Tim McGrath
Encyclopedia
Tim McGrath is a former Australian rules football
er for the North Melbourne Football Club
from 1989 to 1991, and the Geelong Football Club
from 1992 to 2002, in the Australian Football League
(AFL), which was known as the Victorian Football League (VFL) when McGrath made his debut for North Melbourne in 1989.
in 1988 as the best player in that competition. That same year under coach Denis Pagan
, McGrath, along with future adversary, Wayne Carey
, would play in North Melbourne's Under 19s Premiership team.
, but only managed seven games in his three seasons with the club. He was traded to Geelong before the 1992 AFL season
, where he debuted in the first round against . McGrath's first game was unimpressive, as he had found himself playing on Hawthorn's champion full-forward Jason Dunstall
, who equalled his own record of the most goals in an opening round with 12 goals, a feat which he had previously achieved two years earlier, also against Geelong. Despite the unimpressive start by McGrath, he found a role as a Centre half-back
and played 26 games for the season, including in the Grand Final
loss against . He also finished second to Ken Hinkley
in the club's best and fairest
award, the Carji Greeves Medal
. McGrath was also a member of Geelong's 1994 and 1995 grand final teams.
McGrath is well known for his battles with North Melbourne's champion centre-half forward Wayne Carey
, whom McGrath beat on several occasions. McGrath's battles with Carey are considered second only to the Carey-Jakovich
ones. Tim McGrath was also instantly recognisable with his bright red hair.
In 2002, McGrath found it hard to fit into the Geelong
senior team as Matthew Scarlett
and Tom Harley
assumed responsibility for Geelong's backline. McGrath would captain Geelong's VFL
premiership team against Port Melbourne. He would finish second in the VFL team's best and fairest award to former senior team mate, David Mensch
.
After his retirement, he had played 212 senior games for the club.
, McGrath was one of 21 Geelong players that were in Bali
at the time when the 2002 Bali bombings occurred on 12 October 2002. McGrath and his team mates were staying at a hotel only 400 metres away from the Sari Club
, the scene of the bombings, and they had spent the entire week partying at the Sari Club, but on the night of the attacks, which was the final night of their trip, they decided to hang out at their hotel instead. McGrath stated afterwards that all the players were OK, but were upset about what had happened, and therefore did not wish to comment on the events that had occurred.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er for the North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
from 1989 to 1991, and the Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
from 1992 to 2002, in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL), which was known as the Victorian Football League (VFL) when McGrath made his debut for North Melbourne in 1989.
VFL career
McGrath had a successful career in the VFL Under 19s when he won the Morrish MedalMorrish Medal
The Morrish Medal is an Australian rules football award.Formerly awarded to the Best and Fairest player in the VFL Under 19 competition , since 1992 the award has been given to the best player in the Victorian TAC Cup Under 18 competition.The Morrish Medal was named in honour of Tom Morrish, a...
in 1988 as the best player in that competition. That same year under coach Denis Pagan
Denis Pagan
Denis Pagan is a former Australian rules football coach and player in the VFL/AFL. He is current coach of Northern Knights in TAC Cup.-Playing career:...
, McGrath, along with future adversary, Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Clubs in the Australian Football League ....
, would play in North Melbourne's Under 19s Premiership team.
VFL/AFL career
McGrath made his VFL/AFL debut for North Melbourne in round nine of the 1989 VFL season1989 VFL season
-Notable events:* In Round 13, horrendous conditions at Windy Hill saw Essendon and Footscray play the lowest scoring game since the 1927 Grand Final, with the teams combining for only 6.15 ....
, but only managed seven games in his three seasons with the club. He was traded to Geelong before the 1992 AFL season
1992 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 1992. The AFL Grand Final this year was won by the West Coast Eagles, who became the first non-Victorian club to win a Premiership.-Ladder:...
, where he debuted in the first round against . McGrath's first game was unimpressive, as he had found himself playing on Hawthorn's champion full-forward Jason Dunstall
Jason Dunstall
Jason Hadfield Dunstall is a former Australian rules football player for the Hawthorn Football Club of the AFL. He is the third greatest goalkicker in the history of the VFL/AFL. Dunstall is regarded as one of the greatest full-forwards to have ever played, kicking 1254 goals, a feat only...
, who equalled his own record of the most goals in an opening round with 12 goals, a feat which he had previously achieved two years earlier, also against Geelong. Despite the unimpressive start by McGrath, he found a role as a Centre half-back
Centre half-back
In Australian rules football, the centre half-back refers to a position in the half-back line of a football field.Centre half back is considered a key position in defence. Examples of centre half-backs include Glen Jakovich, Darren Mead, Tom Harley and Chris Tarrant....
and played 26 games for the season, including in the Grand Final
1992 AFL Grand Final
The 1992 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1992. It was the 96th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League,...
loss against . He also finished second to Ken Hinkley
Ken Hinkley
Ken Hinkley is a former Australian rules footballer with the Geelong Football Club and Fitzroy Football Club, a former assistant coach of the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club, and now an assistant coach at the Gold Coast Suns.Hinkley, recruited from Camperdown, started his...
in the club's best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award, the Carji Greeves Medal
Carji Greeves Medal
The Carji Greeves Medal is an Australian rules football award given to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Geelong Football Club for the season....
. McGrath was also a member of Geelong's 1994 and 1995 grand final teams.
McGrath is well known for his battles with North Melbourne's champion centre-half forward Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Clubs in the Australian Football League ....
, whom McGrath beat on several occasions. McGrath's battles with Carey are considered second only to the Carey-Jakovich
Glen Jakovich
Glen Jakovich is a former Australian rules footballer for the West Coast Eagles.Glen was recruited from South Fremantle in Western Australia and debuted in 1991 and played most of his career at the Centre Half Back position, in the number 27 gernsey...
ones. Tim McGrath was also instantly recognisable with his bright red hair.
In 2002, McGrath found it hard to fit into the Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
senior team as Matthew Scarlett
Matthew Scarlett
Matthew Scarlett is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League . A fullback, tall and weighing , Scarlett is the eldest son of former Geelong footballer John Scarlett....
and Tom Harley
Tom Harley
Thomas 'Tom' Harley is a former Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League...
assumed responsibility for Geelong's backline. McGrath would captain Geelong's VFL
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
premiership team against Port Melbourne. He would finish second in the VFL team's best and fairest award to former senior team mate, David Mensch
David Mensch
David Mensch is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the Australian Football League.Mensch was a half forward and played in two losing grand final teams...
.
After his retirement, he had played 212 senior games for the club.
2002 Bali bombings
After his retirement from AFL football at the end of the 2002 season2002 AFL season
-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Ladder:All teams played 22 games during the home and away season, for a total of 176...
, McGrath was one of 21 Geelong players that were in Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
at the time when the 2002 Bali bombings occurred on 12 October 2002. McGrath and his team mates were staying at a hotel only 400 metres away from the Sari Club
Sari Club
The Sari Club was a nightclub in Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia, which was at the center of the 2002 Bali bombing. It was a popular club for tourists, especially from Australia....
, the scene of the bombings, and they had spent the entire week partying at the Sari Club, but on the night of the attacks, which was the final night of their trip, they decided to hang out at their hotel instead. McGrath stated afterwards that all the players were OK, but were upset about what had happened, and therefore did not wish to comment on the events that had occurred.