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

[joeyhawker]

I acknowledge everyone's very valid comments especially being young and lacking strength. But I do think he's not bought into the physical side of the game (I havent seen the desire or intent in his body language). I hope Sam can draw it out of him as his offensive game is very good.

On SM-G990E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[NewkTheLot]

I get that the oppo today are not true AFL standard but he’s had a red hot crack since he’s come on today. Don’t see any “softness” about him

 

[TylerDurden]

He's a mid. Love to see him get more mins in there?

 

[HedgeFund]

He's a mid. Love to see him get more mins in there?

He was a mid in juniors. Doesn’t mean he plays midfield at AFL level.

 

[TylerDurden]

He was a mid in juniors. Doesn’t mean he plays midfield at AFL level.

Looks to be a mid playing fwd to me.

 

[Brishawk]

Brought the intensity needed today, which was great to see. It’s what he needs to do to get a game at senior level. Keep it up Cmac!

 

[Sixpence]

Looked to make the most out of his game time today!

 

[naysayer]

Was given limited time to make his case for midfield minutes, and he made a strong one!

14 disposals, 3 clearances, 5 score involvements and 9 tackles from 41% game time. That's impressive. The selection squeeze in the midfield is getting very tight.

 

[SSSSSS]

Sam and the coaching staff obviously threw the gauntlet down at CMac to work on his defensive side and he responded today.

Just got in amongst everything.

Liked us moving Day down back for a quarter to try and shake the tag and giving CMac some valuable time in the middle.

 

[naysayer]

Sam and the coaching staff obviously threw the gauntlet down at CMac to work on his defensive side and he responded today.

Just got in amongst everything.

Liked us moving Day down back for a quarter to try and shake the tag and giving CMac some valuable time in the middle.

I honestly thought they moved Day out of the middle just to let someone else have a turn with the ball. That kid is a magnet for the pill.

 

[joeyhawker]

I acknowledge everyone's very valid comments especially being young and lacking strength. But I do think he's not bought into the physical side of the game (I havent seen the desire or intent in his body language). I hope Sam can draw it out of him as his offensive game is very good.

On SM-G990E using BigFooty.com mobile app

Yep he definitely came in with much better physical intensity today (body language was desperate), pretty clearly had been instructed to work on it....kudos to him, hope he continues to develop this

On SM-G990E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[PenAndPaper]

I acknowledge everyone's very valid comments especially being young and lacking strength. But I do think he's not bought into the physical side of the game (I havent seen the desire or intent in his body language). I hope Sam can draw it out of him as his offensive game is very good.

On SM-G990E using BigFooty.com mobile app

9 tackles today in a half of footy

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

His hunger was noticeable When he came on. This happens when you have good competition for spots and he is probably realising he needs to fight hard every week because other younger mids will come in during this rebuild and be given an opportunity in front of him if he doesn’t take his chances.

good to see his great response today

 

[Gut Runner]

Thought he was good in the midfield for Box Hill a few weeks ago and again yesterday.

Hope this is the new standard.

I think he has a higher ceiling than Worpel and possibly Nash if he takes the bull by the horns.

 

[theiaofseed]

Clearly a midfielder, soon as I saw him attend the first centre square bounce after being subbed on I was excited.

Hawthorn are building the same flexibility through the midfield that saw us win 3 flags, Day, Nash, Weddle, Moore, Newcombe, Ward, MacDonald can all run through the midfield and be perfectly fine playing another role.


On SM-G955F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[theiaofseed]

Clearly a midfielder, soon as I saw him attend the first centre square bounce after being subbed on I was excited.

Hawthorn are building the same flexibility through the midfield that saw us win 3 flags, Day, Nash, Weddle, Moore, Newcombe, Ward, MacDonald can all run through the midfield and be perfectly fine playing another role.


On SM-G955F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Moved into the midfield in the final quarter 10 disposals, 5 contested, 2 clearance (1 centre) and goal.

 

[TylerDurden]

Loved his game on the inside.

 

[SSSSSS]

Was great to see him and Moorey combine in the middle. They had a great understanding of each other.

Zero tackles and Sam had pointed it out to CMac that this was an area he had to work upon so hopefully his good work glosses over it. Hope he stays in the side for next week.

 

[A1fromDay1]

Take a bow Connor!

Hopefully his breakout game, the kid just oozes class

 

[Hawkas1988]

He was enormous today. So much class. Most score involvements for the day. Excited to see what he will be like in a couple of years time.

Sent from my SM-S916B using Tapatalk

 

[Brishawk]

Giving him time in the middle has boasted his confidence and he contributes more when forward as a result. Great game!

 

[VandoHawk]

Reminded me of Butters today

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

I'll admit. I was one of those people who wanted us to draft Tyler Sonsie and Jesse Motlop over MacDonald, even though I had witnessed him live dominating for the Dandenong Stingrays. I am more and more confident by the day that Mark McKenzie and the staff made the right decision. His acceleration and class out of the middle make him a tough opponent to stop if you’re the opposition coach. We've seen him at his defensive best when he had 9 tackles against West Coast, but today we saw him at his offensive best, and he showed why he could become the star midfielder/forward we've needed. Dare I say it, but today he had a performance in just his 31st game that you would want from Prime Dustin Martin. 28 disposals at 75% disposal efficiency with 2 goals, 444 metres gained, and 12 score involvements. It doesn’t get much better than that. I will never know how he went at pick 26 in the 2021 Draft when he has looked better than Neil Erasmus, who went at pick 26 and plays a similar position. I guess we all underrated him. If he keeps on this trajectory, he's going to become a superstar. A great game.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Carlton may like Motlop, but they will be forever annoyed we picked MacDonald one spot before their pick.

 

[SammyC]

The boy can play!