Rate a Player : Mark Mcgough

[ChrisFooty]

Are you suprised the saints have kept him for season 2006.

He is not in our best 22
He is slow
He turns the footy over more often than what Little Duck would do if he was playing AFL football.
The saints side seems weaker with him in it.
Not suited to our home ground the telstra dome.
He is young ...yes, but time would of ran out i thought by now.

 

[Jabso]

hehas a bucke tload of talent in his clearance/ball getting ablities but the game has past his type of player and his weaknesses are exposed

 

[Kildonan]

I think he fills a hole that would be left after the retirements of Powell or Thompson. That hard in and under type who gets the ball out to the highly skilled players.

He probably will have a role to play in 2007 and beyond. Meanwhile, he is developing his disposal skills and gaining experience.

Good depth player.

 

[Johnson#26]

Mark McGough:

Skills: 5/10
Speed: 6/10
Endurance: 6.5/10
Goal kicking ability: 6/10
Defensive ability: 7/10
Leadership: 6/10
In-and-under: 9/10
Strength: 7.5/10
Consistency: 7/10
X-Factor: 4/10

Overall: 64/100

Mark McGough is one of the stranger football stories of the past few seasons. Drafted as a bottom age player in the 2002 Super Draft, McGough rose to prominance on Anzac Day in 2002. In only his second league match, McGough wracked up 24 disposals in a match which marked Collingwood's coming of age. McGough went on to complete a very successful first up season, as he was still finishing his Year 12 studies after the season ended. Although he did not play in any of the three finals matches that year, McGough was named as an emergency for the Grand Final clash between his Magpies and the Brisbane Lions. There was a rumour which swept the MCG on that damp spring morning suggesting that he may tip someone out of the senior side to play in the wet and soggy conditions - tailor made for a player such as Mark McGough. Alas, he was not promoted, and the side went down in an epic by nine points. The following year did not see the man from the Murray repeat his success of the previous year. He played in only eight matches - nine down from the previous year - and was not sighed after round 21. He sufferred from a groin problem late in the year, and was never a realistic chance to play the Grand Final - which saw the Pies pummelled by the Lions to the tune of 50 points. By now, all the talk was about his dodgy footskills, and the way that had a tendancy to struggle to hit his targets. The word was that he was floated as trade bait, but he was soon signed up by the club to a two year deal. 2004 was not a good season at all for McGough. As the Pies slumped to the foot of the ladder, he managed only twelve matches, and after a purple patch in rounds five and six against the Bombers and Power, McGough never hit the heights he was expected to. Then, in the aftermath of a one point defeat at the hands of arch rival Carlton, McGough was delisted. Coach Malthouse came in for some abuse for leavig his young charge on the interchange until there were minutes remaining in the final term. McGough soon left the club, seeking new oppotunities. He found them in the form of St.Kilda - picked up midway through the 2004 National Draft. Only nine games eventuted in his first year of league football, and 2006 now appears to be a crunch year for a player who is a natural football, but can be found wanting in today's athletic game. There is a role somewhere in AFL Football for Mark McGough - can he find it in 2006? Time will tell.

As far as my rankings go, he is a solid tackler - leaving him with a high rating in that catagory. His leadership, too, is not bad, while his 9/10 for in-and-under is an example of how good he is in that regard - it is his bread and butter. His consistancy is solid - as every time he plays, you know what you'll get - 20 plus disposals - be them good or bad, he does win the leather frequently. If he can fix his kicking, he will go places. Speed is a worry, but on a slow track at the MCG he is vital. Telstra Dome, being the Saints home ground, could be a worry.

Mark McGough - AFL Tables
Mark McGough Player Profile - Johnson#26

 

[MarkT]

Are you suprised the saints have kept him for season 2006.

Wouldn't he be in the second year of the standard 2 year contract? That would mean to sack him and pay him out you'd have to play with a list 1 short.

 

[Johnson#26]

It was worth the Saints retaining him for one year - he will have his moments.

 

[Coin_Toss]

Mark McGough has got 'depth' written all over him. Comes good when it is raining/overcast.

