How many of those games has he had significant midfield time? Played a lot as a small forward and those numbers are pretty good with that factored in. Averaged a goal a game across those 4 games as well.

We're also a lower possession team than both GWS in 2012 and Sydney in 2013. Likely a reflection of how the game has changed over the last decade.

EDIT: just checked, he's attended 18 of the total 106 centre bounces across those 4 games. He has had rotations through the wing though can't get those figures.

 

[Granit1962]

Monday shows he needs more exposure at the top level. He was great in the first half - splitting CBA time with Sullivan very novel.

 

[sr36]

How many of those games has he had significant midfield time? Played a lot as a small forward and those numbers are pretty good with that factored in. Averaged a goal a game across those 4 games as well.

We're also a lower possession team than both GWS in 2012 and Sydney in 2013. Likely a reflection of how the game has changed over the last decade.

EDIT: just checked, he's attended 18 of the total 106 centre bounces across those 4 games. He has had rotations through the wing though can't get those figures.

He hasn't really played small forward - more the Lippa role of pushing up into the midfield contest and then trying to link up and run forward from there.

 

[31550]

He hasn't really played small forward - more the Lippa role of pushing up into the midfield contest and then trying to link up and run forward from there.

If he's going to be a small forward he needs to offer more than we can get from Hill, Schultz, Lipinski, McReery, Harrison, Elliott (when fit), Richards (when fit), and probably a few others.

If he's going to be a midfielder, he needs to offer more than we can get from the midfield group.

We have injuries to both groups, and the midfield group is ageing. There seem to be more opportunities midfield at the moment - it seems that Fin and Sullivan are being tried there. I can't see both remaining when Mitchell, Pendlebury and De Goey return. McReery and Crisp will probably spend less time midfield when this happens, so there will be some sort of fallout effect.

 

[Maggie5]

Thought his centre clearance was quite good. And when he gets a run on through he middle in the chains, looked unstoppable.
Just needs to chill on some composure and realise he has more time than he does, and kick accurately.

His kick to Kreuger inside 50 was good.

Wasn't there another pass to Frampton that looked good before Frampton slipped over?

Quite a few our players were slipping over, shoes/surface?

 

[The Phantom]

Monday shows he needs more exposure at the top level. He was great in the first half - splitting CBA time with Sullivan very novel.

Monday shows he’s pretty vanilla.
A St.Kilda standard midfielder.

Ultimately we need to go past Fin.

 

[Granit1962]

Monday shows he’s pretty vanilla.
A St.Kilda standard midfielder.

Ultimately we need to go past Fin.

Didn't rate his first half? I thought he was one of the better players and a standard which puts him above vanilla/

 

[sr36]

If he's going to be a small forward he needs to offer more than we can get from Hill, Schultz, Lipinski, McReery, Harrison, Elliott (when fit), Richards (when fit), and probably a few others.

If he's going to be a midfielder, he needs to offer more than we can get from the midfield group.

We have injuries to both groups, and the midfield group is ageing. There seem to be more opportunities midfield at the moment - it seems that Fin and Sullivan are being tried there. I can't see both remaining when Mitchell, Pendlebury and De Goey return. McReery and Crisp will probably spend less time midfield when this happens, so there will be some sort of fallout effect.

I think you can rule out small forward unless you just mean the Lippa quasi mid role.

He's done well. He's shown that his hands and running through the lines is good and translates at AFL. He's shown that he's viable depth. To become more than depth he needs to improve his kicking for wing or the Lippa role and/or he needs to improve his strength and contested work for an inside role. The latter is more likely the target, but with Pendles likely to go around again, there's a fair queue ahead of him, so he's going to need to be patient or might look elsewhere.

 

[The Phantom]

Didn't rate his first half? I thought he was one of the better players and a standard which puts him above vanilla/

I rated a couple of moments.
Ultimately wasn’t sustained.
And it amounted to a mediocre contribution in total.
That’s just not enough to be part of a premiership team.