Spat-out Pie turned Blues convert Liam McMahon hunts a second chance at the AFL

Timing conspired against Liam McMahon at Collingwood and his delisting came as a shock. Playing a completely different role for Carlton’s VFL side, he reckons he’s become ‘a 10-times better footballer’, writes PAUL AMY.

Liam McMahon kicks a goal for Carlton. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos

Forward or back?

Liam McMahon has played at both ends of the ground and after his 2024 VFL season for Carlton, he can give an emphatic answer to the question of his best position.

On performance and preference, he’s a forward. He more enjoys slotting goals than stopping them.

The former Collingwood senior-lister booted 45 for the Blues this year, putting him in contention for a second chance at the AFL.

Making his season the more commendable, the 197cm right-footer missed two matches with suspension and played for a team that won only four games. When it came to doing forward-50 business for the Blues, McMahon was a sole trader.

“At the start of the year there was talk about me starting in defence,’’ the 22-year-old tells CODE Sports.

“Then we realised there was probably a need for some height and aerial ability forward of the footy, so I had a chat with Luke (Carlton coach Luke Power) and we narrowed it down and I went and played forward. I guess it all clicked.’’

7.0 from Liam McMahon! #VFLpic.twitter.com/wFXdoiWs5J

— Carlton Blues Fans (@CarltonFCBlues) August 10, 2024

Particularly in Round 20 against Geelong, when he booted seven goals in a surprise win for the Blues. The first six came from marks inside 50, on the lead and contested. Accurate kicking did the rest. In fact, conversion was a high point of McMahon’s season: he finished with 45.15.

Unsurprisingly, he won Carlton’s best and fairest – and praise from Power.

“Liam is a resilient and courageous player and is well-respected by the team,’’ Power said after the count.

“He has worked incredibly hard to produce the form he has shown this year and for him to be crowned our VFL best and fairest is true recognition for his commitment both on and off the field.’’

Picture: Getty Images

Collingwood drafted McMahon – as a forward – from the Northern Knights in 2020. He was a little surprised, because the Pies spoke to him only once during the season.

With the Under 18 competition not going ahead because of Covid, they went on his performances in 2019, when they thought he came on strongly as a bottom-ager with his marking and athleticism.

“Coming out of Covid and not being able to play in my top-age year, I didn’t get that whole experience of having a draft year, doing all the representative games and stuff like that,’’ McMahon says.

“I had one conversation with them (Collingwood) and that was around April and I got drafted in December. They weren’t really on the radar.’’

He thought he was going to Port Adelaide. But the Pies plucked him at No. 31 with their fifth selection, seeing possibilities in his attacking prowess.

McMahon had only the half-season of the VFL in 2021 to play there. With Craig McRae taking over from Nathan Buckley, a change of coach brought a change of positions for the second-year tall.

“He (McRae) said, “We see you as a defender, so we’re going to switch you’,’’ McMahon says.

Liam McMahon #VFL Round 11:
game high 5 goals
game high 9 score involvements
7 marks (2 contested)
11 disposals @ 91%
2 tackles
2 inside 50s pic.twitter.com/nbvUZLgtmo

— Carlton Blues Fans (@CarltonFCBlues) June 10, 2024

He played 19 VFL games in 2022, averaging 15.4 possessions, but was delisted at season’s end.

“It came as a little bit of a shock,’’ he says. “My first year was Covid-interrupted and I only played six games in the VFL. In my second year I was learning a brand new position and was going quite well and I had some good feedback from the coaches. I was getting some players’ player awards.

“So I thought I was progressing quite well. And then I walked into ‘Fly’s’ (McRae) office after they lost the prelim to Sydney and he said, ‘We’re closer to a flag than we thought, we don’t have the time to develop you at the moment, we’re going to go with some experienced players in this window and unfortunately we don’t have a list spot for you’.

“It wasn’t that I wasn’t good enough. They wanted some mature bodies to win a flag. They got it the next year but I feel I was spat out a little bit early.’’

Pie to Blue: Liam McMahon is hunting another AFL chance. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

McMahon says he cannot complain about his experience with the Magpies.

He did not play a senior game. But he did train with the likes of Scott Pendlebury, Darcy Moore and Brodie Grundy.

“I didn’t fulfil AFL level but I still l learned so much from legends of the game, so many names that are going to go down in history that I was able to rub shoulders with.

“I’ve got lifelong friends there in Reef McInnes, Findlay McRae, Beau McCreery. The boys I was drafted with are all pretty tight and we like to catch up every now and then. So absolutely, I’m very grateful for my time at Collingwood.’’

Let go at 20 and believing his best was to come, McMahon set out for the VFL and Carlton. He credits Power with giving him confidence and letting him use his strengths.

“I think playing forward shows my athletic ability, my aerial capacity and my kicking,’’ he says. “They’re the three things I pride myself on. I can jump at the footy and then if it hits the ground I’m quite agile for someone my size, I can move, I can run, I’m fast … and most times when I get the footy, I’m scoring.’’

That said, he’s comfortable playing as a key defender: “A couple of times this year Luke looked to me to sit a kick behind the play and read it and intercept the footy for us.’’

The way McMahon sees it, he’s far more equipped now to play in the AFL than when he was drafted. With two years in the AFL at Collingwood and two in the VFL at Carlton, he feels he’s done an apprenticeship in senior football and “I’m qualified in what it takes to play at the level’’.

“I’m a 10-times better footballer now than when I was at the back-end of Collingwood. I’m way more mature, I’m ready, I’m wanting to attack another opportunity with both hands. Hopefully a club will take a punt on someone who’s determined and so hungry.’’

An improved Liam McMahon hopes he gets another look-in at AFL level. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos

Carlton VFL senior assistant Tom Langford on Liam McMahon

“He’s had four years to develop his craft. I often talk about a three to four-year cycle for player development and how crucial that timeframe is. Very rarely do we see players bypass that. Those that do are often the elite of the elite, go straight in and get to work at a high level.

“Liam at 6’6 … the talls naturally take a bit longer … he’s got a taste of it in an AFL program at Collingwood and he’s progressed to be a standout player and develop as a leader in our VFL program. He’s got the maturity and the skill-set to play AFL footy in 2025.’’

Originally published as Spat-out Pie turned Blues convert Liam McMahon hunts a second chance at the AFL