 

[Falchoon]

A bit of the Brad Ottens syndrome, his body had developed on the opposite tack of what made him a (half) decent footballer.

 

[FIGJAM]

I am not kidding when I say if you gave him full game time for the year, he would lead the possession count for the competition. Might shock a few people, but I'd put money on it (although it's safe as he'll probably never see a whole game in his soon to be short career).

That said, he, like say Brayden Shaw and Woewodin, have seen the game has passed their types by. In ye olde days, you could get away with being a ball magnet with mediocre disposal and pace if you had other strengths (eg. Tony Shaw), but not in today's game.

Contemporary game plans dictate that you have to move the ball fast by running it, or by quickly moving it on with an accurate footpass.

McGough is a stoppage superstar, but as a link man he's a liability and that's the sad fact which will probably dictate that this is his last year. Still, I can't believe we flicked him ahead of Lokan, King and Williams at the end of '04!

 

[hollis_tom]

All well said, he reminds a bit of Joe Misiti, who i would highly doubt would get a game if his career started nowadays, but was one of Essendon's most valuable players from 1993 to 2003.

 

[mark73]

Mark McGough:

Skills: 3/10
Speed: 0/10
Endurance: 6.5/10
Goal kicking ability: 4/10
Defensive ability: 7/10
Leadership: 0/10
In-and-under: 9/10
Strength: 5/10
Consistency: 3/10
X-Factor: 3/10


Mark McGough is one of the stranger football stories of the past few seasons. Drafted as a bottom age player in the 2002 Super Draft, McGough rose to prominance on Anzac Day in 2002. In only his second league match, McGough wracked up 24 disposals in a match which marked Collingwood's coming of age. McGough went on to complete a very successful first up season, as he was still finishing his Year 12 studies after the season ended. Although he did not play in any of the three finals matches that year, McGough was named as an emergency for the Grand Final clash between his Magpies and the Brisbane Lions. There was a rumour which swept the MCG on that damp spring morning suggesting that he may tip someone out of the senior side to play in the wet and soggy conditions - tailor made for a player such as Mark McGough. Alas, he was not promoted, and the side went down in an epic by nine points. The following year did not see the man from the Murray repeat his success of the previous year. He played in only eight matches - nine down from the previous year - and was not sighed after round 21. He sufferred from a groin problem late in the year, and was never a realistic chance to play the Grand Final - which saw the Pies pummelled by the Lions to the tune of 50 points. By now, all the talk was about his dodgy footskills, and the way that had a tendancy to struggle to hit his targets. The word was that he was floated as trade bait, but he was soon signed up by the club to a two year deal. 2004 was not a good season at all for McGough. As the Pies slumped to the foot of the ladder, he managed only twelve matches, and after a purple patch in rounds five and six against the Bombers and Power, McGough never hit the heights he was expected to. Then, in the aftermath of a one point defeat at the hands of arch rival Carlton, McGough was delisted. Coach Malthouse came in for some abuse for leavig his young charge on the interchange until there were minutes remaining in the final term. McGough soon left the club, seeking new oppotunities. He found them in the form of St.Kilda - picked up midway through the 2004 National Draft. Only nine games eventuted in his first year of league football, and 2006 now appears to be a crunch year for a player who is a natural football, but can be found wanting in today's athletic game. There is a role somewhere in AFL Football for Mark McGough - can he find it in 2006? Time will tell.

As far as my rankings go, he is a solid tackler - leaving him with a high rating in that catagory. His leadership, too, is not bad, while his 9/10 for in-and-under is an example of how good he is in that regard - it is his bread and butter. His consistancy is solid - as every time he plays, you know what you'll get - 20 plus disposals - be them good or bad, he does win the leather frequently. If he can fix his kicking, he will go places. Speed is a worry, but on a slow track at the MCG he is vital. Telstra Dome, being the Saints home ground, could be a worry.

Mark McGough - AFL Tables
Mark McGough Player Profile - Johnson#26

Fixed the 'averages' for you...

