#18 Finlay Macrae

[piffdog]

Maybe Ginni gets more time forward and McReery gets a little midfield?

I’m excited to see McRae get a run, but there will be permutations on how this plays out on game day.

[K]

Yeah, they obviously see something I haven't. If his role is to just get in and under then dish out to better skilled guys, fair enough but I'm not even sure that's enough. That last game against Willy, I saw a master class in ball butchering but to be fair, he wasn't alone. Can't say I've seen much else in other games that stood out.

Did you watch many VFL games?

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

Enough to form an uneducated opinion

[Kingsofclutch]

The last game against the Dons is the one to look at. Was vg that night.

8 tackles coming on as the sub, beast mode.

[What'sinaname]

jUsT pLaY tHe kId

[Jezza]

Disappointing he started as the sub.

He needs game time and we need to inject some youth into this team.

[Johnno75]

It was stupid in every aspect especially considering we dropped Mitchell. It was evident early even though the scoreboard was close that we lacked an inside mid. We waited too long to make the change IMO had to take the risk at half time.
What was more bizarre was when he was activated he got a centre clearance immediately then was on the bench again within 2 mins. Not sure WTF is going on with him.

[The Black and White Lion]

Macrae needs to start the next match. Not be dropped like Noble last week. That would be another Match Committee mistake 2 weeks in a row

[LaurieHolden]

What I don't want to see is Macrae dropped for Sidey. Macrae had a good start to the game last night and got toweled up by Neale in the second. That's perfect and just what he needs. He needs those opportunities to test himself, learn and tough it out and get better

The coaches have been reluctant to start Macrae and last night wouldn’t have them feeling any different. He got his extended opportunity on the back of Naicos spending most of the night parked at half back. We looked better with Nick setting us up out of the backline but obviously we then lose out around the stoppages and clearances. So based around the club choosing to leave Nick back there, my money is on Sullivan being our clubs next debutant sometime over the next few weeks. I’ve got him as a more “ advanced “ footballer than Macrae and if Macrae doesn’t find his feet shortly, then Sullivan will get his chance.

Look we all want Macrae to succeed, but what we've seen so far from Macrae is his reaction time with his hands isn't AFL level and on evidence to date his leg speed is one paced, just lacks breakaway speed in order to get clear and make his handballs more effective towards our outside runners.

All eyes must go to both #33 Lachie Sullivan, and #27 Jack Bytel's debut today in the VFL.
Sullivan is perhaps more mobile as each-way runner, but Bytel is the inside mid that I think will go past Macrae at this stage.

Bytel at 189cm and 85kg, presents as a true inside midfielder. Of the few games I've reviewed of him, while he doesn't appear quick pace wise, he can win his own ball and he has great hands. And he tackles, very much part of Fly's team ethos.
He reportedly has solid stamina which should present him to run out games, but whether he can do it productively >75% game time is yet to be seen.
He's been unlucky with injury (back related disc issues, rolled ankle, an infected cut to his leg...) and that put him behind a good quality developing St. Kilda midfield.
He's my pick to be the one to emerge in front of Finn.

[RudeBoy]

I doubt anyone really wants Macrae to be dropped. We all want him to succeed. However, based on his senior appearances so far, there is very little evidence that he has what it takes to succeed at this level. One thing's for sure, he is fast running out of opportunities to prove himself worthy of a regular senior berth. I haven't seen Sullivan or Bytel, so can't comment on their comparative worth, but I trust Fly and co to make the right calls.

[Said by Zed]

Unfortunately playing Finn is a liability ATM.

I take absolutely no joy whatsoever in being proven right…he seems like a great kid but reality is he’s not up to AFL standard we all desperately wanted him to be…that’s been clear as day with his barely above average performances in the seconds last year and blink and you’ll miss it brief hot streak during preseason intra club…he just doesn’t have it, and never will - list clogger who should be traded at years end for whatever we can get…doubt there’ll be much interest though.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but those of you who can look at his handful of ineffective possessions and couple of tackles in a half of footy last night as promising are delusional. Calum Brown showed much, much more in his first few games, and later played out of position, only to be shown the door and subsequently star for Boxhill (Best and fairest in first year) and make 2023 VFL TOTY.

Back to the ressies Finn! First show you can actually dominate and influence the outcome of a game there, at the very least beat your man, and maybe get another chance.

BTW Lachie Sullivan has shown in two VFL games he’s 10 times the player Finn is or ever will be…practically cookie cutter tailor made to fill the hole left by Tay (pun intended) but with superior kicking efficiency. Same with Bytel who continues to grow inconfidence and improve.

[Charlie Oneeye]

I'm afraid I agree with all that.

We do put Horns or Halo's on players, Macrae has a Halo.
We see someone with talent in and out of the game, strutting their occasional good thing. After all, they are picked to play AFL. But are they excellent enough ?
Just a depth player ATM. I'm not writing him off yet, but he is not the player we see with our rose-coloured glasses 'yet' or Never.

[gurugeoff]

Ed Allen is the one we should be putting time into - watched him in the vfl, so many attributes. We need to get him on board before the west clubs come calling

[burnsy17]

Not sure what you saw in Allen - didn’t influence the game at all and turned it over way too many times to be considered for the AFL side

[masoncox]

Finn M looked like a rabbit stunned by a spotlight. No influence whatsoever.
So, we have Allen and Sullivan.
I would go with Sullivan. We need a mature body and a prolific ball winner.
Can he hold up to AFL pressure? Time to find out.