Will be better than Buddy Franklin.
Actually I think there was an article that polled recruiters and McGrath was the favourite. I spoke to one personally (n = 1) who said it was a no contest that McGrath was #1
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Oh goody, click in the Gerreyn thread and get to read the same old tired McGrath/Mccluggage garbage yet again.
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âŚâŚâŚand he was correct in doing so!
Go over to the Day-Wicks thread, somebodyâs saying heâs basically Clugg mkii. Not saying if it was me saying that, but not saying it wasnât either.
Very generous donatorâs the McGrath family I hear.
Now weâre talking!!
Iâm usually right about these things. 
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AFL draft 2025: New Essendon pick Kayle Gerreyn on his new club, what position he wants to play
Essendon has been searching for a big-bodied midfielder since Jobe Watson retired. Could they have found one masquerading as a ruckman in last weekâs draft?
2 min read
November 27, 2024 - 12:00PM
News Sport Network
Essendon draftee Kayle Gerreyn believes he could one day develop into the big-bodied midfielder that the Bombers have been craving as he sets his sights on one of the biggest days on the football calendar.
A 199cm forward-ruck, the West Australian had his first look around Tullamarine on Monday after being taken with Essendonâs second selection in last weekâs national draft at pick 37.
He said he expects to start his AFL career as a forward but is hopeful he will eventually spend more time in the thick of the action.
âWith my ability to win the ball and move around the ground, who knows what the future holds,â Gerreyn said.
âWhether itâs as a ruck or maybe even a big-body midfielder or halfback or something like that, only time will tell.
âIâve got to up my tank a bit and keep developing my craft and learning, but then I can hopefully play a bit more ruck and around the ball.â
Gerreynâs father, Chris, spent time on Hawthornâs list in the early 1990s and the family have been Hawks fans.
Hawthorn and Essendon have long had a fierce rivalry, but Gerreyn said he never hated the Bombers.
âI didnât mind Essendon,â he said.
âI always loved Collingwood and Essendon because of Anzac Day.
âIâd like to play any game or as many games as I possibly can and Iâll strive for that. But Anzac Day is probably the main day for us, so thatâd be a sick environment to play in. If I get that opportunity to play in that sort of atmosphere some day, itâs just something that everyone dreams of.â
A long-kicking and competitive tall, Gerreyn featured in the WAFL seniors this year for his home club West Perth.
Other West Perth products who have found their way to Essendon include Derek Kickett, Darren Bewick and Kepler Bradley.
Gerreyn said his father had provided some simple advice before he crossed the country to follow his football dreams.
â(He said) just to make the most of the opportunity, work as hard as I possibly can, try and be a good teammate, be a good person and just keep looking to grow,â Gerreyn said.
âI want to keep looking to improve and work as hard as I can to try and achieve my goals.â
Gerreyn also met with met veteran Bombers ruckman Todd Goldstein on his first day at the club.
âI had a chat to him (Goldstein) and asked him how many years heâs going into and he said, â19â,â Gerreyn said.
âHe was drafted the year I was born, which is pretty crazy. But heâs an unbelievable person and has had an unbelievable career.
âWith his tap work, heâs probably one of the best ruckmen of all time. So if I can try and learn off him and be half the player he is, then Iâll be pretty successful.â
KAYLE GERREYN DRAFT PROFILE
A late-developing tall, Gerreyn came into his own this season. His height means he looks like being better suited to a forward-ruck role at AFL level rather than a ruck-forward role. However, he showed plenty in both positions during his top-age campaign. A unique talent, Gerreyn is a good tap ruckman who also follows up his work well around the contest once the ball hits the ground. Heâs capable of taking a nice contested mark and he can hit the scoreboard in multiple ways when in attack.
Gerreyn had some monster games in the WAFL Colts when playing primarily as a ruckman, recording over 200 ranking points in four different matches. But when playing for his state during the under-18 national championships, he split his time between ruck and forward roles. Gerreynâs best game of the tournament came against South Australia, when he logged 14 disposals, three marks, eight hitouts, three clearances and kicked three goals. Gerreynâs father, Chris, was also a forward who was drafted to Hawthorn in 1992 but did not play a senior game.
STATS BREAKDOWN
2024 WAFL Colts 170 ranking points, 21.5 disposals, 6.2 marks, 22 hitouts, 3.7 clearances, 7.8 score involvements, 1.6 goals (11 games)
2024 WAFL Seniors. 52 ranking points, 7 disposals, 2.5 marks, 5 hitouts, 1.0 clearances, 2.5 score involvements, 1.0 goals (2 games)
2024 National Champs. 80 ranking points, 12.5 disposals, 3.8 marks, 9 hitouts, 1.5 clearances, 6.5 score involvements, 1.3 goals (4 games)
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Recruitment team with a gun to his head âmention the prospect of becoming big body midfielder!â
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a 2m midfielder, yeah sure
Is this like how we tried to turn every half back flanker into a mid? Ffs, if you want to play him as a mid, then you should have just drafted a mid instead of a ruckman
I think he could become a very mobile ruckman. His follow-up work at ground level looks good, heâs got good skills by hand and foot and it seems as if he enjoys the physical side of the game.
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Remember when Hurley was training as a mid?
Remember when Francis was going to be a big bodied mid?
Remember when Ridley was recruited and dodo said he could rotate through the midfield?
Happy for Kayle to be a tall forward who pinch hits as a ruck (Smack style), but please donât try to make him a big-bodied mid.
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He could probably do with working on his tank if the 2km is an indication.
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You know who I always thought mightâve made a decent BBM Jimmy Stewart not sure what his tank was like though.
Midfield.
Draper. Cox. Gerreyn. Tsatas.
Give me Jones on a wing again for good measure.
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Plenty of Essendon a greatest ever mids were KP size (at the time)