 

[dazzledavey36]

Mark McGough:

Skills: 5/10
Speed: 6/10
Endurance: 6.5/10
Goal kicking ability: 6/10
Defensive ability: 7/10
Leadership: 6/10
In-and-under: 9/10
Strength: 7.5/10
Consistency: 7/10
X-Factor: 4/10

Overall: 64/100

Mark McGough is one of the stranger football stories of the past few seasons. Drafted as a bottom age player in the 2002 Super Draft, McGough rose to prominance on Anzac Day in 2002. In only his second league match, McGough wracked up 24 disposals in a match which marked Collingwood's coming of age. McGough went on to complete a very successful first up season, as he was still finishing his Year 12 studies after the season ended. Although he did not play in any of the three finals matches that year, McGough was named as an emergency for the Grand Final clash between his Magpies and the Brisbane Lions. There was a rumour which swept the MCG on that damp spring morning suggesting that he may tip someone out of the senior side to play in the wet and soggy conditions - tailor made for a player such as Mark McGough. Alas, he was not promoted, and the side went down in an epic by nine points. The following year did not see the man from the Murray repeat his success of the previous year. He played in only eight matches - nine down from the previous year - and was not sighed after round 21. He sufferred from a groin problem late in the year, and was never a realistic chance to play the Grand Final - which saw the Pies pummelled by the Lions to the tune of 50 points. By now, all the talk was about his dodgy footskills, and the way that had a tendancy to struggle to hit his targets. The word was that he was floated as trade bait, but he was soon signed up by the club to a two year deal. 2004 was not a good season at all for McGough. As the Pies slumped to the foot of the ladder, he managed only twelve matches, and after a purple patch in rounds five and six against the Bombers and Power, McGough never hit the heights he was expected to. Then, in the aftermath of a one point defeat at the hands of arch rival Carlton, McGough was delisted. Coach Malthouse came in for some abuse for leavig his young charge on the interchange until there were minutes remaining in the final term. McGough soon left the club, seeking new oppotunities. He found them in the form of St.Kilda - picked up midway through the 2004 National Draft. Only nine games eventuted in his first year of league football, and 2006 now appears to be a crunch year for a player who is a natural football, but can be found wanting in today's athletic game. There is a role somewhere in AFL Football for Mark McGough - can he find it in 2006? Time will tell.

As far as my rankings go, he is a solid tackler - leaving him with a high rating in that catagory. His leadership, too, is not bad, while his 9/10 for in-and-under is an example of how good he is in that regard - it is his bread and butter. His consistancy is solid - as every time he plays, you know what you'll get - 20 plus disposals - be them good or bad, he does win the leather frequently. If he can fix his kicking, he will go places. Speed is a worry, but on a slow track at the MCG he is vital. Telstra Dome, being the Saints home ground, could be a worry.

Mark McGough - AFL Tables
Mark McGough Player Profile - Johnson#26

he is as slow as a snail! i reckon he should be 2/10 for speed

 

[Bomber Man]

I'm always amazed how harshly this guy's viewed. IMO, St Kilda was the worst side he could have been picked up by for his immediate career - Ball and Hayes do what he could help with and he isn't going to get past them in a hurry...
I would've loved to see him at Essendon (not that we showed any interest) doing exactly what Jason Johnson does (or Sam Mitchell for that matter), and freeing him up a little. I really don't think his disposal is as bad as reputed, either.
I still look at other guys his age he's done/shown more than and wonder why he is continually put under the pump... Selwood bro's, Cameron Faulkner, Blake Grima and Urch, Kade Simpson, he's younger than Brent Reilly - they are all viewed as emerging/developing.
If the Saints did let him go he'd still be young enough to rookie list, I'd be very disappointed if no club at least tried that - Richmond needs inside players, as does Essendon, Collingwood (ironically), Carlton, Kanga's, and even Sydney's are aging.
I've seen him get the impossible ball out of a pack on many occasions, and think he will get the chance with StK once some of their elder statesmen playing similar roles leave (Harvey, Thompson, Peckett, Powell).
As you can tell, harshly judged IMO.

