Thank you but I’m not a broad at all.
Twenty seconds of googling - was (EDIT) 2021.
Was going at 26 disposals / 5 clearances / 3 tackles a game playing inside mid then had an injury. Came back for the last 3-4 weeks and sat on a wing, shuffling the ball around. then I think we continued it the following year and never really tried him mid ever again.
I sometimes think McGrath is trying too hard to be the captain that brings others into the games. Unnecessary handballing is a feature. Of course I could be wrong and he is just a poor decision maker - but it looks like he is tryi g too hard sometimes.
He hates body contact and has avoided it most of his career. Looks to release the ball before contact every time. Often leads to rushed disposal.
Im not sure why development hasn’t sorted this out.
Ill give him his due he was really cracking in the game he broke his jaw, but since the injury its resume normal programming.
The part of Andy’s game that annoys me is the half assed chases on turnover. Really noticable and not very becoming when your captain.
It was a long time ago now, but I remember him playing midfield in that WC elimination final loss on Perth 2019 - he looked very comfortable and damaging playing as an on-baller.
Then again Monfries and Leroy Jetta also produced the odd big midfield game but could never sustain that level week to week.
Its such a pattern with our development. A players ceiling games are very far and few between.
How many times have we thought after a few good games in a row that player x had turned the corner on their way to stardom, only to regress back to their default state. Also such a small sample size of when our players are switched on simultaneously. Almost like if someone else is playing well, I can take the foot off a bit.
It is often after an injury so hopefully the new team can sort it out and its not to deep a culturally engrained thing.
So the googling stated he played on the wing for those matches?
And even if you say what is true, that was 2022, four years ago. Consider this, first of all the game has changed in leaps and bounds since then and the role of the winger. And different coaches deploy the winger in different ways
Think about this, have you ever done a role in your workplace and maybe not done it to the best of your ability four years ago for a multitude of reasons, but now, given 4 years of wisdom, experience and training you’d write yourself off thinking you couldn’t do it again?
The googling was to confirm which year it was he was out for 6-8 weeks before coming back in the last 3-4 games.
Him playing wing continued the start of the year after, then he ended up shuffled down back again. Because he sucked on the wing
It can be a massive killer to 1) be out injured then 2) have to learn a new role when you do come back. While you’re still finding touch/confidence in the body.
Then Rutten copped it end of the following year, so in the space of 3 years had 3 coaches, a decent injury, and 2 distinctly different positions.
It’s amazing any of our players develop as well as they do…
I would try him up forward for a few games and see what happens
We need a bit of pace up there and he is pretty good at ground level.
Then put Nguyen back into defence as the small defender( he has been developed so poorly this year)
Bulked up so he could handle the physical punishment of AFL footy but lost his speed and agility in the process.
Worst captain in living memory?
If hes captain next year this club can go fold.
At least with this year’s #1 pick Dodoro isn’t around to ■■■■ it up.
I think you’re all failing to place enough value on him having the boys around for a BBQ at his place whilst discussing the share market.
Take this how you want.
He is the perfect captain for the Essendon Football Club. In every single way.
Yeh, when you look at it , probably right.
Some players aren’t ready but they grow into the captaincy.
And others are just the wrong choice, like McGrath.
He’s not AFL standard. Should play in the VFL. Bring in Artemis and put McGrath in the VFL.
Play McGrath as a small forward, especially, seeing EFC don’t play small forwards.
This bloke is a ■■■■■■■ fraud. He panic kicks 90% of the time. He has absolutely no redeeming features as a footballer or as a captain. When the chips are down, you want your captain to stand up and lead from the front, not continuously sell his teammates into trouble, or turn the ball over because he is afraid of contact.
Second worst #1 pick in the history of the game behind Richard Lounder. If I was drafting him now, he would be a late third rounder or rookie draft pick. We ■■■■■■ that pick royally.