Strategy Fremantle Dockers Next Generation Academy

mike91

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I will confess that in a time where the AFL is supposedly working towards en even national competition, the Next Gen or other Academies, and even things like F/S don't make sense to me. BUT it really does extend the depth of interest. Very excited to hear how this goes.
Agree. Academies and father son is stupid. Just because your dad played 100 games for that club shouldn't mean they get first access to their kid. In saying that, hopefully Carter and the Walker twins are guns.
 
Agree. Academies and father son is stupid. Just because your dad played 100 games for that club shouldn't mean they get first access to their kid. In saying that, hopefully Carter and the Walker twins are guns.

Isn't the ultimate goal for these multicultural academies to get the kids playing though?
Yeah we reap the benefits if there are talented kids, however the AFLs overriding goal is for the clubs to develop grass roots footy and increase participation in these areas but the clubs are only going to do this if they get rewarded.
 

Tundrawolf

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Agree. Academies and father son is stupid. Just because your dad played 100 games for that club shouldn't mean they get first access to their kid. In saying that, hopefully Carter and the Walker twins are guns.
It's the closest thing the AFL has to the old fashion zones, and it puts the onus on clubs to develop their own which enables some players to play for their zoned club instead of being drafted interstate. It gives the host club the opportunity to have more players from their nominated region. I love that.
 

Freezin

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I spoke to 3 of the school coaches of the Walker twins today. Two of them are former WAFL players, the third is a current WAFL player, but all three were unanimous in stating that Brandon Walker is the best junior they have seen. Because their school is a football academy school and they all would watch a lot of players from other schools that is high praise indeed.

They stated that Chris is the athlete and Brandon the footballer but there is very little difference between the two. They are the fastest sprinters in their year and also the best long jumpers at school.

Their father is a white Australian and is about 6ft 4" and their mother is of African decent, they weren't quite show from what part. They are in year 9 and both are about 6ft.

Brandon has the best side step they have seen, and obviously both are super quick. Both will be midfielders but from time to time Chris goes in to the ruck and invariably taps it down to his brother.

I hope to get to see them in action in about a fortnights time.

Exciting times. They are about 4 years away but everything NGA-wise is looking rosey.


Tundra are both these Walker boys currently playing for EF acadamy side in the current WAFL comp being held now?..I read somewhere EF 9A side is putting a lot of daylight between themselves and the other 9A WAFL rep teams.Fellow Next Gen rep Keanu Haddow is also kicking a few too. Will they be available for State Schoolboys next year or State u/16s.
 

Tundrawolf

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Tundra are both these Walker boys currently playing for EF acadamy side in the current WAFL comp being held now?..I read somewhere EF 9A side is putting a lot of daylight between themselves and the other 9A WAFL rep teams.Fellow Next Gen rep Keanu Haddow is also kicking a few too. Will they be available for State Schoolboys next year or State u/16s.
Yes, all three are playing for East Freo's 9A side. I would have thought they are too young for the State u/16's next year. The State Schoolboys, isn't really an endorsed state program, the selection process leaves a lot to be desired and it is quite often kids whose families that are willing to spend the $2K or whatever it is to have their kids "represent" the state. To put it in some sort of perspective this year the State u18's girls team had something like 11 indigenous girls out of their squad of 25. The State Schoolboys and Schoolgirls teams between them this year had 1 or 2 out of a squad of 90.
 
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Freezin

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Yeah noticed in past schoolboy squads very few went on to play state 16s etc or even colts footy. Obviously the odd few have tracked their way through....cheers for the insight Tundra
 

theGav56

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It's the closest thing the AFL has to the old fashion zones, and it puts the onus on clubs to develop their own which enables some players to play for their zoned club instead of being drafted interstate. It gives the host club the opportunity to have more players from their nominated region. I love that.
I fully support the development of emerging players in marginalised situations. The problem with zoning is about how equitable it is.

Currently the zones available to GWS simply cannot be compared to the zones available to Fremantle. They have no quantifiable criteria as far as I can see. The decision making seems flimsy and needs scrutiny. Fremantle seems to have 4 quite decent prospects coming through, whereas WC do not; are we really going to introduce the luck of future demographics to the success in AFL. There is little or no historical criteria for the association as far as I can see.

I actually do think that it could be reasonably successful in terms of benefiting young people and getting them into the system. That is a big positive.

My main issue is that it seems to swim against the tide of where the AFL says they are taking the competition. Clubs with the financial resources surely will benefit more from it than the have nots as they resource talent identification and development.
 

Tundrawolf

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Currently the zones available to GWS simply cannot be compared to the zones available to Fremantle. They have no quantifiable criteria as far as I can see. The decision making seems flimsy and needs scrutiny. Fremantle seems to have 4 quite decent prospects coming through, whereas WC do not; are we really going to introduce the luck of future demographics to the success in AFL. There is little or no historical criteria for the association as far as I can see.
True, that is probably why the WAFL has had to change the zones of each club over the years to factor in the changing age demographics.
 
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I think the Weagles have thrown out a big net called the Natainui academy and looked at over 10,000 kids but so far none that I’m aware have been listed as Next Gen players. Either they have none talented enough or they have different criteria, or bench marks. Personally I think the recruiting staff at WCE are crap, as I’m sure they have talented kids in their areas but either haven’t or can’t identify the really good ones!


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

Tundrawolf

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I think the Weagles have thrown out a big net called the Natainui academy and looked at over 10,000 kids but so far none that I’m aware have been listed as Next Gen players. Either they have none talented enough or they have different criteria, or bench marks. Personally I think the recruiting staff at WCE are crap, as I’m sure they have talented kids in their areas but either haven’t or can’t identify the really good ones!


