AFL Player 1: Andrew "Pidge" McGrath (c)

[Beerfish]

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

 

[bommer16]

Apparently has called a player meeting.

 

[naraku]

I've noticed he has had some media spotlight on him the past few days (Stevens, Lewis).

He usually goes under the radar when players are called out, so for mine, it's overdue.

 

[Orfullrules]

Captain??? We aren’t a serious football club.

 

[Zach Package]

Apparently has called a player meeting.

Given the club hasn’t had an honest, adult conversation with itself in maybe 25 years, I fully expect him to get stripped within the week.

 

[King Patty]

concerning.

but now maybe Merrett will not just kick chase. calling out by media as well for it.

 

[bommer16]

Ok so to paraphrase an article in The Age today Kyle as spokesperson said Andy got the group together post game. They wanted to ensure a blame game didn’t start - the poor performance against Port rested solely on the playing group.

• Kyle admits their team defence is not AFL standard
• That the team buckles ‘a little bit’ under pressure.
• Merrett joined the meeting to offer input, acknowledging he needs to improve also
• Things learned in training not put into practice on match day
• Basic skills 101 below standards
• They all need to take responsibility as a playing group not as individuals
• Playing group needs time to work together
• Nothing to do with coaches box or ability to execute a game plan
• Doesn’t agree with the demoralisation take
• Says Brad has done all he can and is up to the playing group.

 

[cobra land]

Gee I bet the players would have shit themselves when McGrath called that team meeting

I would have hoped it was an Adam Kingsley

Adam Kingsley

Age

50

Ht

183cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.9

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

16.4

4star

K

10.4

4star

HB

6.0

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

type spray but we know that our skipper just doesn't have that in him..

 

[D3K91]

Kyle as spokesperson:

• They all need to take responsibility as a playing group not as individuals

What does this nonsense even mean?
What even is "taking responsibility" if you don't take it on as an individual, and instead choose to distribute it through the group? It's just rubbish.

 

[buzzhuzz]

Gee I bet the players would have shit themselves when McGrath called that team meeting

I would have hoped it was an Adam Kingsley type spray but we know that our skipper just doesn't have that in him..

I hope he slips into that Canadian accent when in a rage.

 

[jdstorm]

What does this nonsense even mean?
What even is "taking responsibility" if you don't take it on as an individual, and instead choose to distribute it through the group? It's just rubbish.

What it means is not playing like a hero and making it all about yourself.


Lots of Essendon players did that in the second half. Tried to beat port by themselves. It failed miserably

Distribution within the group means trust and support your teammates, lower your eyes, find the open man, Shepard, run hard to your defensive assignments and cover your mate if they miss a defensive assignment.

Trust that those players are capable. You don’t make the afl if you aren’t and do the team thing

 

[Blind Turn]

I hope he slips into that Canadian accent when in a rage.

 

[D3K91]

What it means is not playing like a hero and making it all about yourself.


Lots of Essendon players did that in the second half. Tried to beat port by themselves. It failed miserably

Distribution within the group means trust and support your teammates, lower your eyes, find the open man, Shepard, run hard to your defensive assignments and cover your mate if they miss a defensive assignment.

Trust that those players are capable. You don’t make the afl if you aren’t and do the team thing

Yeah, I get that, but this particular senior playing group needs to take individual responsibility, massively step up their defensive intent and be respectable leaders on the field. How many times have they been in this position? Their individual standards are abysmal.

 

[jdstorm]

Yeah, I get that, but this particular senior playing group needs to take individual responsibility, massively step up their defensive intent and be respectable leaders on the field. How many times have they been in this position? Their individual standards are abysmal.

For sure. It’s both that need to be better.

 

[thepokey]

What it means is not playing like a hero and making it all about yourself.


Lots of Essendon players did that in the second half. Tried to beat port by themselves. It failed miserably

Distribution within the group means trust and support your teammates, lower your eyes, find the open man, Shepard, run hard to your defensive assignments and cover your mate if they miss a defensive assignment.

Trust that those players are capable. You don’t make the afl if you aren’t and do the team thing

It's funny how we are a crazy mix of this, but also wanting no responsibility in terms of if players aren't trying to selfishly do it themselves, then they're going too far the other way and just getting rid of the ball ASAP with blind hand balls without having the ability to assess whether it's the best option - give it to someone else, it's their problem!

 

[jdstorm]

It's funny how we are a crazy mix of this, but also wanting no responsibility in terms of if players aren't trying to selfishly do it themselves, then they're going too far the other way and just getting rid of the ball ASAP with blind hand balls without having the ability to assess whether it's the best option - give it to someone else, it's their problem!

