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Player Watch Lachlan McAndrew - Re-Signed to End of 2027

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Hang on. Is any good? Are we basing it on that internal trial. Has anyone seen a lot of him and can comment?

It doesn't really matter, Strachan is done for the year, or at least most of it. MacAndrew is the guy that they figured was the next best option. If ROB misses with gastro, we at least have a guy that has trained and done preseasons as a ruckman at AFL level for the last 4 years.
 
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Sounds like the club agreed that our ruck stocks were dicey


“Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game and his latest setback exposed us to significant risk in our ruck stocks particularly in the early part of the season."

“Given the timing of Kieran’s latest injury and the importance of the ruck position, it was crucial we moved quickly to find a replacement,”
 

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It was BACCS. Although his rumour was pressuring retirement so we could get MacAndrew in the MSD. I've never really understood the view that you can't do things like this because it will upset the players. If the players aren't on board with this kind of decision, then they're not geared heavily enough to ultimate success and they can head off elsewhere.
Yep agree it’s an obvious call by both player and club
 
Could also signify that the rumoured departure of ROB at year's end to further his studies/life after football are on the mark?

I don't think there's necessarily any link. We run with 2 genuine ruckmen, 1 of them is in the last year of their contract and will be unavailable for at least half the season. Regardless of what ROB's intentions are, we needed a backup ruck for the AFL and a full time ruck for the SANFL.
 
And we also have the very raw and huge Toby Murray who is being developed as a ruck/forward.
Absolutely nothing I've witnessed suggests this and I've watched every game he's played with the Crows, every game he's been played as a KPF that only chops out in ruck.
 
Hang on. Is any good? Are we basing it on that internal trial. Has anyone seen a lot of him and can comment?
Seen quite a bit of him , my impression of him is he will be highly competitive in ruck duels and be a workhorse that gets through 4 quarters

Bit of a statue in general play and definitely a back up type

Our club website has it wrong , he’s not 201cm he’s actually 210cm and that’s how he can get on top of most rucks in ruck duels
 

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Absolutely nothing I've witnessed suggests this and I've watched every game he's played with the Crows, every game he's been played as a KPF that only chops out in ruck.
He’s less of a ruck than Elliot Himmelberg but looking like he may be a better forward
 

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Hang on. Is any good? Are we basing it on that internal trial. Has anyone seen a lot of him and can comment?
My perspective as a Swans ressies watcher.

To state the blindingly obvious he's tall which does assist at the centre bounces and it's that area at which he probably 'excels'.

Coming into last season I thought he was progressing well, but IMO he dropped away last season.
He's never been a big possession winner (double figures in the VFL is a rarity for him), but 2023 was his best year in that regard and I thought even his ruckwork wasn't as good in 2024 as it was in '23.

He comes from a rugby union background, been on the Swans list inc 2021 and will shortly turn 25, so 2024 needed to be a big year for him and in truth it wasn't.

We have a young first rounder (2023) in Will Green as well as Grundy and Ladhams so no surprise for Swan fans he was let go at the end of 2024.

So handy centre bounce ruck, competitive at throw ins/ball up, kicking/handballing skills meh and not a particularly strong mark.
If he plays it has to be as first ruck, he doesn't offer enough a a second/relief ruck.

I realise there's relief for Crows fans that Strachan is off the list, but I wouldn't pin too many hopes on Lachie.
 
My perspective as a Swans ressies watcher.

To state the blindingly obvious he's tall which does assist at the centre bounces and it's that area at which he probably 'excels'.

Coming into last season I thought he was progressing well, but IMO he dropped away last season.
He's never been a big possession winner (double figures in the VFL is a rarity for him), but 2023 was his best year in that regard and I thought even his ruckwork wasn't as good in 2024 as it was in '23.

He comes from a rugby union background, been on the Swans list inc 2021 and will shortly turn 25, so 2024 needed to be a big year for him and in truth it wasn't.

We have a young first rounder (2023) in Will Green as well as Grundy and Ladhams so no surprise for Swan fans he was let go at the end of 2024.

So handy centre bounce ruck, competitive at throw ins/ball up, kicking/handballing skills meh and not a particularly strong mark.
If he plays it has to be as first ruck, he doesn't offer enough a a second/relief ruck.

I realise there's relief for Crows fans that Strachan is off the list, but I wouldn't pin too many hopes on Lachie.
Thanks for the insight here. Appreciate it
 
JPod was the last senior player to be selfless, others use the media to hound for another contract, even stating there is interest from other clubs when there isn't.

The lesson is that if you go to the media, you get another year. Talia, Douglas and Lynch all wanted to play on but made the mistake of not using the media to leverage their desire. Apart from Pods, I can only really think of Otten that genuinely retired of his own accord. There must be more.
 

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Player Watch Lachlan McAndrew - Re-Signed to End of 2027

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