Past Joel Macdonald (2003-2009)

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Re: Joel Macdonald

Just thought i'd mention the fantastic effort to finish pretty well in the B&F despite playing only 9 games.

Fantastic effort by Mcdonald...really has come back an extremely improved player. Below shows joel asserting himself around the packs...

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JOEL SMASH!
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

End of Season Player Review

The much maligned Joel Macdonald missed the start of the season as he was still recovering from a knee reconstruction that he underwent last year. Many were questioning his future before he did his knee, so it is fair to say he was under the pump in 2007.

Macdonald returned through the reserves, showing some good form, and got a senior call up for the round 11 clash against the Bulldogs. He started off with a few quietish games but in round 14 he had a career best game against West Coast, and continued to play very good footy for the rest of the season. Unfortunately his season was cut short when he contracted a virus that kept him out for the last 3 rounds.

As strange as it sounds, it is almost as if the knee reconstruction has been good for JMac’s career. He has returned a lot stronger, and is now doing a lot of the heavy work. He is breaking out of tackles and showing good composure in traffic. He is flying the flag whenever there is a scuffle to look out for the younger blokes. His kicking is much improved too and in general he looks a lot more confident in his play.

All of a sudden Macdonald has become an important player for the Lions, finishing the year 6th highest in votes per game at the B&F. He also adds versatility with his ability to play either in defence or in the midfield. Now with 41 games under his belt, and a full preseason to come, he is poised to have a very good 2008.

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Re: Joel Macdonald

After seeing some of his work through the midfield this season, brushing through and laying tackles coupled with pretty good disposing of the ball most of the time, it actually makes me think he could be the bigger-bodied midfielder that we're looking for if he keeps it up.
 

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Re: Joel Macdonald

Ruse said:
Who needs Hadley when we've got a better player in JMac.
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Good point, very similar players.

MacDonald is a far superior athlete, and before the knee recos of both players, you would have had Hadley ahead on skill.

MacDonald now seems to be ahead of both fronts.
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

Warwick said:
I don't think Allan went to Terrace, but I could be wrong.

Tom Williams also came from Terrace but they refuse to have an aussie rules program.
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whilst i was still living in brisbane a couple of years back - i attended Terrace and never saw one footy! In fact, mates would laugh at the thought of afl :thumbsdown:

hopefully times have changed
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

Fairley said:
I'm expecting Jmac to play a half back flank role this year providing some good dash out of the backline. Thoughts?
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So who do you think will fill the other hbf role for us this year? Sherman, begley, nuxy, stiller, johnstone, schmidt, kiel or another?
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

Ruse said:
So who do you think will fill the other hbf role for us this year? Sherman, begley, nuxy, stiller, johnstone, schmidt, kiel or another?
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Drummond i'd think mate. I personally what Sherman on the forward flank. Maybe Corrie on the back flank, we'll have to see i guess.
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

I'd like to see drummo at the back pocket. He just doesn't have the dash to take players on plus he does the kick in duties. We tried to play sherman forward earlier in the year with no success so maybe he really is not suited there. I also wouldn't mind seeing JMac in the middle this year. has great endurance and strength. Could be a really great inside mid in the future.:thumbsu:
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

Ruse said:
I'd like to see drummo at the back pocket. He just doesn't have the dash to take players on plus he does the kick in duties. We tried to play sherman forward earlier in the year with no success so maybe he really is not suited there. I also wouldn't mind seeing JMac in the middle this year. has great endurance and strength. Could be a really great inside mid in the future.:thumbsu:
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Along with the other 20 players we wouldn't mind seeing in the middle this year. Where are we going to find room to fit all these midfielders in? Haha. :p
 

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Re: Joel Macdonald

Fairley said:
Along with the other 20 players we wouldn't mind seeing in the middle this year. Where are we going to find room to fit all these midfielders in? Haha. :p
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Well we can be the first team to have Pagan's Paddock in the forward and back lines;)
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

Fairley said:
I'm expecting Jmac to play a half back flank role this year providing some good dash out of the backline. Thoughts?
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I imagine he'll spend most of his time down back, but he's probably someone that can be used as a Mr Fix It and will get thrown into a few different roles.
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

Link

Less is more for Macdonald
Author: Simon White
11:46 AM Thu 06 March, 2008

WHEN footballers talk about not overdoing it during their holidays, they are usually referring to the process of unwinding from the rigorous home-and-away season.
For Brisbane Lions utility Joel Macdonald, however, taking it easy over the off-season will now mean taking a step back from his own personal fitness regime.
The 23-year-old missed the Lions’ first two matches of the pre-season following a groin injury and believes the ailment was partly the result of his desire to build on a strong 2007 - in which he came back from a knee reconstruction to play the best football of his young career.

