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

[Beerfish]

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

 

[Yoda_]

How good, number 1 draft pick could be ok if everyone does the work

I was suggesting he could be one of, if not the best small defender in the comp if others rise around him

 

[Blind Turn]

I think people need to ease up on the criticisms, this is one of our leaders, when Zac retires he will be our captain, he is THE standard in this backline.

He has a 6 year contract, we wouldn't have done that if we weren't 100% sure he was going to be leading this group for a long time.

Work into it, it's gonna be like this for awhile.

I was his biggest backer early in the year but he has disappointed me more than any other player as we’ve fallen away. When Hep left the defence we needed a general with tactical nous and clear direction. He’s failed on that significantly and it’s cost us in close games and when momentum catches us out in transition. He’s capable as a small defender but I don’t think he’s the leader we hoped he’d be.

 

[Mercurial89]

I was his biggest backer early in the year but he has disappointed me more than any other player as we’ve fallen away. When Hep left the defence we needed a general with tactical nous and clear direction. He’s failed on that significantly and it’s cost us in close games and when momentum catches us out in transition. He’s capable as a small defender but I don’t think he’s the leader we hoped he’d be.

Totally get that, but he's who we have, and who we are going to have for the next 5 years.
So I just doubt we can maintain the rage for that long, might need to pace ourselves, he isn't going anywhere and he ain't gonna get better.

 

[YEMOC NAYR]

I think people need to ease up on the criticisms, this is one of our leaders, when Zac retires he will be our captain, he is THE standard in this backline.

He has a 6 year contract, we wouldn't have done that if we weren't 100% sure he was going to be leading this group for a long time.

Work into it, it's gonna be like this for awhile.

God help us we are truly ****ed

 

[ant555]

would love to know if hes hurting

would love to know if he can actually see

 

[southern_crusher]

6 year contract for this guy makes ya physically ill, How the **** did he get 6 years

 

[yodellinhank]

Totally get that, but he's who we have, and who we are going to have for the next 5 years.
So I just doubt we can maintain the rage for that long, might need to pace ourselves, he isn't going anywhere and he ain't gonna get better.

Managed to maintain the rage for the past 19 years, what's another 6?

 

[ant555]

Managed to maintain the rage for the past 19 years, what's another 6?

maybe you will get parole after 20

 

[yodellinhank]

maybe you will get parole after 20

 

[Jobe Watson]

Genuinely embarrassing this guy is the VC. Imagine the confidence you get seeing one of your leaders scrubber kicks coming out of the backline like an under-12s player.

 

[Snake Charmer]

He’s so afrsid to make a mistake it’s so obvious. Last quarter Martin took the game on deep on the back flank, kicked into the edge of the centre square at chb to Andy. Without hesitation he looked side ways and took the 15 meter kick. Never once looked into the middle of the ground.

I know he’s never been the greatest by foot by we have destroyed him. Such a soft decision maker. Try him as a pressure forward

 

[The Donners]

I was suggesting he could be one of, if not the best small defender in the comp if others rise around him

If he was a good decision maker, penetrative kick, made sure he didn’t lose his direct opponent, he could be a solid small lockdown defender. You could probably make him VC too as he could be reliable and could show great leadership through his actions.

 

[Nifft]

I think people need to ease up on the criticisms, this is one of our leaders, when Zac retires he will be our captain, he is THE standard in this backline.

He has a 6 year contract, we wouldn't have done that if we weren't 100% sure he was going to be leading this group for a long time.

Work into it, it's gonna be like this for awhile.

 

[DERO]

Totally get that, but he's who we have, and who we are going to have for the next 5 years.
So I just doubt we can maintain the rage for that long, might need to pace ourselves, he isn't going anywhere and he ain't gonna get better.

He is actually a pretty solid player truth be told. Yeah he make a few mistakes but he is a good, honest footballer.

 

[WABomber]

Some of the comments in here are ridiculous, usual whipping boy. Only player who constantly runs with the ball and trys to create something, doesn't always come off but there are plenty of good things he does. Have you seen how stagnant our team is? He is definitely not the only one turning it over in transition. What about the Caldwell gets a free pass even though he butchered the ball turned it over and got absolutely turned inside out by Heeney because his defense is shithouse.

 

[Old Campaigner]

How does the media see him so different?

He was given such a let off by commentators all night.

He’s the leader in that backline and he’s not up to it, take the VC off him.

Because they don't care that he was taken at pick one, they just see what he's doing on the field right now which is at a fairly decent standard.