Thing is both actions are just different flavors of selfish.

It’s the same thing most players think their team mates should be helping them but won’t help their teammates.

Defensively. It’s okay if I don’t run the extra effort I’m not a defender. Someone else will get it.

Guys I got this just support me I’ll carry you.

This is why leaders matter, because if you have 6-8 senior players who have the capacity to help out others then it starts to become contagious. Once you pass the tipping point and effort/passion/trust becomes ingrained.

Essendon’s lack of selection integrity really undermines this though because guys not playing the right way and still getting picked let’s everyone else know that the culture is fraudulent

 

[naraku]

Well, we're playing our Captain: SOFT.

I know right now McGrath isn't our biggest problem, but in a way he's up there since he is Captain.

Maybe another player pow-wow is needed because he sure as hell isn't leading by his actions.

 

[bombadeer]

Would like to see this guy moved into the midfield, Roberts takes his spot in the backline.

Need at least one defensively minded mid in there, and I thought Andy looked good there towards the end of last year. Re-invent him as a stopper. Our midfield is being destroyed on a weekly basis, it's worth a try IMO.

Parish clearly needs to be dropped until he two-way runs himself back into the best 22, which may very well be never - Andy would add more balance to a midfield mix that is completely broken.

 

[jdstorm]

Would like to see this guy moved into the midfield, Roberts takes his spot in the backline.

Need at least one defensively minded mid in there, and I thought Andy looked good there towards the end of last year. Re-invent him as a stopper. Our midfield is being destroyed on a weekly basis, it's worth a try IMO.

Parish clearly needs to be dropped until he two-way runs himself back into the best 22, which may very well be never - Andy would add more balance to a midfield mix that is completely broken.

Can’t be a mid stopper at his size.

If your moving him out of the backline it’s probably better as a dev smith/lachie Schultz 3rd pressure forward

 

[NAB777]

Would like to see this guy moved into the midfield, Roberts takes his spot in the backline.

Need at least one defensively minded mid in there, and I thought Andy looked good there towards the end of last year. Re-invent him as a stopper. Our midfield is being destroyed on a weekly basis, it's worth a try IMO.

Parish clearly needs to be dropped until he two-way runs himself back into the best 22, which may very well be never - Andy would add more balance to a midfield mix that is completely broken.

Hasn’t got the tank.

 

[bombadeer]

Can’t be a mid stopper at his size.

If your moving him out of the backline it’s probably better as a dev smith/lachie Schultz 3rd pressure forward

Not going to disagree on the size problem - he's not going to "stop" anyone. "Impeder" perhaps.

 

[bombadeer]

Hasn’t got the tank.

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but what is the tank like of the player he's probably replacing in there ( Parish, Roberts )? He'd be a flawed midfielder, but potentially better than the players we're playing in there at the moment.

 

[Calthorpe14]

Would like to see this guy moved into the midfield, Roberts takes his spot in the backline.

Need at least one defensively minded mid in there, and I thought Andy looked good there towards the end of last year. Re-invent him as a stopper. Our midfield is being destroyed on a weekly basis, it's worth a try IMO.

Parish clearly needs to be dropped until he two-way runs himself back into the best 22, which may very well be never - Andy would add more balance to a midfield mix that is completely broken.

I’d push him further up the ground. For all his flaws, he would give us something different tp what we normally have. His natural instinct is to grab it and go, and we don’t have enough midfielders who play like that. If he’s going to rush his kicks, I’d much rather that happen going inside F50 than coming out of D50.

The St.Kilda game last year was probably the best of his career playing as a midfielder.

 

[ant555]

I’d push him further up the ground. For all his flaws, he would give us something different tp what we normally have. His natural instinct is to grab it and go, and we don’t have enough midfielders who play like that. If he’s going to rush his kicks, I’d much rather that happen going inside F50 than coming out of D50.

The St.Kilda game last year was probably the best of his career playing as a midfielder.

I agree plus it is much easier to captain the side from the middle and try and get something going rather than him forcing the issue in the back half and making the errors he does by getting out of his lane and pushing too hard to make something happen.
I think that his issue as a leader is he does try and do too much and gets himself in trouble. in the midfield he can push the envelope a bit and not get in as much trouble.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Andrew MehGrath

 

[cutsy]

I agree plus it is much easier to captain the side from the middle and try and get something going rather than him forcing the issue in the back half and making the errors he does by getting out of his lane and pushing too hard to make something happen.
I think that his issue as a leader is he does try and do too much and gets himself in trouble. in the midfield he can push the envelope a bit and not get in as much trouble.

Merrett to half back McGrath to the midfield ? Potentially tsatas for parish