Toast Welcome to the SUNS - Patrick Murtagh

[GC2015]

Champion decathlete joins SUNS as Queensland Zone Selection

The Gold Coast SUNS have taken Patrick Murtagh as a Queensland Zone Selection to round out the 2019 NAB AFL National Draft period.

www.goldcoastfc.com.au

The Gold Coast SUNS have taken Patrick Murtagh as a Queensland Zone Selection to round out the 2019 NAB AFL National Draft period.

A Queensland State Champion decathlete, Murtagh has been part of the GC SUNS Academy as an over-age player for the past year in order to hone his AFL skills.

The 19-year-old showed promise throughout the 2019 Academy Series, playing both in the ruck and as a key forward for the SUNS.

At 196cm, he turned heads in early 2019 when he recorded an 81cm standing vertical jump at a state combine testing day.

Local boy, TSS graduate and former state champion decathlete Patrick Murtagh is now on our list. He's still relatively new to the game so don't expect too much from him in 2020 but an 81cm vertical leap is very impressive. To put that in perspective, Nic Naitanui recorded a vertical leap of 78cm during his draft combine. Natanui stands 201cm so that means Murtagh's maximum vertical reach when jumping is only 2cms shorter than Naitanui's! That's why some believe Murtagh can make it as an AFL level ruckman but it wouldn't be surprising if he used his unique athleticism to become a key forward either. Here's some evidence of how much higher he can get up in the air than others his age:

The best case scenario is we've found our own version of Kurt Tippett (a player who converted to the game in his late teens) and his learning curve is a quick one but it's always important to be patient with players who come to the game late. Anyway, welcome to the Suns Patrick!

 

[GC2015]

Former Queensland champion decathlete Patrick Murtagh has signed with the Gold Coast Suns

MEET the former Queensland champion decathlete who has reached the AFL just months after being plucked from the athletics track.

Patrick Murtagh is the 196cm raw talent and The Southport School graduate who turned heads in the NAB League earlier this year before being signed by the Suns as a Queensland zone selection on Friday.

Murtagh's rise follows a successful stint in athletics last year where he was crowned state champion decathlete before placing sixth at nationals. Murtagh was unearthed by Gold Coast Victory Athletics Club coach Sharon Hannan.

“I was coaching at TSS and trying to fill the team for GPS when I found I needed more older boys,” Hannan told the Bulletin earlier this year. “I went back through all the inter-house carnival results and his name kept popping up with a first, second, third and fourths in multiple events.

“He started training with the club on December 18 (2017) and did his first decathlon at the start of January where he won his age group at the state championships. He went to nationals a couple of months later and placed sixth. He could have absolutely had a future in it if he stuck to it.”

Murtagh was unknown in footy circles until attending a state combine testing day in late February where he recorded the fourth highest standing vertical jump (81cm) of any player around the country. His previous experience in football included just a handful of games for the Carrara Saints lower division side.

...

Hard to believe he first started competing in decathlon events in January 2018 and became state champion in that same month. A few months later he finishes 6th in the national championships. Then you fast forward less than 16 months and he's on our list. Unbelievable.

 

[coniglio_number1]

 

[Iva Bigun]

Former Queensland champion decathlete Patrick Murtagh has signed with the Gold Coast Suns


Hard to believe he first started competing in decathlon events in January 2018 and became state champion in that same month. A few months later he finishes 6th in the national championships. Then you fast forward less than 16 months and he's on our list. Unbelievable.

Sounds gifted and lazy, not a good combination.

 

[GC2015]

Sounds gifted and lazy, not a good combination.

Gee whiz. People on this forum have been really negative about us picking up this kid. How about we give him a chance before we start judging?!?!

 

[MarcLocksCrustySock]

Gee whiz. People on this forum have been really negative about us picking up this kid. How about we give him a chance before we start judging?!?!

Yeah that comment was a bit rough.

 

[Jirik13]

Sounds gifted and lazy, not a good combination.

Where do you see lazy in that post? Actually pretty amazing that AFL club would consider him after only 16 months playing footy. Maybe hardworking instead of lazy?

 

[GC2015]

Where do you see lazy in that post? Actually pretty amazing that AFL club would consider him after only 16 months playing footy. Maybe hardworking instead of lazy?

I don't really understand the criticisms because they seem to directly contradict each other. In another thread, someone was comparing him to Joel Wilkinson because they came from similar athletic backgrounds but you can bet your bottom dollar Wilko was working just as hard (if not harder) than virtually anyone on our list at the time. I'm fairly sure he still holds the club record for bench pressing and 2km time trials. You don't set those kinds of records if you're a lazy trainer.

Sure, you can say Joel never really had a knack for the game and that's why he didn't make it but then you can conversely compare Murtagh with another player from an athletics background in Mark Blicavs, who is now a two-time best and fairest winner at Geelong (ahead of guys like Dangerfield, Selwood, Hawkins etc) and has played over 150 AFL games. So it's not as if this can't be done. We just need acknowledge that Murtagh is a project player right now and see where that takes us.

 

[GcSunsfan]

 

[peterss]

Would Pat be any chance this season at all?

