Macrae muscles in

[Greystache]

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/staticfile/AFL%20Tenant/Media/Images/273090-tlsnewsportrait.jpg

Jackson Macrae has been on the Western Bulldogs list for less than two months but the determined 18-year-old has already added over five kilograms of muscle to his lean frame.

Improved fitness times and lower skinfolds also indicate the Bulldogs 2012 first round draft selection (pick 6 overall) is seeing pay off not only in the gym but out on the track, as he adapts to his new AFL lifestyle.

“[It’s] been really positive, putting on five or six kilos… and also improving in my fitness as well, so that has been really positive for me,” Macrae said.

“Hopefully I can keep pushing that weight up, up until the start of the season.”

Instead of relaxing throughout the Christmas break, Macrae got to work – following a comprehensive training schedule, handed out by the Bulldogs fitness staff.

“The strength and conditioning boys gave us a pretty hefty schedule… so every second day I was running and doing gym,” he said.

“I stuck to my program really well and skin folds were down and improved on the running from the pre-Christmas break so I was really, really happy with that.”

Now the easing-in period has ended, the polished midfielder has been given a more apt taste of pre-season training demands - with Senior Coach Brendan McCartney bringing more football skills and contested work into the daily training routine.

“Since we have returned, Mac has really stepped it up with the contested ball drills and the high intensity running is really incorporated in the drills,” Macrae said.

“All the bodies are responding really well and [I] haven’t missed a session to now… that has been good, so just keep fronting up and doing the best that you can do.”

While competing with the same physicality as Club veterans may be beyond him in his debut year, Macrae is not lacking in the competitive drive to win.

Regardless of who he is up against, the 18-year-old attacks each drill confident that if he exploits his assets, he is every chance to take another scalp.

“Growing up, the best advice I’ve ever had is just to back yourself… every drill I try to go in and you will be versing [Matthew] Boydy… but just back yourself and use your strengths to the best of your abilities and… give it a shot.”

LINK (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2013-01-21/macrae-muscles-in)

[Go_Dogs]

Great head on this young man, he's impressed me a lot already. Great to read he's adjusting to senior demands so well and the fact the load has been managed and as a result he hasn't missed a session is a strong endorsement of our new fitness and conditioning guys. Continuity with the young guys is crucial.

[AndrewP6]

"Versing".... grrrr!! Sort that out, McCartney!

Seems a good kid. :)

[craigsahibee]

"Versing".... grrrr!! Sort that out, McCartney!

Seems a good kid. :)

Just about everyone under the age of 20 uses that "word". Don't know how it crept in to the vernacular, but it really grates on me every time I hear it.

[AndrewP6]

Just about everyone under the age of 20 uses that "word". Don't know how it crept in to the vernacular, but it really grates on me every time I hear it.

Tell me about it. I hear it daily at work (school) and it drives me nuts.

[Before I Die]

"Versing".... grrrr!! Sort that out, McCartney!

Seems a good kid. :)

Perhaps Macca has got them doing poetry drills as a new age form of cross-training :D

[AndrewP6]

Perhaps Macca has got them doing poetry drills as a new age form of cross-training :D

Well, nothing would surprise me, I've heard a number of AFL players say it during interviews.

[LostDoggy]

"Versing".... grrrr!! Sort that out, McCartney!

Seems a good kid. :)

Is that like a rap battle?

[Remi Moses]

Tell me about it. I hear it daily at work (school) and it drives me nuts.

My daughter also.

[SlimPickens]

Surprised his frame is capable of putting on such a significant amount of weight, hopefully he can deal with that in regards to overall aerobic fitness, skill level etc.

Good to hear he is working his butt off

[LostDoggy]

I'm more impressed by his attitude than the 5-6kg extra weight, as good as it is.

[bulldogtragic]

I love preseason media. We have a champion team full of developing champions who will win the grand final, or at least that's how it feels. Then the season begins and well.......

[bornadog]

I'm more impressed by his attitude than the 5-6kg extra weight, as good as it is.

Seems all the new recruits have a great attitude - I am loving it.:)

[Remi Moses]

Jake Stringer is also dare I say it , training the house down.

[LostDoggy]

Jake Stringer is also dare I say it , training the house down.

Why wouldn't you? The coach has made it easy for these guys — be competitive and go for broke and you'll get a game.

[KT31]

Why wouldn't you? The coach has made it easy for these guys — be competitive and go for broke and you'll get a game.

