McQualter might just survive if...

[evertonfc]

...he becomes - and I don't mean to be alarmist - a complete and utter suicide merchant.

On Saturday night, he was exactly that. He was reckless in his pursuit of the ball in packs, and if he didn't win it, he made sure as hell the opposition wasn't going to get away with it.

He was hungry, active and brave. For the first time, it looked like he wanted the contest. Like he thrived on it.

I'm still yet to be convinced he can make it at senior football, but if he can convert himself from a run-of-the-mill small midfielder to a fearless SOB who has little regard for personal safety, football could be his game.

I'm sorry to write this so brutally, but it's the one thing that stood out about his game on Saturday night. Not only that, but being hard and fierce seemed to give him confidence in other areas - such as his moment of magic.

It's hard to know if he'll make it, but this could be what it takes to save his game. After all, Luke Ball, Lenny Hayes and Steven Baker could do with some help in and under.

Go get 'em, McQ!

[joffaboy]

And still the best thing he did all night was his sublime blind turn, side step and goal off a spillage.

The kid has got skills but has sacrificed his game for the good of the team.

Hopefully all ofhis skills and flair doesn't get coached out of him.

[vacuous space]

And still the best thing he did all night was his sublime blind turn, side step and goal off a spillage.

That was one of the highlights for the evening, along with Gilbert's tackle and Kosi's mark.

Loved Mini's game. He was definitely fighting above his weight Saturday night. If he keeps playing like that, he'll keep his spot.

[evertonfc]

And still the best thing he did all night was his sublime blind turn, side step and goal off a spillage.

The kid has got skills but has sacrificed his game for the good of the team.

Hopefully all ofhis skills and flair doesn't get coached out of him.

I think if you look at some players, making them play 'harder' can see them also grow in confidence and become better with their skills.

I'd cite Cam Mooney, Steven Baker, Luke Hodge and Max Rooke as prime examples.

I think Mini is pretty clean by hand and foot, but only over short distances. He needs a new dimension to his game. Being tough could be it.

[steph]

mini's game on saturday night could be close to his best for the club. he was playing for his spot, which is great to see.

i have always been a little skeptical of whether he can cut it at this level, but his performance on the w/e suggests he can. he's at the bottom of every pack, and is a tackling machine. he deserves to take the next step on work rate alone, hopefully the weekend has given him that confidence boost he needs.

[joffaboy]

And still the best thing he did all night was his sublime blind turn, side step and goal off a spillage.

The kid has got skills but has sacrificed his game for the good of the team.

Hopefully all ofhis skills and flair doesn't get coached out of him.

I think if you look at some players, making them play 'harder' can see them also grow in confidence and become better with their skills.

I'd cite Cam Mooney, Steven Baker, Luke Hodge and Max Rooke as prime examples.

I think Mini is pretty clean by hand and foot, but only over short distances. He needs a new dimension to his game. Being tough could be it.

No doubt everton, you are correct.

I suppose my post wasn't a go at your Op. It was for those in SS land who only remember Mini as a stopper because that has been his role.

He was nicknamed Mini because he was touted as being a mini bj. He has skills and flair and it was good to see on the weekend - however your point is a valid one. If he can add even more grunt to his game (I have never thought McQualter as a shirker, just a bit small) it can only improve his allround game.

If he can come up with a gem like on Saturday night every now and then - what a bonus hey?

[St DAC]

It was a fine goal, but he got an A-grade bounce into his hands to set it up. He was behind the two Sydney players after the ball spilled for the marking contest, but the ball bounced backwards into his hands, and he took full advantage with a lovely sequence of evasive moves to score.

[steph]

And still the best thing he did all night was his sublime blind turn, side step and goal off a spillage.

The kid has got skills but has sacrificed his game for the good of the team.

Hopefully all ofhis skills and flair doesn't get coached out of him.

I think if you look at some players, making them play 'harder' can see them also grow in confidence and become better with their skills.

I'd cite Cam Mooney, Steven Baker, Luke Hodge and Max Rooke as prime examples.

I think Mini is pretty clean by hand and foot, but only over short distances. He needs a new dimension to his game. Being tough could be it.

No doubt everton, you are correct.

I suppose my post wasn't a go at your Op. It was for those in SS land who only remember Mini as a stopper because that has been his role.

He was nicknamed Mini because he was touted as being a mini bj. He has skills and flair and it was good to see on the weekend - however your point is a valid one. If he can add even more grunt to his game (I have never thought McQualter as a shirker, just a bit small) it can only improve his allround game.

If he can come up with a gem like on Saturday night every now and then - what a bonus hey?

he wasn't nicknamed mini due to BJ. he has been mini since school footy (i know he played with BJ there too), and its pretty much because he's short. that's all.

[terry smith rules]

And still the best thing he did all night was his sublime blind turn, side step and goal off a spillage.

The kid has got skills but has sacrificed his game for the good of the team.

Hopefully all ofhis skills and flair doesn't get coached out of him.

I think Mini is pretty clean by hand and foot, but only over short distances. He needs a new dimension to his game. Being tough could be it.

How quickly we forget, seem to remember another player who was only good over short distances and he made it

[FortiusQuoFidelius]

mini's game on saturday night could be close to his best for the club. he was playing for his spot, which is great to see.

i have always been a little skeptical of whether he can cut it at this level, but his performance on the w/e suggests he can. he's at the bottom of every pack, and is a tackling machine. he deserves to take the next step on work rate alone, hopefully the weekend has given him that confidence boost he needs.