 

[Jirik13]

Would Pat be any chance this season at all?

I don't think so.

 

[GC2015]

Would Pat be any chance this season at all?

Seems really unlikely at this stage. Here he is lining up for your boys on Saturday afternoon so that probably gives you an indication of how far behind he is right now.

I'd be happy to be wrong though. Always excites me when a local makes it to the top level with us and Murtagh could really help us make inroads in the rugby union stronghold that is the TSS community of the GC.

 

[GC2015]

I know people were saying a few weeks ago that Paddy was a long way off an AFL debut but today proved he's really not. Up against one of the powerhouse teams VFL teams in the Bulldogs, Murtagh kicked 2.2, had 13 disposals, 8 marks, 3 tackles and 15 hit outs according to the VFL app. As others have pointed out, he had some nice taps to Brodie and co in the midfield and took some very nice contested marks all over the ground. Obviously hitting the scoreboard is a big plus as well. Despite being 196cms, his impressive vertical leaps and body size allows him to compete with AFL standard ruckmen.

It should be pointed out that Murtagh's body is absolutely massive for a 21 year old, to the point that the club actually had to pull back his weight sessions over the off season. He is 106kgs and put on 10kgs of pure muscle over the off season. He is already heavier than Lance Franklin and they are the same height! Some might suggest that would just be extra fat left over from junior days but it's clear his body fat percentage is low when you see him in pictures (around 11 per cent I believe which is standard in the AFL):

So, does Dewy give Murtagh a go at the AFL level against the Swans after this performance? I can't imagine we'd be any worse off with 196cm Paddy in the ruck vs what we currently have in 195cm Graham.

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

I know people were saying a few weeks ago that Paddy was a long way off an AFL debut but today proved he's really not. Up against one of the powerhouse teams VFL teams in the Bulldogs, Murtagh kicked 2.2, had 13 disposals, 8 marks, 3 tackles and 15 hit outs according to the VFL app. As others have pointed out, he had some nice taps to Brodie and co in the midfield and took some very nice contested marks all over the ground. Obviously hitting the scoreboard is a big plus as well. Despite being 196cms, his impressive vertical leaps and body size allows him to compete with AFL standard ruckmen.

It should be pointed out that Murtagh's body is absolutely massive for a 21 year old, to the point that the club actually had to pull back his weight sessions over the off season. He is 106kgs and put on 10kgs of pure muscle over the off season. He is already heavier than Lance Franklin and they are the same height! Some might suggest that would just be extra fat left over from junior days but it's clear his body fat percentage is low when you see him in pictures (around 11 per cent I believe which is standard in the AFL):

So, does Dewy give Murtagh a go at the AFL level against the Swans after this performance? I can't imagine we'd be any worse off with 196cm Paddy in the ruck vs what we currently have in 195cm Graham.

I think he played forward most of the first half but they threw him in the ruck for most of the 2nd half with Hoefert seeming to be in the forward line a lot.

I think it was with an eye to next week.

 

[Goodguy72]

I think he played forward most of the first half but they threw him in the ruck for most of the 2nd half with Hoefert seeming to be in the forward line a lot.

I think it was with an eye to next week.

Had a look at the VFL results - seems that every other academy team had a 20 year old former Allies player in there is Thorne , Reville , McGory , surely we get to bring one back

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

Had a look at the VFL results - seems that every other academy team had a 20 year old former Allies player in there is Thorne , Reville , McGory , surely we get to bring one back

Well I guess so - but depends on where the player wants to play.
Who do you have in mind?

 

[Goodguy72]

Well I guess so - but depends on where the player wants to play.
Who do you have in mind?

Whose still out there

 

[GC2015]

Some gif highlights of Murtagh from our Round 1 VFL game yesterday against the Bulldogs reserves:


An honoured lead and a fair amount of separation from his opponent to take this inside 50 mark in the first run of play in the match:

Nice ruck tap down to Brodie for the clearance:

Strong contested grab just outside the goal square. The gif below shows he kicked truly after this mark for his first goal of the day:

Murtagh's second goal for the day from 45 out on an angle:

Another clean ruck tap to Brodie for the clearance and an inside 50 entry:

Clever rucking double tap to Brodie for another clearance and an inside 50 entry:

Another strong contested mark along the wing which leads to an inside 50 entry from Murtagh that's almost marked by a Suns player:

Good defensive mark from a Bulldogs' inside 50 entry late in the fourth quarter:

 

[Southern Sun]

Very rare to have a left handed ruck which could create some headaches for opposition midfield. With where we're at think its worth a shot. The fact he goes forward too is a bonus.

 

[GC2015]

Very rare to have a left handed ruck which could create some headaches for opposition midfield. With where we're at think its worth a shot. The fact he goes forward too is a bonus.

Left handed ruckman who kicks goals with his left foot. Very unusual.

 

[Choppers]

Left handed ruckman who kicks goals with his left foot. Very unusual.

Why is that unusual? I'm left handed and kick left foot.....but in baseball, bat right handed, and my brother was the opposite....right handed, batted right handed but kicked left foot. Now that was unusual....