Andrew McQualter

[soupofficial]

Updates, opinions?

Some people have thought that he was a bit unlucky to get the chop last year - do you think he'll be able to work his way back onto a senior list?

 

[St DAC]

Apparently he went OK in the intra-club match. Really, the ball is in his court; he has to have a huge year with the Scorps as a midfielder, and show the club he really wants to make it back onto the list proper. I hope he does, but who knows?

Didn't he train with your mob before he was picked up by us in the rookie draft? How did he look to your mob?

 

[soupofficial]

He wasn't training with Hawthorn to my knowledge, but it's possible.

I went to school with his older brother back in the day, so I've retained an interest in seeing how "mini" goes.

The McQualter family tends to develop early, and they are strong, well balanced units at age 16. From there, they tend not to grow, and others catch up to them.
Andrew has ended up a bit taller than the others in his family, but he was a ball magnet in superb condition in his final year of juniors.
I was pleasantly surprised when this translated into being reasonably effective at AFL level in his first year, but I was always wondering where the subsequent improvement would come from.

 

[mad-saint-guy]

With some confidence and game time in the seniors he can be a solid player in the Andrew Thompson mould. But if Lyon doesn't want to play him ahead of Jones then Mini doesn't have much hope at St Kilda. There are very few spots in the team for small backup midfielders and Mini is down the list.

I can't see him blitzing the VFL and being promoted, because McQualter isn't a BOG type player. He'll go about his business and rack up 18-25 touches and 5 tackles without really standing out. If he is going to get back to the senior list he needs a regular midfielder or two to suffer a long-term injury.

 

[Squizz]

Apparently he went OK in the intra-club match. Really, the ball is in his court; he has to have a huge year with the Scorps as a midfielder, and show the club he really wants to make it back onto the list proper. I hope he does, but who knows?

Didn't he train with your mob before he was picked up by us in the rookie draft? How did he look to your mob?

He did train at Hawthorn, along with about 20 other hopefuls.

I hear he was contracted for '08 anyway, so if we delisted him he would still be paid. If this is the case, it makes sense to retain him as a rookie. He is a good VFL player, and if the Scorpions have more success it will help the senior team.

 

[nugget_12]

I know Mini personally and grew up playing footy against him and on a few occasions got to play in a few squad sides with him.

From U/10's mini was the best player in the league by a long shot and only was it when we were bottom agers in u/12-14-16's was he over shadowed by his best mate and fellow saint BJ Goddard. (who i luckily got a chance to play in a few squad sides with aswell.)

In Mini's case i think that he will climb back onto the senior list by years end and with some openings in the midfield he will luckily enough break into the senior side next year and hopefully keep his spot.

Not only can he play footy he is a great bloke aswell.
I was hopeing the tiges picked him up with pick 20 in 04 but you guys got in first so who knows if we would've taken him but as a junior the kid had every accolade you could get and deserved them all, but unfortunantly got injured in Rd 1 of the National Carnival when he was captain of vic country.

Every time i get to see him down home in traralgon he is always up for a chat to catch up with old mates so i wish him all the best and hope things work out for him!

 

[sainter]

I'm not convinced that he'll make it but I was really happy that the club were able to give him a lifeline in the rookie draft.

He's always come across as a good kid and nugget has backed that up.

 

[Qsaint]

With some confidence and game time in the seniors he can be a solid player in the Andrew Thompson mould. .

Thompson was very strong and an inside player, I don't think Mini is strong enough for that and not nimble enough to play outside