Swans draftee Riak Andrew on comparisons to Mac and his new life in Sydney

Riak Andrew arrived in Sydney not long after his brother signed one of the richest deals in AFL history. He speaks to LACHLAN MCKIRDY about sibling rivalry and forging his own path in footy.

New Sydney draftee Riak Andrew is ready to forge his own path in the AFL, declaring he has put up with comparisons against his brother for long enough.

The young defender was taken with pick 55 by the Swans at the draft after jumping up the draft board following some impressive performances down back for the Dandenong Stingrays in the Coates Talent League.

He averaged 4.6 intercept possessions and 2.8 marks a game playing a variety of different roles in defence in 2024. And although he was a member of Melbourne’s Next Generation Academy, the Demons opted against matching the bid, meaning Andrew is ready to make a name for himself in Sydney.

“I think I’m happy to play for a different club (to Mac), sort of forge my own path,” Andrew said.

“Growing up, being called Mac Andrew’s brother was a bit demoralising I guess. So I’m happy to make my own fresh start, make my own moves and really try to showcase to the outside world why this club picked me.”

Andrew is ready to make a name for himself at the Swans. Picture: Phil Hillyard

A former number five pick in the draft, Mac elevated his name into one of the most dynamic defenders in the AFL in 2024 after a strong year for the Suns.

It also saw him put pen to paper on the richest deal in AFL history that could see him earn $14 million over the next 10 years.

And although the sibling rivalry is strong between the pair – “Give it a couple of years and they’ll be calling him Riak Andrew’s brother for sure,” Riak said – Mac has been quick to give the 19-year-old some brotherly advice.

“His biggest advice is to crack in from day one,” Riak said. “Earn the respect of all your teammates, no matter if they’re the first years like me or 10-year veterans.

These moments 😭❤️

Our newest Swan Riak Andrew gets a visit from Kirky and Coxy and in an emotional moment for him and his family puts the Swans guernsey on for the first time.#Bloodspic.twitter.com/KVLXp06iR7

— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) November 21, 2024

“Really train hard and showcase why you’re here. And really compete. Compete, compete, compete is probably the big one for me.

“He’s had his problems a bit that he’s learned from and he’s passing that wisdom down to me so I don’t make the mistakes that he did. But he’s been super helpful for me in these past three to four weeks in adapting to become an AFL player.”

Mac Andrew, who recently signed one of the most lucrative deals in AFL history, has passed on plenty of advice to his younger brother. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

One of Andrew’s first official tasks could be playing against his brother, with the Swans taking on the Suns in a pre-season fixture in February. But it’s easy to see the younger sibling’s confidence is already sky-high.

“When I first got drafted we talked about (playing against each other),” Andrew said.

“He said he’d be playing forward to kick goals on me. I said, ‘Nah mate, you’re dreaming’. I told him he’d be lucky to get a couple of touches on me.

“If I’m lucky enough to play in the AFL side, then I’ll try and get into his head.”

It’s been a stark adjustment to life on an AFL list with Andrew sweating it up so far during pre-season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Andrew admits it has been a big adjustment during his first few weeks as an AFL player in Sydney. Not only has he had to take on more responsibility around the house with cooking and cleaning, but the intensity of pre-season is far different to what he experienced at Dandenong.

But following an impressive six months which included noteworthy showings against high-quality young key forwards such as Jobe Shanahan, Andrew is ready to help the Swans’ defensive revolution under Dean Cox.

“The first session on the Monday it was like, ‘Oh, this is my life now, this is all a bit surreal’,” Andrew said. “But now it has sunk in and I’m just ready to get to work.

The teenager’s ability in the air will be a key asset for Sydney. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Andrew will need nurturing but the Swans are set to give him all the time he needs to develop. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“Really spent the last six to eight weeks of the season … honing in on vision, talking with coaches and studying opposition and using my strengths to nullify them. It was a lot of one-on-one stuff, talking about body position, whether I’m engaging or not and using my run and leap which I think I showcased really well.

“It was trying to be more professional with my footy which I guess got me to a good place.

“I pride myself more on defending but had a lockdown switch in the last couple of weeks. But it’s (playing) wherever the team needs.

“If they need me to shut down an opponent, I feel like I have the confidence to do that no matter who the opponent is. If they want me to play third-up and intercept with my running leap and my marking ability, I think I’d back myself to win a lot of those contests in the air.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to live out your childhood dream, so yeah, I’m just super grateful.”

Originally published as Swans draftee Riak Andrew on comparisons to Mac and his new life in Sydney