Andy McGrath

[Moods]

According to Ed, we’re into him as well as Richmond. Comes out of contract at end of season. Would be a good get imo.

And Eddies as reliable a journo as anyone in the game when it comes to this type of information. So we’re obviously having a crack

[Impatient Sainter]

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/01/ ... idfielder/

Be interesting I hope we see him as a midfielder, rather than a HBF? He averages 21.6 dispoals per game going at 50% kick to handball rates. By comparison Taranto averages 23.4 dpg @ 13.4 kicks & 10 handballs and a couple more tackles a game.

McGrath has been under performing for the past few years, but perhaps he needs a change of clubs for a reset.

NB Just as a follow up, I also would prefer Taranto and GWS would be a lot more reasonable to deal with than Dodoro.

[Zed]

And as is Dodoro’s way, he will ask for 2 first round picks , as well as flag interest in 1 or more of our players.
He has already shown his interest in Marshall this year which looks like it was to try and drive up the price we had to pay to re-sign Ro.
Been a couple of years, but he must be due to have another crack at Jack Billings. If he offers more than his default 3rd round pick offer that he seems to think every player at St Kilda is worth, then it might get interesting.

[skeptic]

I don’t rate him at all

IMO classic flat track bully and not a player that will help us take the next step

Rarely hear the sentence McGrath stood tall when they were under the pump

Throw in the fact that he’d be expensive and it’s a hard pass from me

[bakes]

Taranto would provide a lot more than McGrath and would be a point of difference.

I see McGrath as being in the same mould as Steele, Crouch, Ross, Bytel and so I don't think we need him. Plus we'd need to give up too much to get him.

[terry smith rules]

I don’t rate him at all

IMO classic flat track bully and not a player that will help us take the next step

Rarely hear the sentence McGrath stood tall when they were under the pump

Throw in the fact that he’d be expensive and it’s a hard pass from me

Thank you exactly

Only runs one way

[saynta]

Nah, no thanks. You don't deal with drug cheats and that's exactly what the bombers are.

[Life Long Saint]

I've never warmed to him as a player. I resented the fact that Essendon were even allowed to draft him.
Given the fact that most of their team was suspended for drug cheating, they were always going to finish last. The AFL should never have allowed the first pick to go to Essendon that season.

Not Andrew's fault, I know...but he's tarred with that brush now.

[Saintmike65]

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/01/ ... idfielder/

Be interesting I hope we see him as a midfielder, rather than a HBF? He averages 21.6 dispoals per game going at 50% kick to handball rates. By comparison Taranto averages 23.4 dpg @ 13.4 kicks & 10 handballs and a couple more tackles a game.

McGrath has been under performing for the past few years, but perhaps he needs a change of clubs for a reset.

NB Just as a follow up, I also would prefer Taranto and GWS would be a lot more reasonable to deal with than Dodoro.

Honestly I don’t think McGrath will leave Essendon, besides, do we really want to deal with Dodoro?
We need a big, dynamic mid that hits the scoreboard!
Can’t see Taranto leaving GWS either and they are very tough to deal with also since Jason McCartney joined the giants.

[skeptic]

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/01/ ... idfielder/

Be interesting I hope we see him as a midfielder, rather than a HBF? He averages 21.6 dispoals per game going at 50% kick to handball rates. By comparison Taranto averages 23.4 dpg @ 13.4 kicks & 10 handballs and a couple more tackles a game.

McGrath has been under performing for the past few years, but perhaps he needs a change of clubs for a reset.

NB Just as a follow up, I also would prefer Taranto and GWS would be a lot more reasonable to deal with than Dodoro.

Honestly I don’t think McGrath will leave Essendon, besides, do we really want to deal with Dodoro?
We need a big, dynamic mid that hits the scoreboard!
Can’t see Taranto leaving GWS either and they are very tough to deal with also since Jason McCartney joined the giants.

Agreed on all points…

To me, the strategy should be if you’re going to spend big… get THE star.
I don’t know who it is per’se but get the 25 possession midfield bull that kicks goals.

The surest way to mediocrity is to go all out and cashed up for a guy like McGrath.

IMO you’re better off building up through the draft… 2-3 picks in the draft form that we’re in… chances are we’ll draft someone close to as good on our on.

After all… is McGrath that much better than Billings? I wouldn’t have thought so

[outside66]

Nah, no thanks. You don't deal with drug cheats and that's exactly what the bombers are.

