The Macca Issue

[something]

I think one of the few things the members of this forum agree on is that Macca should not be in the Broncos anymore.

Sure he is supposedly a good trainer / good bloke and he is definitely a good recoverer , but he stifles our team.

The slow service out of dummy half and poor decision making is like driving with the hand brake on.

Yet, the guy is completely impervious to criticism anywhere but here. I’ve seen a million anti-boyd, anti-Milford, anti-lodge articles. But I’ve never seen an Anti Macca article.

Tonight, we played shit when he was on - he goes off, we look much more threatening (albeit a bit directionless) and yet he still gets a higher rating on Courier Mail than Turps and Segeyaro.

We played our best football this season when he was injured, and when he comes back we look awful again. Yet he is still the starting 9

What is going on? How can a player who has been around for so long, and been so mediocre for so long, still fly under the radar? It’s so frustrating

 

[Alec]

I think one of the few things the members of this forum agree on is that Macca should not be in the Broncos anymore.

Sure he is supposedly a good trainer / good bloke and he is definitely a good recoverer , but he stifles our team.

The slow service out of dummy half and poor decision making is like driving with the hand brake on.

Yet, the guy is completely impervious to criticism anywhere but here. I’ve seen a million anti-boyd, anti-Milford, anti-lodge articles. But I’ve never seen an Anti Macca article.

Tonight, we played shit when he was on - he goes off, we look much more threatening (albeit a bit directionless) and yet he still gets a higher rating on Courier Mail than Turps and Segeyaro.

We played our best football this season when he was injured, and when he comes back we look awful again. Yet he is still the starting 9

What is going on? How can a player who has been around for so long, and been so mediocre for so long, still fly under the radar? It’s so frustrating

Yeah, he's like an under-the-radar shit, like a stealth shit. He doesn't make absolutely embarrassing decisions like Boyd that even your typical journalist can see on replays. With McCullough you actually have to watch the game to see how poorly he's playing. I guess that's too much to ask from your typical journalist.

 

[theshed]

I’d forgive a clueless spectator for watching Macca play for 80 minutes and not noticing his negative effect on the team - he rarely makes actual “errors” - but all anyone has to do is compare how the team plays with him at 9 and compare it how we play without him at 9.

Seggy comes on against the warriors and all of a sudden our forwards are hitting the line at pace and rolling up the field.

Macca is very consistent and doesn’t make errors but his decision making and speed is terrible.

 

[Maroon4life]

Peaked in 2015, had a great year in the spine with the other 3.

Has had a mortgage on the #9 jersey since 2009 with no competition, 10 years in the system and doesn't even show any leadership capabilities. There is a reason he doesn't feature in discussions about who should captain us in lieu of Boyd, guy is a piss weak passenger who by all accounts is a decent guy whose playing in a results driven business.

 

[Aldo]

Alot is made about Macca's defence and the number of tackles he gets through. Watching him closely last night, he is very passive in defence (slow line speed) and very rarely stops runners in their tracks. Post contact metres against Maca would be pretty ordinary I'd guess. Turpin and Seggy are much better at this.

 

[Dazza 92]

I think the crux will come if/when its impossible for us to make the 8......if Macca is STILL playing 9 once that occurs then Siebold needs his head examined...

 

[Aldo]

I think the Turpin experiment to 7 should end and he needs to go back to the 9. And Seggy needs to be on the bench. As we are struggling for a 7, could just throw Macca there until Dearden gets back and tell him he is not a Cooper Cronk/Jonathan Thurston hybrid and his job is to make his tackles and shuffle the ball out when required. He could even put the odd kick in if he felt like it.

 

[Jedhead]

I think the Turpin experiment to 7 should end and he needs to go back to the 9. And Seggy needs to be on the bench. As we are struggling for a 7, could just throw Macca there until Dearden gets back and tell him he is not a Cooper Cronk/Jonathan Thurston hybrid and his job is to make his tackles and shuffle the ball out when required. He could even put the odd kick in if he felt like it.

I hear what you're saying and despite Darius going OK for the last two games I still shudder at the thought of them in the 6 and 7.

That we are still managing to compete in games is nothing short of a miricle. Siebs needs to take some of the credit for that, but it is mainly down to our forward pack's class that we are still in with a shout.

