Andrew McQualter

Andrew McQualter (born 9 June 1986) is a retired Australian rules footballer and current senior coach of the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). McQualter played 89 games for the St Kilda Football Club and 5 games as a rookie for the Gold Coast Suns. He later moved into coaching, serving as the caretaker senior coach at the Richmond Football Club after Damien Hardwick stepped down in May 2023. McQualter was appointed West Coast's senior coach in September 2024 after the replacement of caretaker senior West Coast Eagles coach Jarrad Schofield.^[1]

Andrew McQualter
McQualter in January 2018
Personal information
Full name	Andrew Bruce McQualter
Nickname(s)	Mini
Date of birth	(1986-06-09) 9 June 1986 (age 38)
Original team(s)	Gippsland Power (TAC Cup)
Draft	#17, 2004 National Draft, St Kilda
Height	179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	74 kg (163 lb)
Position(s)	Forward
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2005–2011	St Kilda	89 (37)
2012	Gold Coast	5 (2)
Total		94 (39)
Coaching career3
Years	Club	Games (W–L–D)
2023	Richmond	13 (7–6–0)
2025–	West Coast	0 (0–0–0)
Total		13 (7–6–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2012. 3 Coaching statistics correct as of 2024.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early years and junior football

McQualter was raised in Traralgon, Victoria, 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.^[2]

McQualter captained the Victorian Country Under-16 and Under-18 teams at the National Football Championships.

Playing career

St Kilda

McQualter was drafted by St Kilda with a first round selection, number 17th overall in the 2004 AFL Draft.^[3]

McQualter at training prior to the 2009 AFL Grand Final

McQualter debuted for St Kilda in Round 8 of the 2005 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. He appeared in 10 games in the 2006 season.

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, 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.^[4] He was then redrafted by the St Kilda Football Club onto the club's rookie list in the 2007 Draft and returned to the team.

McQualter began the 2008 season quietly on St Kilda'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.

McQualter played in 21 of 22 matches in the 2009 season in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the 2009 finals series, winning the club’s third minor premiership.^[5] St Kilda won 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.

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.^[6]

McQualter played for St Kilda from 2005 until 2011 for a total of 89 games and kicked a total of 37 goals.^[7]

Gold Coast Suns

McQualter joined the Gold Coast Suns' rookie list in 2012 and began playing in the Suns' North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) reserves team.

McQualter played for Gold Coast Suns in his only season at the club in 2012 for a total of 5 games and 2 goals.^[8]

Playing statistics

^[9]

Legend

G	Goals	K	Kicks	D	Disposals	T	Tackles
B	Behinds	H	Handballs	M	Marks

Season	Team	No.	Games	Totals							Averages (per game)
				G	B	K	H	D	M	T	G	B	K	H	D	M	T
2005	St Kilda	32	7	2	0	51	40	91	19	19	0.3	0.0	7.3	5.7	13.0	2.7	2.7
2006	St Kilda	32	10	2	1	59	53	112	47	29	0.2	0.1	5.9	5.3	11.2	4.7	2.9
2007	St Kilda	32	6	1	2	27	28	55	13	12	0.2	0.3	4.5	4.7	9.2	2.2	2.0
2008	St Kilda	32	12	2	1	65	70	135	39	41	0.2	0.1	5.4	5.8	11.3	3.3	3.4
2009	St Kilda	32	24	22	7	123	222	345	61	112	0.9	0.3	5.1	9.3	14.4	2.5	4.7
2010	St Kilda	32	25	8	7	134	200	334	103	104	0.3	0.3	5.4	8.0	13.4	4.1	4.2
2011	St Kilda	32	5	0	2	25	29	54	12	12	0.0	0.4	5.0	5.8	10.8	2.4	2.4
2012	Gold Coast	51	5	2	1	45	39	84	23	11	0.4	0.2	9.0	7.8	16.8	4.6	2.2
Career			94	39	21	529	681	1210	317	340	0.4	0.2	5.6	7.2	12.9	3.4	3.6

Coaching career

Richmond Football Club

McQualter joined the Richmond Football Club in 2014, serving as a VFL player and in an assistant coaching role as development coach under senior coach Damien Hardwick. He then became a midfield assistant coach for the Richmond Football Club in 2016.^[10]

