AFL 2025: TikTok, selfies and scuffles all part of the Mac Andrew experience
This gun swingman with truckloads of swagger is fast approaching rock star status on the Glitter Strip. Callum Dick dives into the Mac Andrew experience.
Gold Coast
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The spotlight is not for everybody.
But that is where Mac Andrew thrives.
With his unparalleled physical traits, fearless approach to footy and movie star swagger, the Gold Coast Suns’ budding superstar is tailor-made for the Glitter Strip.
The multimillion-dollar swingman is fast approaching rock star status and at 21, the football world is his oyster.
Unlike greats of the game like Gary Ablett Jr and Luke Hodge, who enjoyed relative anonymity after their high profile moves to the Sunshine State, Andrew has cultivated a cult following on the Gold Coast from the ground up.
Pockets of People First Stadium are dedicated to “Big Mac”. On any given match day, a quick scan of the crowd reveals dozens of signs ranging from “please give me your boots” to “can I get a selfie?”
He is always happy to oblige.
Last year, while attending a local state league basketball match, Andrew was mobbed by young fans who walked straight past the athletes getting ready to take the court, to get a photo and ask for his signature.
On Thursday, while walking the 500m from the Austworld Centre to People First Stadium, Andrew was stopped by a fan calling out from the balcony above: “Mac, do the shush celebration!”
He chuckled. His teammates, by now very much used to it, gave him a playful ribbing.
That came barely 20 minutes after a TikTok influencer arrived at training to challenge Andrew to a goal kicking contest.
All in a day’s work for a player who, in less than 50 games, has already started to transcend the football sphere.
“He’s a cult figure in our four walls and the community,” Suns teammate Daniel Rioli said.
“Everyone loves him. I’m here in Darwin now and everyone is calling out “Big Mac, Big Mac, Big Mac”. It’s so funny.
“Everyone knows who he is now. He’s the million dollar man.”
Like Lance Franklin and Dustin Martin before him, Andrew is a player who puts bums on seats.
“I would pay money to see him,” Suns coach Damian Hardwick said this week.
“The Bulldogs have a guy by the name of Bont who is a wonderful player in our competition – they are the players that people want to see. They want to see guys at their very best.
“We’re lucky to have (Andrew) in our squad. He’s only (21), so he’s only going to get better and better as we go.”
While his resume does not yet resemble that of the aforementioned future legends of the game, he has all the attributes to become a bona fide mega star of the competition.
It is why the Suns emptied the bank account last September to lock him in on a five-year deal with a trigger for a further four years.
In one of the most contested sporting markets in the country, where earning eyeballs is among the biggest challenges – especially for a fledgling franchise of only 15 years – the Suns have struck gold with Andrew.
They headhunted Hardwick not only for his proven coaching acumen, but also for his profile within the AFL. When their coach speaks, people listen. It gives the club much-needed cut through.
In different ways and for different reasons, Andrew offers the same.
In a team of stars including Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell, Touk Miller and Ben King, Andrew is the man most requested by media.
His fiery clash with Adelaide Crows spearhead Riley Thilthorpe earlier this year dominated the post-round discussion days later.
You can almost set your watch to Andrew getting under an opposition forward’s skin each week. If there is a verbal altercation, or physical scuffle, it is a good bet the key defender is not far away.
His approach is not for everyone. It has drawn criticism from some factions within the football world.
But Andrew is unapologetic when it comes to his style of play.
“I feel like it’s something not only this year, but something I’ve done throughout the first three or four years of my career, so I don’t know why people are only talking about it now,” Andrew said.
“I don’t think I’ll ever change. People can say what they want about me, but I don’t really care. I’ll just keep going out there and trying to play good footy … I just go out there to play my role for the team and if it comes with a bit of push and shove, then so be it.
“I want to limit the free kicks and stuff that I give away. If I give any 50m penalties away, I have to buy a meat tray. So that’s a bit of an incentive for me not to.”
To Rioli, who won three premierships at Richmond, Andrew reminds him a lot of Tigers’ spearhead Tom Lynch. A fierce competitor who flips a switch once the siren sounds.
“You see that game when we played Richmond, those two boys are just so competitive but off the field they are the nicest people ever,” Rioli said.
“They are so aggressive on the field but off the field they are gentle giants.
“I remember speaking to Mac a few weeks ago and he told me, in his first year he would get so wound up and angry. Now he’s toned it back.
“He’s an aggressive player, he wants to go at the opposition and put them off their game … but he knows where the line is now.
“He’s an amazing player and we don’t want him to change.”
“I thought he was our best player last week, for sure,” Hardwick said of Andrew.
“I’ll always be adamant that the very best players, they play at the line. Every now and then … you’re going to step over it. You accept that as a coach.”
Andrew talks the talk but importantly, also walks the walk.
To him, there is no task too great. No match-up to fear.
He recently sent a text to a friend at the Western Bulldogs telling them he was disappointed he would not get the chance to play against Sam Darcy this weekend.
“This was probably a few weeks ago now, I said I was really keen to play them in Darwin so that I could line up on (Darcy),” Andrew said.
“Obviously he’s gone down with injury, which is unfortunate. That was a challenge I was really looking forward to this year. I guess I’ll have to wait a little longer for it.
“I hope he’s going well with his rehab.”
Gold Coast hosts the Western Bulldogs at TIO Stadium in Darwin on Saturday night.
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