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

[Beerfish]

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

 

[Yoda_]

The fact he’s Vice Captain material speaks volumes about where the club is at imo. Leadership starts on the field first

See post from naraku below and it is right. Feels like year on year we get to the latter stages of the year, in the mix for finals and we are questioning McGrath's capabilities. How good is he? why does he continue to make same basic skills errors? why do we persist? etc etc.

We know he is a number 1, but geez it makes it hard to keep a pin in the grenade with vintage performances like that last night

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Having a vice captain who can't make a smart decision with football in hand is reflective of where this club is at.

But - but he speaks very well

 

[ant555]

wonder if the AFL would allow him to wear these ?

 

[Vindicater]

My boy struggling alittle but he will turn it around.

Seems like he has been given more kicking responsibility which always leads to his **** ups.

Just let him lock down and supply by hand to the kickers in Redman and Risley

 

[Nifft]

wonder if the AFL would allow him to wear these ?

Maybe something more permanent?

 

[joey_jo_jo]

My boy struggling alittle but he will turn it around.

Seems like he has been given more kicking responsibility which always leads to his **** ups.

Just let him lock down and supply by hand to the kickers in Redman and Risley

redman was shocking on friday, he was as poor with his handballs as Mckay, pretty sure he gave a direct goal to crows with a weak handball to Kelly. Andy had an off night but overall has a had a solid season, redman on the other hand looks like he is carrying a niggle, has been hot and cold all year.

I also have a slightly hot take with rids too, He needs to take control of the backline like a Tom Stewart. He always takes the least risky kick when kicking out of D50 but sometimes that means he is giving off a short pass to one of our myriad of bad decision makers in the backline. I sometimes wish he would take the risky long kick like redman/martin do and set up the play, he has the best kick of the lot of them but doesnt really use it as a weapon. Just wish there was a bit of a middle ground between his safeplay and martins roll the dice kicks.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

redman was shocking on friday, he was as poor with his handballs as Mckay, pretty sure he gave a direct goal to crows with a weak handball to Kelly. Andy had an off night but overall has a had a solid season, redman on the other hand looks like he is carrying a niggle, has been hot and cold all year.

I also have a slightly hot take with rids too, He needs to take control of the backline like a Tom Stewart. He always takes the least risky kick when kicking out of D50 but sometimes that means he is giving off a short pass to one of our myriad of bad decision makers in the backline. I sometimes wish he would take the risky long kick like redman/martin do and set up the play, he has the best kick of the lot of them but doesnt really use it as a weapon. Just wish there was a bit of a middle ground between his safeplay and martins roll the dice kicks.

Agreed. We became far less dangerous out of the backline when he returned. Retention based football does not work without good forwards that can win ball in congestion.

 

[carloss]

Can't believe we signed him to a 6 year contract...................

 

[Kong]

Can't believe we signed him to a 6 year contract...................

Thankfully the club kept Dodoro around for the one thing he's good at.

McGrath 6 years
Stewart 2 years and delisted after 1
Smith the same, from memory?

He's great at that part of the job though, because he signed Parish to 5 sorry 6 years when nobody else wanted him.

 

[Rick Ross]

Career Contract season and yes he is better than Taranto and McCluggage now…

 

[Ambrosia]

Interesting that’s it’s now 2 years in a row that he’s started the year with what seems much improved ball use only to regress later in the year.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

New expected kicks stats show McGrath should have successfully completed all his kicks but didn't

 

[P Money]

Just absolutely goes to water under pressure doesn't he? Has improved in a few ways (albeit often in patches) but the one constant is that under real heat and pressure he wilts like spinach in hot water. I accept that he's a disappointing #1 pick and we are clearly stuck with him for the rest of his career, but I have real concerns over him being our Vice Captain (or god forbid taking over captaincy post-Merrett). I don't really care what he's like off the field or how well he speaks or how good a family he comes from, his lack of genuine leadership on field when things get tough is reason enough to keep him away from any official leadership position at the club. It's reflective of everything Essington for the past 20 years and we need to move the hell away from it.

 

[naraku]

Again...just doesn't do enough especially for a VC.

 

[Old Campaigner]

What a shit draft to have pick 1

 

[andleanback]

He’s another good bloke that’s going to get looked after by the footy club because he’s a good bloke. 2030 yuck

 

[Mercurial89]

The absolute definition of mid.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

He's the type of HB you could find with pick 40 in the draft.

Dodo specials haunting us from beyond the grave.

 

[MightyDon]

He's the type of HB you could find with pick 40 in the draft.

Dodo specials haunting us from beyond the grave.

You find them at 40 and they end off the list a couple years later

 

[Kong]

The absolute definition of mid.

no that's the problem, we needed mid and got back pocket

 

[TheFrenchCut]

He does seem incapable of putting together a full season of good footy. Kinda like the club.

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

Went to the game and there was not much to like. Highlight of the night was Zac giving Andy an almighty spray after a Saints goal. Not sure if it was aimed at him or letting him know that the Capt was pissed with the whole defensive group.

 

[SpeckieMcVeigh]

Andy McGrath is the personification of Essendon, starts the season great and then proves himself to be a ****ing spud like clockwork

 

[quotemokc]

Bloke constantly leaves his man to not impact a contest

 

[Tannehill17]

6 more years! Who the **** were we bidding against? Madness