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

[Beerfish]

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

 

[joey_jo_jo]

You would expect them to but it is not . Anyone who gets the opportunity to go live will see that Laverde does most of the organizing along with Heppell.

Lav is really underrated by most, may have physical limitations but shows a lot more fight and team ethos than some of the more naturally talented players in the team.

 

[ant555]

Is it because they can't or because they've been so reliant on Heppell all this time. It's inexplicable that the VC would not be organising.

Maybe Heppell retiring and Laverde being delisted (if that happens) could give rise to Ridley and McGrath being more involved.

Doesn't surprise me that Laverde does, and I actually wouldn't mind if he stayed on. He's not the most skilled, but you'd be more comfortable in the trenches with him than some others. He's got a full heart.

Leaders are leaders. If it is not happening for Ridley now then it is not going to grow much more . It is like standing up and speaking in public. Some are naturals and some will do it but never be comfortable with it. Lets face it we have spent years wanting players to step up .

 

[P Money]

We often hear the club talk about leadership qualities as one of the strengths/reasons for the players we take with our high picks. Without making this thread about Dodoro something tells me he or whoever is making those assumptions don't actually know how to recognise true leadership qualities. Captain of a posh private school with good manners and speaks well is not a 'leader' in the way that a football team needs a leader. I don't really know anything about Luke Hodge but I can't picture him being captain of a posh private school and the guy can hardly talk, but he was one hell of a leader on footy field.

 

[Snake Charmer]

I'd expect Ridley and McGrath to be organising the defence, but I agree, McGrath has a tendency to drop off in intensity or to drop his bundle. He has copped flak for his dump kicks - they can be infuriating but they also give the defenders time to set up when the heat is there. I'm more concerned that he's maybe a 70-30 field kick to a target and that his pressure drops. The latter is mainly why I prefer Caldwell as VC; his pressure seems to intensify. jdstorm would have him at HB, but I don't see him organising a backline.

Don’t think McGrath should be the VC but I’m not sure who should be: last year a lot called for Redman to be the VC. I’d be happy to hold off on rushing anything with Caldwell and even Durham. Let them worry about becoming superstars

 

[Squeaky]

Don’t think McGrath should be the VC but I’m not sure who should be: last year a lot called for Redman to be the VC. I’d be happy to hold off on rushing anything with Caldwell and even Durham. Let them worry about becoming superstars

One captain - and that's it!
That's what it looks like when we play, so may as well go with it.

 

[P Money]

Jesus is that really the position we are in? We don't have a better option for VC than McGrath?

 

[Kong]

We often hear the club talk about leadership qualities as one of the strengths/reasons for the players we take with our high picks. Without making this thread about Dodoro something tells me he or whoever is making those assumptions don't actually know how to recognise true leadership qualities. Captain of a posh private school with good manners and speaks well is not a 'leader' in the way that a football team needs a leader. I don't really know anything about Luke Hodge but I can't picture him being captain of a posh private school and the guy can hardly talk, but he was one hell of a leader on footy field.

Yeah there's such a difference between a football club leader and a corporate/employment one.

There are some exceptions. I think Hird, Buckley, Judd, Harley all have the skills to do both, but most other footy club leaders are meat heads, putting it kindly.

get some more meatheads thx dodo

 

[Kong]

Jesus is that really the position we are in? We don't have a better option for VC than McGrath?

 

[jdstorm]

I'd expect Ridley and McGrath to be organising the defence, but I agree, McGrath has a tendency to drop off in intensity or to drop his bundle. He has copped flak for his dump kicks - they can be infuriating but they also give the defenders time to set up when the heat is there. I'm more concerned that he's maybe a 70-30 field kick to a target and that his pressure drops. The latter is mainly why I prefer Caldwell as VC; his pressure seems to intensify. jdstorm would have him at HB, but I don't see him organising a backline.

I'd expect Ridley and McGrath to be organising the defence, but I agree, McGrath has a tendency to drop off in intensity or to drop his bundle. He has copped flak for his dump kicks - they can be infuriating but they also give the defenders time to set up when the heat is there. I'm more concerned that he's maybe a 70-30 field kick to a target and that his pressure drops. The latter is mainly why I prefer Caldwell as VC; his pressure seems to intensify. jdstorm would have him at HB, but I don't see him organising a backline.

We’ll never know if we don’t try.
Up until 3 weeks ago the thought of Harry Jones as an AFL capable wing felt a bit silly.