Not sure its easy, IMO the Coach has stated you get one crack and you do right by us we will do right by you.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Seems all the new recruits have a great attitude - I am loving it.:)

We've stated that character was imperative as part of the recruiting process

I guess the positive of bringing in a whole group with great attitudes is that it can spread amongst the group and that they set and expect high standards of each other.

Now thats not to say that we haven't recruited great characters in the past, but I dont think the work ethics been where its needed to be for a while

[bornadog]

We've stated that character was imperative as part of the recruiting process

I guess the positive of bringing in a whole group with great attitudes is that it can spread amongst the group and that they set and expect high standards of each other.

Now that's not to say that we haven't recruited great characters in the past, but I don't think the work ethics been where its needed to be for a while

Do you know this for a fact?

[Twodogs]

"Versing".... grrrr!! Sort that out, McCartney!

Seems a good kid. :)


It's one of the ways we invent new words/usages for the language Andrew. I love the fact that English is a growing, vibrant living beast. I'd hate us to have some sort of Academie francaise full of dusty old men and women telling us what we can and cant say.

Vive la versing!!!;)



My son started using versing as a verb about ten years ago as in "are we versing them or are they versing us?" meaning is it our home game or their home game? It took me a while to get used to it but when you think about it, it's the logical extension of 'versus'.


Anyway go Jackson!

[AndrewP6]

It's one of the ways we invent new words/usages for the language Andrew. I love the fact that English is a growing, vibrant living beast. I'd hate us to have some sort of Academie francaise full of dusty old men and women telling us what we can and cant say.

Well reasoned. I completely disagree.;) I hate it, it came from kids not understanding how language works, and serves to illustrate their lack of knowledge (or disregard for) language. Before too long, there'll be widespread cases of Thripshaw's Disease:

pImWVCMgEYQ



My son started using versing as a verb about ten years ago as in "are we versing them or are they versing us?" meaning is it our home game or their home game? It took me a while to get used to it but when you think about it, it's the logical extension of 'versus'.

Yes, that's how it came about. I've never become accustomed to it, and students in my school basketball teams, when giving reports, have the explicit instruction not to use it! :) The word versing has a completely different meaning to the intended. It is similar to "versus" in appearance only.


Anyway go Jackson!

Yes, on that we agree! :)

[hujsh]

Yes, that's how it came about. I've never become accustomed to it, and students in my school basketball teams, when giving reports, have the explicit instruction not to use it! :) The word versing has a completely different meaning to the intended. It is similar to "versus" in appearance only.





So let it be a homonym now. Problem solved.

[LostDoggy]

Not sure its easy, IMO the Coach has stated you get one crack and you do right by us we will do right by you.

I meant easy as in it's easy to figure out what the coach expects.


Do you know this for a fact?

It doesn't need to be a proven fact, we're not a courtroom. You could merely point to a team of skinny runners with a reputation for going missing during periods of a game and draw your own conclusions.


So let it be a homonym now. Problem solved.

Don't argue with a teacher on stuff like this. :)

[bornadog]

It doesn't need to be a proven fact, we're not a courtroom. You could merely point to a team of skinny runners with a reputation for going missing during periods of a game and draw your own conclusions.

Those guys that got us to three prelims............... argh now I know what you are talking about.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

It's one of the ways we invent new words/usages for the language Andrew. I love the fact that English is a growing, vibrant living beast. I'd hate us to have some sort of Academie francaise full of dusty old men and women telling us what we can and cant say.

Vive la versing!!!;)



My son started using versing as a verb about ten years ago as in "are we versing them or are they versing us?" meaning is it our home game or their home game? It took me a while to get used to it but when you think about it, it's the logical extension of 'versus'.


Anyway go Jackson!

"Vive la versing!!!;)" Twodogs, what kind of English is that, are you a Francophile? Are you an English language terrorist? You probably eat garlic (Simon look out). I have to agree with you but. The language is in the hands and mouth of the users, viva la revolution and sh**t. I suspect we hate the younger generations twist on the lingo because they want us to; they want to say the language is theirs and they think that's sick and sh**t.
I'm expecting to put Jackson Macrae in my hero group of Griffen and Murphy, the clever, highly skilled players who can get away from desperate opposition and create play, prolétaire excellent and sh**t.

