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

 

[dank420_]

But I do sometimes wonder about having someone as captain with as big a flaws in his game as he does.

What happens if/when the younger players in his position/s go past him?

fellas

he's not that bad

 

[eth-dog]

Putting aside my issues with Andy's leadership style, the big concern with him is a repeat of the latter years of Heppell's captaincy when he was - at best - very much borderline best 23. What happens if/when the younger players in his position/s go past him? You can't drop your captain, you don't want to strip the captaincy in a year or two. So you hide him somewhere on the field where he is the least detrimental to the team.

That's not something we had to worry about with Merrett, as nobody is going past him as a player but Father Time.

I'm not potting him as a player (I do, but I'm not right now), but I think we can all realistically imagine a time in the next couple of years, if our younger players come on as we hope, where Andy is no longer a best 23 lock. That's not a situation you want with your captain.

I guess the other issue we have is, who the f else could realistically be an option?

Because he'd be in our top 10 players. Next.

 

[faible]

Also if he's only Captain for 3 years because he's pushed out of the best-22 at 30 then I think we're fine.

 

[thepokey]

fellas

he's not that bad

No, he's not, he's not bad, and as I said I can overlook it if the rest of the playing group want it since they know better. But in an ideal world you can't tell me he doesn't have a lot to work on in his game and that your ideal leader isn't in that position.

 

[thepokey]

Also if he's only Captain for 3 years because he's pushed out of the best-22 at 30 then I think we're fine.

Yeah I think this makes it more palatable - we have a few potentially really great captaincy options coming through but they're just not ready yet.

 

[faible]

Yeah I think this makes it more palatable - we have a few potentially really great captaincy options coming through but they're just not ready yet.

In 3 years time you'll have a few guys that might be options:

Caldwell 28
Martin 27
Durham 27
Roberts 23

Sharp will be only 21 but in an ideal world he's probably the long-term guy from about 2030 or so.

 

[dank420_]

No, he's not, he's not bad, and as I said I can overlook it if the rest of the playing group want it since they know better. But in an ideal world you can't tell me he doesn't have a lot to work on in his game and that your ideal leader isn't in that position.

I think he's an interesting one because I think he is playing a role that no one else wants to do (until Nguyen came along). he isn't playing in his best position, which is the midfield. He's paying in a defence that gets crucified by it's midfield almost every week. We have no idea what the coaches want him to do, but he's clearly sacrificing some of his strengths which I think a lot of fans have simply forgotten about.

So I'm not really sure what he needs to work on in this scenario. What I do know is that he's a better player than one of the most revered captains in the game in Nick Maxwell, who I thought was genuinely an average player. I really don't think we have to worry about McGrath.

 

[Seagrave_Holmes]

McGrath would be a low risk choice, even if just for a couple of years. Doesn't have a hardness to him though like some of the other options but seems to work well with the young list demographic.

However it is tempting to have someone with a harder edge leading at the front like Duzz or Caldwell, followed by a Roberts or Sharp in a few years. McGrath can still play that supportive role as VC.

Time will tell, but the main thing is moving on from Zach.

 

[thepokey]

I think he's an interesting one because I think he is playing a role that no one else wants to do (until Nguyen came along). he isn't playing in his best position, which is the midfield. He's paying in a defence that gets crucified by it's midfield almost every week. We have no idea what the coaches want him to do, but he's clearly sacrificing some of his strengths which I think a lot of fans have simply forgotten about.

So I'm not really sure what he needs to work on in this scenario. What I do know is that he's a better player than one of the most revered captains in the game in Nick Maxwell, who I thought was genuinely an average player. I really don't think we have to worry about McGrath.

Yeah he had an infinite improvement when he way played in the middle last year. That is his strength. But it's hard to see him play there in a full strength team.

So again, it's like, you have this captain who isn't even good enough to play in his best position. I don't want to knock the guy too much because like I say, I don't think he's that bad. But I just think it's a less than ideal situation

 

[King Patty]

McGrath would be a low risk choice, even if just for a couple of years. Doesn't have a hardness to him though like some of the other options but seems to work well with the young list demographic.

However it is tempting to have someone with a harder edge leading at the front like Duzz or Caldwell, followed by a Roberts or Sharp in a few years. McGrath can still play that supportive role as VC.

Time will tell, but the main thing is moving on from Zach.

Caldwell is a no, His best training location on the offseason was Ibiza.....
Duzz is Duzz because of McGrath.
He is not the finished product, maybe in a few years time he could be an option.

Martin is footy nuffie, but needs to get Knee right

McGrath to Martin

McGrath to Sharp. If he has come on and is a young leader, we will know early IMO. If he's another Selwood.

Left Field - Zach Reid, gets body right he's our best player could lead from CHB like Harris Andrews and become a Dual Captain.

 

[boncer34]

Yeah he had an infinite improvement when he way played in the middle last year. That is his strength. But it's hard to see him play there in a full strength team.

So again, it's like, you have this captain who isn't even good enough to play in his best position. I don't want to knock the guy too much because like I say, I don't think he's that bad. But I just think it's a less than ideal situation

No actually its easy because he can play his natural game.

