AFL Player # 1: Andrew "Pidge" McGrath (Vice-Captain)

[Beerfish]

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

 

[ghostdog]

I wonder if Pidge still isn't confident in his body since coming back. Definitely looked tentative around the contest.

 

[Highly Evolved]

Understand he is only recently back from a long layoff but this guy can be an A grade small defender or a B grade mid. I’d look long and hard at using him back.

I'm pretty inclined to agree with this. Also, there is nothing wrong with playing as a small back either.

 

[Zach Package]

Fair take mate.

I'm not saying I wanted him to go every time. But there was probably 4 or 5 times I thought he just needed to create a contest and he didn't.

It’s all fair comment, 100%.

I’m also coming from the ‘never was, never will be a midfielder’ so his game shouldn’t be about burrowing in. I actually didn’t notice him not go at any stage.

 

[bacon buster]

He was hopeless today. Hack kicks around the corner no good. Playing HBF might not be a bad idea. Very good defensively and could give us some run off back with Hind (without whom we had no drive at all)

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Was rubbish and soft.

Needs to find a point of difference

 

[ant555]

Clearly the time out has had an impact on his dash / run and carry. If anything I think he has got a bit too heavy , even at the start of they year. I hope the pre season is about a lot of running and a bit less bulk. We do not need him to be an inside ball winner as such.

 

[FlyingV]

Was rubbish and soft.

Needs to find a point of difference

He has one… evasiveness, speed and a wicked handball. He’s missed 9 weeks with a PCL. It showed in a wet final.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

He has one… evasiveness, speed and a wicked handball. He’s missed 9 weeks with a PCL. It showed in a wet final.

No excuses. Third game back. Cherry ripe.

Needs to work his running. Needs to use his pace to break lines.

His hands aren't clean enough and his not inside enough.

Hopefully next year it all comes together.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

No excuses. Third game back. Cherry ripe.

Needs to work his running. Needs to use his pace to break lines.

His hands aren't clean enough and his not inside enough.

Hopefully next year it all comes together.

Garbage, he was severely underdone, not too disimilar to Shiel and Caldwell. The pre seasons should do him wonders along with many others.

 

[andleanback]

No excuses. Third game back. Cherry ripe.

Needs to work his running. Needs to use his pace to break lines.

His hands aren't clean enough and his not inside enough.

Hopefully next year it all comes together.

You dont just find your pace after a couple of games back from a long term injury where you were off legs. You only get it back from a solid training block. Rowell was the same coming back from his pcl.

 

[crackers65]

He has one… evasiveness, speed and a wicked handball. He’s missed 9 weeks with a PCL. It showed in a wet final.

Very disappointing today. Was very soft and needs to work on core body strength. Obviously the long layoff has affected him, but there are no excuses once you are out there in a final. I agree with you ant555 that he needs to fine down, but he also needs to get stronger.

 

[babydoll]

Let's not go overboard e.g. can't play mid etc. He got back from a PCL. Another good pre season and he will be a very solid player in the guts.

 

[Shack18]

needs a good pre season, will be a very good player,needs continuity

 

[ghostdog]

Clearly the time out has had an impact on his dash / run and carry. If anything I think he has got a bit too heavy , even at the start of they year. I hope the pre season is about a lot of running and a bit less bulk. We do not need him to be an inside ball winner as such.

I thought we might get some run from him being behind the ball a bit, but nothing. So many careless kicks. He's a smart guy. Can only think he was following instructions.

 

[Keystone agony]

We've got to get more out of this guy. I know he had his injuries this year but 15 disposals in a game where the conditions should suit

Not 1 CBA?

It's got to be operation get Mcgrath inside next year. For a number 1 pick they need to be playing in an influential part of the ground. Wing and small defender ain't it

 

[The Prosecutor]

We've got to get more out of this guy. I know he had his injuries this year but 15 disposals in a game where the conditions should suit

Not 1 CBA?

It's got to be operation get Mcgrath inside next year. For a number 1 pick they need to be playing in an influential part of the ground. Wing and small defender ain't it

That's just falling for the sunk cost fallacy. We just need to come to terms with the fact that he won't be an elite mid.

 

[NAB777]

I wonder if Pidge still isn't confident in his body since coming back. Definitely looked tentative around the contest.

It's not easy to come back to play footy after a serious knee injury. Lots of upside with him - and others - next year.

 

[Keystone agony]

That's just falling for the sunk cost fallacy. We just need to come to terms with the fact that he won't be an elite mid.

Sunk cost fallacy?

He's never been given the opportunity. The same was said about Parish 6 months ago

 

[The Prosecutor]

Sunk cost fallacy?

He's never been given the opportunity. The same was said about Parish 6 months ago

Yes, just because he was pick one doesn't mean we need to force him, the square plug, into the round hole.

What was last year then? He's had plenty of opportunity. Unfortunately, the line-breaking speed that was his point-of-difference trait has been non-existent/not translated to AFL. He could still be a reliable B-grade midfielder, but he could be an A-grader as a back men.

 

[Highly Evolved]

We've got to get more out of this guy. I know he had his injuries this year but 15 disposals in a game where the conditions should suit

Not 1 CBA?

It's got to be operation get Mcgrath inside next year. For a number 1 pick they need to be playing in an influential part of the ground. Wing and small defender ain't it

A number one pick doesn't have to be an inside mid with a team batting deep with midfield strength. Pidge can live up to his live potential and his "pick" in other position of too. Playing as an inside mid isn't the be-all-end-all or an adequate measure of a player's importance.
A lot of Pidge's best attributes can be maximized by playing as a small defender and we can really abuse his ability to run and carry alongside Hind and Redman.
For a player who has a weakness in that he has a bit of a straight line focus, i.e. gets the ball and hacks it forward, this too would be better suited to a backline role.
Having said that, if he ends up a mid, so be it.

 

[DERO]

Looked like a bloke who had missed most of the season.

Playing in the pouring rain.

 

[TheGrizz]

His main asset is speed and power. But this week was also 3 weeks returned from a PCL and in the pooring rain.

Yes he shortstepped a couple of contests, and they wont look good when they review the game.

But he is a long way from his best. Lets see how he goes with a full pre season as he looked every part the player who has missed 9 weeks.

 

[Keystone agony]

Yes, just because he was pick one doesn't mean we need to force him, the square plug, into the round hole.

What was last year then? He's had plenty of opportunity. Unfortunately, the line-breaking speed that was his point-of-difference trait has been non-existent/not translated to AFL. He could still be a reliable B-grade midfielder, but he could be an A-grader as a back men.

Last year he was really good in his first opportunity as an insider. Still young, still first opp, covid.

I still think he can push towards an A grade mid

Got to remember he avg 23.1 disposals last year and 5.1 tackles a game, 5.1 clearances (in a poor side)

 

[Vander18]

That's just falling for the sunk cost fallacy. We just need to come to terms with the fact that he won't be an elite mid.

Exactly right.

 

[Legend Lucas]

Could become an absolute elite small defender like he was in his first year! Or be a run or the mill small midfielder without any tricks. His first year he shut down the best small forwards in the game and provided rebound after winning one on one contests. I know which one id rather have. We already have plenty of small midfielders. Smith/Caldwell/Merrett/Parish. We need more size. And we don’t have many running defenders behind Redman/Hind.