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

 

[KeenObserver24]

Sold his teammates intro trouble multiple times.
Erratic disposal.
When Nguyen goes past him for that lock down role, I don't see a role for Andy.

He’s had 30 at 80%, couple of goal assists, stop focussing on a couple of turnovers which most players in the league have.

 

[Blind Turn]

He’s had 30 at 80%, couple of goal assists, stop focussing on a couple of turnovers which most players in the league have.

People only see what they want to see. If he is the whipping boy then they will find fault even in his good games. The bad will outshine the good because they are blinded by a discrimination that they have solidified in their own minds.

Having said that, his bad games are filled with horrible turnovers and poor decision-making, and when those errors occur even just the once in subsequent games the feeling of ‘uuurggghhhh’ is always going to be close to the surface.

 

[ant555]

Don't know what game you guys were watching. Andy had another good game.

Blinkers. That is all you have to remember when looking for an explanation.

 

[King Patty]

The mdifield mix is an issue, Durham shouldnt really be our bull in their, but we don't have one.

At least if we get Windhager, he adds another bigger body similar to Durham and runs hard all day. might help the balance.

We still have no Cripps/Green/Bontempelli/Callaghan/Anderson type

 

[Foxx]

Don't know what game you guys were watching. Andy had another good game.

Yep. Was the 3rd highest ranked player on the ground. His DE%, pressure acts/tackles, score involvements, metres gained were all very good.

 

[bacon buster]

He’s had 30 at 80%, couple of goal assists, stop focussing on a couple of turnovers which most players in the league have.

When the game was hot, at the start, he missed 2 handballs and a kick right in front of me in the first quarter

I don't really care how many touches he gets at 80% once we are down by 5 goals

As you said, people see what they want to see. Those that defend him to the hilt will always praise B- games as though they are A grade. Others will see a B- game as a C grade

However, if anyone thought that was a damaging midfield performance last night, then our standards have slipped a long way.

 

[bacon buster]

Yep. Was the 3rd highest ranked player on the ground. His DE%, pressure acts/tackles, score involvements, metres gained were all very good.

According to SC, he was 17th best on ground. DT, he was 16th.

I also find going to game live and watching them helps identify who plays well, and who doesn't.

 

[Kyptastic]

When the game was hot, at the start, he missed 2 handballs and a kick right in front of me in the first quarter

I don't really care how many touches he gets at 80% once we are down by 5 goals

As you said, people see what they want to see. Those that defend him to the hilt will always praise B- games as though they are A grade. Others will see a B- game as a C grade

However, if anyone thought that was a damaging midfield performance last night, then our standards have slipped a long way.

 

[Old Campaigner]

View attachment 2402980

I was thinking the same thing lol

 

[Oraaaaazio]

The mdifield mix is an issue, Durham shouldnt really be our bull in their, but we don't have one.

At least if we get Windhager, he adds another bigger body similar to Durham and runs hard all day. might help the balance.

We still have no Cripps/Green/Bontempelli/Callaghan/Anderson type

Those 6'4 inside mid guns aren't exactly growing on trees & it's more about the mix rather than one unicorn being the savior of a midfield. I think Durham is a good player, fit the right players around him and you don't need to upgrade him. Of course, that probably won't happen either and we'll be stuck with an average midfield mix for a few more years.

2025 Ladder:
Adelaide - Don't have one of those guys. Dawson more similar to Bont profile wise but he doesn't fit the mould of the others in the list
Geelong - Don't have one of those guys.
Brisbane - Don't have one of those guys. Dunkley maybe but they have more of a group that make up that player & make their midfield successful.
Collingwood - Don't have one of those guys.
Hawthorn - Don't have one of those guys.

2024 Ladder:
Sydney - Don't have one
Port - Don't have one
Geelong - Don't have one
GWS - Yes
Brisbane - Don't have one

 

[ghostdog]

Sold his teammates intro trouble multiple times.
Erratic disposal.
When Nguyen goes past him for that lock down role, I don't see a role for Andy.

The hospital handpass to Zach that he was luckily able to dispose of and resulted in a goal, could've been disastrous. In a final, okay. In a dead rubber? Lucky Zach is Zach.

 

[KeenObserver24]

When the game was hot, at the start, he missed 2 handballs and a kick right in front of me in the first quarter

I don't really care how many touches he gets at 80% once we are down by 5 goals

As you said, people see what they want to see. Those that defend him to the hilt will always praise B- games as though they are A grade. Others will see a B- game as a C grade

However, if anyone thought that was a damaging midfield performance last night, then our standards have slipped a long way.

