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

 

[boncer34]

Those dump kicks are because we've, for some inexplicable reason, designated him as the smash glass in case of emergency player in our defensive 50.

 

[P Money]

I get the feeling you read my comment in a way it wasn’t intended.

Not explaining flaws away, they exist. But the reason he gets so many possessions is that he works hard constantly to make himself an option. There’s a number of guys that might have better skills, but don’t have the work rate he does.

People see the former, but often neglect the latter.

I also think people exaggerate those flaws to a level that isn’t really representative of reality. The way some people talk it’s as though he’s a D grade player.

I think the issue for him is that his flaws are SO visible and SO costly, and also that he just has not managed to address them in his 9 years in the system. He also plays deep in the backline so his errors are 10x more infuriating and obvious than elsewhere on the field.

You're right, work rate is definitely not an issue for him. Ironically I actually think he'd be a better player if he got less possessions, played a more purely defensive role and within his limits, but what you're implying may be right in that that would rely on the more skilled players being more consistently involved - and probably a more structured/experienced/well-oiled backline around him.

He could then play to his strengths and avoid the painful stuff we all see that cause him to be judged more harshly than is probably fair. But he would then be a bit-part role player, which isn't ideal captain material.

 

[ant555]

I think his flaws are not as great when he has played further up the ground.
Secondly I think if we get a few better ball useser around him then he is not under as much pressure to try and make something happen.

 

[Old Campaigner]

I think his flaws are fairly minor but fans are hyper fixated on them because he’s a former number one pick

 

[P Money]

I think his flaws are fairly minor but fans are hyper fixated on them because he’s a former number one pick

I agree with this, but I think it works both ways. I don't think he'd have gotten a 6-year deal and be earmarked as our future captain if he was pick 57. I also don't think he'd have such ardent supporters.

 

[Mr Bultitude]

But he would then be a bit-part role player, which isn't ideal captain material.

So what position is captain material?

 

[Old Campaigner]

I agree with this, but I think it works both ways. I don't think he'd have gotten a 6-year deal and be earmarked as our future captain if he was pick 57. I also don't think he'd have such ardent supporters.

I dunno, I reckon we’d all be pretty stoked if pick 57 ended up as good as McGrath

 

[Old Campaigner]

Like people get pretty fizzed up over Archie Roberts (pick 54) and declare him to be leadership material. I doubt many would complain if he were offered a long term deal since he seems pretty legit

 

[jdstorm]

I think his flaws are not as great when he has played further up the ground.
Secondly I think if we get a few better ball useser around him then he is not under as much pressure to try and make something happen.

I know he’s been playing backline a few seasons now mostly because we had no one else. I wonder now that we do if he’d be better used as a defensive HHF who is responsible for the other teams best attacking HB plus getting some CBAs as a change up/impact player.

 

[Lore]

I agree with this, but I think it works both ways. I don't think he'd have gotten a 6-year deal and be earmarked as our future captain if he was pick 57. I also don't think he'd have such ardent supporters.

If he was pick 57 then yeah, coz everyone above pick 57 would theoretically be better than him. Speaks to the depth of talent in the league as a whole.

 

[P Money]

Like people get pretty fizzed up over Archie Roberts (pick 54) and declare him to be leadership material. I doubt many would complain if he were offered a long term deal since he seems pretty legit

My point isn't that nobody picked in the 50s could earn a long-term deal and be touted as a lock for the next captain, but that McGrath wouldn't be (my opinion obviously).

I dunno, I reckon we’d all be pretty stoked if pick 57 ended up as good as McGrath

Agree, I would be. But I don't think he'd be on a 6-year deal and our (likely) future captain. I think he'd be rated differently - less harshly judged by the likes of me, and less highly rated by others. I also think people could accept him being passed by others on our list in the next couple of years, whereas I see him locked into our best 23 until he decides to retire (like a whole bunch of other high draft pick middling players for Essendon over the past 10-15 years)

 

[faible]

My point isn't that nobody picked in the 50s could earn a long-term deal and be touted as a lock for the next captain, but that McGrath wouldn't be (my opinion obviously).

Agree, I would be. But I don't think he'd be on a 6-year deal and our (likely) future captain. I think he'd be rated differently - less harshly judged by the likes of me, and less highly rated by others. I also think people could accept him being passed by others on our list in the next couple of years, whereas I see him locked into our best 23 until he decides to retire (like a whole bunch of other high draft pick middling players for Essendon over the past 10-15 years)

Durham was a MSD rookie pick, people jumped with joy when he got 4 years and plenty want him as a club leader.

