McGrath has experienced plenty of turbulence as a Bomber, but he\u2019s also learnt what it takes to become a leader.<\/p>\n
![\"Zach](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ccc483981e316e193bfdd350cf1679200430bb3a.jpeg\")
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Zach Merrett and McGrath share a laugh back in April.Credit: AFL Photos<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you have been in the system for a while, you\u2019ve seen a lot, and seen the good and the bad that footy throws up,\u201d McGrath said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been lucky enough to have so many good leaders above me for my whole career with Dyson [Heppell] and Zach currently. You learn bits and pieces from those guys.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone my age is a leader at the footy club \u2013 we\u2019ve got some great middle-aged sort of guys, but they seem a bit older with how young our playing list is at the moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys like Kyle Langford, Mason Redman and Nic Martin are great young, emerging leaders. Sam Durham as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t really feel like a big responsibility because we share the load so well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s something that comes a little bit naturally to me, like connecting with the guys, and I enjoy being around my teammates, but we will see where it all lands.\u201d<\/p>\n
A chance meeting for Charlie<\/p>\n
Superstar Swans recruit Charlie Curnow admits he\u2019s still adjusting to life in the harbour city, away from Carlton and his former teammates.<\/p>\n
And he looked shocked when he took some breakfast out to a car at the McHappy Day event in Tullamarine on Saturday morning, only to find it was former Blues skipper Marc Murphy waiting patiently. For his part, Murphy looked just as shocked \u2013 especially when two TV cameras took in the transaction.<\/p>\n
![\"Sydney](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/35e054d35f0ba8ae6106628c3f4d71baace8a15a.jpeg\")
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Sydney star Charlie Curnow tests out a burger on McHappy Day on Saturday.Credit: Eddie Jim<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he was just using young Maxy [Murphy\u2019s son] as an excuse to come past Maccas,\u201d Curnow said with a wide smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was surprised to see him but I always see him around Carlton North near the cafes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both Curnow\u2019s friendship groups lit up this week when the AFL announced the Blues would travel to Sydney to face the Swans in opening round.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually thought we were going to play them six times and try to make as much money as we can,\u201d Curnow said with a laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was talking to a few of the boys \u2013 I\u2019m still getting used to changing up which boys I\u2019m talking about, but I was chatting to some of my Blues mates like Weiters [Jacob Weitering] about the possibility of playing opening round, and it turns out the AFL did it in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Curnow said he felt fresh and was enjoying getting stuck back into training after injuries ruined his last season with the Blues.<\/p>\n
The two-time Coleman medallist has been in his new city for a couple of weeks and found a place to live on the water in Tamarama on the eastern beaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m living near the beach in Tamarama, and I\u2019m loving it,\u201d Curnow said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe driving is a bit wild, there is a bit of road rage going on up there I reckon \u2013 there are a lot of winding roads, it\u2019s not grids like Melbourne.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not hating on it. They are just in a rush and, I think with the winding roads, it just looks like they are coming around the corner quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n