 

[dank420_]

you have this captain who isn't even good enough to play in his best position.

It literally does not matter.

 

[faible]

you have this captain who isn't even good enough to play in his best position.

Cotchin really only became the leader he was when he started sacrificing his natural game for a more team-first one. Sometimes leadership is doing things that benefit the team more than they do you personally.

 

[thepokey]

It literally does not matter.

Again, I agree your captain doesn't have to be your best player but we'll have to agree to disagree on the rest. I think he has far too much to work on in his personal game to be an ideal candidate. He's just the best available at the moment. I struggle to offer up a better alternative at the moment, but that's just sort of our issue and what I'm getting at.

 

[dank420_]

Again, I agree your captain doesn't have to be your best player but we'll have to agree to disagree on the rest. I think he has far too much to work on in his personal game to be an ideal candidate. He's just the best available at the moment. I struggle to offer up a better alternative at the moment, but that's just sort of our issue and what I'm getting at.

What does he have to work on?

 

[thepokey]

At least a not ideal Pidge is still better than Zach now

 

[Foxx]

No, he's not, he's not bad, and as I said I can overlook it if the rest of the playing group want it since they know better. But in an ideal world you can't tell me he doesn't have a lot to work on in his game and that your ideal leader isn't in that position.

He's the equal most defensive player in the team along with Caldwell. Averaged up there with least goals against by direct opponent as a small defender over the last 5 years, - in a bad team.
His disposal while restricted to his strengths, is not flashy but reliable - around 80% efficiency.

As a midfielder he pressures, tackles and hits easy targets with high efficiency.

With all due respect to the highly rated mids like Merrett, Bontempelli etc. While they use their offensive strengths to impact games that way, they do turn it over more.

 

[jannissary]

What does he have to work on?

he is fantastic, just needs to work on communication, kicking, team awareness, handballing, shepparding, running, repeated sprints, tackling, opposition awareness, media communication, positioning, rotations, smiling, having fun, captaincy

 

[Mr Bultitude]

You don’t become VC for no reason. I don’t understand the logic of having to be an elite player to be eligible for leadership. It’s a different skill altogether with its own metrics.

 

[thepokey]

His disposal is his biggest weakness for sure. But I guess if with the emergence of some other better ball users out of the back half if he can really be used more in his lockdown role that would be better for sure.

I don't know, I don't want to bag on him too much because like I said I don't think he's that bad and I think he cops way too much hate already in here and social media etc. My point was just more that we are not in an ideal place for electing a new captain as in an ideal world I probably wouldn't be going with him. And again, if the playing group is really happy with him and he isn't just the preferred pick because he's a nice guy then I guess that's great.

 

[Mr Bultitude]

His disposal is his biggest weakness for sure. But I guess if with the emergence of some other better ball users out of the back half if he can really be used more in his lockdown role that would be better for sure.

I don't know, I don't want to bag on him too much because like I said I don't think he's that bad and I think he cops way too much hate already in here and social media etc. My point was just more that we are not in an ideal place for electing a new captain as in an ideal world I probably wouldn't be going with him. And again, if the playing group is really happy with him and he isn't just the preferred pick because he's a nice guy then I guess that's great.

Ideally, who would you pick then?

 

[thepokey]

You don’t become VC for no reason. I don’t understand the logic of having to be an elite player to be eligible for leadership. It’s a different skill altogether with its own metrics.

That's where I could get behind him as VC. The good cop role. He seems to connect with the young kids and has a far more approachable demeanor than Merrett it seems. But you just don't want to go too far that way into the Heppell "she'll be right mate, doesn't matter so long as you're having a good time" territory.

I've just seen it before in leadership when you have someone telling you how to do things and in the back of your mind you're thinking "ok but it would be great if you could practice what you preach too" and that can effect confidence in your leaders.

Anyways, he'll probably be captain and I just hope he goes really well in the role

 

[thepokey]

Ideally, who would you pick then?

As I stated numerous times in the last few posts - that's my issue. The fact is we have slim pickings. I think we have some real leadership potential, they're just not ready yet. So this is an awkward phase

 

[Mr Bultitude]

That's where I could get behind him as VC. The good cop role. He seems to connect with the young kids and has a far more approachable demeanor than Merrett it seems. But you just don't want to go too far that way into the Heppell "she'll be right mate, doesn't matter so long as you're having a good time" territory.

I've just seen it before in leadership when you have someone telling you how to do things and in the back of your mind you're thinking "ok but it would be great if you could practice what you preach too" and that can effect confidence in your leaders.

Anyways, he'll probably be captain and I just hope he goes really well in the role

Heppell and McGrath are not the same leaders. I’m not sure how this comparison has any traction.

As I stated numerous times in the last few posts - that's my issue. The fact is we have slim pickings. I think we have some real leadership potential, they're just not ready yet. So this is an awkward phase

True we have some young guys, but you only need one captain, so one candidate is enough.

 

[King Patty]

Possible leadership group here.