AFL Player # 1: Andrew "Pidge" McGrath (Vice-Captain) - Signed to 2030 - 2/5

[Beerfish]

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

 

[Rick Ross]

Becuase he’s the vice captain and no one has ever questioned the consistency of his effort

Vice Captain... sure.
No one has ever questioned his effort… not picking an argument on that one.

• So why the big leap this year?
• What wasn’t he doing last year (and the previous)?

 

[boncer34]

Vice Captain... sure.
No one has ever questioned his effort… not picking an argument on that one.

• So why the big leap this year?
• What wasn’t he doing last year (and the previous)?

He's not panicking when he gets the ball. My knock on him previously was he rushing when he got the ball, everything was done at attempted break neck speed.

Now he's slowed down half a second he's picking the right option instead of the first option.

 

[Rick Ross]

He's not panicking when he gets the ball. My knock on him previously was he rushing when he got the ball, everything was done at attempted break neck speed.

Now he's slowed down half a second he's picking the right option instead of the first option.

Totally agree. Really positive change.

 

[ant555]

Vice Captain... sure.
No one has ever questioned his effort… not picking an argument on that one.

• So why the big leap this year?
• What wasn’t he doing last year (and the previous)?

Part of it is something Merrett mentioned in his interview with Bucks. He said previously when the season ended with a spanking the players just took off and did what ever they where going to do. Last year the conversation straight after the last game was what can we / need to do to to not have it happen again. I just think Scott has them all thinking about what they can do to find the extra 2% then 5% and then 10%. Where it goes who knows as everyone has a limit on where they can get to but at least they are now building the culture that will weed out the ones who are just happy to be playing AFL footy and form a core group that is good enough to win finals.

 

[Rick Ross]

Apparently McGrath not just attended the Arizona trip but also helped organise it. So double kudos to him.

In a contract year:

• McGrath - after plateauing for a couple, going great.
• Stringer - going well after a couple of down years
• Perkins - going great.
• Jones - good at weekend after 2 years in wilderness
• Durham - was going ok, got 4 years
• Cox - after plateauing for a couple, going ok.
• Kelly - going ok.
• Hepple - good on weekend.
• Caldwell - ummm not sure.

May have missed some?

Do they all get rated and contracts based on 2024 (brief AFL lifestyle)or last couple of years? Do they maintain or are they partly responding to contract ambition…. Wouldn’t blame them if they were.

Biggest under performer… freshly long term contracted Redman? Parish was good on weekend though.

Ok, going to stop now, think I’m sounding like the Chad complaining about clubs securing players on long term contracts… you know… unless it’s Port for Rossee or JHF… where it’s not just fine but smart business.

 

[FlyingV]

Vice Captain... sure.
No one has ever questioned his effort… not picking an argument on that one.

• So why the big leap this year?
• What wasn’t he doing last year (and the previous)?

Looks like he has that spring back in his legs. Maybe no more niggles. I dunno, he did have a number of annoying lower leg injuries for a while there.

Could also be we are more organised defensively, so less often does he need to do the dump kicks etc… most likely a little bit of everything

 

[fairbump_playon]

AA form

He's a different type to the modern Daicos / Coleman / Sheezel template, where they float around half back and then hurt you by foot

McGrath at his best is extremely accountable, tidies up loads of loose ball and then really wants to run and carry at pace, slaloming up the field and creating havoc with angle changes.

I reckon his play this year was foretold by his rising star year. It's the same style of game he was playing back then but more fully realised. His midfield detour has given him a bunch of strengths in close plus now obviously he's a man, not a boy.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

AA form

He's a different type to the modern Daicos / Coleman / Sheezel template, where they float around half back and then hurt you by foot

McGrath at his best is extremely accountable, tidies up loads of loose ball and then really wants to run and carry at pace, slaloming up the field and creating havoc with angle changes.

I reckon his play this year was foretold by his rising star year. It's the same style of game he was playing back then but more fully realised. His midfield detour has given him a bunch of strengths in close plus now obviously he's a man, not a boy.

Was going to say, the first three games of this year was the first time in a long time that I've seen the old McGrath that used to do that stuff. I reckon playing midfield and building the bulk that came with it took away from that burst of speed he had as a junior but it appears he's slimmed down slightly since and seems to have that game breaking run back.

Bit more separation has given him that split second longer to think about the disposal and surprise surprise, the kicks look much better too all of a sudden.

 

[ghostdog]

AA form

He's a different type to the modern Daicos / Coleman / Sheezel template, where they float around half back and then hurt you by foot

McGrath at his best is extremely accountable, tidies up loads of loose ball and then really wants to run and carry at pace, slaloming up the field and creating havoc with angle changes.

I reckon his play this year was foretold by his rising star year. It's the same style of game he was playing back then but more fully realised. His midfield detour has given him a bunch of strengths in close plus now obviously he's a man, not a boy.

Agree. There's been maturation in his decision making and his midfield time has built his capacity for when he pushes up; he almost plays like an extra mid up the ground and reverts to a defender at half back. Massive tank too.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

You can finally see why GWS wanted to trade up for him as their Shaw replacement.

 

[eth-dog]

He was in similar offensive form first half of last year but was also much superior defensively.

 

[eth-dog]

He was in similar offensive form first half of last year but was also much superior defensively.

And tonight responded defensively. Gave Weightman a complete and utter bath.

 

[doug85]

And tonight responded defensively. Gave Weightman a complete and utter bath.

Was brilliant tonight. I’m watching the replay and he’s in my votes with about 3 mins to go in the 3rd quarter.

 

[rioli brownlow]

And tonight responded defensively. Gave Weightman a complete and utter bath

And tonight responded defensively. Gave Weightman a complete and utter bath.

Are you sure you watched the game?
Yes he played very well tonight, but didn't play on weightman at all. He was on west and VanderMeer.
Jake Kelly was the one who gave the little diver a bath tonight

 

[eth-dog]

Are you sure you watched the game?
Yes he played very well tonight, but didn't play on weightman at all. He was on west and VanderMeer.
Jake Kelly was the one who gave the little diver a bath tonight

It's hard to tell on tv sometimes but I saw him line up on Weightman at a few stoppages I50.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Yeah I thought Kelly was on him most of the time

 

[Vindicater]

Another great game from my boy.

Building nicely.

 

[Donakebab]

Loved the mongrel after the dump tackle. Good edge.

 

[Don Won]

Yeah I thought Kelly was on him most of the time

Kelly, then Heppell when he moved out onto the wing

 

[Yoda_]

My second best last night. Could genuinely be an AA small defender

 

[Zach Package]

 

[Call Me Cake]

View attachment 1957979

 

[Yoda_]

Anyone seen his hairline ?

 

[Howard Moon]

Of all the players I'd have guessed would take on the edge full steam, this guy wasn't one of them

 

[brain taylor]

Anyone seen his hairline ?

he's shed it for an extra leg of pace