Performance Coach Guy McKenna has told the Friday Footy Panel the Bombers will closely monitor the workload of Andrew McGrath throughout the season.

The number one draft pick made his debut last week, collecting 22 possessions in a polished performance against Hawthorn.

McKenna said McGrath’s workload throughout the pre-season was significantly less than last year’s top pick, Darcy Parish who played 20 games in his first year.

“If you look at his training numbers over the pre-season he’s [McGrath] been fairly robust, he didn’t miss a lot,” McKenna said.

“A typical first year player gets through three weeks and then they have a bit of a niggle.

“But if you compare his numbers to Darcy Parish who was a first year player last year, he’s (McGrath) probably done at best 60 per cent of the workload.

“I know Woosha wrestled with that a fair bit and in the end we pushed the button and he played [in round one].

“He got through ok, he’s a solid little fella, competitive, he’s self driven so we were confident he was going to get through.

“[But] He’ll be a massive management issue for us.”

Brendon Goddard played alongside McGrath in his first game against the Hawks.

He said his younger teammate made an impressive start to his career. 

“He’s very level headed, he’s calm, calculated so what you saw is a reflection of his attitude and his personality,” Goddard told RSN.

“We don’t have any doubt on his ability but even I was a bit surprised, given the situation and the occasion, how well he did.

“He was pretty nervous the first couple of times he got the ball and was rushed but he settled into the game pretty quickly and the speed.

“You saw some of the attributes he has – his closing speed, he gets to good spots, he’s clean which are the foundations for a very good player.

“Not to put too much pressure on him too early, but it was a good start for him. 

“Playing on quality players is only going to make him better the more times he does that, so you’ll see him keep improving – he will have his ups and downs, being a young player – but it was a pretty promising performance.”