Cory McGrath is calling time on one of the most unique footy careers
Cory McGrath is calling time on a career that’s taken him from WA to Essendon, Carlton, a VFL premiership and helping Moonee Valley earn promotion.
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Moonee Valley star Cory McGrath is hanging up the boots – permanently this time.
The 42-year-old has played at essentially every level of football and called time having accomplished his mission of lifting the Fog to EDFL Division 1.
While he didn’t get to do it with a premiership, McGrath said the body was telling him it was time.
“This will be the third or fourth time I’ve retired from footy,” he said.
“It was always our goal when Shan (coach Shannon Carroll) and I came down to get the club up to Div 1.
“Yeah, it’s a horrible feeling not having the chance to compete for it and win it but for the EDFL to reward our season and promote us is great for the club.
“I’m 42 now, 43 next year, so it was a struggle getting through this year, particularly with the stop-start nature.
“Going into Division 1 next season and turning 43, I needed to put the body first, the family first, it’ my time to hang up the boots and let the young guys go at it.”
McGrath was drafted by Essendon out of South Fremantle, going on to play 28 games for the Bombers and 50 more for Carlton.
He joined SANFL outfit South Adelaide after his AFL days were over before coming back to Melbourne and forming part of Port Melbourne’s invincibles in 2011.
After four years out of the game, he played SuperRules before joining Airport West and then Moonee Valley, where he won the league best-and-fairest in 2019 as a 40-year-old.
McGrath highlighted the league medal win as one of his best achievements in football and playing in finals.
He said each level of football came with different levels of enjoyment.
“Playing AFL is tough and not many get the opportunity, that’s what I’m always grateful for, playing as many games as I did,” he said.
“I came through junior footy at South Fremantle so I was always in that high-performance environment and then coming back to local footy at the back-end of my career I got a taste of that community aspect of footy.
“Training twice a week and hanging out with the boys and women’s team gave me a different perspective on footy.
“Winning is always enjoyable, that’s what I’ve enjoyed at Moonee Valley the last couple of years.
“We’ve had a high ratio of wins, which makes the game a lot more enjoyable, recovery a lot more enjoyable and Saturday a lot more fun as well.
“Just playing local footy around the grounds, I just enjoy competing and I enjoyed the crowd banter – I know I’m old but it was nice to hear the supporters recognise that as well.”
McGrath credits a love of fitness and dedication to training at the highest level possible for his longevity.
He labelled Fog teammates Braden Padmore and Ned Wilson as two of the best he’s seen.
“I enjoy staying fit and healthy, that’s allowed me to play at a high level of footy for a long, long time,” he said.
“If you want to play with the best you need to be training at the highest level you can – doing those one-percenters will usually get you ahead of everyone else.
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“Even from a young age, if I could train at the same level as the best players at the club – whether that was at South Fremantle, Essendon, Carlton or even Moonee Valley – it gives you the best opportunity to be your best.
“I like to lead by example and if I’m setting the right example it hopefully brings people along.
“Braden is a freak of an athlete and Ned is a hungry beast of a competitor, I enjoyed watching those two because they just dominated the game.”
Now working at the AFL Players’ Association, McGrath is on the Moonee Valley committee and will be an interested onlooker in 2022.
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