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

 

[Skipper_]

captain has to be best 22 and healthy most weeks.

With how essendons. Been going the last few years the choices are slim pickings.

Ironically Andy may be just about the only player besides Merrett that fills that criteria.

 

[eth-dog]

captain has to be best 22 and healthy most weeks.

With how essendons. Been going the last few years the choices are slim pickings.

So, McGrath fits the bill perfectly.

 

[Doss]

He played one ok game in the middle then it was back to his old shit, guy couldn’t hit the side of a barn kicking forward of center and can only hit a target in the backline if he’s under no pressure and his team mate is in a paddock of space and the ball will still bounce a couple times before it gets to him

Your hatred of McGrath continues to be really quite something and I say that as someone who does find him frustrating at times.

 

[jdstorm]

So, McGrath fits the bill perfectly.

For Me I’m not sure he should be considered automatic best 23 but the club loves him and would disagree with that.

 

[MightyDon]

Your hatred of McGrath continues to be really quite something and I say that as someone who does find him frustrating at times.

Thank you very much

 

[Doss]

It wasn’t a compliment.

 

[Old Campaigner]

It wasn’t a compliment.

When you post that badly you gotta take what you can get

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Looks like Pigeon got married over the weekend. Don’t think Zach made the cut but a lot of current and past players in attendance.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

When Brad called Max to congratulate him on getting drafted he mentioned that he was looking forward to catching up with all the new recruits at Andy McGrath’s house over the weekend. Just about lock in the captaincy of you hadn’t already done so ladies and gentlemen.

 

[Gabe251]

While he has not been a perfect player for us, he cares about our club. That means something imo

 

[faible]

When Brad called Max to congratulate him on getting drafted he mentioned that he was looking forward to catching up with all the new recruits at Andy McGrath’s house over the weekend. Just about lock in the captaincy of you hadn’t already done so ladies and gentlemen.

Or Andy VC with Sharp C. Sort of like when Carlton traded in Judd and made him Captain immediately, we're drafting Sharp to be the new Captain.

 

[Zach Package]

While doves typically signify peace, it's a little known fact that pigeons signify conciliation and unity.

 

[Foxx]

He played one ok game in the middle then it was back to his old shit, guy couldn’t hit the side of a barn kicking forward of center and can only hit a target in the backline if he’s under no pressure and his team mate is in a paddock of space and the ball will still bounce a couple times before it gets to him

Captain: Andrew McGrath.

 

[Petrify]

While doves typically signify peace, it's a little known fact that pigeons signify conciliation and unity.

Pidgeons were literally in the trenches with humans during the wars. Pidge is the type of guy you want next to you in the trenches, so it works

 

[dank420_]

If Nick Maxwell

Nick Maxwell

Age

42

Ht

193cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.5

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

6.7

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

3.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

14.0

4star

K

8.4

4star

HB

5.6

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.0

5star

can captain a flag then so can Mark Baguley

Mark Baguley

Age

38

Ht

178cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.4

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

5.5

5star

T

3.1

5star

G

0.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

16.4

4star

K

10.4

4star

HB

6.0

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.0

1star

 

[dank420_]

And also McGrath I guess

 

[faible]

If Nick Maxwell can captain a flag then so can Mark Baguley

#BringBackBags

 

[Lance Uppercut]

While doves typically signify peace, it's a little known fact that pigeons signify conciliation and unity.

I like that they shit on statues

 

[Zach Package]

That's actually part of the statue

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Oh Captain, my Captain.

 

[King Patty]

Pidge as Captain goes back to yester year when the Captain wore number 1.

 

[Foxx]

Any supporter who watches the Essendon website video of Andy mic'd up when captaining against StKilda (I think), should see how good he will be for the young top end talent coming through.

Hes not the best player on the team, but still very good, and he's the most defensive player. I like that as a captain.

 

[thepokey]

He's def not our best player, and the captain doesn't have to be. But I do sometimes wonder about having someone as captain with as big a flaws in his game as he does.
BUT, if the kids really respond to his leadership well then I'm all in on captain Pidge. He's always in amongst it. He's at as many AFLW games as he can and just seems to be someone who is very accessible and not closed off.

 

[P Money]

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?

 

[King Patty]

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?

I don't see it.

we are only 1 injury away (Nguyen) from him being the only player to play lockdown small defender role.
with 5 on the bench and his versatility, its not an issue. And we aren't going that good.