No one thinks it was a damaging midfield performance, he was solid though despite being clearly up against it in a depleted midfield. He got plenty of the ball and used it well for the most part.

People need to forget the number 1 draft pick tag, that was a decade ago, we have a solid AFL players with leadership qualities.

 

[ghostdog]

Reminder of why he didn't work in the midfield mix we had a few years ago. Losing Durham messed up the balance that made McGrath work against the Saints, and Carlton run a group of big bodied (but slower) midfielders that obliterated us on clearance. McGrath wasn't 'bad' but he didn't have the same impact he did against the Saints.

I think McGrath can be a good midfielder if the rest of the balance around him is right, Durham's attack on the footy creates more room for McGrath to move through stoppages to good effect.

Instead of Durham he had Kako and Shiel / Perkins for company. None of whom are physical the way Durham is.

With a fully fit group, I could see him slotting in alongside Caldwell and Durham to good effect, their aggression and strength at stoppages creates more space for McGrath to use his lateral movement and run from stoppage.

This I can go for, but it probably also speaks for the need to draft a player like Sharp / Greeves if that's how we use McGrath.

 

[carloss]

Yep. Was the 3rd highest ranked player on the ground. His DE%, pressure acts/tackles, score involvements, metres gained were all very good.

He had one tackle

 

[Old Campaigner]

Those 6'4 inside mid guns aren't exactly growing on trees & it's more about the mix rather than one unicorn being the savior of a midfield. I think Durham is a good player, fit the right players around him and you don't need to upgrade him. Of course, that probably won't happen either and we'll be stuck with an average midfield mix for a few more years.

2025 Ladder:
Adelaide - Don't have one of those guys. Dawson more similar to Bont profile wise but he doesn't fit the mould of the others in the list
Geelong - Don't have one of those guys.
Brisbane - Don't have one of those guys. Dunkley maybe but they have more of a group that make up that player & make their midfield successful.
Collingwood - Don't have one of those guys.
Hawthorn - Don't have one of those guys.

2024 Ladder:
Sydney - Don't have one
Port - Don't have one
Geelong - Don't have one
GWS - Yes
Brisbane - Don't have one

The game appears to have gone past the one dimensional inside bull. There’s still a place for bigger midfielders but they need to be able to hurt sides on the outside in addition to their inside work. Cripps is probably a case in point - still a useful player but his impact on games is vastly reduced compared to a few years ago. It’s potentially also why seemingly AFL standard guys (at least according to their stat sheet) like Deven Robertson aren’t getting regular games.

 

[Jobe Watson]

I don't know how a guy with as much experience as him can still look so rushed and panicky every time he gets the ball.

 

[cobra land]

Ranked #1 at putting teammates under pressure and his ability to dispose of the footy like it's a hot potatoe is right up there with the best..

 

[Foxx]

According to SC, he was 17th best on ground. DT, he was 16th.

I also find going to game live and watching them helps identify who plays well, and who doesn't.

Champion data had him the third highest at 18.3.
Francis Evans the highest at 25.1

Yes they are all subjective, but id trust CD over SC etc

 

[Foxx]

He had one tackle

Yes you're right on closer inspection. But had 17 pressure acts.

 

[cobra land]

Yes you're right on closer inspection. But had 17 pressure acts.

Yes, all 17 putting his teammates under pressure

 

[bacon buster]

Champion data had him the third highest at 18.3.
Francis Evans the highest at 25.1

Yes they are all subjective, but id trust CD over SC etc

I agree. Use the statistical measure that supports your argument and ignore others

SC is modelled by CD btw.

 

[bacon buster]

No one thinks it was a damaging midfield performance, he was solid though despite being clearly up against it in a depleted midfield. He got plenty of the ball and used it well for the most part.

People need to forget the number 1 draft pick tag, that was a decade ago, we have a solid AFL players with leadership qualities.

I agree people need to forget the no 1 tag. I actually think it’s the people who laud him that still factor that into their equations, in the “hope” that he will one day realise his potential

He’s a solid lock down defender, but he’s not going to be a midfielder in a good side. I would love to explore the market with him to see what we get.

 

[Foxx]

I agree. Use the statistical measure that supports your argument and ignore others

SC is modelled by CD btw.

And you aren't?
CD is the platform coaches use I believe.
SC doesnt take CD defensive data points into account.

 

[ant555]

According to SC, he was 17th best on ground. DT, he was 16th.

I also find going to game live and watching them helps identify who plays well, and who doesn't.

Using super coach as a indicator is certainly the way to go

 

[bacon buster]

And you aren't?
CD is the platform coaches use I believe.

Nope. I was just questioning where the 3rd ranked player came from

I was at the game and I based my judgement on what I saw.