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

[Beerfish]

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

 

[ant555]

His short kicking under pressure is actually pretty decent: my main concern with him is when his back is to our goals he seems to panic and kick over his shoulder a lot, he has no game sense to actually turn and use his pace or turn and get him self out of trouble by hand or foot. My worry is when a player has no awareness like that is their bad disposal will result in turnover goals. Andy seems to be on the end of bad ones a lot.

Is that no game sense or is it wilting under constant pressure due to our history of poor team defense and the ball continually rebounding back inside 50 ? I think there where just as many times last year when he took off out of the back pocket only to have to stop in his tracks as there where no options to kick to. The dump kicks are horrible but I think they are more a result of being constantly under siege.

 

[Vindicater]

Is that no game sense or is it wilting under constant pressure due to our history of poor team defense and the ball continually rebounding back inside 50 ? I think there where just as many times last year when he took off out of the back pocket only to have to stop in his tracks as there where no options to kick to. The dump kicks are horrible but I think they are more a result of being constantly under siege.

You see this much better live as well.

He comes bursting through and all he needs is an option but he gets stand still players. He then has a choice.

A) Bomb it as far as he can and hope for the best.

Or

B) Stop, prop, go sideways and try to maintain some control of the pill.

As he can't kick very far he basically always chooses B.

 

[nesko_25]

His career disposal efficiency is 77%.

Last year 80%. Kicking efficiency 72% which ranked very good by AFL average.

People bang on about how good his DE/KE is but ultimately it's the proportion of the 28% that result in either a goal or set shot. He is a victim of playing on the last line where his mistakes are amplified. Doesn't matter how good you are if your mistakes are a direct result of 2-3 goals... if it was Lav or BZT people would have been calling for his head more than they are Pidge.

 

[Foxx]

People bang on about how good his DE/KE is but ultimately it's the proportion of the 28% that result in either a goal or set shot. He is a victim of playing on the last line where his mistakes are amplified. Doesn't matter how good you are if your mistakes are a direct result of 2-3 goals... if it was Lav or BZT people would have been calling for his head more than they are Pidge.

Do you think his turnovers result in 2-3 goals a game though? I don't think it does.
I think his turnover to goal ratio wouldnt be too much different to say Redmans, or many other defenders in the league.

Good sides have the workrate to have numbers behind the ball to defend the turnover better. Collingwood the best at it.

We suck at it, so any turnover anywhere on the ground will have the opposition transition straight through.

 

[Shanghaistu]

You see this much better live as well.

He comes bursting through and all he needs is an option but he gets stand still players. He then has a choice.

A) Bomb it as far as he can and hope for the best.

Or

B) Stop, prop, go sideways and try to maintain some control of the pill.

As he can't kick very far he basically always chooses B.

Good point - as VC, can he rip the players that are standing still and providing no options a new one? Or is that too ruthless and un-inclusive?

 

[Bjchan13]

Good point - as VC, can he rip the players that are standing still and providing no options a new one? Or is that too ruthless and un-inclusive?

Isnt that Brads job? If someone's standing still and not providing an option when they should be then they arent following instructions.

 

[citizen-erased]

Is that no game sense or is it wilting under constant pressure due to our history of poor team defense and the ball continually rebounding back inside 50 ? I think there where just as many times last year when he took off out of the back pocket only to have to stop in his tracks as there where no options to kick to. The dump kicks are horrible but I think they are more a result of being constantly under siege.

The issue is the chaos the dump kick creates.
More often than not an errant handball to congestion, or take the tackle and stoppage, is better. And as a leader andy shouldn't be trying to make it someone elses issue (for lack of a better phrase).

And its not just on him.
Ridley and redman have become weapons.
Ideally reid is the same. Andy needs to find that gear.

 

[citizen-erased]

Isnt that Brads job? If someone's standing still and not providing an option when they should be then they arent following instructions.

Onfield leaders need to do that.
Best teams have strong leadership from coach to the LG and other natural leaders.

We're very bereft of that.

 

[fairbump_playon]

The dump kicks are annoying but the bigger issue is that McGrath could be an absolute weapon

He is probably the only player we have who is too team oriented. I wish he wanted to be a hero. Looks a different guy when takes the game on in that arrogant Saad style.

 

[Bjchan13]

Onfield leaders need to do that.
Best teams have strong leadership from coach to the LG and other natural leaders.

We're very bereft of that.

In certain situations where someone needs a reminder absolutely the VC should be communicating if he sees something. But this sounds like an ongoing issue of no one presenting an option? Thats up to Brad to sort out. Its not Pigeons gameplan to have to constantly enforce, he has his own job.