I thought Isaako went OK yesterday. Hell he even caught a bomb cleanly. For a young guy just learning he is in a very fragile state. I do hope Siebs manages to nurse him through his crisis as his dedication to training and practicing has all the signs of a long term winner.

 

[McHunt]

I think the Turpin experiment to 7 should end and he needs to go back to the 9. And Seggy needs to be on the bench. As we are struggling for a 7, could just throw Macca there until Dearden gets back and tell him he is not a Cooper Cronk/Jonathan Thurston hybrid and his job is to make his tackles and shuffle the ball out when required. He could even put the odd kick in if he felt like it.

**** me dead, how low have we sunk that this sounds like a sensible suggestion?

 

[the_next]

He is very hard to watch. Last night, just before half time was a perfect example. We were on the attack for 3 or so sets inside their 20. It’s was like watching the game in half speed. Seems to kill all momentum we have, and his little busts out of dummy half are about as useful as Milford’s field goal attempts.
Turpin at 9 has to happen when dearden is fit and back in this side. Seggy was solid off the bench again last night, and I think the experiment of seggy and turps will work with this spine moving forward.
Macca is a much loved figure at the club, trains well, is a good bloke, but unfortunately he just isn’t the attacking 9 that this side needs, especially to get the young forwards pushing up. It’s a hard one for the club, especially as the group is so young, and they all seem to really like him, along with being one of the older heads in this group..but he just can’t be our 9 if we want to be a serious contender heading into the future.

 

[BruiserMk1]

He is very hard to watch. Last night, just before half time was a perfect example. We were on the attack for 3 or so sets inside their 20. It’s was like watching the game in half speed. Seems to kill all momentum we have, and his little busts out of dummy half are about as useful as Milford’s field goal attempts.
Turpin at 9 has to happen when dearden is fit and back in this side. Seggy was solid off the bench again last night, and I think the experiment of seggy and turps will work with this spine moving forward.
Macca is a much loved figure at the club, trains well, is a good bloke, but unfortunately he just isn’t the attacking 9 that this side needs, especially to get the young forwards pushing up. It’s a hard one for the club, especially as the group is so young, and they all seem to really like him, along with being one of the older heads in this group..but he just can’t be our 9 if we want to be a serious contender heading into the future.

Well written Stu.

 

[holdzy]

Where's Cult?

 

[Ffs...]

The problem is simple yet complicated.. The best Broncos side we can field, fully fit, does not have Darius or Macca in it. SOS 6 Dearden 7, Milf 1 Turpin 9 Segy 14. That's when Seibs is going to have to earn his pay check...

 

[heartly87]

The biggest issue with Macca and our team is his skill set and style just isn't right for it. We need things he just doesn't offer. Its night and day when Seggy or Turps are hooker because the thing they provide Macca can't and thats tempo.

Macca just doesn't think quick move quick or pass quick. Everything is just planned out in his head i think. He is not reactionary in any way. He just this set is this type of set. I bet every pass is the pass he makes at training. It's why he never looks to be scanning the defence, he just counts the play the balls and say tackle four i am going left.

His time is done here i believe. I just hope he can be moved on.

 

[upthebroncs]

I actually thought Macca played better at 7 the other week.

He suits the 7 role better than the 9. He could play a bit like Cronk does for Roosters at the moment.

Boyd and Macca need to go without a doubt though.

 

[Old Mate]

**** me dead, how low have we sunk that this sounds like a sensible suggestion?

He didn’t completely disappoint in the halves last time and it allows far superior hookers to get us over the advantage line. It definitely has merit.

Then when Dearden or SOS returns just punt him as an expensive back up player.

 

[Wolfie]

I actually would have swapped Macca and Turpin last night. Thought Macca was far more controlled in the halves last week than the Turpster, and in turn, Jake offers more these days at hooker.

 

[something]

I actually would have swapped Macca and Turpin last night. Thought Macca was far more controlled in the halves last week than the Turpster, and in turn, Jake offers more these days at hooker.

I agree with you completely. Creativity has to come from the first guy touching the ball, but the 7 can get away with just steadying the ship.

It’s wild how the game has adapted over the last decade. I think players like Smith, and now Cook have redefined the role and expectations. A classic rake like Macca doesn’t really work anymore because we have seen what we could have, but a livelier one (turps / seggy) mightnt be as traditional, but could work. Like imagine if seggy unorthodox drop kick paid off yesterday - would have been awesome