In a roundabout way we can thank them for the acquisition of Jade Gresham. There's no way we would have used pick 6 on Gresh and given that we had picked up Paddy Mc the year before, I doubt we would've gone for McKay/Curnow. We probably would have picked Aaron Francis as well and what a joy that would've been...

[skeptic]

Nah, no thanks. You don't deal with drug cheats and that's exactly what the bombers are.

In a roundabout way we can thank them for the acquisition of Jade Gresham. There's no way we would have used pick 6 on Gresh and given that we had picked up Paddy Mc the year before, I doubt we would've gone for McKay/Curnow. We probably would have picked Aaron Francis as well and what a joy that would've been...

The story at the time was that one of the big contributing factors to giving up what we did for Carlisle was that we rated Gresham significantly higher than we estimated his outside market value to be aka we would have taken him at 6 or whatever pick it was that we gave up and we’re fairly confident he was going to be there at the pick we got.

True or not, that was always the company line

[Devilhead]

When people talk about a Superdraft that 2015 class is pretty awesome .... absolutely killing it

Pick 1 - Weitering
3 - Mills
4 - Oliver
5 - Parish
6 - Francis
7 - Hopper
8 - Ah Chee
9 - Weideman
10 - Harry McKay
12 - Curnow
13 - Matt Kennedy
14 - Hipwood
15 - Rioli
16 - H Himmelberg
17 - Doedee
18 - Gresham
19 - Burton
20 - Fiorini
21 - Ben McKay
24 - Keays
25 - Dunkley
30 - Redman
35 - Marcus Adams
37 - Bonner
44 - Hardwick
48 - Bailey Williams
50 - Markov
53 - Silvagni
55 - Collins
56 - Dawson
66 - Menegola
67 - Broad

[Impatient Sainter]

Cal Twomey who holds reasonable credibility as a journalist, has suggested that due to TPP pressures GWS will likely have to release Hopper and his contract if Taranto choses to remain. So I think its reasonable to believe either one of Hopper or Taranto will be traded at seasons end. Clubs will know that and have leverage over them.

No one would have thought Ed Langdon would have become the player he has at Fremantle, but Melbourne identified and targetted him because of his player and age profile. It is possible that players find another level at new clubs. Lachie Neale & Prestia are other examples of players who were solid players but went to another level as they matured at their new club.

I think it is smart recruiting to identify and target such players. Player/s who we think in our present environment have the capacity to go to another level. Taranto, McGrath and Hopper are such players. Look at how the club are currently reprogramming Billings because he had stopped working both ways, in the right environment that is sucessful.

I think the decision will come down to where our recruiting team think where we sit as far as our list winning a flag lies? There is no doubt our kids like Byrnes, Owens & Windhager will make decent midfielders, but the decision will be whether the club thinks they need a plug and play 24-25yo mid who is a good clearance player.

The other consideration is us losing Steele for 6 weeks has really exposed how heavily we rely on his clearance work.

[B.M]

McGrath is NOT what we need

He is bog average as a mid and we have plenty of small defenders

He’s nowhere near as good as Sinclair

Would be a dumb recruiting decision- so he’ll probably be a Saint

[CQ SAINT]

McGrath is NOT what we need

He is bog average as a mid and we have plenty of small defenders

He’s nowhere near as good as Sinclair

Would be a dumb recruiting decision- so he’ll probably be a Saint

Yes. This could be as bad as Howard, Hill, Crouch and Ryder.

[D.B.Cooper]

When people talk about a Superdraft that 2015 class is pretty awesome .... absolutely killing it

Pick 1 - Weitering
3 - Mills
4 - Oliver
5 - Parish
6 - Francis
7 - Hopper
8 - Ah Chee
9 - Weideman
10 - Harry McKay
12 - Curnow
13 - Matt Kennedy
14 - Hipwood
15 - Rioli
16 - H Himmelberg
17 - Doedee
18 - Gresham
19 - Burton
20 - Fiorini
21 - Ben McKay
24 - Keays
25 - Dunkley
30 - Redman
35 - Marcus Adams
37 - Bonner
44 - Hardwick
48 - Bailey Williams
50 - Markov
53 - Silvagni
55 - Collins
56 - Dawson
66 - Menegola
67 - Broad

#2 - Josh Sache - ouch!
Put any of McKay, Curnow, Dunkley, Oliver, Parish into Brisbane now!