If McGrath had the exact same career performance as he has, but was drafted in the 50s we'd be jumping with joy and be signing him for life. He's harshly marked because he went at #1 and people wanted a superstar. McCluggage is probably the best of the draft (and the guy I wanted) but there's no guarantee he's that level of player in the sides we've fielded.

 

[MalooElCamino]

Watching modern Essendon over the years McGrath's mistakes have been polarising for me.
Doesn't help that he is in the backline & no.1 pick.
The 1 thing that shits me the most is the no look sky high floater out of defence.
(Positive) - Other than Merrett, he's the only other Essendon player who actually steps onto the field week in week out.
Pretty much beats his 1 on 1 opponent week in week out.
I was 1 for culling this bloke any chance we got.
Im actually all for giving him captaincy for the 2026 year.
Could make a decent leader and player the 2nd half of his career.

 

[Zach Package]

Durham was a MSD rookie pick, people jumped with joy when he got 4 years and plenty want him as a club leader.

If McGrath had the exact same career performance as he has, but was drafted in the 50s we'd be jumping with joy and be signing him for life. He's harshly marked because he went at #1 and people wanted a superstar. McCluggage is probably the best of the draft (and the guy I wanted) but there's no guarantee he's that level of player in the sides we've fielded.

Understandably, Essendon supporters have redacted 2013-2017 from their collective memories.

The pick 1 race for a large part of 2016 included not only McCluggage and McGrath, but Setterfield, Brodie, Ainsworth and Petrevski-Seton. McGrath had and still has the highest floor of all of those players, so the rationale was sound at the time and still sound now, and is the second best case scenario of about 5 other really, really, horrifically bad ones.

Especially in the context of the club self emulating at the time and 10 senior leaders half way out the door.

Would have taken someone with an absolutely suicidal appetite for risk to take McCluggage at that interval and dump him into that environment and he almost certainly doesn't develop into the player he is now, and I genuinely think he's off the list by year 5 or 6 or very close to it. Would we have also drafted Jarrod Berry as a running mate?

He's Kade Kelmke II if we draft him.

 

[thepokey]

Yeah my issues with McGrath from earlier in the thread aren't wrapped up in him being number 1 drafted. They're just on him as a player in general and my hope that being captain doesn't take away from his own personal development which he still needs. I agree with the above, I think we would have ruined McCluggage and he wouldn't be the player he is now and we would be damning ourselves we didn't take McGrath. And of those other players mentioned above as potential number 1s - id take Pidge in a heartbeat over them all.

 

[WABomber]

I don't think the best leader is always the best player in the club and that's coming to light even more with Merrett. In saying that, I've always been a fan of McGrath. He cops a lot of criticism and his decision making can be frustrating yes but so many times you see him take his opponent on because up field is offering nothing. When he's given a role to shutdown a player he usually does a great job.

To be fair whoever takes the role is merely going to be the interim captain until the crop of kids start to hit their straps and a new leadership group emerges.

 

[P Money]

Durham was a MSD rookie pick, people jumped with joy when he got 4 years and plenty want him as a club leader.

If McGrath had the exact same career performance as he has, but was drafted in the 50s we'd be jumping with joy and be signing him for life. He's harshly marked because he went at #1 and people wanted a superstar. McCluggage is probably the best of the draft (and the guy I wanted) but there's no guarantee he's that level of player in the sides we've fielded.

I think I'm coming around to your view. You may well be right, the fact that he was the #1 pick probably taints him and people's view of him (including mine).

It's prompted me to rethink why I object so strongly to him being captain, and where I've landed is that a captain, while not necessarily needing to be in the best handful of players at the club (though it certainly helps), absolutely needs to be solid and DEPENDABLE. My issue with McGrath (and a whole bunch of Ess players in recent history) is that while he does good things and has his strengths, he can't consistently do the basics well. He doesn't have the skill level to consistently hit a target, is not a good/strong tackler, has issues with decision-making, doesn't handle pressure particularly well and is prone to an absolute howler that directly results (based on playing deep in defence) in an opposition goal. Those things are met with groans from the fans and just must be deflating to the rest of the team. That is just not captain material in my opinion.

You can point to the odd highly-rated captain that isn't necessarily a 'great' player (i.e. Nick Maxwell), but they play within their limits, are dependable (including under pressure) and consistently do the basics well. To me, that's just not Andy.

 

[ant555]

There is no doubt he is going to be a Heppell type leader, more than an in your face guy. If we continue to bring in leaders like Fiorini and young guys like Sharp he has more of a chance to be something.
One thing that hurt Heppell and Merrett for that mater is there was not a lot below them as far as genuine leadership goes.
Actual leadership depth has been very thin for a long time at Essendon.