POLL : Fringe Focus : Lachie McNeil

[ArsenalFC]

Make or break season coming up. For someone who's played 75 games, the experience period is done, we should see what sort of player we have on our hands this coming year. With no sub next year, his selection is going to have to be warranted.

[1eyedog]

Trade him at year's end or delist he's 24 years old it's not getting much better than this.

[Go_Dogs]

He’s a good 18-30 player to have on the list in that he works and trains hard, can play a few different roles and his current one-wood is still an area of need.

I voted keep him and current role.

If others outperform him and make us a better side, happy days, but if they aren’t quite there yet I think he’s a valuable option to persist with. He’s at that “almost” stage - he does something and you think “he’s a player now” and the misses a set shot he should nail or fumbles at the critical moment and we all jump off him again.

At least we know what application and effort level we will get.

[NAUGHTY100]

I would keep him on the list but only as depth , to get a game he would have to be dominating in the seconds .
His a frustrating player , always looks really fit runs well , but when push comes to shove more times then not his found wanting , he handles clutch moments badly , when he needs to kick that goal he misses , when he needs to pick the ball up with one touch he fubbles and is swamped and stops our movement .
His desperation is good but it dosn't last long enough , if he could take one part of his game and make it elite then he would be a keeper , for example , and im not comparing these two people but Elanie Griggs in our womens team , oppostion players can't take the ball with her around them , she runs them down , tackles with ferocity , if McNeil took her example and did the same thing in our senior side then he would be super valuable , but im not sure he has that intensity in him , you would think after 75 senior games he could nail down a trait or spot but he hasnt and his form fluctuations are to wide , his a bit like that little girl on the hill when shes good shes very good when shes bad she's horrid .
McNeil would be my break glass in emergency type player , use only as last resort , but he is better then some 18/19 year old whos just starting out .

[dukedog]

I think his effort is there. I just cant see him getting games this year. Dolan with a breakout year. Kid is all class.

[Grantysghost]

I think his effort is there. I just cant see him getting games this year. Dolan with a breakout year. Kid is all class.

He is a very nice prospect Dolan. Not sure he's ready to take over from a hardened player like McNeil yet but certainly tracking in the right direction.

[Go_Dogs]

Let’s be clear - whether McNeil plays or doesn’t isn’t going to be the difference on us winning a flag or not. Every premiership side has players with gaps and weaknesses who play a role in their success.

[GVGjr]

Let’s be clear - whether McNeil plays or doesn’t isn’t going to be the difference on us winning a flag or not. Every premiership side has players with gaps and weaknesses who play a role in their success.

For many supporters after a loss there is a need for a vent release and that's when the more marginal players cop a more aggressive whack from them.
Players who don't fill up the stats become an easy target. McNeil suffers bug time from this but he makes it easier for people because he doesn't take his chances.

[Countrydog5]

For many supporters after a loss there is a need for a vent release and that's when the more marginal players cop a more aggressive whack from them.
Players who don't fill up the stats become an easy target. McNeil suffers bug time from this but he makes it easier for people because he doesn't take his chances.

I'm not sure it's the stats thing that people latch onto. Maybe some do, but anyone with some experience around the game knows stats can be rubbish. Cyril Rioli made a hall of fame career out of 11-15 disposal games with 1 or 2 goals. His ability to impact could clearly be seen when watching games both live and on broadcast, even when he had games of 9 touches and a late junk time goal. McNeil's issue is when he has quiet games he's unfortunately at best a non-factor, or at worst a net negative. He fumbles when he needs to be clean, he makes poor decisions when under pressure, he misses chances at crucial times that good players don't. You can't fault his endeavour and effort, however he's just a smidgen below the class required and the AFL is a game of very fine margins. In an ideal world we need someone to step into his role and keep him as serviceable depth until he's no longer required or can be moved on for greater opportunity elsewhere. Nothing against the guy personally obviously, however he doesn't make the 22 at any one of the Lions, Cats, Pies, GWS, Adelaide etc.

[lemmon]

I'm not sure it's the stats thing that people latch onto. Maybe some do, but anyone with some experience around the game knows stats can be rubbish. Cyril Rioli made a hall of fame career out of 11-15 disposal games with 1 or 2 goals. His ability to impact could clearly be seen when watching games both live and on broadcast, even when he had games of 9 touches and a late junk time goal. McNeil's issue is when he has quiet games he's unfortunately at best a non-factor, or at worst a net negative. He fumbles when he needs to be clean, he makes poor decisions when under pressure, he misses chances at crucial times that good players don't. You can't fault his endeavour and effort, however he's just a smidgen below the class required and the AFL is a game of very fine margins. In an ideal world we need someone to step into his role and keep him as serviceable depth until he's no longer required or can be moved on for greater opportunity elsewhere. Nothing against the guy personally obviously, however he doesn't make the 22 at any one of the Lions, Cats, Pies, GWS, Adelaide etc.

Agree - and you could also argue that he genuinely lost us that game against Geelong last year with his two late misses.

My biggest problem with Lachie is that he's a better player than what we see. He looks like a gun in those pre-season fixtures then that dissipates when we get to the real stuff - I think that's completely between his ears.

Unless he gets that right, guys like Hynes, Dolan, Arty should be starting to go past him next year.

[Plums]

As much as I have given McNeil the whip throughout the years we still need to hold depth in the squad. He is a proven player that can provide a good enough cover should the time need. Similar to gardener, not an AFL level player for us but handy to have on the list as a last resort. If we experience injuries like we did this year, having him there will be a lifesaver.

[Grantysghost]

Let’s be clear - whether McNeil plays or doesn’t isn’t going to be the difference on us winning a flag or not. Every premiership side has players with gaps and weaknesses who play a role in their success.

Of course, that's not the point of this and it's about fringe guys so it's kind of implied.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

This is not to disparage McNeill's career and what he has been able to achieve (he plays a thankless role that is low possession and thus easy to ignore and hard to win over), but if others haven't gone past him in that high half-forward role next year we are treading water and going backwards as a club. I'm happy to throw VDM into that conversation as well. These two are so far off the pace of the same role players at the current contending clubs. We need Dolan, Hynes, Weightman stepping up (from injury in Weightman's case) and commanding these roles alongside West - then we are starting to develop depth and quality in that crucial high half-forward area that can match the contenders. McNeill and VDM both have a ceiling and it has already been reached IMO.

I will say this about McNeill (and VDM for that matter). Both were in our best half a dozen or so players in that disaster EF against Hawthorn last year. It would be nice if some of our notional stars could elevate their game against the better teams - there's quite a list of otherwise gun players who seem to save their worst for finals/big games, and that is a bigger problem for us than the 22nd/23rd player picked who are far easier whipping boy targets.

All of this.

His effort can never be questioned but if we're going to take strides forward we just have to find a better option who can win more of the ball and do more with it.

Though it's a hard position, he can't have as many sub 5 kick/disposal games as he does.

[Go_Dogs]

Of course, that's not the point of this and it's about fringe guys so it's kind of implied.

Don’t tell me what you intended when you made the thread!!

I get that… to me it feels like we want the 30th player on our list to be Kozzie Pickett or Zac Bailey - and if they aren’t we should delist them…

[Grantysghost]

Don’t tell me what you intended when you made the thread!!

I get that… to me it feels like we want the 30th player on our list to be Kozzie Pickett or Zac Bailey - and if they aren’t we should delist them…

Oh yeah I see your point GD. I think we as fans need to understand that not everyone is going to be a star and there are genuine role players that do a seemingly small part to enhance the whole.