[Twodogs]

"Vive la versing!!!;)" Twodogs, what kind of English is that, are you a Francophile? Are you an English language terrorist? You probably eat garlic (Simon look out). I have to agree with you but. The language is in the hands and mouth of the users, viva la revolution and sh**t. I suspect we hate the younger generations twist on the lingo because they want us to; they want to say the language is theirs and they think that's sick and sh**t.
I'm expecting to put Jackson Macrae in my hero group of Griffen and Murphy, the clever, highly skilled players who can get away from desperate opposition and create play, prolétaire excellent and sh**t.



I celebrate Agincourt every year.;)

Vive la versing was just (nearly) an alliteration I couldnt resist.

[LostDoggy]

Those guys that got us to three prelims............... argh now I know what you are talking about.

And capitulated in two of them.

I'm not saying I didn't enjoy those years, bloody oath I did, but a harder team is going to take us that game further.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Do you know this for a fact?

No I dont, and its not a statement that I would make about the whole list, but we've had some draft classes where it doesn't seem as if the players have been the "Im going to do everything in my power to make it" types, i.e Everitt, Lynch, Stack Hill etc, and then the Grant, Ward, Reid, Boumann, OKeefe etc.

Obviously again the comment doesn't hold for every one of the players picked from those draft classes, but I think you get the drift.

Some players have the ability but not the drive - Lynch, Hill whilst others make every post a winner Harbrow, Dahlhaus.

[Remi Moses]

Get your point BR, but a bit harsh on Ward and Reid.
Reid (not through lack of effort)isn't up to it.
Ward besides his last game,his effort and commitment were 1st class.
$$$$
We were good but not quite good enough in the Rocket era.
Interesting times ahead

[Greystache]

No I dont, and its not a statement that I would make about the whole list, but we've had some draft classes where it doesn't seem as if the players have been the "Im going to do everything in my power to make it" types, i.e Everitt, Lynch, Stack Hill etc, and then the Grant, Ward, Reid, Boumann, OKeefe etc.

Obviously again the comment doesn't hold for every one of the players picked from those draft classes, but I think you get the drift.

Some players have the ability but not the drive - Lynch, Hill whilst others make every post a winner Harbrow, Dahlhaus.

Interestingly the coach said almost exactly the same thing during the week. He was less than impressed with our recruiting in previous times and the lack of thoroughness around the attitude and willingness to get the best out of themselves of our recruits. That list above is pretty definitive proof.

[bornadog]

Interestingly the coach said almost exactly the same thing during the week. He was less than impressed with our recruiting in previous times and the lack of thoroughness around the attitude and willingness to get the best out of themselves of our recruits. That list above is pretty definitive proof.

Every team has a bunch of guys that don't make it.

When the current recruits get us into finals then I will agree we have picked the right guys. Having a go at the past recruiting methods is not very professional and not good form.

[Greystache]

Every team has a bunch of guys that don't make it.

When the current recruits get us into finals then I will agree we have picked the right guys. Having a go at the past recruiting methods is not very professional and not good form.

We have almost not a single player on the list between 23 and 29. There's having a bunch of players that don't make it and then there's having a fundamentally flawed approach that statistically has almost 100% failure rate. Only a couple of players we drafted from the mid to late 2000's played a role in us making finals, their lack of success is why we're at the bottom of the ladder now.

[GVGjr]

Every team has a bunch of guys that don't make it.

When the current recruits get us into finals then I will agree we have picked the right guys. Having a go at the past recruiting methods is not very professional and not good form.

I'm not so sure BAD in fact I'd argue that it's worth debating and discussing.
We have plenty of time now to assess that the relaxed attitudes of the recruits like Everitt, Hill, Boumann and Lynch weren't conducive with a coach (Eade) who wasn't going to cop it from them. Surely this is worthy of a discussion?

I agree that every team has a bunch of players that don't make we chased guys like Grant and Everitt with earlier than expected draft picks and they never really displayed the right sort of professionalism.

[bornadog]

We have almost not a single player on the list between 23 and 29. There's having a bunch of players that don't make it and then there's having a fundamentally flawed approach that statistically has almost 100% failure rate. Only a couple of players we drafted from the mid to late 2000's played a role in us making finals, their lack of success is why we're at the bottom of the ladder now.

