Big Mac Andrew bulks up ahead of AFL draft

By Owen Leonard October 28, 2021 â€" 8.25am

Exciting key position prospect Mac Andrew has bulked up ahead of the draft in a bid to be ready for the rigours of AFL.

The 200-centimetre ruck-forward is likely to be snapped up within the first 10 picks after a head-turning season, but was initially viewed as a project player, having weighed in at only 70 kilograms earlier in the year.

Mac Andrew has put on 10 kilograms as part of a breakout season ahead of the draft.Credit:Justin McManus

His work with weights as well as a diet of chicken and pasta, however, has placed Andrew, who is also a member of Melbourne’s Next Generation academy, on a path to AFL readiness.

“I’ve put on about 10 kilos this year, so I’m about 80 now,” he said.

“I’m still pretty light, but Melbourne, they gave me a [weights] program to do and I reached out to the nutritionists that they’ve got. The [Dandenong] Stingrays as well, I’ve got a lot of people helping me with it.”

The 18-year-old’s rise has become Melbourne’s downfall, as the Demons cannot match a top-20 bid under revised academy rules. Melbourne might have fancied their chances of snaring Andrew last pre-season, but a campaign in which he flexed his freakish athleticism on multiple occasions swiftly pushed the prospect out of red-and-blue reach. Despite this, the Demons remained supportive.

Andrew in action during AFL Academy training in April.Credit:AFL Photos

“Nah, nah,” Andrew laughed, when quizzed on whether Melbourne ever told him to slow down. “I’ve had a few jokes about that, but they were really supportive with the way I was performing. They just told me they liked what I was doing and to keep going. They never told me to ease back.”

It was a rise so rapid that even Andrew was at a loss to explain it.

“I don’t really know where it came from,” he said. “I think I was just going out and trying to play the way I know I can play, and people started to take note of it a bit. I was just trying to play to my strengths and do what I do best.”

Greater Western Sydney have shown particular interest in the Dandenong product due to their need for key-position depth. The Giants currently hold pick two, but may opt to trade the selection given Andrew is likely to remain available by the mid-range of the top 10.

Andrew expects to commence his career as a forward.

“When I put on a bit more size, I could probably go into the ruck a bit more,” he explained. “But for me, probably more so as a forward-ruck, playing up forward and pinch-hitting in the ruck when they need me to.”

The smooth-moving tall prides himself on his ability to act as a fourth midfielder. Following ruck contests, he is known to crumb his own hitouts, speed away from opposition onballers and advance the ball forward with his rare big-man kicking skills.

“I like to follow up after I do my ruck taps, and try to help out my midfielders as much as I can, whether that’s on the ground or in the air. My follow-up work is something I really take pride in. I feel like it’s a real strength of my game,” he said.

The Egyptian-born Andrew, whose parents fled war-torn South Sudan, was particularly moved by Majak Daw as a junior. Now, he is eager to use his football platform to inspire the next generation.

“Especially Majak, I grew up watching him as a kid and you just think, ‘I want to do that same thing’, but now to think I could inspire other kids to play, it is kind of crazy.”

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.

Share this post