[happy feet]

Never deal with Essendon. After what happened with Lovett, never ever deal with the club who are total cheats.

[Banger9798]

I hope we get Taranto

Goal kicking mid, tough and would do well under Ratten.

McGrath is a good player, but I think we have his spot covered.
No more HBFs

[ace]

When people talk about a Superdraft that 2015 class is pretty awesome .... absolutely killing it

Pick 1 - Weitering
3 - Mills
4 - Oliver
5 - Parish
6 - Francis
7 - Hopper
8 - Ah Chee
9 - Weideman
10 - Harry McKay
12 - Curnow
13 - Matt Kennedy
14 - Hipwood
15 - Rioli
16 - H Himmelberg
17 - Doedee
18 - Gresham
19 - Burton
20 - Fiorini
21 - Ben McKay
24 - Keays
25 - Dunkley
30 - Redman
35 - Marcus Adams
37 - Bonner
44 - Hardwick
48 - Bailey Williams
50 - Markov
53 - Silvagni
55 - Collins
56 - Dawson
66 - Menegola
67 - Broad

Saints could have named anyone from 6 onwards but instead went for Carlisle.
Carlisle played some good games for the saints but only got part of his playing lifetime.
If you get the draft right you can hopefully get a full playing lifetime out of player.

[ace]

Never deal with Essendon. After what happened with Lovett, never ever deal with the club who are total cheats.

At the end of this season there could be a number of disillusioned Essendon players looking for better opportunities elsewhere.

[Banger9798]

When people talk about a Superdraft that 2015 class is pretty awesome .... absolutely killing it

Pick 1 - Weitering
3 - Mills
4 - Oliver
5 - Parish
6 - Francis
7 - Hopper
8 - Ah Chee
9 - Weideman
10 - Harry McKay
12 - Curnow
13 - Matt Kennedy
14 - Hipwood
15 - Rioli
16 - H Himmelberg
17 - Doedee
18 - Gresham
19 - Burton
20 - Fiorini
21 - Ben McKay
24 - Keays
25 - Dunkley
30 - Redman
35 - Marcus Adams
37 - Bonner
44 - Hardwick
48 - Bailey Williams
50 - Markov
53 - Silvagni
55 - Collins
56 - Dawson
66 - Menegola
67 - Broad

Saints could have named anyone from 6 onwards but instead went for Carlisle.
Carlisle played some good games for the saints but only got part of his playing lifetime.
If you get the draft right you can hopefully get a full playing lifetime out of player.

Yep but we got both and I reckon Gresh is top 10 in that draft.

Biggest disappointment was 2020 Carlisle, having played a blinder against Dogs, went home for our second final against Richmond, right when we needed him most.

[saynta]

When people talk about a Superdraft that 2015 class is pretty awesome .... absolutely killing it

Pick 1 - Weitering
3 - Mills
4 - Oliver
5 - Parish
6 - Francis
7 - Hopper
8 - Ah Chee
9 - Weideman
10 - Harry McKay
12 - Curnow
13 - Matt Kennedy
14 - Hipwood
15 - Rioli
16 - H Himmelberg
17 - Doedee
18 - Gresham
19 - Burton
20 - Fiorini
21 - Ben McKay
24 - Keays
25 - Dunkley
30 - Redman
35 - Marcus Adams
37 - Bonner
44 - Hardwick
48 - Bailey Williams
50 - Markov
53 - Silvagni
55 - Collins
56 - Dawson
66 - Menegola
67 - Broad

Saints could have named anyone from 6 onwards but instead went for Carlisle.
Carlisle played some good games for the saints but only got part of his playing lifetime.
If you get the draft right you can hopefully get a full playing lifetime out of player.

Yep but we got both and I reckon Gresh is top 10 in that draft.

Biggest disappointment was 2020 Carlisle, having played a blinder against Dogs, went home for our second final against Richmond, right when we needed him most.

His missus needed him more.

[magnifisaint]

Ordinary player. How did he go no 1?

[Vortex]

McGrath is NOT what we need

He is bog average as a mid and we have plenty of small defenders

He’s nowhere near as good as Sinclair

Would be a dumb recruiting decision- so he’ll probably be a Saint

They've been keen on Billings in the past, maybe a swaping of two bog average players could be the spark each needs to pull their fingers out. Our recruiters would be silly not to discuss a straight swap because Billings seems have reached his cieling at St Kilda.