2nds Official Swans Academy Thread (Player News and Discussion)

Blood red

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As I have already stated not every year is going to produce draft prospects. This year produced a crop of players who are role players and that showed by the Swans winning the Academy Series.

Next year is different. There is a great deal of talent coming through. Some years ago the Draft Gurus complained about the depth of the draft, not just Academy players but all draftees. It was the shallowest draft for many years. This draft was also seen as being a little shallow campared to last year. Next year's draft is really strong and we have a chance to get two top 10 picks. It's all relative.

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As stated: this academy group has had the greatest depth of any. Quote Chris Smith in a swans press release.
It is much deeper then the current 17s and way deeper then the 16s.
The group had been assessed as having up to 9 possible draft options, all over the field.
Ask the kids who were closest to the action, and see how many were disillusioned by the misleading discussions.
The weird "in house" selections by the admin rather then the coaches!
The emphasis on team play, with the underwhelming game plan.
Several of the NDS train on squad, I have heard, are looking elsewhere, while several more are being approached by wafl, sanfl and vfl clubs.
It will be a big kick in the arse if these guys get picked up in a year or two, while the NDS boys who are staying, don't.
Face it, Gulden and BJ are the only two who have a chance (Sheehan has spoken) so the rest of those kids will be used in the NEAFL, and in the TAC games to get the two of them ball.
Please note: in No way is this a ahot at them, they are both talented and deserving!
Watch the academy games over the last 3 years.
The Swans academy have either beaten, or been very closely defeated by their qld counterparts.
There is no way there should be the draft discrepancy that there currently is.
 
Aug 9, 2016
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The posters here are very knowledgeable about the Academy and drafting pathway and if they say something is wrong then I must accept that. The swans have historically consistently beaten the QLD based academies but rarely had the same allies representation. Something wrong there. Qld coach too. That can’t be good. The standard has now been shown to at least be comparable to NAB cup. The swans played 3 games in NAB cup winning two of three against teams finishing 4th and 8th but losing to team 10th. So safe to say standard is good. The NAB cup will filter through to under 18 Championships for Vic. The pool of players though is 3 times app the size of the pool from which the allies are selected. That must affect depth of player talent and does. The allies were competitive but weren’t challenging to win championship having won only one closely fought game being beaten in the remainder. There are 5 teams comprising the championships each with 45 app teams of players. or a pool of 225 players of which 1/3rd will filter through to draft selection. If you run last in a 5 horse race with statistically lower depth of player quality to start then you will struggle to get good representation in the draft. That is fact and as I would expect. It is likewise a fact that there is greater difficulty showcasing a player when you are in a losing side than not. You fail to get the opportunity to show ability. Throw in the fact allies choose bigger squad of 50 than others and vying for position resulting in being played out if position will derail opportunity. If you finished winning equal number to losses then you’d expect 1/3rd of players or app 15 to get through. If instead you win only one then where you were unable to showcase then I would expect no more than 5-6 which isn’t statistically dissimilar to what occurred all QLD though (3 I think). Higher end talent showing themselves will go better. Playing a role competently in a lower pool in a losing side won’t get you across the line.

It has been said that 8-9 players were afl standard players. Ok. In any process like this the funnelling of talent to reach Draft will result in inequities where draft quality players fail to make it. There are probably many players too in NAB cup who thought they warranted VIC and draft selection but didn’t. Vagaries of that funnelling process. If you are not a standout player then make yourself one. If you are a role player then do it well and hope that the Allies win the championship. If 8-9 should have made it by winning games they didn’t then dump the coaches. But saying player x should be there despite poor coaching is a difficult ask

Opinions here are intimating that some sort of bias is involved. Whilst I accept that was the case with Swans making Allies i can’t see it was from Allies to draft. Should we have had higher representation in draft when we win 1 game only? Why?

I think the new system where the AFL Academy will have 150 kids Australia wide will be a much better way of comparison of talent than present. There will still be a funnelling process to be part of that Academy and the swans will need to ensure integrity of that and not simply allow it to be dominated (in our hub) by QLD but must be better

Deepening the talent pool will take time. Personally I can’t wait for the day Allies consistently dominate and Swans have deep list of draftees.
 

Opts

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Two Academy picks inside the top ten will make Eddies head explode. He will preemptively agitate to prevent it I’m sure.
For once I think he might actually keep his big mouth shut, if it's possible. They've picked up Quaynor and have his brother and a couple more coming through.
 

Opts

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My family certainly has a different take on things. My son concluded his time in the Academy last year, managed to play u16 Rams and a few games in the NAB series. Also, he was provided an opportunity on two occasions to play NEAFL - one of those games on the SCG. Admittedly, he didn’t get to play his preferred position but we understood that the senior listed players are given priority. It was an amazing experience for my lad and an opportunity that he knows would not have been available to him should he be playing In Vic, Wa or SA. He also understood that he wasn’t quite up to draft standard but loved his journey in the Academy and some of the unique opportunities that were given to him. I have nothing but positives to say and that is based on 5 years as an Academy parent. My son now plays AFL Sydney, with many of his team mates ex Academy boys. We never felt entitled, only appreciation.
Good luck to your son Stepson. What is the feeling amongst the parents of Swans academy players? Some people have commented that there is some angst with how they are coached and which players are given more opportunity. Is that something you experienced or observed?
 

