AFL Player 1: Andrew "Pidge" McGrath (vc) - The skip we didn't know we needed

[Beerfish]

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

 

[the PILL]

I see a bit of freakishness in him lately actually as far as his gyroscopic ability to rapid fire gather and release handball whether hanging upside down, crawling along the ground on all fours and or at full tilt through heavy congestion, he just hasn't quite got the decision making sorted with such speed.

A few times it's been too fast for other players to see and adapt or the down side, it goes to an under pressure team mate.

The interesting thing about McGrath is he's kind of 2 footballers on polar opposites of the scale. At times he's often way ahead a few steps in his thinking (especially in defense), the other is in his midfield role where he's purely in the moment and instinctively reactive. If he bridges these two together lookout.

Love the kid and i think the more we gel the better he'll get...

 

[IHurley]

At various stages Myers was decent. He was simply unlucky with injury. Sure you can focus on what you have but if what you have is not up to it then you need to add the parts that you need. We need a couple good sized midfielders. They can be B grade but we need a couple of enforcer types.
I know the art of coaching to a list. I was involved in under 18 coaching as an assistant for 11 years. We had to work out what we had each year and try to work the best plan to suite. When I said we need a bigger body I was looking at what we needed to add to make us better.

For sure. I was referring to Myers' performances towards the end. I'm a fan of B graders - especially if they round out your team's skillset - but when you have a midget A grader, you don't sacrifice your ability to pay him for a tall B- grader. Maybe it's the moneyball thing or maybe it's just how things pan out but perhaps Dodoro thinks short people are underpriced (in terms of trade and salary).

 

[Yoda_]

Call me silly but you can see a stylistically to Dylan Shiel.

Shiel obviously much, much cleaner with ball in hand but the quick feet, the lightning agility, the fast hands out of a tight situation are so close. Shiel has that clear mindset that Andy could use to dispose of the ball much cleaner.


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[eDPS]

Call me silly but you can see a stylistically to Dylan Shiel.

Shiel obviously much, much cleaner with ball in hand but the quick feet, the lightning agility, the fast hands out of a tight situation are so close. Shiel has that clear mindset that Andy could use to dispose of the ball much cleaner.


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What do you mean by that exactly? McGrath’s hands are just about the cleanest in the whole league. Don’t think I’ve ever seen him fumble or even miss many targets by hand.

 

[faible]

What do you mean by that exactly? McGrath’s hands are just about the cleanest in the whole league. Don’t think I’ve ever seen him fumble or even miss many targets by hand.

I assume he means decision making more than physical speed or hitting a target.

McGrath just needs to get better at choosing his options, and having teammates realise he can take possession then release by hand as quickly as he can.

 

[NAB777]

I don’t think so. Environment was not the difference between Richard Tambling and the single greatest talent of the last 20 years.

Assume you mean Franklin (disagree that he is the greatest talent, BTW). The reason some clubs passed on Buddy was his psych reports.

 

[Yoda_]

I assume he means decision making more than physical speed or hitting a target.

McGrath just needs to get better at choosing his options, and having teammates realise he can take possession then release by hand as quickly as he can.

What do you mean by that exactly? McGrath’s hands are just about the cleanest in the whole league. Don’t think I’ve ever seen him fumble or even miss many targets by hand.

McGrath’s kicking is poor. Anyone that can’t see this should rewatch his games.
The dump kick is getting boring. Did his game of this and he will be a handy midfielder


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[TheGrizz]

Just need a bigger bloke who can play a bit angry and bash in a bit and offer them a bit of protection.

Would love a Mitch Robinson right now, who played that exact role for Brisbane's otherwise smallish midfield before Lyons and Ellis-Yolman came along.

 

[Vander18]

Assume you mean Franklin (disagree that he is the greatest talent, BTW). The reason some clubs passed on Buddy was his psych reports.

Well we disagree on that - surely not by much though, you’d have to have him Top 3.

I know about the psyche reports - reckon they got it wrong from what I know. My understanding is he tested off the charts for self-confidence and they had concerns that translated into being a dickhead. In hindsight, it translates into a bloke who has Jordanesque qualities when it comes to big games and big moments.

 

[Old Stuckup]

McGrath’s kicking is poor. Anyone that can’t see this should rewatch his games.
The dump kick is getting boring. Did his game of this and he will be a handy midfielder


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I wouldn’t necessarily say McGrath is a bad kick but he is often a poor decision maker by foot when under pressure. If he can improve his composure in these situations it will elevate him into the upper echelon of mids.

