CALE Hooker describes star Essendon teammate Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti as a special player who "does not miss when he gets the ball".
The exciting Bomber is still as skilful, explosive and intelligent as he's always been, but he has added a lethal efficiency to his game that has played a major role in the Bombers' recent run of impressive form.
With one hand on his first All-Australian blazer, McDonald-Tipungwuti is the No.1 ranked player in the AFL this season for shot at goal accuracy (71.1 per cent), kicking 18.4 since round six.
Alarm bells go off for opposition teams whenever he has the ball around goal and the 28-year-old will be a key for the Bombers if they are to upset Richmond in Saturday night's Dreamtime in Perth blockbuster.
"He's a player who just doesn't miss when he gets the ball," Hooker told AFL.com.au.
"He gets the ball and he's going to do something good with it, whether it's at training or in a game.
"The more he's involved in the game the better for us … he's a special player."
West Coast saw first-hand how lethal McDonald-Tipungwuti can be with the ball inside 50 last Saturday night.
Needing a circuit-breaker after the Eagles opened up a 29-point lead, McDonald-Tipungwuti stepped up, collecting cleanly in traffic and snapping a magnificent goal that got the momentum rolling for Essendon.
His second goal came during a run of four for the Bombers in the third quarter, spinning and snapping expertly on his right foot and making the difficult look simple.
Across the season, the sixth-year Bomber has kicked 11.5 from snaps, with his other scores coming from set shots (13.3), on the run (2.0) and off the ground (1.1).
Only Carlton's Harry McKay (22) and Gold Coast's Ben King (19) have kicked more than his 18 goals since round six.
"You can see the impact he has on games and we just love him down there and try and get the ball in his hands as much as we can," Hooker said.
As well as his efficiency in front of goal, McDonald-Tipungwuti is bringing teammates into the game more regularly.
Among the top five small forwards this season for goals kicked, he ranks No.1 for goals (27), No.1 for goal assists (13) and No.2 for average score involvements (6.9).
He appears to be a player who senses the big moments, and there will be few that have been bigger in his 117-game career than Saturday night's Dreamtime in Perth match.
The star forward's special talents will no doubt be on show. But it is McDonald-Tipungwuti's new status as the AFL's most efficient forward that will be most crucial if the Bombers are to upset Richmond and continue their recent rise.