Adam Cooney -28
Will Minson -28
Tom Williams -27
Ryan Griffen -27
Liam Picken -27
Dylan Addison -26
Lukas Markovic -26
Shaun Higgins -25
Jarrad Grant -24
Patrick Veszpremi -24
Easton Wood -24
Jordan Roughead -23
Ayce Cordy -23

[bornadog]

I'm not so sure BAD in fact I'd argue that it's worth debating and discussing.

Of course we should discuss and debate as a forum, or a bunch of supporters. I never said we shouldn't, I said the coach shouldn't, according to this:


Interestingly the coach said almost exactly the same thing during the week. He was less than impressed with our recruiting in previous times and the lack of thoroughness around the attitude and willingness to get the best out of themselves of our recruits. That list above is pretty definitive proof.

[Greystache]

Adam Cooney -28
Will Minson -28
Tom Williams -27
Ryan Griffen -27
Liam Picken -27
Dylan Addison -26
Lukas Markovic -26
Shaun Higgins -25
Jarrad Grant -24
Patrick Veszpremi -24
Easton Wood -24
Jordan Roughead -23
Ayce Cordy -23

Exactly. This should be the core of a winning team and yet only Griffen, Picken, Minson, and Higgins are automatic best 22. In fact Roughead looks the only other player we can bank on becoming a B+ or better. Something was very very wrong with our previous recruiting model

[bornadog]

Exactly. This should be the core of a winning team and yet only Griffen, Picken, Minson, and Higgins are automatic best 22. In fact Roughead looks the only other player we can bank on becoming a B+ or better. Something was very very wrong with our previous recruiting model

That is fine for you to say, I don't think coaches should talk like that in public.

[Go_Dogs]

Adam Cooney -28
Will Minson -28
Tom Williams -27
Ryan Griffen -27
Liam Picken -27
Dylan Addison -26
Lukas Markovic -26
Shaun Higgins -25
Jarrad Grant -24
Patrick Veszpremi -24
Easton Wood -24
Jordan Roughead -23
Ayce Cordy -23

Looking at this list makes interesting reading.

I think we can all agree that Minson, Cooney, Williams, Griffen and Higgins have been OK/good selections (injuries to one side) for us on a whole.

Picken and Markovic, as well as Vez, are players who have arrived at the club through trades or were picked up as mature aged players to help fill the void. Of them, Picken is the only genuine best 22 player at this stage.

Addison is a solid trier however will always be one of those guys on the fringe. I think he offers us a bit over the next few years and he'll end up being more of a hit than a miss (already is for mine), but not an outstanding second round selection. Nonetheless, prefer him to a Hill type, less talented perhaps - sure, but he puts in and will do what is asked of him. I know who I'd prefer to go into battle with.

Wood has shown signs but has been hampered by injury at unlucky times just when it has started to click. I think he'll end up OK. Also agree with GS on Roughy, he is a pretty good chance of being a solid contributor, potentially a bit more.

Grant and Cordy still have a mountain of work ahead, but if they can give us 3/4 years of B grade performance when our young mids are up and running that could be enough to win us a flag or two. For mine, guys like Mooney and Ottens were never world beaters (Ottens always had the talent but injuries and consistency killed him early on) but developed into solid or better players as part of the overall system to make the Cats a very successful side. Dawes and Cloke similar, and Sydney has its share of "average" KP talent that got them over the line this year.

The 2006/7 drafts have definitely put us back some ways, perhaps not entirely our fault as if we had kept Ward and Harbrow we'd look a bit better than we do, but we had a lot of selections over those years for what is now very little return.

Harbrow was arguably our best selection over that period, he was a rookie who impressed right away because of his work ethic on track. His first preseason I recall numerous positive reports about him. The same thing with Dahlhaus - having a good head is super important these days with the demands of the game and I like the fact our current approach throws a lot more emphasis on that area - to the extent that we obviously need talented players too, but I think we've been combining both areas pretty well of late.

I have a huge amount of confidence that our top 3 picks this year will not fail for lack of trying or application, which is a good starting point.

Interesting discussion guys, thanks.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

It'll be interesting to contrast our recruiting from 06-09 to 10-13. Obviously it'll be a few years before we can do that with any real substance, but I like the current philosophy we've adopted. It's a congruent message coming out of the club: work hard in all facets of the game both on and off the field. This provides direction which we clearly lacked in previous recruiting eras.

There's more of a "we know where we are, we know what we want, and we know how we'll get there" approach now. In previous times, it was very difficult to get a read on what we were actually trying to build.

