#1 Andy McGrath loves finals football (Part 1)

Has been playing back since McKenna has been out.

He actually needs to move back to the midfield. We are crying out for his pace in the middle.

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You donā€™t watch games do you

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Trade the kid out before we ruin him too

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Do you? astro_bomber is 100% right. McGrath is probably the only player on our list other than Merrett with the agility, speed, disposal and contested ability to change passages of play and break through zones. Our midfield is so incredibly one dimensional at the moment and playing McGrath in a back pocket isnā€™t helping it.

Edit: Sorry! I read his post wrong, he obviously doesnā€™t watch games! haha

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Astro needs to get out more

To be fair I wish I got out more and watched less games, hurts my head watching us play like that.

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Struggled today. Get him in the guts.

Iā€™m starting to think McGrath isnā€™t going be the midfielder we hoped he would be. Thinking heā€™s just going to be a really good back pocket.
Reminds me of when sheedy tried wanganeen in the guts. He was just a much better defender.

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I think the opposite to be honest. I reckon he is wasted down back.

The guy has shown some really strong glimpses that he will be a very good mid. Just needs experience, and needs to continue to work on his kicking.

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Big call bases on how many games played in the midfield. Maybe let him play and develop in the midfield properly before making conclusions.

Thought he was sensationalā€¦ is it just me?

Oozes talent, racks it up at will.

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McKenna comes back this week he will slot straight back in the middle imo.

Just on the midfield he has actually spent most of his time on the wing if not down back. We wouldnā€™t dare put him in the centre we would rather go with Heppell, Goddard and Zaharakis as our main 3 because you know all 3 have plenty of pace. Ideally in the future we want Zerrett, Fantasia and McGrath all swaping with each other through the middle, wing and forward. One of those 3 must be in the centre every time because everyone else is far too slow and we have no balance

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Coaches got gun-shy when Hunter cut up McGrath in the game against the Bulldogs, hence why he played back in round 4 and 5 - Think they are protecting McGrath from playing too much inside, but seriously he could not have done worse than Zaharakis on Jones - Sometimes you have to back in young players.

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He doesnā€™t have to play too much inside either, but the more he gets a taste of it the better. Would also like us to throw him forward from time to time, Iā€™m one of not many on here that have seen him spend time forward and he can be very dangerous.

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i think the clubs paying a disservice to hunter though, hes a very good player.

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i think heā€™s far more impressive out of the backline, but that might be because the ball is spending most of itā€™s time down there, itā€™s actually hard to tell when centre clearances go 16 - 4 :confused:

Iā€™m feeling similar.

I think itā€™s already a small midfield that features Zerrett, Parish, Smith, Zaharakisā€¦and then people want McGrath in thereā€¦and Tippa/Fantasia rotating through.

McGrath is the only of these guys that can go backā€¦to a place on the ground where we are potentially looking for a Baguley-replacement and question marks remain over McNiece.

Plus it is clear that McGrath is a very short kickā€¦Right now, I can see that working as he hits up a short target in the wide ā€˜mid-arcā€™ of the field, starting a reboundā€¦whereas I find it frustrating that he has to mark it within 40m of goal to be any chance of making the distance.

Yeah, to be a great midfield you need good penetration with your kicking. He will be an ok midfielder, but his kicking will hold him back. I really like midfielders running with the ball 10m and then kicking goals from outside 50m, or hitting up targets deep inside 50.
I just think people underrate having a great back pocket. Someone who consistently beats the best small forwards in the contest and then hurts them offensively would have to be the equivalent of a midfielder consistently racking up 30 touches.

See, thatā€™s the thing. If McGrath doesnā€™t ever quite make the grade as a genuine mid, itā€™s hardly the end of the world.

He wonā€™t be ā€˜justā€™ a back pocket, heā€™ll be a multiple AA winner, and the premier small defender of the competition.

Heā€™s a friggin gun defender already.

I have no issue with him being trialled as a midfielder, heavens knows we need one. But I do wish we were good enough to not have to do that.