AFL Player # 1: Andrew "Pidge" McGrath (VC)

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2030
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 13, Vindicater

 

[DeezNuts]

Amazing what he’s capable of when played in his position

He wasn’t cut out as a starting mid and that’s ok, should be in the back pocket AA discussion

 

[Kong]

I'm probably in a minority, but I think McGrath will be better as a defender than midfielder.

I kind of hope he stays there.

Have always maintained he was a defender; still think that's where we'll get the best of him.

2017:

2019:


I’ll be back next year just in case this comes up again.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Please come by in 2025 and 2027 to say the same thing about Pidge.

 

[Blind Turn]

Nearly had him in the votes. Didn’t do anything wrong and got in the all right places constantly.

 

[Ambrosia]

Jeez just about the worst game I’ve seen him play.

Fumbly and seemed to exclusive kick to the opposition.

 

[The Prosecutor]

Him and Ziebell play kick to kick would be a sight to see.

 

[DapperDon]

Yeah had a mare, still been very good this year though.

 

[srobbo]

One of the worst I’ve seen him play. Fumbled, hack kicked everything & generally made poor decisions. Review the tapes pidge & get to work.

 

[Maxabillions]

His blind, round the corner kicks straight to the opposition were one thing, the unpressured drop punts were something else.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Yeah there was some poor disposals but gees that kick to top of the square with no teammate within the vicinity shows that he mustn’t look when he kicks sometimes ..has to iron that out

 

[citizen-erased]

Yeah there was some poor disposals but gees that kick to top of the square with no teammate within the vicinity shows that he mustn’t look when he kicks sometimes ..has to iron that out

Hard to get a read on him when he's in that mode

Lack of vision, panicked thinking or just lacking composure and awareness to wait for the option to present itself before he takes it.

He seems one of the more rushed players with ball in hand. Without it though he's got ice in his veins

 

[Happyskeret]

Been critical of this guy in the past but in my book he’s had one bad game for the year. Confident he will bounce back.

 

[naraku]

Worse game of the year. But since he has had same damn good ones this year, we'll let that slide.

Just needs to keep focus.

 

[TheGrizz]

His defensive efforts were strong again, I think he even beat Larkey in a couple of one on one marking contests at one point.

But it was bad McGrath with ball in hand unfortunately. Just couldn't hit a target and his bombs long i50 to no one in particular were momentum killers.
He has been that good this year I am willing to write it off as a shocker.

 

[carloss]

He never gets tackled cause he gets rid of the ball so fast

 

[Pweter]

Probably the worst disposal game I've seen from him. As has been eluded to the dump kicks have been happening for a while but his disposal under no heat was terrible.

I'm going to put it down to fatigue after a big couple of months concluding in 3 interstate games in the last 4 weeks before yesterday.

 

[citizen-erased]

His defensive efforts were strong again, I think he even beat Larkey in a couple of one on one marking contests at one point.

But it was bad McGrath with ball in hand unfortunately. Just couldn't hit a target and his bombs long i50 to no one in particular were momentum killers.
He has been that good this year I am willing to write it off as a shocker.

most of our ball use out of 50 is pretty good. maybe the instruction needs to be use your athleticism to create some space, then give it to the closest, safest option around you

Ridley, Redman, Hepp, Zerk, Lav - all pretty good with ball in hand.

 

[TheGrizz]

most of our ball use out of 50 is pretty good. maybe the instruction needs to be use your athleticism to create some space, then give it to the closest, safest option around you

Ridley, Redman, Hepp, Zerk, Lav - all pretty good with ball in hand.

McGrath ball use has been good this year with the exception of yesterday.

I am willing to consider it an aberration at this point consider the context of his season, though I hope it doesn't continue.

 

[citizen-erased]

McGrath ball use has been good this year with the exception of yesterday.

I am willing to consider it an aberration at this point consider the context of his season, though I hope it doesn't continue.

its been.....improved
I dont think he's ever been a good user. but they can't all bee.

and agree. Was a bad game in an otherwise excellent year.

 

[The Prosecutor]

McGrath ball use has been good this year with the exception of yesterday.

I am willing to consider it an aberration at this point consider the context of his season, though I hope it doesn't continue.

Against Richmond he had a few shockers that resulted in opposition goals.

 

[TheGrizz]

Against Richmond he had a few shockers that resulted in opposition goals.

And? Everyone has a few shockers.
Redman is one of our best users and he has had some atrocious moments with ball in hand this year.

It's been a fair while since McGrath was spraying it for a whole game like he did yesterday. He has been pretty solid with ball in hand since going back.
That's all I'm saying

 

[frodos gardener]

His good is very good against dangerous forwards but in my mind he has nearly cost us two games this year:

Richmond - two direct turnovers leading to opposition goals were almost the difference.

Norf - numerous dump kicks and a crucial late turnover leading to goal.

I know Scott says they don’t coach skill errors on game day but boy I hope he’s getting some extra focused coaching during the week.

 

[Ambrosia]

His good is very good against dangerous forwards but in my mind he has nearly cost us two games this year:

Richmond - two direct turnovers leading to opposition goals were almost the difference.

Norf - numerous dump kicks and a crucial late turnover leading to goal.

I know Scott says they don’t coach skill errors on game day but boy I hope he’s getting some extra focused coaching during the week.

Blind dump kicks aren’t skill errors they’re process errors.

Obviously McGrath has had a mixture of both. The annoying thing is he has the athleticism that he should have the license to back himself in to create space and find a good option each time.

I’ll cop quick kicks to no one from your Laverde, BZT and Kelly types but McGrath has to be better

 

[VexOh]

Just have to accept we signed a really good small lock down defender with pick 1 and not really expect him to be anything else. Sure he's got pace and agility, but I don't want him trying to be playmaker from the back half. His composure is just hopeless when the whip start cracking and it just give me the shits the number of direct goals we concede from his blind, shitty drop punts.

And my god, don't get me started on his terrible deliveries into the 50

 

[frodos gardener]

Blind dump kicks aren’t skill errors they’re process errors.

Obviously McGrath has had a mixture of both. The annoying thing is he has the athleticism that he should have the license to back himself in to create space and find a good option each time.

I’ll cop quick kicks to no one from your Laverde, BZT and Kelly types but McGrath has to be better

I think you can make a semantic argument that they’re skill errors if you consider decision-making to be a skill, but yes they’re not physical skill errors necessarily.

As you said, he has had a mixture of both types of errors.

Anyway whatever they get called, it’s not what I’m concerned with too much. It’s that I’m hoping a pattern isn’t emerging that will cost us a game.

As I said, his best has been great and I think his best this year has been a step up; unfortunately his worst has been scary.