After all when McIntosh was the ninth player selected in the 2002 NAB AFL Draft, he was a raw, yet promising ruckman. From that point, it was simply a case of McIntosh, the club and Roos' fans needing a little bit of patience for the 'big fella' to develop. All going to plan - it would prove to be a beneficial fit for all parties.
It may now be his fourth AFL-listed season, but McIntosh is starting to reveal why that patience needed to be nurtured, particularly when you stand 203cm. But even the 21-year-old year, originally from Lavington via Murray Bushrangers, knew he had to bide his time.
"My first year, I never really aimed to play AFL football, because I came from a long way back - I was a tall fellow and a skinny size - so I had to build the fitness up and I never really expected to play AFL that year," McIntosh told kangaroos.com.au.
"In my second year, obviously, I was aiming to play AFL football, but then I sprained my ankle and missed most of the season and then in my third year, I was hoping to have a good year and play some senior football, but unfortunately I only got the one game.
"I was got frustrated, obviously, as you do, because you're on an AFL list and you want to play AFL football, but in the long term, I wanted to play a few more games and obviously this year's it's started to work out."
After making his AFL debut season last year - he played one match in round six 2005 - McIntosh has made 11 appearances in 2006.
But there were signs early in 2006 that McIntosh would make greater in-roads this season and that was a far back as January, when he was named best-on-ground in an exhibition match against Sydney in Los Angeles. McIntosh believes that was a key moment in his development.
"I hadn't played that much senior football … and it was only my second or third game in Kangaroos colours and I didn't do too bad over there against Sydney, who had just won the grand final - even though they didn't have that stronger side in - but that had some decent players," McIntosh said.
"It was good stepping stone to hopefully having a good year and it was a good game for me and it helped me immensely."
But McIntosh's matches this season have come in three parts, with two VFL stints breaking them up in between. Yet since returning to the side in round 14, McIntosh has taken further steps in his development - something he "definitely" agrees with.
"I feel like I've played some good other games in my other stints, but I feel like I've been more consistent this time, since I've been back in the side," McIntosh said.
And his teaming with 22-year-old David Hale in the ruck, in recent matches, augurs well for the club's future, as barring any mishap - both players will continue to blossom into the coming seasons.
"David's been around (a little bit) longer than me and he's played a lot more senior football and he's going to be a very good player for the club and he's already showed that in the games that he's played and he helps me," McIntosh said.
"He's a quality player and our number one ruckman at the moment and I'm happy backing him up as time goes on and hopefully as more time goes on in the future, we can both play more on field and both have a bit more of an impact as the season goes on."
Although the modest McIntosh should have added the coming seasons, as the duo is set to become a tantalising prospect in the Kangaroos rucking division for a number of years yet.