Cynic2019

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FB post of Top End training.
No Rayner as a start.
Not vague for attention, but 'generalised' for discussion, hopefully from those who are a little closer to the scene to enlighten.
Rayner told them to * off, just going to play club football.
 

Blood red

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Rayner told them to fu** off, just going to play club football.
Sounds like an issue.
Was there more then the 99 atar that allows him to do anything at uni?
From what i can gather from several at the coal face, a couple were told they would get late round offers and rookie positions, and are now looking elsewhere too.
 
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Sounds like an issue.
Was there more then the 99 atar that allows him to do anything at uni?
From what i can gather from several at the coal face, a couple were told they would get late round offers and rookie positions, and are now looking elsewhere too.

It’s a difficult balance to maintain. Drafting the best available but simultaneously keeping the dream alive for those in the Academy. I can’t imagine anyone would make solid promises. No doubt some feedback was given but as always human nature can turn what is heard into something more than a maybe
 

Ralphyboy

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Sounds like an issue.
Was there more then the 99 atar that allows him to do anything at uni?
From what i can gather from several at the coal face, a couple were told they would get late round offers and rookie positions, and are now looking elsewhere too.
My understanding is that he just didn't like footy enough to pursue it as a career. No problem with that.
 
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Someone needs to be feeding Campbell and Gulden all their weetbix this year. We ideally want Campbell to grow from 179cm to around 185cm if possible and Gulden to grow from 173cm to maybe 179cm.

I just want them to be good footy players.
 
I do too, but it is easier to have an impact at an AFL level if you are 179cm than it is if you are 173cm.

IMO height is irrelevant if you're a forward-half player like Gulden is. Attributes like speed and agility and tackling pressure and goal sense aren't reliant on how tall you are. Gulden will not be flying for marks inside 50, nor will he be a permanent centre bounce starter, but if he, and we, use his attributes to our advantage then his size could actually become a blessing in disguise.
 
IMO height is irrelevant if you're a forward-half player like Gulden is. Attributes like speed and agility and tackling pressure and goal sense aren't reliant on how tall you are. Gulden will not be flying for marks inside 50, nor will he be a permanent centre bounce starter, but if he, and we, use his attributes to our advantage then his size could actually become a blessing in disguise.
Mmmm, high tackle frees in front of goals, yep I'll take them
 
I do too, but it is easier to have an impact at an AFL level if you are 179cm than it is if you are 173cm.

Height/weight reach are at best heuristics, which should be taken with the appropriate salt.

Being tall doesn't make you have an impact at AFL Level.

See Sam Naismith.
 

DavyRed

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Been hearing some chatter over Christmas that as many as half a dozen of last year’s U18s have signed, or are in the process of signing, with VFL or SANFL clubs. Apparently some of who would have been considered guaranteed to get into the NDS if they had stayed.

Appears that some of them believe that any (small) hope of them still getting drafted may be better served away from NEAFL.

I’m not sure of names but will pass them on if I hear more - unless any other posters have already heard anything? Some of us may also be able to guess a few when the NDS boys are announced, whenever that might be?
 
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Ralphyboy

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Been hearing some chatter over Christmas that around half a dozen or so of last year’s U18s have signed, or are in the process of signing, with VFL or SANFL clubs. Apparently some of who would have been considered guaranteed to get into the NDS if they had stayed.

Appears that some of them believe that any (small) hope of them still getting drafted may be better served away from NEAFL.

I’m not sure of names but will pass them on if I hear more - unless any other posters have already heard anything? Some of us may also be able to guess a few when the NDS boys are announced, whenever that might be?
It is always a tricky one for a player. When my son went through the Academy his year of wondering whether to stay or go to Melbourne was his draft year. He ended up staying partly because he was at a good school and wanted to get a good ATAR. Going to Melbourne would have put that at risk.

I would certainly question why you would stay and do NDS if you were at the Gold Coast. I can see absolutely zero upside staying there for a 19 year old.
 

DavyRed

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It is always a tricky one for a player. When my son went through the Academy his year of wondering whether to stay or go to Melbourne was his draft year. He ended up staying partly because he was at a good school and wanted to get a good ATAR. Going to Melbourne would have put that at risk.

I would certainly question why you would stay and do NDS if you were at the Gold Coast. I can see absolutely zero upside staying there for a 19 year old.
Yep, I’ve said before that NDS is fine if a boy simply wants to play some more Swans Reserves games or play at the highest level possible while remaining in Sydney (I also think NEAFL is better quality than some give it credit for - not brilliant but better than some claim).

However, if they are willing to do whatever it takes to maximise any slim chance of getting drafted I do think they are best taking the gamble and heading to the VFL or SANFL. Unfortunately NEAFL simply hasn’t proven itself as an effective pathway to the AFL yet. Plus getting into the Reserves is entirely dependent on the injury status of listed players and who is in the good books of the key power brokers in the Academy management. Imagine being in the Brisbane NDS last year with their lack of injuries.
 
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