It doesn't mean this method will yield success, but it's defined and you can't fault that.

[boydogs]

It doesn't mean this method will yield success, but it's defined and you can't fault that.

It's not just a recruitment approach either, it flows through to training and game day strategy.

There's a lot of Geelong mach II about it, but what better example to follow.

[bornadog]

And makes no sense.


This provides direction which we clearly lacked in previous recruiting eras.

There's more of a "we know where we are, we know what we want, and we know how we'll get there" approach now. In previous times, it was very difficult to get a read on what we were actually trying to build.

How can you say that? I just can't agree at all. Surely we were recruiting to build towards a premiership

This is just pure speculation on your behalf



It's not just a recruitment approach either, it flows through to training and game day strategy.

There's a lot of Geelong mach II about it, but what better example to follow.

So far the coach had shown no ability on game day. Lets hope he does this year with better assistants to help out.

[Go_Dogs]

How can you say that? I just can't agree at all. Surely we were recruiting to build towards a premiership

Of course, everyone is but we didn't seem to have a very defined or the correct plan as to the type of player we were recruiting to achieve that outcome. Or perhaps we did and just failed in the execution.

It's almost as though we fundamentally misread the direction the game was heading and recruited skinny athletic players who ultimately failed to deliver either because of their lack of intensity/work ethic or because they simply weren't cut out to play modern footy where every player needs to be able to win their own ball when it's their time.

The reason we got so close in my view is because of our recruiting from 1999-2004 where we got a number of key movers.

Clayton has a great reputation and deserved it, but I think we perhaps put a bit too much faith in him and how he wanted to shape our list, the types of players he thought would be the prototype AFL footballer.

We won't know if our current approach will be as or more fruitful for a while yet, but I have hope.

[bornadog]

Of course, everyone is but we didn't seem to have a very defined or the correct plan as to the type of player we were recruiting to achieve that outcome. Or perhaps we did and just failed in the execution.

I agree with this point, but then again in the last 12 years only 7 teams have won the premiership, so the others all failed to recruit well;)

[The Underdog]

So anyway, Jackson Macrae, best chin at the club since Chris Grant?

[Ozza]

So anyway, Jackson Macrae, best chin at the club since Chris Grant?

I saw Chris at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville last weekend. Fair sized chin on the great man.

[ledge]

I saw Chris at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville last weekend. Fair sized chin on the great man.

So in all this was it the chin that made Ben hudsons beard so awesome ?
Is it really the chin that's the hero ?

[BornInDroopSt'54]

So in all this was it the chin that made Ben hudsons beard so awesome ?
Is it really the chin that's the hero ?
Yes this, the shape of the cranium, the squareness of the jaw and the heaviness of the eyebrow ridge, e.g. Chesty Bonds, Novak Djokovic and Jeff Kennett. Recruiters take note.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

And makes no sense.



How can you say that? I just can't agree at all. Surely we were recruiting to build towards a premiership

This is just pure speculation on your behalf

No.

Griff explained it all perfectly above.

Surely you can admit that you need to have a strategy as to the type of player you need in order to build towards a premiership. You don't just "do it" -- although that's basically what we did :o

[boydogs]

So far the coach had shown no ability on game day. Lets hope he does this year with better assistants to help out.

I was referring to his focus on contested ball. We recruit for it, we train for it, we focus on it on game day.

[LostDoggy]

I agree with this point, but then again in the last 12 years only 7 teams have won the premiership, so the others all failed to recruit well;)

Yep, pretty much. I think St. Kilda stands alone here, and even then, in my opinion their success was more a case of getting the most out of what they had rather than recruiting especially well.

[bornadog]

Yep, pretty much. I think St. Kilda stands alone here, and even then, in my opinion their success was more a case of getting the most out of what they had rather than recruiting especially well.

Saints also had the luxury of having all those number one draft picks.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Saints also had the luxury of having all those number one draft picks.

If they couldn't win a flag with all those picks, Fraser Gehrig, Malcolm Blight and Aaron Hamill. they've got a long wait till the next opportunity.

[Greystache]

Saints also had the luxury of having all those number one draft picks.

2?

Hawthorn, Bulldogs, and Collingwood have all had one in the same period.

Carlton have 3 and they're rubbish, Melbourne has 2 and they're worse.