 

[citizen-erased]

In certain situations where someone needs a reminder absolutely the VC should be communicating if he sees something. But this sounds like an ongoing issue of no one presenting an option? Thats up to Brad to sort out. Its not Pigeons gameplan to have to constantly enforce, he has his own job.

Agree
it starts with the coach but flows to the onfield leaders to enforce.

And i guess as a leader in defence to bring it to the coaches and get them to address it between games too.

He has his job,.but as a leader you take on that extra responsibility i guess. Or don't if it gets in the way

 

[ant555]

The issue is the chaos the dump kick creates.
More often than not an errant handball to congestion, or take the tackle and stoppage, is better. And as a leader andy shouldn't be trying to make it someone elses issue (for lack of a better phrase).

And its not just on him.
Ridley and redman have become weapons.
Ideally reid is the same. Andy needs to find that gear.

The issue is playing in our defense it is panic stations for 75% of the game because we allow the ball to rebound back a lot and often with little pressure. It is actually someone else making it their problem. There is no way I would want to play in our back half.
As far as being a leader goes he actually tries to create something more time in a game than he dumps it down the line without looking.
I am not saying he is anything more than a B grade player and he does blindly kick the footy at times but it is generally after a period of massive pressure and he does more good stuff than bad. It is the same old story. People get fixated on the flaw to a point where that is all they see.
When the team defends better the backs play better.
There is no way I would put my hand up to play in our defense.
The issue is simple. Fix the team defense and the defenders are not under as much constant pressure.

Onfield leaders need to do that.
Best teams have strong leadership from coach to the LG and other natural leaders.

We're very bereft of that.

Well that highlights what I have spoken about for a long time and that is our leadership overall is poor and has been for 15 years.
McGrath can only be as good a leader as he is capable off. He can not be anything more. It is not on him that he can only be a certain level of leader. It is on the club to bring in more leadership. McGrath can only lead to his maximum ability. If that means he has times in the game where he is under pressure and he fails as a leader then that is what it is. Leaders are born and not made and we have not been very big at selecting hard edge leaders in the last 20 years and that is why we have the culture we have and the lack of genuine buy in across the list.

 

[JayJ20]

Yeah he stopped doing it. I wonder if it's directed by the coaches because it doesn't make sense to me. It's a defining part of his game that made him a contender for pick 1. It's almost like he fears holding the ball more than turning it over so he panic kicks it hoping it goes to an opponent. Or maybe he isn't confident he can outrun his opponent (which shouldn't be an issue with his speed).

Interesting.

He listened. Has been great today. Taking the game on, finding separation so he has more time to kick. Clearly still has the attributes that made him promising. Hopefully a sign of things to come.

 

[bombreys]

Was really good first half.

When we lose Ridley it seems like our whole team and every player just turn to s***

 

[Blind Turn]

Sitting up against the fence as a spectator, you really get a feel for how sharp and dynamic he is in the clinches to give us space to exit defensive hot spots. He was excellent today and I’ll forgive him his one monumental lapse as I liked his intent but just had a brain fade which can happen.

Second best on ground.

 

[DERO]

Sitting up against the fence as a spectator, you really get a feel for how sharp and dynamic he is in the clinches to give us space to exit defensive hot spots. He was excellent today and I’ll forgive him his one monumental lapse as I liked his intent but just had a brain fade which can happen.

Second best on ground.

Agreed.

Archie best.

 

[gillon]

Would be AA almost every year if he could kick well. Unfortunately that limits his game a lot.

 

[ant555]

Which he would look up the ground at times before he runs himself into traffic.
I still think at times he tries too hard to make something happen.

 

[Milanista28]

Still bounces the ball too early once he receives.

 

[Happyskeret]

Would be AA almost every year if he could kick well. Unfortunately that limits his game a lot.

He kicks it like a Canadian sometimes.

 

[boncer34]

Excellent

 

[Yoda_]

Is tidy by foot, the howlers are truly shocking, almost Dylan Shiel

9

Dylan Shiel

Age

31

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.6

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.1

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

4.9

5star

D

23.4

5star

K

13.6

5star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.2

2star

T

3.4

4star

CL

6.4

5star

D

19.8

5star

K

8.4

4star

HB

11.4

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

3.8

5star

like. Was terrific today

 

[Vindicater]

My boy. Just gets shit done.

 

[Milanista28]

Watched the replay last night, was at the game but have average eyesight so miss things, he played forward so much more frequently yesterday, that's when he's damaging.

Having said that if we don't have structure ahead he'll look worse than he actually is, he's trying to make plays, hopefully the team can find it's groove all the time.

 

[ant555]

Has to start looking up the ground more and dare I say it take a few more safe options . Attack is great but not when you run yourself into corners.