You don't want to be recruiting a small defender with pick 1 so it's fair enough to be frustrated at that outcome but the calls for him to be delisted are either the product of the smoothest brain possible or people getting overly emotional about it all.

 

[Mercurial89]

He is actually a pretty solid player truth be told. Yeah he make a few mistakes but he is a good, honest footballer.

He's an average footballer.
That's fine, he isn't alone, our team is full of them.

 

[Vander18]

He's an average footballer.
That's fine, he isn't alone, our team is full of them.

He’s better than that I think.

He can go 1:1 with the best small forwards in the comp. He’s excellent defensively when focused on that part of the game.

He’s not top draw with ball in hand. Doesn’t have great poise under pressure but he gives it a crack and tries to create.

Overall he’s a good player, not what you want from # 1 pick but the least of our issues.

That’s as a player. He’s another who has no notion of real leadership however. From the Heppell school. Should be replaced as VC, give it to Caldwell.

 

[mike14]

How do you spend 8 years in an organisation with the resources Essendon has and not really improve on a fundamental skill of the job you are employed for?
I know there's a lot more to footy than just kicking, and AFL training isn't meant to be skills development because it assume a certain level of competence, but surely you take it upon yourself to improve it even if noone else is pushing you to do it?

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

He's an average footballer.
That's fine, he isn't alone, our team is full of them.

Agree.

His defensive skills match his kicking. Inconsistent.

He can still be a part of our best 22 but we need some AA half backs to wear the load.

 

[Mercurial89]

He’s better than that I think.

He can go 1:1 with the best small forwards in the comp. He’s excellent defensively when focused on that part of the game.

He’s not top draw with ball in hand. Doesn’t have great poise under pressure but he gives it a crack and tries to create.

Overall he’s a good player, not what you want from # 1 pick but the least of our issues.

That’s as a player. He’s another who has no notion of real leadership however. From the Heppell school. Should be replaced as VC, give it to Caldwell.

He can match a small forward if that's all he's focused on, and even then the basics he gets wrong. Where to stand, following his man to wrong areas, going the wrong side of a pack.

He is a basic footballer with no weapons.

He is an average AFL footballer, a good footballer is a higher bar than what he is consistently.

Can he play good games? Have good moments? Of course, based on some of the athleticism he does have but so can Mabior Chol.
But he reverts to the mean on a large enough sample size.
He's been in the league awhile now, and still makes basic, fundamental errors.

Again all fine, he's not the core reason of why you point to our team and say they are poor due to his on field ability (his standards and leadership I won't comment on but I question those and how they impact a team), he's a back pocket who's largely inconsequential to how this build is going to do.

But he is not a good footballer.

 

[Nifft]

He is actually a pretty solid player truth be told. Yeah he make a few mistakes but he is a good, honest footballer.

Why give a 6 year deal to a good honest footballer? I don't mind McGrath, I'm sure he'll get better if we can build a better team around him, but I'd have thought he should've got 3 or 4 years. 6 years for an above average player is too much.

 

[Vander18]

He can match a small forward if that's all he's focused on, and even then the basics he gets wrong. Where to stand, following his man to wrong areas, going the wrong side of a pack.

He is a basic footballer with no weapons.

He is an average AFL footballer, a good footballer is a higher bar than what he is consistently.

Can he play good games? Have good moments? Of course, based on some of the athleticism he does have but so can Mabior Chol.
But he reverts to the mean on a large enough sample size.
He's been in the league awhile now, and still makes basic, fundamental errors.

Again all fine, he's not the core reason of why you point to our team and say they are poor due to his on field ability (his standards and leadership I won't comment on but I question those and how they impact a team), he's a back pocket who's largely inconsequential to how this build is going to do.

But he is not a good footballer.

Agree to disagree on this one.

Anyway, we are in the same ballpark - we agree that he’s not elite.

 

[ant555]

He is actually a pretty solid player truth be told. Yeah he make a few mistakes but he is a good, honest footballer.

I am wondering if he needs to step down as VC. the issue I have with him as when he gets the ball you know never know what you are going to get. Could be anything from nice kick to panicky handbal to dashing off up the ground where there are no options to go to. I wonder if the weight of VC is making him try too hard to make things happen. Sometimes it is like he can not see that far up the ground and just runs / kicks blindy out of defence. His defending is not too bad overall. Just needs to work out what he is doing with the ball.

 

[jmoo wan]

honestly, it’s Australian Rules Football and they picked a bloody canadian at #1 - what did they expect?