#18 Finlay Macrae

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

He'll be a regular fixture in the side from next year. Like a bigger version of Tom Mitchell there's only only position to play him from and that's from the center square. He's a brute gut running mid, nothing more, nothing less, creative ball user, but not a wonderful kick.

[Cuthbert Collingwood]

Couldn’t get a kick last night…
… but had some pretty nice handballs and tackles

[MagpiesTheGreat]

More than ready for the AFL actions...

[Jezza]

Every reason to think he'll be a regular fixture in the 22 next year based on last night.

I think he has a bright future ahead of him.
Hopefully the club can persuade him to stay on rather than entertain offers elsewhere.

[K]

...
Hopefully the club can persuade him to stay on rather than entertain offers elsewhere.

Well, his contract is till the end of 2024. So no reason for the club to wilt.

But I do wish they'd given him more games before he broke his hand.

... Like a bigger version of Tom Mitchell there's only only position to play him from and that's from the center square. He's a brute gut running mid, nothing more, nothing less, creative ball user, but not a wonderful kick.

Is he really bigger than Tom? Doesn't look all that big to me.

I'm puzzled by the kicking (e.g. folks report his VFL KE% is low)... 'Cos part of his appeal to Collingwood recruiters was his good kicking on both sides. And remember that last quarter vs WC in one of his earliest games when he got stacks of the ball? His good kicking was a feature.

[Pies4shaw]

^ He might well be a good kick - but, at the moment, he appears to be too slow, so he's always kicking under pressure. Hence, 7 handballs and no kicks against Essendon. Lots of tackles, too (albeit, Treloar-style rather than McCreery-style), as he spends a lot of the time chasing (because he appears to be too slow).

[Bruce Gonsalves]

Nothing wrong with his disposal. When you're delivering the ball to spuds in the VFL and they turn it over, your disposal efficiency will suffer.

[Boot]

When Fin Macrae was drafted I thought he would be an ideal replacement for Steele Sidebottom as he was listed as being an elite kick on both sides of his body. However now three years into his career at Collingwood, he has developed into a contested ball specialist at VFL level and so he is currently competing with Tom Mitchell, Taylor Adams and Josh Carmichael for that role in the AFL team.
I'm confident that Fin will have a long career at Collingwood since he will just be entering his prime as Mitchell and Adams come to the end of their careers.

[RudeBoy]

Given that Pendles, Sidey, Adams and Mitchell are all likely to play on next year, if I was young Finn I'd seek a trade to a club where more senior berths are available. At 22, he should have already cemented a spot in our seniors, particularly after playing 9 senior games in his first season.

[lazzadesilva]

Given that Pendles, Sidey, Adams and Mitchell are all likely to play on next year, if I was young Finn I'd seek a trade to a club where more senior berths are available. At 22, he should have already cemented a spot in our seniors, particularly after playing 9 senior games in his first season.

I don’t think he should be a sook, have a dummy spit, take his ball and go elsewhere so soon ffs! He has plenty of time to play for a top team like Collingwood in front of thousands instead of going to a lowly club and and then regretting the move. He needs patience coupled with intelligence to make this decision and I think he will remain with us for a few more years.

[K]

Seemed happy enough in the post-game interview... But could be a good actor, of course!

[Simply_Brutal]

Nothing wrong with his disposal. When you're delivering the ball to spuds in the VFL and they turn it over, your disposal efficiency will suffer.

That’s not how that stat is calculated. You could kick to a 50/50 and still have an effective disposal regardless of the outcome.

[Said by Zed]

Sorry folks…love the kid but any player (especially a mid) who has had 3 seasons under his belt and hasn’t been able to force a spot in the Seniors never will (with some exceptions of course) and is not a player we want or need…..this is a fact. Don’t believe me? which current player in any other club has served a longer apprenticeship (2+ seasons) before coming into seniors and being a star (obviously not including KPDs & KPFs).
Serviceable at best - will never be the player we hoped.

[The General]

Sorry folks…love the kid but any player (especially a mid) who has had 3 seasons under his belt and hasn’t been able to force a spot in the Seniors never will (with some exceptions of course) and is not a player we want or need…..this is a fact. Don’t believe me? which current player in any other club has served a longer apprenticeship (2+ seasons) before coming into seniors and being a star (obviously not including KPDs & KPFs).
Serviceable at best - will never be the player we hoped.

Dane Swan says hi.

[Said by Zed]

Sorry folks…love the kid but any player (especially a mid) who has had 3 seasons under his belt and hasn’t been able to force a spot in the Seniors never will (with some exceptions of course) and is not a player we want or need…..this is a fact. Don’t believe me? which current player in any other club has served a longer apprenticeship (2+ seasons) before coming into seniors and being a star (obviously not including KPDs & KPFs).
Serviceable at best - will never be the player we hoped.

Dane Swan says hi.

Really? How many games did Swanny play in the Ressies?

Anyway who actually saw Swanny play early days knew there was something about him irrespective of where he was drafted or how he trained…