Andrew McGrath is a future AFL leader with supreme talent and in mix to be 2016’s No.1 pick
DRAFT prospect Andy McGrath is powerful, explosive and evasive and might be the man for Essendon at pick one in Friday’s national draft. WATCH HIS HIGHLIGHTS
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ANDY McGrath is the boy you’d want your daughter to marry.
He is a future AFL leader who cares more about others than himself.
And his supreme talent is matched by a willingness to learn.
In order, they are the opinions of a TAC Cup talent manager, McGrath’s school coach Robert Shaw and summer kicking mentor Nick Dal Santo.
McGrath is powerful, explosive and evasive and might be the man for Essendon at pick one in Friday’s national draft.
He is ready to play AFL.
If the Bombers pass on McGrath, Greater Western Sydney will not.
At the Giants he would start as a defensive forward and transition into a halfback weapon, likely when Heath Shaw retires,
Robert Shaw says that’s a key — McGrath is multi-dimensional. Pigeon-hole him at your peril.
Want proof? No TAC Cup player averaged more disposals in the midfield than the Canadian-born star.
And no defender averaged more disposals than the former 400m national hurdles champion at the national carnival.
A look at McGrath’s 2016 paints the picture.
The Year 12 student was school captain of Brighton Grammar, vice-captain of its footy team, captain of its athletics team, co-captain of Vic Metro and in the Sandringham Dragons’ leadership group.
He even joined the BGS choir.
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He was All-Australian, won Vic Metro’s MVP and was named best-afield in the TAC Cup grand final.
That day McGrath had 10 first-half disposals, but finished with 38 and eight clearances to drive the Dragons to a flag.
McGrath can play, and is yet to find a level he can’t reach.
“We had to win one of our last two to win the APS premiership,” Shaw said.
“We went to Haileybury on a sloppy, drizzly sort of day, and we won 36-27.
“It was relentless pressure. We were in trouble before three-quarter time and because of the difficulty forwards were having, I put Andrew forward.
“He kicked two goals and set up another. When the big occasion comes, he’ll never let you down.”
The examples are endless.
“He played a game down at Gippsland where he racked up 44 touches and had 19 tackles,” Dragons talent manager Ryan O’Connor said.
“It’s not a bad effort, is it? I’ve had a couple of recruiters say it’s almost the best game of TAC Cup football they’ve seen, bar none.”
In the final round of 2015, McGrath was opposed to the bigger and stronger Blake Hardwick, who was drafted by Hawthorn.
“And he manhandled him,” one watcher decreed.
“He just keeps beating guys that are bigger than him.”
McGrath’s favourite game was his shutdown job on Ben Ainsworth, the day he literally ran Vic Metro to victory in the last quarter.
“Ben was up there, and still is up there, in the No.1 pick contention,” McGrath said.
“So it was an intimidating task for me, but I’m competitive — I took it with both hands — and tried to limit his impact and then also set up some attack from defence.”
Ainsworth hadn’t heard of McGrath at that stage, but that was the quarter that turbocharged McGrath’s ascension towards the top.
Afterwards, one club murmured McGrath might just wind up a top-five pick. The climb was consistent.
Metro coach David Flood said as good as McGrath’s negating efforts were, it was his run which impressed the most.
“It was infectious running. He attacked from defence and used his opponent as a starting point, and helped the whole team run,” Flood said.
“He just kept getting better. In terms of the lad, he’d be a great choice as the No.1
“He does everything right, he’s a good kid, he’s honest, he’s disciplined and he’s a team player. I couldn’t speak more highly of the lad.”
This year, McGrath refused to give himself a break.
Five days after the TAC Cup decider he was in the best in the All-Stars game and last month he ran a 10.95sec 100m at a school athletics meet.
“He has always risen to the standard,” Shaw said.
McGrath had lunch with Bomber recruiters at club headquarters on Wednesday.
Chances are he impressed.
PICK ME: ANDY McGRATH
AGE: 18
HEIGHT: 179cm
WEIGHT: 75kg
CLUB: Sandringham Dragons
POSITION: Halfback/midfield
SUPERCOACH AVG: 145pts (TAC Cup)
PLAYS LIKE: Jason Johannisen
PREDICTED DRAFT RANGE: 1-2
IN THE MIX: Essendon (1), GWS (2)
Originally published as Andrew McGrath is a future AFL leader with supreme talent and in mix to be 2016’s No.1 pick
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