Mac Andrew Explained

Mac Andrew
Birth Date:4 December 2003
Birth Place:Cairo, Egypt
Originalteam:Dandenong Stingrays (NAB League)/Berwick Football Club
Draftpick:No. 5, 2021 national draft
Height:201 cm
Weight:84 kg
Position:Utility
Guernsey:31
Years1:2022–
Games Goals1:39 (8)
Statsend:round 22, 2024
Careerhighlights:

Mac Andrew (born 4 December 2003) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life

Andrew was born in Cairo, Egypt, to South Sudanese parents.[1] In 2005, at 18 months old, he moved to Australia with his family.[2] He began playing Australian rules football for Wantirna South at the under-9s level and later played at Berwick, he also played basketball throughout his upbringing. Andrew progressed through the junior football ranks before being selected to represent the Dandenong Stingrays in the NAB League. He was also a member of the Melbourne Demons' Next Generation Academy but was later ruled ineligible to be selected by the Demons due to restrictions on NGA prospects bid on with first round picks.[3] At the age of 17, Andrew was drafted to the Gold Coast Suns with pick 5 in the 2021 AFL draft[4] and became the first player of South Sudanese heritage to be taken with a top five pick in the national draft. He was educated at St Joseph’s College in Ferntree Gully.

AFL career

See also: List of VFL/AFL players with international backgrounds. Andrew made his AFL debut for the Gold Coast Suns at 18 years of age against the West Coast Eagles in round 20 of the 2022 AFL season[5] and became the first Egyptian-born player to debut in the AFL.

In round 22 of the 2024 AFL season, Andrew kicked a goal after the siren to defeat the Essendon Bombers at Marvel stadium.

Notes and References

  1. News: Mac Andrew opens up on his meteoric rise as his draft stocks soar. 31 October 2021. subscription.
  2. News: Mac time: Demons' academy star inspired by Sudanese pioneers. 24 April 2021.
  3. News: Dees call for NGA rule tweak as top-10 prospect slips out of reach. 20 August 2021.
  4. News: Mac Andrew joins the SUNS with pick 5. 24 November 2021.
  5. News: Suns to unleash the Mac attack: Prized No.5 pick to debut. 28 July 2022.