Academy Watch

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Quigley said:
I think you also have to look forward as well. Next year and the year after I think we have a few really nice midfield prospects coming through. Next year is also a very good midfield draft in general much more so than this year. If there is a chance to lock up my talls this year I do it and rely on the midfield depth over the next couple to fill any small/medium holes.

Of next year's group only Dennis looks like a draftable prospect from the talls. On the smalls there is Keays, Mosley, Corvo, Wagner and Yusia-Marcic who have all shown a bit a times. The following year we have Allison who made the AIS team for next year and I am yet to see in person but by the sound of it will end up flanker or even tall mid at the next level. Hipwood I also have high hopes for and it will be interesting to see where he ends up height wise. He might be a KP.
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I think Leppa & co. can start looking for specific midfield types from now on. Probably not with our first draft pick, but with subsequent picks and our academy.

Under the top 5 of Rockliff, Hanley, Rich, Redden & Zorko, there's Aish, Mayes & Taylor humming along nicely :footy:

The above list should end up developing into a group of 8 x A or B+ grade midfielders. It's a great starting point considering we have role players in Beams, Paparone, Robertson, Lester & Bewick too.

When you consider that Cutler, Liam Dawson & Ben Keays are all likely to end up running through the middle in the coming years; our midfield should be a massive strength as we rise up the ladder :cool:
 
Quigley said:
I think you also have to look forward as well. Next year and the year after I think we have a few really nice midfield prospects coming through. Next year is also a very good midfield draft in general much more so than this year. If there is a chance to lock up my talls this year I do it and rely on the midfield depth over the next couple to fill any small/medium holes.

Of next year's group only Dennis looks like a draftable prospect from the talls. On the smalls there is Keays, Mosley, Corvo, Wagner and Yusia-Marcic who have all shown a bit a times. The following year we have Allison who made the AIS team for next year and I am yet to see in person but by the sound of it will end up flanker or even tall mid at the next level. Hipwood I also have high hopes for and it will be interesting to see where he ends up height wise. He might be a KP.
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I'm very much on this line of thought. Finding plug and play role players in the midfield is always easier than trying to find mature key position players. Look at the trouble we've had trying to get someone over the last few years. If we have a shot at a first round quality tall I say we take it as well as our tall academy players. The pure distribution of the population means it will be easier to find a good mid size player than a good tall. So far we've had quantity in our talls, no point adding quality and quantity this time, we might be a bit luckier.
 

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Panthera said:
I think Leppa & co. can start looking for specific midfield types from now on. Probably not with our first draft pick, but with subsequent picks and our academy.

Under the top 5 of Rockliff, Hanley, Rich, Redden & Zorko, there's Aish, Mayes & Taylor humming along nicely :footy:

The above list should end up developing into a group of 8 x A or B+ grade midfielders. It's a great starting point considering we have role players in Beams, Paparone, Robertson, Lester & Bewick too.

When you consider that Cutler, Liam Dawson & Ben Keays are all likely to end up running through the middle in the coming years; our midfield should be a massive strength as we rise up the ladder :cool:
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What I really like is the nice balance of playing styles in there. As the latter three develop, there are some good inside ball-winners, line breaking pace, creativity and great users. At times this year I've thought that we need one more frontline mid, but I think some of that comes down to physical maturity amongst the supporting cast. That said, it'd be really nice if Keays could kick on.

To the extent each of them can develop the things they're weakest at now, I agree that we could have a really effective, versatile core of mids in a few years.
 
Panthera said:
Brayshaw massive risk with the GHF...especially with the North Melbourne connection :thumbsdown:
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His dad and his uncle have both had nomadic careers, playing sport and living across different states. I think he actually follows Fremantle, so he can't feel the North Melbourne pull all that much.

Edit: here we go...

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-04-11/angus-brayshaws-ais-academy-tour-diary

I was born in Western Australia and followed Fremantle and still do, even though my dad Mark played with North Melbourne and is a board member there, and my uncle James is president of the Roos.
Obviously they're not overly thrilled I'm a Dockers fan!
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Kevvo said:
It seems like the academy under-agers have filling in a lot as NEAFL top ups for us this year. To those who've kept better track of this, has that happened as often in previous years or are we getting under-agers in more frequently?

On the face of it, it seems like a great idea to get those promising kids playing against the bigger bodies as early as possible.
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Definitely feels more frequent this year.
 
Hard to argue with your line of thinking Quigley. I guess the x factors are how much weighting do you put on your academy prospects vs other draftees and potential changes to the bidding system in the future. List management does need some forward planning, but when it comes to draft time, sometimes you just gotta grab the most talented kid, even if you already have 1 or 2 good looking ones lined up.
 
how good is this, 3 under 15s making all australian squad and all part of the Lions academy, good times ahead
 

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captainrich said:
haha if old mate has it his way by the time these guys will be draftable the academy system will be done and dusted
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Or he'll have it that we forfeit the right to even be IN the draft and all our players MUST come from our academies, no where else.
 
captainrich said:
how good is this, 3 under 15s making all australian squad and all part of the Lions academy, good times ahead
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Interesting to note that 2 of those 3 go to GPS schools. May be a stretch, but it could be a further sign that headway is being made into the Union culture that dominates there.
 
Ironmonger said:
Spot the top 5 draft pick:

Player
Mt D K H G M T CL EFF%
Keays, Benjamin
3 23 13 10 2 5 5 2 81.43
Heeney, Isaac
3 24 14 9 0 3 5 5 73.24
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I can see the moaning about Sydney getting Heeny but jeez, next year we'll get just as much angst about us getting Keays for a 2nd/3rder.
 
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