 

[bozza1980]

I'm always amazed how harshly this guy's viewed. IMO, St Kilda was the worst side he could have been picked up by for his immediate career - Ball and Hayes do what he could help with and he isn't going to get past them in a hurry...
I would've loved to see him at Essendon (not that we showed any interest) doing exactly what Jason Johnson does (or Sam Mitchell for that matter), and freeing him up a little. I really don't think his disposal is as bad as reputed, either.
I still look at other guys his age he's done/shown more than and wonder why he is continually put under the pump... Selwood bro's, Cameron Faulkner, Blake Grima and Urch, Kade Simpson, he's younger than Brent Reilly - they are all viewed as emerging/developing.
If the Saints did let him go he'd still be young enough to rookie list, I'd be very disappointed if no club at least tried that - Richmond needs inside players, as does Essendon, Collingwood (ironically), Carlton, Kanga's, and even Sydney's are aging.
I've seen him get the impossible ball out of a pack on many occasions, and think he will get the chance with StK once some of their elder statesmen playing similar roles leave (Harvey, Thompson, Peckett, Powell).
As you can tell, harshly judged IMO.

Can be messy with disposal at times but gets it an awful lot, worth a spot on our senior list, not in our best 22 but could play a role in time.

 

[topdon]

 

[Bomber Man]

Thanks for that..? I forgot what he looked like.

 

[crazy_big_al]

Hack

 

[kahuna71]

Hack

agreed, I've seen stuff all so far to indicate anything of note is about to happen with him.

 

[Lets Talk AFL]

Hack

Ok he may not be the top 200 players of AFL but how can you call anyone a HACK who gets $50,000 for playing AFL???

There are no HACKS in AFL. To say so makes a mockery of the system.

IMO He's not going to make a name for himself in the AFL.

 

[Bomber Man]

Ok he may not be the top 200 players of AFL but how can you call anyone a HACK who gets $50,000 for playing AFL???

There are no HACKS in AFL.

For future reference, can we say "Hacks" are the bottom 5 to 10% of players - that'd be the bottom 2 to 4 per club on average which sounds reasonable.

Equally, only the top 5 to 10% can be called "Stars".

At my work, a Hack is someone likely to be sacked, no matter what they're paid.

 

[parrot]

All facets of his game are somewhere between ordinary and terrible. Slow, poor skills, and terrible delivery by foot. Being delisted by a team who are battling it out with Essendon as the 16th ranked midfield, says something.

 

[evertonfc]

Not quite up to it in my eyes.

Turns the ball over with too much regularity.

Still, I think most astute judges would agree that if he gets regular game time, he could become quite an effective player. He'd be good at a club with a poor midfield - wouldn't be surprised to see a team like Carlton take a punt on him at season's end.

He'd certainly bolster their midfield grunt, something the Saints don't really need right now. However, as mentioned previously, maybe GT is keeping him on as a replacement for the likes of Thompson and Powell when their time is up - maybe not such a bad move after all.

I'd still say he's up against it to be with the Saints in 2007.

 

[mediumsizered]

Mark McGough has got 'depth' written all over him. Comes good when it is raining/overcast.

That would make him real handy at Telstra Dome.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Lets just say he is not my favourite player. I think there is just something about him. I usually like the scrappy, nuggerty type players however McGouth is an exception. I think he was doomed from the day after his first game. He was billed as one of the future stars of Collingwood and quickly went missing. A squad player at best and would probably not be included in any of the 16 teams best 18.

 

[Johnson#26]

I am not kidding when I say if you gave him full game time for the year, he would lead the possession count for the competition.

Can't disagree with you at all here, Figjam. McGough is a ball magnet - he can sniff it out from underneath the packs. Would be considered a very valuable player if his kicking and speed were up to scratch.

All well said, he reminds a bit of Joe Misiti, who i would highly doubt would get a game if his career started nowadays, but was one of Essendon's most valuable players from 1993 to 2003.

I agree. 30 years ago, McGough would be one of the more valuable players going around.

he is as slow as a snail! i reckon he should be 2/10 for speed

Probably true, but also a bit harsh. I don't want to be that harsh on a former Magpie servent.