No.1 question ahead of the AFL Draft, who will be No.1? Hugh McCluggage or Andy McGrath
ANDY or Hugh? It is the No.1 question of the national draft and the answer is still unknown. Sam Landsberger previews the fight to be No.1.
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ANDY or Hugh? Hugh or Andy?
It is the No.1 question of the national draft and the answer is still unknown.
Will Essendon crown blistering half-back Andy McGrath or goalkicking midfielder Hugh McCluggage dux of this year’s class.
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Or could the Bombers spring a surprise and bid on Greater Western Sydney academy star Will Setterfield?
GWS is probably hoping for McCluggage.
Why? The Herald Sun reported in September that the Giants were plotting to rise up the draft order with McGrath in mind, a player they see as a piece in their premiership puzzle.
GWS then hopped from pick seven to three to two last month, and will land its man should the Dons go McCluggage, who won the TAC Cup league medal from just 10 games.
It’s not hard to see why GWS loves McGrath.
The Brighton Grammar school captain and Vic Metro footy captain could start life as a defensive forward alongside Steve Johnson and then seamlessly become a half-back weapon when Heath Shaw calls time.
ANDY ON HUGH: “He’s an awesome kid, one of the nicest blokes you’ll meet. He’s just so different to a lot of the players in the pool. The way he hits the scoreboard and moves so seamlessly through packs, he’s just so classy.”
HUGH ON ANDY: “I played on him against Metro and he did a really good job, he’s just so hard to play on. He gets the ball himself and he also locks down and he’s very athletic. He’d be a very deserving No.1.”
The 179cm McGrath rose to prominence with a match-winning job on Ben Ainsworth and went berserk in the TAC Cup finals, delivering Sandringham a premiership with 38 disposals and eight clearances in the big one.
Three weeks ago, he ran a 10.95sec 100m at a school athletics meet.
The former hurdler who honed his kicking skills with Nick Dal Santo is a born leader and a survey of this year’s elite talent showed plenty of McGrath’s peers believe he is the best.
“Having played with him, against him and trained with him for most of the year I’d have him No.1,” full-forward prospect Patrick Kerr says.
Collingwood father-son Josh Daicos reckons McGrath’s run-and-carry will translate to the AFL.
“He’s had a tremendous season and he’s ready to have an impact pretty early,” Daicos said.
“He’s got a lot of confidence in his game and uses the ball exceptionally well.”
But while the survey was tight, the 185cm McCluggage won out. He is the classy midfielder who can dance through congestion and kicks goals.
The scoreboard impact is what sets the South Warrnambool kid from a 650-cow dairy farm apart.
McCluggage slotted 25 majors from 12 TAC Cup games this season and some clubs are confident he is in front.
“A smooth mover,” key forward Todd Marshall says.
“He does everything right. If you’re going the safest pick, I think it’s Hugh.”
Adelaide father-son Ben Jarman says both have X-factor.
“Andy’s got a lot of speed and Hugh finds the ball so easily and uses it so well,” Jarman said.
But it wasn’t just a two-horse race.
The Pies’ other father-son, Callum Brown, anointed Sam Petrevski-Seton the pick of the bunch.
“I really like how clean he is at ground level, he’s an awesome decision-maker and he can win his own ball,” Brown said.
Sam Powell-Pepper agreed, while ruckman Tim English went for a buzz midfielder.
“Being part of the All-Stars game, Tim Taranto stood out to me,” English said.
“He played a seriously wicked game. He understands the game so well, I think he kicked four or five and had 20-odd touches. He just made the game look easy.”
If McCluggage and McGrath are the first two chosen, most think Brisbane Lions would grab Ben Ainsworth with the next pick.
That equation would have Taranto or Petrevski-Seton likely to land at Carlton at No.5, while Griffin Logue continues to firm as a top-10 pick.
Some think Logue could be a Swan at No.9 and while the West Australian with fuzzy hair can lose his feet at times, he’s a nice intercept mark and outstanding character.
Then again, we are closing in on the November 25 draft without a clear-cut No.1. There is no Tom Boyd or Jacob Weitering in 2016.
So in a draft light on for talls, who will it be — Hugh or Andy?
Over to you, Bombers.
Originally published as No.1 question ahead of the AFL Draft, who will be No.1? Hugh McCluggage or Andy McGrath
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