Mac Andrew is an 18 year old ruck/tall utility who plays for the Dandenong Stingrays and Vic Country Under 19s and is sort of tied to Melbourne as a Next Generation Academy player. "Sort of", because any club can take him without challenge if they nominate him in the top 20 of this year's national draft. If nominated beyond that selection, the Demons could opt to take him by matching his points value at that pick.
 
Andrew is 200cm but lightly built at 70kg. He's somewhat enigmatic in that his athleticism and great leap make him an eye catcher - he can play ruck or in key positions but after a brilliant opening burst early in the season, he's been hot and cold and also missing through injury. He returned to the field in today's game for Vic Country against a strong Vic Metro team that dominated over their rivals from the bush. Andrew showed sparks of promise but that wiry build needs a lot of work and time for development. Most judges have him on the fringe of top 20 selection. AFL Draft Central currently rates him just outside that range at #21 so it's likely to be an interesting point of conversation over the next 4½ months before that big day late in November when his footballing future and those of many others will be decided.

From the latest AFL Draft Central Power Rankings: July 2021

"Eyes quickly turned to Andrew after he collected 22 disposals, three marks and 11 hitouts on his NAB League debut, before going on to prove it was no fluke by impressing across another three outings. He found himself spending more time forward against the Sandringham Dragons in Round 4 and kicked a goal, but has some development left in his decision making and disposal by foot at times. He boasts clean hands and was better aerially than his averages of three marks and 14.5 hitouts suggest. The same could be said about his game for the AFL Academy, where Andrew was tried up either end before excelling in the ruck during term four, throwing his 200cm frame into each centre bounce with a phenomenal vertical leap."

Here's an article about the player and his background -

Mac time: Demons’ academy star inspired by Sudanese pioneers

And here’s the full footage from that game he played for the AFL Academy -

 

The experts think he will go top 15. I have my doubts he has tricks but still a mile off AFL level. There are simularities between him and Daw he's very raw but his athletic ability the sky's the limit. It will take a very brave club to pick him in the top 20. 

29 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

The experts think he will go top 15. I have my doubts he has tricks but still a mile off AFL level. There are simularities between him and Daw he's very raw but his athletic ability the sky's the limit. It will take a very brave club to pick him in the top 20. 

There are 17 other clubs in the competition. I'm betting that at least one will take the punt.

Jeelong might pounce with a late first rounder 

Be very surprised if he goes top 20 - even top 30.  Not many clubs have the ability to draft a tall project player with their first pick.  Loads of potential but surely more likely to bust than to make it (nothing against the guy but most don't).  And if he does make it, then it would make more sense to make a big play for him when another side has put 3-4 solid years of development into him.  Most clubs require their first round picks to inject a bit of hope into the club (someone that could play the following year) and those that are in contention try to trade or draft in the missing ingredient.  For someone playing such a physical role in such a lightly built frame, Andrew doesn't fit either.

Different player and circumstance but we picked Rosman mostly on potential last year - pace, endurance and height.  We took a risk because we need a winger but also knew that if we could get it all to click for him then he could be a real weapon.  But we weren't prepared to do that with our first pick (although admittedly perhaps we would have had Geelong not got in before us).

Just my view, but unless Mac Andrew dominates the back half of the year, he will be ours if we want him (i.e. will not go in the top 20).

Been saying this for the last couple of months.

He'll go top 20. He won't be coming to Melbourne. 

https://twitter.com/CalTwomey/status/1413374928263385088?s=20

agree. literally all the experts who speak to player managers and watch junior footy all say that he'll go top 20. More than happy to not hear the Mac Andrew name every again. 

I watched the game (Metro v country) today.  Mac did a few things when the ball came his way, but he seemed to jog in a headless chook kinda way between ‘moments’.  His positioning and defensive efforts were average.  Yep, he can jump, he took a couple of nice marks and did OK in the ruck, but im not sure he was top 20 looking at the game.  Daicos was absolutely BOG and will go #1.  A number of other players did very well and will push forward.  I think only a team that has no immediate needs and a long time horizon could would punt on Mac Andrew at this stage.

It does seem a massive over correction by the AFL.  I presume Andrew has been a part of the NGA for a few years.  We would have invested some time into him, and then the rules change for this season.  Seems to defeat the purpose of having clubs invest in the whole academy system.  A better rule might have been that clubs get one free hit on the NGA every three seasons.  That way the investment becomes substantially more worthwhile but means you can't just harvest the academy zone each year.  Anyway, good luck to the young fella.  The more representative the AFL is of Australian society the better.