On May 25, 2023, McQualter was appointed as caretaker senior coach of Richmond for the remainder of the 2023 season, after senior coach Damien Hardwick stepped down at the conclusion of Round 10.^[11][12] McQaulter then coached Richmond for a total of 13 games with seven wins and six losses and then the club finished thirteenth on the ladder and did not make the finals.^[13][14] McQualter was not retained as senior coach of Richmond at the end of the 2023 season and was replaced by Adem Yze.^[15] McQualter then left the Richmond Football Club at the end of the 2023 season.^{[16][17][18][19][20][21]}

Melbourne Football Club

In late 2023, it was announced that McQualter had joined the Melbourne Football Club as an assistant under senior coach Simon Goodwin.^[22] McQualter then left the Melbourne Football Club at the end of the 2024 season to replace former senior AFL coach Jarrad Schofield at the West Coast Eagles.^[23]

West Coast Eagles

On 30 September 2024, McQualter was officially announced as the senior coach of the West Coast Eagles, succeeding caretaker senior coach Jarrad Schofield, who replaced senior coach Adam Simpson after Simpson was sacked in the middle of the 2024 season and becoming just the seventh senior coach in the club's history.^{[1][24][25][26][27]}

Coaching statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of Round 24, 2023.^[28]

Legend
W	Wins	L	Losses	D	Draws	W%	Winning percentage	LP	Ladder position	LT	League teams

Season	Team	Games	W	L	D	W %	LP	LT
2023	Richmond	13	7	6	0	53.85%	13	18
Career totals		13	7	6	0	53.85%

See also

• List of Caulfield Grammar School people

References

1. Stocks, Gary (30 September 2024). "McQualter appointed West Coast Eagles senior coach". West Coast Eagles. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
2. Woods, Melissa (23 September 2010). "BJ and I: the story of a long and fruitful friendship". The Age. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
3. "National Draft selections by year: 1986–present". Archived from the original on 9 November 2014.
4. Ralph, J. (18 November 2007). "McQualter goes for next draw". Herald Sun. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
5. "2009 Season Scores and Results – Ladder". AFL Tables. 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
6. "St Kilda confirms list changes". 28 October 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
7. "ANDREW MCQUALTER". Retrieved 9 October 2023.
8. "ANDREW MCQUALTER". Retrieved 9 October 2023.
9. Andrew McQualter's player profile at AFL Tables
10. "McQualter to depart Tigers on good terms despite learning Yze in box seat via radio". 22 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
11. "McQualter appointed interim Head Coach". 25 May 2023.
12. "Richmond caretaker coach Andrew McQualter reveals when he heard the news". 26 May 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
13. "Caretaker to coach: The Richmond dilemma as McQualter impresses". 30 July 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
14. "Frontrunners emerge as Tigers' coaching search reaches pointy end". 12 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
15. "Richmond Tigers name Adem Yze as new head coach". 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
16. "McQualter to depart Tigers on good terms despite learning Yze in box seat via radio". 22 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
17. "Andrew McQualter quits Richmond after missing coaching job". 3 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
18. "Andrew McQualter quits Richmond, set for move to Melbourne after missing coaching job". 3 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
19. "Andrew McQualter quits Richmond, set for move to Melbourne after missing coaching job". 3 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
20. "McQualter tipped to join Dees after missing main job at Tigers". 3 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
21. "Thank you, Andrew McQualter". 3 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
22. "McQualter joins coaching panel". Melbourne FC. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
23. "Melbourne congratulates McQualter | Mini to depart". Melbourne FC. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
24. "West Coast Eagles name former Demons and Tigers assistant Andrew McQualter as new AFL coach". ABC News. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
25. "New coach McQualter lands first blow: Baker chooses West Coast". 30 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
26. "West Coast appoint Andrew McQualter as senior coach ending months long search". 30 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
27. "BREAKING: West Coast announce Demons assistant as new head coach". 30 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
28. "Andrew McQualter's coaching profile". AFL Tables.

External links

• Andrew McQualter's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Gold Coast Football Club profile