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
I have spoken to people at West Coast about their Next Gen Academy and they are quite frank that they are well behind Freo. They believe they have the talent but it is still quite raw and not as well developed. Swings and roundabouts, their time will come, but at the moment let's enjoy whatever advantage we may have.
 
I think the Weagles have thrown out a big net called the Natainui academy and looked at over 10,000 kids but so far none that I’m aware have been listed as Next Gen players. Either they have none talented enough or they have different criteria, or bench marks. Personally I think the recruiting staff at WCE are crap, as I’m sure they have talented kids in their areas but either haven’t or can’t identify the really good ones!


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

There was a guy in the same group as the Walkers and Haddow that I was looking into and think I saw somewhere that he is WCE Next Gen - but I can't remember his name. I keep thinking of Manuka honey. Had an M name ... he popped up as a goal kicker in a few games
 
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Do players have to be in the academy for 3 yrs before we can claim the discount/right to draft them?

So we have to have identified them by the age of 15yrs old?

If we found a 13yr old in our area that is an absolute gun could we sign them up to the academy and monitor them/guide them for 5yrs until they are drafted?
 

IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN

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Agree. Academies and father son is stupid. Just because your dad played 100 games for that club shouldn't mean they get first access to their kid. In saying that, hopefully Carter and the Walker twins are guns.
Disagree and somewhat flabergasted by such a comment. Acadamies and FS picks help to develop, nurture and maintain the connection players, supporters and sponsors have to a club, while keeping list management a level above the meat tray raffle down your local pub.

Academies and FS are some of the few things the AFL has implimented that doesn't make the game even more of a soulless cash grab.
 

mike91

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Disagree and somewhat flabergasted by such a comment. Acadamies and FS picks help to develop, nurture and maintain the connection players, supporters and sponsors have to a club, while keeping list management a level above the meat tray raffle down your local pub.

Academies and FS are some of the few things the AFL has implimented that doesn't make the game even more of a soulless cash grab.
In what single way is Father Son a fair rule? How was it fair that Sydney got Heeney and Mills?
 

wayToGo_

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I don't have a problem with the concept of academies or father/son... I have a problem with how they've been implemented in the AFL. Clubs with long histories clearly have an advantage with f/s. And the two new franchises have been given over-the-top academy concessions, so much so that the AFL has had to make some big corrections to make up for the massive over steer. To me it seems a little unrecoverable and it's all going to end up in a car crash.

I don't get why it is so hard to come up with a model that is relatively fair across all 18 clubs. All supporters should feel the romance of their club grabbing a quality father/son selection. Fremantle drafting O'Reilly next year for instance would be a great thing for the club and its supporter base (and therefore for the AFL as well). Everyone still has to provide a spot on their list and spend a draft pick (albeit with a discount) so if reasonable the AFL shouldn't be blocking it based on rules put in place based on clubs with 100 years+ in the VFL/AFL.

Academy zones should be designed only on the basis of giving opportunities and investment for those disadvantaged. GWS getting exclusive access to wealthy white kids from the biggest population in Australia puts the other AFL clubs and their supporters offside for what benefit to the sport exactly? I'd love to see a comparison of the per dollar return on investment of GWS/GCS vs AFLW.
 

IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN

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In what single way is Father Son a fair rule? How was it fair that Sydney got Heeney and Mills?
Stupid and not fair? You sound like a 13 year old girl complaining to her parents.

All clubs have access to FS players, that is fair. All clubs have access to Academy players, that is fair. Not that fairness in any way is the motivating factor for either of those policies being in place, simply an ideal the AFL tries to maintain where possible.

Or are you taking the BF Freo herd 'woe is Fremantle' approach and whinging about how we don't ever get the good ones because of an evil AFL conspiracy?

How is building the relationship players, their families and supporters have with the club and the game 'stupid and unfair'?

How is having FS and Academy selections 'stupid and unfair'?

How are policies which apply to everyone equally 'stupid and unfair'?
 

IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN

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I don't have a problem with the concept of academies or father/son... I have a problem with how they've been implemented in the AFL. Clubs with long histories clearly have an advantage with f/s. And the two new franchises have been given over-the-top academy concessions, so much so that the AFL has had to make some big corrections to make up for the massive over steer. To me it seems a little unrecoverable and it's all going to end up in a car crash.

I don't get why it is so hard to come up with a model that is relatively fair across all 18 clubs. All supporters should feel the romance of their club grabbing a quality father/son selection. Fremantle drafting O'Reilly next year for instance would be a great thing for the club and its supporter base (and therefore for the AFL as well). Everyone still has to provide a spot on their list and spend a draft pick (albeit with a discount) so if reasonable the AFL shouldn't be blocking it based on rules put in place based on clubs with 100 years+ in the VFL/AFL.

Academy zones should be designed only on the basis of giving opportunities and investment for those disadvantaged. GWS getting exclusive access to wealthy white kids from the biggest population in Australia puts the other AFL clubs and their supporters offside for what benefit to the sport exactly? I'd love to see a comparison of the per dollar return on investment of GWS/GCS vs AFLW.

I'm not sure providing opportunity to one child over another based on where they live fits the bill for equality and being equitable, moreso when it's done in such an exclusionary manner.

I also don't agree with the sentiment that a child is of more value to a club because they're from a wealthy white background than one born and bred in the Kimberly. Both environments bring different advantages and disadvantages.
 
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