 

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

 

Talk about overrating a player.

Seems he will go inside top 20. Bugger.

Given the first round can go beyond top 20, its strange the AFL's rationale to pick that number as the cut off for academy. And yet F/S's can be matched anywhere because of 'tradition'. Go figure.

I'd rather see the AFL put a stop to clubs dumping future high picks knowing there is a player of the ilk of Nick Daicos coming up. IMO its not far off draft tampering

What is the point of nurturing an academy player if they develop into a top 20 pick and the club can't even have a crack?

Crazy AFL logic once again.

Of course it was put in place the year we might've benefited, of course...

Edited July 9, 20214 yr by Stiff Arm

It's [censored] hilarious the luck the dogs have had with the draft and (under previous rules) fairly playing the system. And don't get me started on the Swans.

Apart from Viney this is our first player who we've actually got ties to as a club and they change the rules on us the very season he's eligible for the draft.

No, i'm not implying a consiparcy against us but [censored] me do we draw the short straw a lot. Can't wait for F/S to be removed right before one of White's boys comes thru.

5 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

 

He's the second worst judge in the industry

6 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

It does seem a massive over correction by the AFL.  I presume Andrew has been a part of the NGA for a few years.  We would have invested some time into him, and then the rules change for this season.  Seems to defeat the purpose of having clubs invest in the whole academy system.  A better rule might have been that clubs get one free hit on the NGA every three seasons.  That way the investment becomes substantially more worthwhile but means you can't just harvest the academy zone each year.  Anyway, good luck to the young fella.  The more representative the AFL is of Australian society the better.

There was not even a mention of him until his dominant start to the NAB league season. Usually we've heard of academy players years in advance. He also has yet to play for Casey.

I don't think we've really got much to complain about here.

Having watched the game, I still think it’s far too early to be casting judgment about most of the prospects including Andrew who looks very raw and played in a team that struggled from the start. This was Callum Twomey’s view of his efforts in yesterday’s game.

“His athleticism and ability across the ground means he is forming to be selected inside the first 15 picks on draft night, with Friday’s effort again solidifying his standing among the leading talls in the crop as he compiled 15 disposals and a goal.”

We already know that only the highest calibre of talls will get picked in the first round of any given draft and that the recent mid season draft saw a number taken from that crop. There’s only going to be a limited number of clubs left on the lookout to spend a pick in the 10-20 range on a project ruckman who needs two to three years to develop. 

There are diverse opinions about most prospects (including Nick Daicos who was clearly the star of the show yesterday) so the discussion about Mac Andrew is going to be a long drawn out debate, especially if he continues to play in teams that get thrashed which has been the case in his last few outings. 

2 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

…  so the discussion about Mac Andrew is going to be a long drawn out debate, especially if he continues to play in teams that get thrashed which has been the case in his last few outings. 

Agree. It’s damn hard to play well if you’re in a team that’s getting flogged and down on confidence. 

Here's a thought.

We either get him or we don't...

The whole academy thing apart from the Northern states has been a complete stuff up by the AFL.

Again it's Gill and co trying to please all the clubs.

Should have been left with the Northern clubs only as that makes some sense but only if the zones are tight and not fluent and encroaching on AFL heart lands like Southern NSW and the NT...

The Dogs were lucky to get a break with this one.

Can't worry too much about what we haven't got.

If Mac Andrew wasn't tied to our academy would we be even talking about him? Dogga has the ruck position covered so why would we draft him. He doesn't fill an obvious need.

I thought this was going to be about a new McDonalds burger. 

8 minutes ago, Better days ahead said:

If Mac Andrew wasn't tied to our academy would we be even talking about him? Dogga has the ruck position covered so why would we draft him. He doesn't fill an obvious need.

Yep outside mid or KPF for me

Would someone please tell me if the Top 20 rule this year and Top 40 next year also applies to the NSW & Qld Clubs?  

4 hours ago, Kent said:

Yep outside mid or KPF for me

....and another key back the following draft, assuming 2 years for development? That timing might be ok for when May retires. Our key defender stocks don't run too deep. As mentioned in another post somewhere, if May were to go down we are screwed.

At 200cm plus and listed around 70 odd kg he is long term. Could be 4 years easily. Captain Gawn was 5 years or so. 

That is our only chance of nabbing him. Clubs not willing to wait that long.

Gees, we do have crap luck compared to say  bullies. To offset that though is our A1 Grade recruitment team.