“I had a pretty solid first two months of the pre-season and then I had to back off because my groin flared up and we had to be careful it didn’t turn into osteitis pubis,” Macdonald told lions.com.au.

“A big part of it was probably my own fault, because I was so keen to build on last year and had my heart set on playing all 22 games and stepping my fitness up to a new level.

“Obviously the three to four months of pre-season gets you pretty right to play footy but I think I did too much running of my own during the break and when I was away in Thailand.

“I guess I’ve learnt now to take a holiday as a holiday.”
While Macdonald’s late start to pre-season action wasn’t by design, he hopes to be part of a Lions side that will hit peak form when it is needed most.

The former Mt Gravatt junior joined Lions captains Jonathan Brown and Simon Black in playing his first game of the summer against Geelong at Carrara last Saturday night.

“If you’re peaking at this time of the year, during the pre-season, it’s not really a good thing,” Macdonald said.

“If you look at last year, we played right through to the final of the NAB Cup and although we started the season okay, we then had a lull where we really struggled.

“Going back to the years when the Lions were winning premiership, they weren’t peaking too early in the year and I think that’s what we’re looking at this year.

“I’m sure Browny (Jonathan Brown) or Blacky (Simon Black) will be in pretty good form and shape for Round 1 but they probably won’t start peaking until later in the year – which is what you need over such a long season.”

Because of his stamina and ability to play above his height, Macdonald has filled pretty much every position on the park since debuting in 2004 - from run-with roles against the likes of James Hird, to deputising at centre-half-back and operating as a mobile marking half-forward.

Last year, he settled across half-back and averaged a career-high 17 possessions-per-game.

“I thought I probably played my best footy I’ve every played last year, when I played on the half-back line,” he said.

“I’m probably a guy who benefits from settling down in a position, so hopefully I can play there again this year.
“In previous years it was sometimes a big difficult because I was playing so many different positions – one week I’d be specifically working on goal-kicking, then the next it might be spoiling and then the next it might be tackling or clearances.

“Last year I had a bit more continuity and I think it really helped.”


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Re: Joel Macdonald

Link

Some people might say that playing West Coast in Perth is a big ask first up, but I love playing in Perth. It’s the biggest ground in the comp and it’s great to have some space to move in to be able to use your speed and endurance and go for a few bounces when you get the chance.

I often wonder how close I came to be playing on Subiaco more regularly because I had the West Coast recruiting manager visit my parents’ home before I got rookie listed by Brisbane. He made a big impression and really sold us on the idea of Perth.

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Re: Joel Macdonald

He was very good tonight. I keep praying that it's not just flash in the pan and then he'll revert back or the bad ol' days before the knee reco and it looks like God has answered my prayers. Must also be knocking on the door of a midfield berth i would think. perhaps when roe gets back in the defence.
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

Ruse said:
He was very good tonight. I keep praying that it's not just flash in the pan and then he'll revert back or the bad ol' days before the knee reco and it looks like God has answered my prayers. Must also be knocking on the door of a midfield berth i would think. perhaps when roe gets back in the defence.
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Would be knocking on the door of the "Top 10 hardest buggers to tackle in the AFL".
 
Re: Joel Macdonald

kizzel said:
Damn straight, he shrugs some tackles with ease.
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He has a great fend. It can be a risky tactic because tacklers like to try and pin the arm, but he is strong enough and smart enough to keep getting away with it.

I'm loving his work down back. He keeps getting us out of trouble and I feel confident when the ball is in his hands.
 

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Past Joel Macdonald (2003-2009)

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