What's The Plan For Finn Maginness?

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Finn is a better tagger than basically all these new spuds that are popping up and doing jobs. Only a few teams have must tag players but we've seen the impact you can have by shutting down Daicos, butters, even someone as versatile as Dawson.

We are clearly getting to a defensive point structurally where we are familiar enough to sacrifice it a bit to let Finn do a job. But are we there yet? Will we be there fast enough for the sake of Finns career?

Wouldn't begrudge him if he left but think the club would like to hold onto him.
 
I've seen him take a real step in the last few weeks at Box Hill. I had him as a tagger or defensive forward only until seeing him play a highly attacking and clean midfield role last 2 weeks. Opposition has not been strong so I'd like to see him over a few more weeks, I think all cards are on the table for Finn right now, even some midfield time (not as a tagger).
 

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Finn is a better tagger than basically all these new spuds that are popping up and doing jobs. Only a few teams have must tag players but we've seen the impact you can have by shutting down Daicos, butters, even someone as versatile as Dawson.

We are clearly getting to a defensive point structurally where we are familiar enough to sacrifice it a bit to let Finn do a job. But are we there yet? Will we be there fast enough for the sake of Finns career?

Wouldn't begrudge him if he left but think the club would like to hold onto him.

I think Nash being able to nullify an opposition player while finding his own ball has made it hard to slot Finn in.
 
Finn is a better tagger than basically all these new spuds that are popping up and doing jobs. Only a few teams have must tag players but we've seen the impact you can have by shutting down Daicos, butters, even someone as versatile as Dawson.

We are clearly getting to a defensive point structurally where we are familiar enough to sacrifice it a bit to let Finn do a job. But are we there yet? Will we be there fast enough for the sake of Finns career?

Wouldn't begrudge him if he left but think the club would like to hold onto him.
I think that ultimately the negative way of playing isn't something that Sam wants to do. He wants to back his midfield against their midfield, and have players that can sometimes do a bit of a job if an oppo player gets completely off the chain but ultimately they're damaging on their own first.

Finn's problem at the moment is that he has a really tough midfield mix to break into, with two guys in Worpel and Nash who can both have very good games either running with or running off their opponent. Finn is only really capable of one of those things. He's fairly anonymous in most other positions he plays.

At this stage I think we just have better depth than a lot of other teams. Ward, Maginness even Morrison would be getting games at other clubs. It's a good thing until they want to leave, then you pretty much have to resign yourself to losing players for far less than they're worth.
 
At this stage I think we just have better depth than a lot of other teams. Ward, Maginness even Morrison would be getting games at other clubs. It's a good thing until they want to leave, then you pretty much have to resign yourself to losing players for far less than they're worth.
With the exception of say Morrison or DGB, most of our 20-25yr old fringe players with runs on the board are contracted for next year still.

Butler, Ward, Maginess, Serong etc which all gives us a bit of leverage if any of them are no longer on board for the ride.
 
When Scrim was sent back to BH last year, the coaches had a clear vision for what they wanted him to work on. I feel like the same approach has been used with Finn - and if his recent games are any indication, he’s really embracing the opportunity to learn and grow.

I have zero issues with his development. I just hope someone doesn’t come nibbling and offering him a longer deal elsewhere.

Watched Front Bar with Kennedy the other day and despite all our success, it still kills me.
 
I think that ultimately the negative way of playing isn't something that Sam wants to do. He wants to back his midfield against their midfield, and have players that can sometimes do a bit of a job if an oppo player gets completely off the chain but ultimately they're damaging on their own first.

Finn's problem at the moment is that he has a really tough midfield mix to break into, with two guys in Worpel and Nash who can both have very good games either running with or running off their opponent. Finn is only really capable of one of those things. He's fairly anonymous in most other positions he plays.

At this stage I think we just have better depth than a lot of other teams. Ward, Maginness even Morrison would be getting games at other clubs. It's a good thing until they want to leave, then you pretty much have to resign yourself to losing players for far less than they're worth.
I don't think it's something Sam doesn't want to do, so much as it's not something he's ready to incorporate after seeing the cost it can have to other facets of our game. Things like the troubles with quickly deploying our defensive zoning structure without holes, and perhaps less cohesive ball movement in transition - both the result of us having a player who is running around with a different focus than the other 17 on field.

I think conceptually 'playing a tagger' is in the same category as 'training late-game scenarios'. They both have their place but there are more fundamental things that you need to get right before you can effectively move focus onto developing those situational aspects.

It makes a lot of sense to me for us to iron out the kinks of how we play our brand of footy and then find a way to incorporate a tagger into that mix rather than do it the other way around.
 
At the end of the day I think it's becoming clearer he's just not in our best side. Definitely strikes me as a player stuck between the levels of VFL and AFL - clearly a half-level above just being a state league regular but also just lacks some of the natural speed/agility/finesse that sets most true AFL caliber midfielders apart from their state league counterparts.

For all the talk r.e. his motor/endurance - I think those positive traits of Finn are unfortunately balanced out with his flat footed / non agile nature and just fair disposal at best.

Has obviously played some good tagging/shutdown roles at AFL level, and you'd have to think another club takes that chance on him as somebody who can play big minutes limiting the damage of Bont/Daicos types but I'm definitely not concerned about Finn turning into the next Kennedy. That's extremely far fetched stuff.

Whilst you would ideally like to keep him around to serve as decent midfield depth should injuries arise, I think the natural progression from here is a new club for Finn. Clubs would absolutely be doing their homework on those players at Box Hill not getting a game, and Finn's age profile and time spent learning under Mitchell should attract some suitors.
 
I dont want to tempt fate, but a couple of injuries to key midfielders will soon have people changing their mind.

His athletic traits are not given away easily after we have invested 5 years of development, upon selecting him at 29.
 

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I like the idea of maginness taking out the best player from the opposition’s midfield.

He does this exceptionally well and I can’t remember the last time someone beat his tag.
 
He’s the type you roll out in finals and take out the oppositions best midfielder.

Think a much better Will Langford.
Geez big call. He hasn’t got the runs nor shown the attributes to say he’s a “much better” Will Langford.

At this stage, we can only dream Finn has a good a finals series that Will had in 2014.
 
Teams who value role players will come knocking. (Coll, Syd) They pad out their list with hard working types to compliment their star players.

I guess it will be up to Finn and Sam. Do either see a future where Finn is in the best 22?
Does another team tempt him with a more definite role?
 
Depends on the draft depth and of course, buyer motivation.
He was picked at 29.
Best tagger in the league would command a similar pick IMO.
Which club is selecting a primarily tagging midfielder?

No clubs uses pure taggers anymore - and we have argued his value on here for his entire career.

He's returned to playing regular VFL after 5 years in the system. He’d be worth a pick in the 40-60 range at best.
 
Depends on the draft depth and of course, buyer motivation.
He was picked at 29.
Best tagger in the league would command a similar pick IMO.
His value has dropped since being drafted, he is not netting a pick inside 30.
 
Love his work rate, love his selflessness, really good tagger but some very very kind opinions in here.

He is genuinely really poor with his ball use, doesn't find enough of the footy either. There is a reason he has struggled to cement himself inside our best 22 after 5 seasons. He is a solid depth piece but i don't really see the traits that will take him to another level.
 
His value has dropped since being drafted, he is not netting a pick inside 30.
Particularly not if the draft changes go through. Draft picks are generally overvalued but limiting points value to the first 40 is going to make it even worse.
 

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What's The Plan For Finn Maginness?

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