5 kicks
8 Handballs
2 Marks
3 Tackles

At best an ordinary game and hardly a "tackling machine"

[Red]

Don't always look at statistics. They are only an indicator.

[evertonfc]

How quickly we forget, seem to remember another player who was only good over short distances and he made it

Harvey could kick a ball over like perfectly over distances of less than 50m at the peak of his career.



He also had tremendous acceleration when required.

Don't always look at statistics. They are only an indicator.

Precisely.

McQualter's impact on the match far outweighed his statistics.

How do you measure pressure, harrassing opponents, close-checking and a previously unseen desire to get to every contest and claw for every ball?

Anyway, it's a good start to 2009 for Mini. It's something for him to build on. It's now up to him to take the next step.

[thirty-seven!?]

It is almost worth thinking of mini as a 2nd year player - yes, he had years on the list before his delisting, and then re-recruitment, but the story was that he just didnt apply himself (hence getting the boot!)

Therefore, this is his 2nd pre-season since "applying himself", and the benefits are certainly showing - he is starting to show the improvements which we didnt see when he was a younger player.

[vacuous space]

he wasn't nicknamed mini due to BJ. he has been mini since school footy (i know he played with BJ there too), and its pretty much because he's short. that's all.

I seem to remember some story about him being nicknamed Mini by his older brother's friends. Not so much because of his height but because he was the younger McQualter.

[stkfc1]

mini's game on saturday night could be close to his best for the club. he was playing for his spot, which is great to see.

i have always been a little skeptical of whether he can cut it at this level, but his performance on the w/e suggests he can. he's at the bottom of every pack, and is a tackling machine. he deserves to take the next step on work rate alone, hopefully the weekend has given him that confidence boost he needs.

5 kicks
8 Handballs
2 Marks
3 Tackles

At best an ordinary game and hardly a "tackling machine"

If you where at the game you would have seen what he does off the ball..
I mentioned this on another thread ,Mini,Jones,Ball,Blake and Kingy, do some really nice things off the ball, blocks, shepherds the things that don't go on the stat sheet but what wins you the game! Look at these guys next time at stoppages they do the team things to let the ball users do theirs.

[BigMart]

He has ALWAYS been a fierce competitor who is tough as boots, even as an underage.....it was his trademark.....so he does not need to become that way...AFL size, AFL fitness and AFL abilities have been his biggest hurdles.....

[evertonfc]

He has ALWAYS been a fierce competitor who is tough as boots, even as an underage.....it was his trademark.....so he does not need to become that way...AFL size, AFL fitness and AFL abilities have been his biggest hurdles.....

May have been the case against boys of his size in the under-18s, BigMart, but we haven't seen it until now.

I saw signs of it in the pre-season, but on the weekend he had a bit of a madman look about him. I liked it

I only hope it's here to stay and not a flash in the pan at this level.

[Eastern]

...he becomes - and I don't mean to be alarmist - a complete and utter suicide merchant.

On Saturday night, he was exactly that. He was reckless in his pursuit of the ball in packs, and if he didn't win it, he made sure as hell the opposition wasn't going to get away with it.

He was hungry, active and brave. For the first time, it looked like he wanted the contest. Like he thrived on it.

I'm still yet to be convinced he can make it at senior football, but if he can convert himself from a run-of-the-mill small midfielder to a fearless SOB who has little regard for personal safety, football could be his game.

I'm sorry to write this so brutally, but it's the one thing that stood out about his game on Saturday night. Not only that, but being hard and fierce seemed to give him confidence in other areas - such as his moment of magic.

It's hard to know if he'll make it, but this could be what it takes to save his game. After all, Luke Ball, Lenny Hayes and Steven Baker could do with some help in and under.

Go get 'em, McQ!

If you were to get a tape of his career highlights, you would see how eerily accurate your comments on him are. I reckon he has played his entire career like that, only now he is better at it !!

[FortiusQuoFidelius]

mini's game on saturday night could be close to his best for the club. he was playing for his spot, which is great to see.

i have always been a little skeptical of whether he can cut it at this level, but his performance on the w/e suggests he can. he's at the bottom of every pack, and is a tackling machine. he deserves to take the next step on work rate alone, hopefully the weekend has given him that confidence boost he needs.

5 kicks
8 Handballs
2 Marks
3 Tackles

At best an ordinary game and hardly a "tackling machine"

If you where at the game you would have seen what he does off the ball..
I mentioned this on another thread ,Mini,Jones,Ball,Blake and Kingy, do some really nice things off the ball, blocks, shepherds the things that don't go on the stat sheet but what wins you the game! Look at these guys next time at stoppages they do the team things to let the ball users do theirs.

I dont disagree... The point I was making is that with 3 tackles in a game you could hardly call him a "tackling machine".

This title would be reserved for the likes of Luke Ball and Lenny Hayes who REALLY ARE tackling machines. Please dont group an ordinary player like McQualter (and lets face it he IS an ordinary player) in with superstars like Ball and Hayes!

[PJ]

Look at these guys next time at stoppages they do the team things to let the ball users do theirs.

This is what st.kilda has not done well in the recent past - it's a good sign they are playing for each other in a far more structured way.

[ttufc7]

he wasn't nicknamed mini due to BJ. he has been mini since school footy (i know he played with BJ there too), and its pretty much because he's short. that's all.

I seem to remember some story about him being nicknamed Mini by his older brother's friends. Not so much because of his height but because he was the younger McQualter.

Correct!