It was mostly for this season/list optimisation reasons that I like Caldwell at HB. If the list changes and we no longer have a lot of small mids fighting for 2 spots i think Jye has shown that he’s a very capable on baller

Probably have to see both Parish and Sheil go for that to start to make sense though

 

[ghostdog]

Don’t think McGrath should be the VC but I’m not sure who should be: last year a lot called for Redman to be the VC. I’d be happy to hold off on rushing anything with Caldwell and even Durham. Let them worry about becoming superstars

I feel like Redders has been quieter this season, otherwise I would have thought he had that hunger about him. Maybe he's feeling hamstrung by Martin playing back. He obviously hasn't had as many forays pushing forward as in previous seasons.

 

[ghostdog]

We’ll never know if we don’t try.
Up until 3 weeks ago the thought of Harry Jones as an AFL capable wing felt a bit silly.

It was mostly for this season/list optimisation reasons that I like Caldwell at HB. If the list changes and we no longer have a lot of small mids fighting for 2 spots i think Jye has shown that he’s a very capable on baller

Probably have to see both Parish and Sheil go for that to start to make sense though

I'm just letting you know the seed is planted. I'll reserve judgment.

 

[katana]

I think Hird, Buckley, Judd, Harley all have the skills to do both, but most other footy club leaders are meat heads, putting it kindly.

i guess leaders maybe, but not captains. look at recent premiership captains, you've got darcy moore, trent cotchin, max gawn, luke shuey, joel selwood, all the way back to easton wood. all of them are very much of the educated, well-spoken class. that's just where footy is going now, for better or worse.

 

[Kong]

i guess leaders maybe, but not captains. look at recent premiership captains, you've got darcy moore, trent cotchin, max gawn, luke shuey, joel selwood, all the way back to easton wood. all of them are very much of the educated, well-spoken class. that's just where footy is going now, for better or worse.

Cotchin's the only one of that group doesn't speak fluent slack jaw.

Moore is clearly switched on, but he still sounds like he's fresh off the farm.

The others aren't exactly eloquent, well spoken and insightful, try as they might.

 

[katana]

Cotchin's the only one of that group doesn't speak fluent slack jaw.

Moore is clearly switched on, but he still sounds like he's fresh off the farm.

The others aren't exactly eloquent, well spoken and insightful, try as they might.

darcy moore is nothing other than eloquent (his family are academics outside of football). easton wood is a geelong grammar captain. have you heard max gawn speak?

 

[ant555]

darcy moore is nothing other than eloquent (his family are academics outside of football). easton wood is a geelong grammar captain. have you heard max gawn speak?

He is from NZ . Give him a break

 

[Kong]

darcy moore is nothing other than eloquent (his family are academics outside of football). easton wood is a geelong grammar captain. have you heard max gawn speak?

Sorry, I missed Easton Wood in your original comment. I don't think I've heard him speak, to be fair.

I've listened to Max Gawn more than most footballers, including his podcast on parenting. Sounds like a decent enough person, but not someone I'd imagine kicking goals as a leader outside of sport.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

I feel like Redders has been quieter this season, otherwise I would have thought he had that hunger about him. Maybe he's feeling hamstrung by Martin playing back. He obviously hasn't had as many forays pushing forward as in previous seasons.

Redman just looks angry all the time so supporters think he tries harder than the others . But I can't think of a season where he hasn't had patches where he has been unsighted.

Even without the official vc title at his age and level of experience in role I would expect him (like ridley/mcgrath) to take control of backline when we are in situations like the crows game, but all three let us down.

 

[ghostdog]

Redman just looks angry all the time so supporters think he tries harder than the others . But I can't think of a season where he hasn't had patches where he has been unsighted.

Even without the official vc title at his age and level of experience in role I would expect him (like ridley/mcgrath) to take control of backline when we are in situations like the crows game, but all three let us down.

He's my boy. You can't say stuff like that about my boy...

...though sadly, you are right.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

He's a false economy with a brilliant manager.

Nice run down tackle at the end but I lost count of how many slipped tackles he attempted, his poor skills at ground level and generally below average defending.

VC needs to be stripped and given to Caldwell in the off season.

 

[mike14]

He's a false economy with a brilliant manager.

Nice run down tackle at the end but I lost count of how many slipped tackles he attempted, his poor skills at ground level and generally below average defending.

VC needs to be stripped and given to Caldwell in the off season.

Yeah that run down tackle was superb, but it inky happened because the opportunity to completely wrap up a flat-footed Sun's player on the wing and absolutely blew the tackle
It seems to be that most of his better moments in the 2nd half of the season have come from him having fix mistakes that he helped cause in the first place

 

[andleanback]

Incoming we are hurting just as much as the fans media conference

 

[MightyDon]

Trade him

 

[andleanback]

Trade him

Good luck with a 6 year deal

 

[naraku]

I'm not sure if anyone would take him if he had a 2 year deal.
He just performs for maybe 8 games a year.

I just hope he is not VC next year. It might benefit him too.

 

[MightyDon]

Pay 60% of his contract just move him on