[Ghost Dog]

Carlton are not rubbish. Once the old man knocks some sense into that backwards-baseball-cap-wearing lot ( Mitch Robinson a case in point ) they will be hard to beat. They just lack discipline as a unit.

As for this kid Macrae, I keep watching his highlights reel and am really glad we picked him. 5kg in a few months is not a bad effort either.

[bornadog]

2?

Hawthorn, Bulldogs, and Collingwood have all had one in the same period.

Carlton have 3 and they're rubbish, Melbourne has 2 and they're worse.

Not sure what your point is? I was responding to bornascragger's comment on the Saints

[Greystache]

Not sure what your point is? I was responding to bornascragger's comment on the Saints

You said they had the luxury of ALL those number 1 draft picks. A whopping 2 compared to most teams 1.

[Remi Moses]

That is fine for you to say, I don't think coaches should talk like that in public.

How do you explain not having one player left from the 06 draft?
Gaping hole in the mid 20's, little bit more than some make it some Don't

[bornadog]

You said they had the luxury of ALL those number 1 draft picks. A whopping 2 compared to most teams 1.

I think you will find they picked up Luke Ball, Kossie and Reiwoldt in the past 12 years. Not a bad trio.

[bornadog]

How do you explain not having one player left from the 06 draft?
Gaping hole in the mid 20's, little bit more than some make it some Don't

I never said we have been stars in recruiting, I said Coaches should not talk about mistakes of the past by the recruiting team - in PUBLIC.

[Greystache]

I think you will find they picked up Luke Ball, Kossie and Reiwoldt in the past 12 years. Not a bad trio.

I can't follow any logic here.

Riewoldt was pick #1, Kozi was #2 and Ball was #2. We picked up Cooney #1, Griffen #3, Walsh and Ray #4. What has any of that got to do with "Saints also had the luxury of having all those number one draft picks."

Is your point they drafted better than us? Several people have posted they think our previous approach was poor, if was only you that questioned if they know for a fact that is was.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

I can't follow any logic here.

Riewoldt was pick #1, Kozi was #2 and Ball was #2. We picked up Cooney #1, Griffen #3, Walsh and Ray #4. What has any of that got to do with "Saints also had the luxury of having all those number one draft picks."

Is your point they drafted better than us? Several people have posted they think our previous approach was poor, if was only you that questioned if they know for a fact that is was.

I know its not the point you're making but it could be extrapolated from your point that it's not a significant benefit to have a #1 draft pick; better than not having one but not that telling; from which it could be reasoned that the draft system is failing. The strong get stronger and the weak just get early picks but they're not enough.

[Dogbites]

Don't forget Goddard!

[bornadog]

Don't forget Goddard!

Yes thanks forgot about him


I can't follow any logic here.

Riewoldt was pick #1, Kozi was #2 and Ball was #2. We picked up Cooney #1, Griffen #3, Walsh and Ray #4. What has any of that got to do with "Saints also had the luxury of having all those number one draft picks."

Is your point they drafted better than us? Several people have posted they think our previous approach was poor, if was only you that questioned if they know for a fact that is was.

Ok lets rephrase it all the luxury of number 1 and 2 picks.

5 players including Goddard. Happy now.

[Greystache]

Yes thanks forgot about him



Ok lets rephrase it all the luxury of number 1 and 2 picks.

5 players including Goddard. Happy now.

Not really, 5 posts and I still can't work what the point of it all was other than St Kilda drafted decent players with their early picks and you don't think Bulldog Revolution has any proof our previous recruiting method wasn't flawed.

[bornadog]

Not really, 5 posts and I still can't work what the point of it all was other than St Kilda drafted decent players with their early picks and you don't think Bulldog Revolution has any proof our previous recruiting method wasn't flawed.

Well without rehashing all the posts, I was objecting to this:


Now that's not to say that we haven't recruited great characters in the past, but I don't think the work ethics been where its needed to be for a while

How can BR say the work ethic hasn't been where it should be? If we are talking under the old coach, then I say thats totally not correct. Yes there have been and there always will be players that don't work as hard as they should and they don't last, but a sweeping statement that seems to talk about the whole group is just not correct.

[GVGjr]

How can BR say the work ethic hasn't been where it should be? If we are talking under the old coach, then I say thats totally not correct. Yes there have been and there always will be players that don't work as hard as they should and they don't last, but a sweeping statement that seems to talk about the whole group is just not correct.

