HANDY ANDY RISING STAR

ESSENDON says defender Andy McGrath will evolve into a permanent inside midfielder after he was yesterday crowned the club’s second Rising Star winner.

The Canadian-born dasher polled maximum votes from nine out of 11 judges to become the first No.1 draft pick to win the award since Brett Deledio in 2005, and just the third in 25 years.

McGrath, 19, suspected that Hawk Ryan Burton had the gong “wrapped up”, and while the hot favourite finished second, Burton did not get maximum votes from any judge.

Carlton’s Rising Star drought continued with mercurial goalkicker Charlie Curnow placing fourth, following Jacob Weitering (third) last year and Patrick Cripps (runner-up) in 2015.

While McGrath’s teammates have the weekend off, he must sweat through a training session today after missing yesterday’s main workout to attend the Docklands function.

The Brighton Grammar product — who abandoned an Olympics dream to focus on footy — said he failed to meet his own high standards during pre-season games and was surprised to earn a Round 1 debut.

“Going as a high pick you put a lot of pressure on yourself to play early and play well early,” McGrath said.

“I don’t think I was really doing that — I wasn’t training at the level I knew I could train at and I wasn’t really performing in the JLT series.

“[But] from Round 1 onwards I knew the coaching staff had belief in me.”

McGrath is introducing his damaging run and has won more than 20 disposals in six of his past eight matches.

“I started off a lockdown defender and have slowly progressed up the field, the last couple of weeks playing on the wing,” he said.

“I model my game a lot off Zach Merrett, and I’d love to play the role he plays some day. That’s my goal personally, and I think the coaches have the same view.”

McGrath kept dual All-Australian Eddie Betts goalless and to just seven disposals in Round 21.