 

[JayJ20]

Handball McGrath is one of our best players. Very clean and a good decision maker. Kicking McGrath not so much. That's where he needs to improve. He doesn't have that penetration in his kick yet. He often panic kicks without spotting a target. If his kicking improves, then we have a seriously good player.

 

[eDPS]

Has so far polled coaches votes in 3 of our 4 games this year, you would think he sustained in our top 3 for the bnf so far aswell.

 

[donlav99]

Confidence to hold on to the ball till the right option opens up will come with more experience. His agility and hands are first class, he just needs to eliminate the snap around the body dump kick.

 

[faible]

I wouldn’t necessarily say McGrath is a bad kick but he is often a poor decision maker by foot when under pressure. If he can improve his composure in these situations it will elevate him into the upper echelon of mids.

Agree; Dylan Clarke is a bad kick, McGrath in space is generally fine, he just rushes too much in tight and does the dump kick to nowhere, which makes it decision making.

 

[Bipolar Bear]

McGrath and Shiel are both effective inside the contest - I am unsure we have a definite need for an inside midfielder.

Haha, he was genuinely interested in joining at one stage.

 

[Bipolar Bear]

The more time I have spent watching McGrath, the more he reminds me of Simon Black.

 

[Darealrath]

The more time I have spent watching McGrath, the more he reminds me of Simon Black.

Black was like a more inside Pendlebury. Seemed to have all the time in the world and never wasted it or looked rattled.

McGrath is a gun but does everything at top speed, which is both a strength and a weakness. If he could develop half the composure of Black then look the **** out.

 

[Bipolar Bear]

Black was like a more inside Pendlebury. Seemed to have all the time in the world and never wasted it or looked rattled.

McGrath is a gun but does everything at top speed, which is both a strength and a weakness. If he could develop half the composure of Black then look the fu** out.

I more so mean the speed of his hands and ability to step laterally through traffic. It feels different but similar.

 

[blitzer]

Confidence to hold on to the ball till the right option opens up will come with more experience. His agility and hands are first class, he just needs to eliminate the snap around the body dump kick.

I totally agree with this. The hands are brilliant, he's very clean below his knees and quick to move. That around the body dump kick is awful. It lacks penetration and is often completely aimless. If he fixes that he'll already be a bloody good player. His normal kicking is pretty good when he has some time (and with his agility and evasive skills he mostly does have time) and I'd say he's actually quite good kicking to a leading player in the forward 50.

 

[qwertyboy]

Can not really believe people are saying he will not be elite or A grade yet McCluggage is. He is playing just as well as the Luggage right now.

No he isn’t. McGrath is playing well but to suggest he is playing better that mccluggage is incorrect the bloke already has 22 coaches votes in a team that’s second on the ladder

 

[Run and carry]

The more time I have spent watching McGrath, the more he reminds me of Simon Black.

Nothing like Black. Black was silk. Beautiful looking footballer whose kicking was precise. Plus he was a left footer from memory.

Mcgrath has a bustling style. A bit rough. More thickset. Shorter. Right foot.

 

[HirdyLannister]

McGrath plays like Sam Mitchell, especially his early years before Sam got his kicking precise instead of just bombing it

 

[carnthedons]

McGrath plays like Sam Mitchell, especially his early years before Sam got his kicking precise instead of just bombing it

Yep this but more explosive. Mitchell’s evasion was deft, Andy just blows through congestion. Really need to learn to take a little more time and avoid the dump kick, if he can model himself on the Dylan Shiel explode from congestion that’d be great. Alternatively if we can have Zach Merrett sheepdogging for the handball receive that’d work too.

 

[Milanista28]

He'll become a superstar if he starts running the ball out of stoppage situations ala Dangerfield.

Composure and the realization he's faster than most is what's missing right now.

Having said all that he's already very good.

 

[ant555]

No he isn’t. McGrath is playing well but to suggest he is playing better that mccluggage is incorrect the bloke already has 22 coaches votes in a team that’s second on the ladder

No it is not incorrect. It is your opinion v my opinion. Career wise so far IMO the Luggage has not out performed McGrath. Secondly Hugh gets a bit more protection around the footy. The only thing Hugh is way ahead in is kicking goals but that is more of a half forward v half back thing. The rest of the stats are pretty even overall.
Oh and maybe read what I post. I said playing just as well, not better.