AFLW 2024 - Round 9 - Indigenous Round - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Ash McGrath remains with Lions
Article from:
Robert Craddock
November 29, 2007 11:00pm
ELUSIVE forward Ash McGrath has re-signed with the Lions after almost leaving the club because of family reasons.
McGrath, 24, who joined Brisbane in 2001, has signed a one-year deal after spending much of the past few months in Western Australia, formerly his home state, mulling over his future.
"I was really close to heading home," McGrath said yesterday.
"I had family issues and I gave a lot of thought to nominating for the pre-season draft. But I had a good talk to Nigel Lappin, Chris Johnson and Darryl White and decided to stay another year and we will see how things go after that."
One of the reasons McGrath did not nominate for the draft is that his intention to join WA clubs West Coast or Fremantle would probably have been foiled.
"Teams like Richmond and Carlton had earlier picks so I might have ended up going to Richmond," he said.
"But I have no problems staying with Brisbane. I really love this club and I think the signs are good this year that our future looks bright."
Another incentive for McGrath to stay was that he has played 98 senior matches for the Lions. He would already have reached three figures had he not broken his arm late last season.
"It would have been nice if I had been on 99 games because I would have reached 100 in the first match of the season in Perth but it would still be good to do it in the second match (against Collingwood) at the Gabba," he said.
McGrath played 15 matches last season and, after his season ended with his broken arm, the Lions did not win another game.
McGrath kicked 20 goals in the first nine matches, including five against the Dockers in round 6.
Knee operation means Lions forward may miss opener
Article from:
Andrew Hamilton
January 25, 2008 11:00pm
LIONS forward Ash McGrath may miss the AFL premiership opener against West Coast at Subiaco Oval following a knee operation.
Coach Leigh Matthews said the premiership forward would be out of action until March after being forced to submit to minor surgery. It means he will miss at least the opening two pre-season games, leaving him with little time to press for selection in round 1.
McGrath had been on a full work load over the pre-season but had been experiencing soreness in the joint after each session.
Exploratory surgery to find the cause of the problem was booked and the decision was made to remove some inflamed cartilage that was causing the pain.
"He was doing all the work but he's been getting soreness," Matthews said.
"He's been feeling it for the last month and you can only put up with it for so long.
"It wasn't coming good so he got a bit of cartilage taken away, it's nothing major but it is just a question of how quickly he recovers."
His recovery will take about six weeks, ruling him out of the opening rounds of the NAB Cup and putting him in doubt for the round 1 clash against West Coast in March.
McGrath was due for his 100th game in round 2, a Friday night Gabba blockbuster against Collingwood.
But Matthews said the clever West Australian was still a chance to be ready for the premiership season because he had built a good fitness base over the pre-season.
"He has done pretty much a normal summer," Matthews said. "He has got a good fitness base, but he will be off his legs for a month or so, he will be hoping he can play in the March games."
Ash McGrath is also scheduled to be available to play this week but is expected to be given some tune-up games at the lower level. The Lions will be sweating on McGrath's return because he gives them the flexibility of being a crumbing forward who prides himself on his defensive prowess and can also be used in bursts through the midfield.
Lions are struggling to find fot goal kickers
Article from:
April 07, 2008 12:00am
BRISBANE'S desperate quest to find more goal kickers has suffered a blow with potential crumbing solution Ash McGrath battling injury. Nimble goalsneak McGrath sustained an ankle injury late in the Lions reserves match on the weekend which is set to delay is much-needed return against Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
Coach Leigh Matthews is lamenting the Lions' inability to convert a decent percentage of their forward 50 entries, relying heavily on tightly-marked big guns Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw.
Bradshaw (five) and Brown (one) were two of just five goal scorers as Brisbane managed 10 majors in their three-goal loss to Sydney at the Gabba on Saturday night.
Matthews knows he needs more scoreline contributors against the Power at Adelaide's AAMI Stadium, particularly from ground- level players.
"We only had six scorers and the goals that we got were from marks," he said today.
"We virtually got almost no crumbing goals and you need to do that to supplement your score because you can't depend on having nine or 10 goals from marks and that was the area of the game (that cost the Lions).
"Ash McGrath is a player with a proven history of being able to snaffle a goal or two, and he's kicked six in a league game once.
"We think Ash provides a lot of value to the team when he's fit and well."
While McGrath has been listed for a fitness test, Matthews indicated it was highly unlikely he would make his first senior appearance in 2008 against the Power.
The hard-chasing 24-year-old, a 2003 premiership player, was impressive in his second reserves match back from minor knee surgery before rolling his ankle.
"He got a couple of games under his belt and he'd played well so he was getting close to being considered for senior selection so that's unfortunate," Matthews said.
