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

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Mentioned on SEN that Essendon have a presser at 10:15 this morning. McGrath will be player in attendance.

Extension? Captain? Gone?

 

[Milanista28]

Under Armour new clothing sponsor

 

[DapperJong]

Probably just sitting there

 

[Vindicater]

Mentioned on SEN that Essendon have a presser at 10:15 this morning. McGrath will be player in attendance.

Extension? Captain? Gone?

McGrath the face of our new Canadian expansion push.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Leaving for the Mounties?

 

[JayJ20]

Mentioned on SEN that Essendon have a presser at 10:15 this morning. McGrath will be player in attendance.

Extension? Captain? Gone?

Under Armour sponsorship

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Under Armour sponsorship

Boring

 

[DapperJong]

Boring

Who are you? A sports journo?

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Who are you? A sports journo?

Yes I am.

Thanks for info guys. My headline below..

Scoop: “McGrath wants out, nominates Swans for Canadian colours”

 

[The Donners]

Yes I am.

Thanks for info guys. My headline below..

Scoop: “McGrath wants out, nominates Swans for Canadian colours”

I wonder if McGrath has had maple syrup on bacon. He’s missing out if he hasn’t!

 

[Lore]

BTV: Media Conference | Andrew McGrath - October 1

Andrew McGrath spoke to the media during the Under Armour launch at The Hangar this morning.

www.essendonfc.com.au

Don't really care about the substance of it, a lot of nothing really. But damn he speaks well.

 

[Cashmoney13]

With Taranto winning the giants b&f in a stacked team, for me it’s another reminder of an opportunity missed for Essendon, only 3 years gone and he’s the exact player we need. I was surprised we took McGrath and at this stage and I’d still put both him/mcluggage over him.

Can someone please reinforce to me we made the right decision in this draft - don’t get me wrong McGrath played a ripper final, but is he going to be the absolute superstar you’d hope from a no.1 pick?

 

[ant555]

With Taranto winning the giants b&f in a stacked team, for me it’s another reminder of an opportunity missed for Essendon, only 3 years gone and he’s the exact player we need. I was surprised we took McGrath and at this stage and I’d still put both him/mcluggage over him.

Can someone please reinforce to me we made the right decision in this draft - don’t get me wrong McGrath played a ripper final, but is he going to be the absolute superstar you’d hope from a no.1 pick?

He was the safe pick. The good leader who would develop into a very very good 200 + game player but maybe not the absolute super star. Not that there is anything wrong with that given some of the previous number 1 picks are not even playing or are at different clubs to where they started.
I am on record before the draft here as saying Taranto would be the best player in the draft but even if McGrath ends up being the third best out of the top 3 I do not see the issue as he is still a bloody good player.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

With Taranto winning the giants b&f in a stacked team, for me it’s another reminder of an opportunity missed for Essendon, only 3 years gone and he’s the exact player we need. I was surprised we took McGrath and at this stage and I’d still put both him/mcluggage over him.

Can someone please reinforce to me we made the right decision in this draft - don’t get me wrong McGrath played a ripper final, but is he going to be the absolute superstar you’d hope from a no.1 pick?

As much as I love McGrath - Dodo made the wrong choice.

Zerrett had a belter year in 2016 playing predominantly inside, we had already drafted Parish who is another small inside player - so instead of getting some size on the wings (McLuggage), or an inside bull (Taranto) - Dodo gets another 178cm player in McGrath.

He obviously thought a midfield trio of McGrath, Zerrett and Parish is big enough & skilled enough to beat those bigger midfields that Collingwood, West Coast etc have.

That is poor, poor list management. Yet another bad decision from the worst list manager in the game.

 

[brain taylor]

As much as I love McGrath - Dodo made the wrong choice.

Zerrett had a belter year in 2016 playing predominantly inside, we had already drafted Parish who is another small inside player - so instead of getting some size on the wings (McLuggage), or an inside bull (Taranto) - Dodo gets another 178cm player in McGrath.

He obviously thought a midfield trio of McGrath, Zerrett and Parish is big enough & skilled enough to beat those bigger midfields that Collingwood, West Coast etc have.

That is poor, poor list management. Yet another bad decision from the worst list manager in the game.

They were going to go best available rather than pick for a need, and IIRC opinion on who should be pick 1 was about 60/40 for McGrath and McCluggage, McGrath getting the edge on Clug due to being able to come in and perform straight away (which he did) and leadership potential (which he clearly has).
Sure, 3 years later we can see how good McCluggage and Taranto are, but at worst it was a "slightly less than optimal" decision.

 

[brain taylor]

Keep in mind also that Taranto and McCluggage are both playing in much better sides than Andy is, guys.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

They were going to go best available rather than pick for a need

I agree with the rest of your point but this is the difference between a good and a bad list manager. Instead of picking what we need and thinking long term, Dodo thought short term and picked the best player at the time.

Even more astounding - he hasn't bothered to fix our lack of inside grunt in the off seasons since then.

Keep in mind also that Taranto and McCluggage are both playing in much better sides than Andy is, guys.

Don't really think that matters. Look at Sam Walsh. He had an amazing year and Carlton were a rabble for half of it.

I'd say Taranto beating Kelly, Cogs, Whitfield, Cameron etc in their B&F speaks volumes about his capabilities.

 

[Milanista28]

People said Hawks made a mistake with Hodge early as well over Judd.

I had some doubts throughout this season as well but his final reinforced to me we made the right call, Andy will develop into a fine long term player for us and will captain the club, The way he carries himself at such a young age is really impressive. The way he speaks the way his family speak, his father is super impressive, Going forward we don't need the most talented player from the draft we need the best leader and we got him.

 

[brain taylor]

I agree with the rest of your point but this is the difference between a good and a bad list manager. Instead of picking what we need and thinking long term, Dodo thought short term and picked the best player at the time.

Even more astounding - he hasn't bothered to fix our lack of inside grunt in the off seasons since then.


Don't really think that matters. Look at Sam Walsh. He had an amazing year and Carlton were a rabble for half of it.

I'd say Taranto beating Kelly, Cogs, Whitfield, Cameron etc in their B&F speaks volumes about his capabilities.

We've also needed to develop a tall forward other than Joe for a long time, should we have used pick one to fit that need then?
The thing that's really damning is (as you said) that Dodo hasn't addressed the lack of size in our midfield with any other pick over the years, not the McGrath pick. He was the safe pick and is tracking better than a lot of the other recent high picks (see Weitering, schache, mccartin, even petracca).
Sam Walsh is a freakish talent and was the very clear number one in his year so it's not a great comparison.

 

[JayJ20]

Keep in mind also that Taranto and McCluggage are both playing in much better sides than Andy is, guys.

That actually makes Taranto more impressive.

McCluggage and Taranto look to have the higher ceiling, but we still have a good player.

 

[Bjchan13]

Im happy with the pick but i still reckon he should be playing in defence.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Pretty sure Giants had McGrath above Taranto and would have taken him if we’d taken McCluggage.

 

[DapperJong]

So we’re all pretending Cogs and Whitfield weren’t injured for a big chunk of the season hey

 

[cAsEy_18]

So we’re all pretending Cogs and Whitfield weren’t injured for a big chunk of the season hey

Agreed, I think we were down to either McGrath or McCluggage (with setterfield 3rd) whereas from memory GWS were McGrath followed by Taranto

 

[YEMOC NAYR]

GWS specifically wanted Toranto, which is why they traded up.