Maybe players like Grant, Everitt, Hill, Boumann and Lynch have painted that picture.
I know I made numerous mentions of training sessions I attended where some of the playing group weren't working that hard on the track.

Thankfully we had guys like Cross, Johnson and Morris (too many others to mention) setting the standard but I remain convinced that a lot of our recruits fell short of having the right ethic.

[bornadog]

Maybe players like Grant, Everitt, Hill, Boumann and Lynch have painted that picture.
I know I made numerous mentions of training sessions I attended where some of the playing group weren't working that hard on the track.

Thankfully we had guys like Cross, Johnson and Morris (too many others to mention) setting the standard but I remain convinced that a lot of our recruits fell short of having the right ethic.

as I said, there are always players that fall into that category, however, the way it was written by BR it was the whole group and magically now they are working very hard.

[GVGjr]

as I said, there are always players that fall into that category, however, the way it was written by BR it was the whole group and magically now they are working very hard.

I think you should know BR from his time on this forum well enough not to make that assumption. I didn't read into his comments what you have.

While there always questions on some players commitments within any playing group, I like the idea of a coach demanding the recruiting and list managers focus on the right sort of character traits and ethic when we draft and recruit players.
Over time, McCartney certainly won't be able to point the finger elsewhere.

[bornadog]

I think you should know BR from his time on this forum well enough not to make that assumption. I didn't read into his comments what you have.

While there always questions on some players commitments within any playing group, I like the idea of a coach demanding the recruiting and list managers focus on the right sort of character traits and ethic when we draft and recruit players.
Over time, McCartney certainly won't be able to point the finger elsewhere.

That's fine time will tell and I don't disagree. However, we can't say the work ethic of the GROUP is now better than before.

AFL footballers have been full time athletes for some time and they are quickly found out if they don't work hard. We were a very competitive team up to 2010 and have since blooded a lot of new players including 10 in 2011, so we have been rebuilding for the past two years.

We didn't become competitive because our work ethic wasn't there.

[GVGjr]

However, we can't say the work ethic of the GROUP is now better than before.

AFL footballers have been full time athletes for some time and they are quickly found out if they don't work hard. We were a very competitive team up to 2010 and have since blooded a lot of new players including 10 in 2011. We didn't become competitive because our work ethic wasn't there.

I'm not sure how you can say that. It was a very different list back then that had proven match winners like Hall, Johnson,Lake, Akermanis and others. It was also a very experienced list that could carry some lax kids.

Macca's list doesn't have the same number of star players and he and the recruiting team must make sure that every younger player we recruit has the right sort of work ethic and of course playing ability. I don't think he has any other choice as we just can't carry players that don't want to work.

In time the work ethic for the younger guys on the list has to be better than in previous season because we can't afford to carry them.

[bornadog]

I'm not sure how you can say that. It was a very different list back then that had proven match winners like Hall, Johnson,Lake, Akermanis and others. It was also a very experienced list that could carry some lax kids.

Macca's list doesn't have the same number of star players and he and the recruiting team must make sure that every younger player we recruit has the right sort of work ethic and of course playing ability. I don't think he has any other choice as we just can't carry players that don't want to work.

In time the work ethic for the younger guys on the list has to be better than in previous season because we can't afford to carry them.

I think I made my points and you made yours and I will leave it at that.

[immortalmike]

So uh.... about that Macrae kid...

[bulldogsman]

So uh.... about that Macrae kid...

Good to hear he's gained weight so quickly, looks very noticeable to me in the upper body. Not surprised he's looking tired as that extra weight he has to carry will do that.

Big fan, but I don't expect to see a heap of him this year.

[Ghost Dog]

I hope they don't rush his development. Putting on 5kgs is all fine but if he gets an injury.....

[GVGjr]

I hope they don't rush his development. Putting on 5kgs is all fine but if he gets an injury.....

Based on some of the things Macc said in his presentation to the various membership groups a while back there is a fair chance that Macrae will lose half of the weight gain in the 2nd half of season as fatigue sets in.

[immortalmike]

Good to hear he's gained weight so quickly, looks very noticeable to me in the upper body. Not surprised he's looking tired as that extra weight he has to carry will do that.

Big fan, but I don't expect to see a heap of him this year.

I was initially worried about him gaining weight and thought we may have taken another Cale Morton type. But if buzz about him in this off season is to be believed and he keeps on this track, we may have picked ourselves a very good player.