Andrew McQualter
Encyclopedia
Andrew McQualter is an Australian rules football
er who played 89 games for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
, and attended Gippsland Grammar School
and later Caulfield Grammar School
as a boarder along with future St Kilda teammate Brendon Goddard
. McQualter and Goddard both captained the school's First XVIII football team and played in the First XI cricket
side.
McQualter captained the Victorian Country Under-16 and Under-18 teams at the National Football Championships. He was injured for the 2004 National Carnival, meaning many AFL scouts didn't see him play during his final year of junior football. Nevertheless, he was selected by St Kilda 17th overall in the first round of the 2004 AFL Draft
.
He averaged 13 possessions per game over seven senior games in the 2005 season
.
He appeared in ten games in the 2006 season.
McQualter was officially delisted by the Saints at the end of the 2007 season
, despite having another year to run on a two year contract. He was reported as saying that he felt he had "stagnated" in his third year of football. He was then redrafted by the St Kilda Football Club club onto the clubs rookie list
in the 2007 Draft
and returned to the team.
quietly on s rookie list, but began to turn in several solid performances with St Kilda's affiliate in the Victoria Football League (VFL). With his continued good form McQualter was temporarily elevated off the rookie list and selected to play against Sydney in Round 12. He cemented his place in the senior team after several tagging jobs and played nine consecutive games, a personal best for McQualter at the time.
He played his first AFL final in the 2008 1st Qualifying Final against Geelong
.
McQualter was promoted back onto St Kilda's primary list at the end of the 2008 season.
.
St Kilda won direct qualification through to the 2009 Grand Final after qualifying and preliminary final wins. McQualter played in the 2009 AFL Grand Final
in which St Kilda were defeated by 12 points.
McQualter averaged 14.4 possessions per game and kicked 22 goals in 24 matches during the 2009 season.
As of the end of the 2009 season, McQualter had played in six finals matches, including one grand final.
As of the end of the 2010 season, McQualter had played in 10 AFL finals matches, including three grand finals. He was delisted at the end of the 2011 season following the Saints' elimination final loss to the Sydney Swans.
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 who played 89 games for the St Kilda Football Club 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).
Overview
McQualter was raised in Traralgon, VictoriaTraralgon, Victoria
Traralgon is a regional city located in the Latrobe Valley in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. Traralgon is a city within the City of Latrobe....
, and attended Gippsland Grammar School
Gippsland Grammar School
Gippsland Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational, day and boarding school, located in Sale, in the state of Victoria, Australia....
and later Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, Anglican, day and boarding school, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1881 as a boys' school, Caulfield began admitting girls exactly one hundred years later...
as a boarder along with future St Kilda teammate Brendon Goddard
Brendon Goddard
Brendon James Goddard is an Australian rules footballer for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League...
. McQualter and Goddard both captained the school's First XVIII football team and played in the First XI cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
side.
McQualter captained the Victorian Country Under-16 and Under-18 teams at the National Football Championships. He was injured for the 2004 National Carnival, meaning many AFL scouts didn't see him play during his final year of junior football. Nevertheless, he was selected by St Kilda 17th overall in the first round of the 2004 AFL Draft
2004 AFL Draft
The 2004 AFL Draft, concerning player acquisitions in the 2004/05 Australian Football League off-season, consisted of a trade period, a national draft, a pre-season draft, and the elevation of rookies...
.
2004: Drafted
McQualter was drafted by the St Kilda Football Club in the 2004 NAB AFL Draft - 1st round selection pick 17 overall.2005: Debut
McQualter debuted for St Kilda Round 8 of the 2005 AFL Premiership Season against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco in Perth, with 16 possessions.He averaged 13 possessions per game over seven senior games in the 2005 season
2005 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:...
.
He appeared in ten games in the 2006 season.
2007: Delisted and redrafted
At the end of the 2007 season, McQualter had played 23 games, earning 137 kicks and 121 handballs, for a total of 258 disposals (an average of 11.2 possessions per game).McQualter was officially delisted by the Saints at the end of the 2007 season
2007 AFL season
The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia...
, despite having another year to run on a two year contract. He was reported as saying that he felt he had "stagnated" in his third year of football. He was then redrafted by the St Kilda Football Club club onto the clubs rookie list
Rookie list
The Rookie List is a means for Australian Football League clubs to maintain additional players outside of the 38-man primary or senior list. Rookie listed players are not eligibile to play in AFL home and away or finals matches unless they are elevated to the senior list, either to replace a...
in the 2007 Draft
2007 AFL Draft
The 2007 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2007/08 Australian Football League off-season. These were trade week, the National Draft, the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft.- Trades :...
and returned to the team.
2008: From rookie to primary list
McQualter began the 2008 season2008 AFL season
-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:...
quietly on s rookie list, but began to turn in several solid performances with St Kilda's affiliate in the Victoria Football League (VFL). With his continued good form McQualter was temporarily elevated off the rookie list and selected to play against Sydney in Round 12. He cemented his place in the senior team after several tagging jobs and played nine consecutive games, a personal best for McQualter at the time.
He played his first AFL final in the 2008 1st Qualifying Final against 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...
.
McQualter was promoted back onto St Kilda's primary list at the end of the 2008 season.
2009: Minor premiership and grand finalist
McQualter played in 21 of 22 matches in the 2009 AFL season in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the 2009 finals series, winning the club’s third minor premiership2009 AFL season
-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:...
.
St Kilda won direct qualification through to the 2009 Grand Final after qualifying and preliminary final wins. McQualter played in the 2009 AFL Grand Final
2009 AFL Grand Final
The 2009 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 2009...
in which St Kilda were defeated by 12 points.
McQualter averaged 14.4 possessions per game and kicked 22 goals in 24 matches during the 2009 season.
As of the end of the 2009 season, McQualter had played in six finals matches, including one grand final.
2010: Grand finalist
McQualter played 25 games in 2010, including four finals matches.As of the end of the 2010 season, McQualter had played in 10 AFL finals matches, including three grand finals. He was delisted at the end of the 2011 season following the Saints' elimination final loss to the Sydney Swans.