Opinion Will Brisbane’s win finally spell the end of the Academies?

[Philhawk]

Brisbane were outstanding on the biggest stage and fully earned their premiership today - zero question there.

But it raises the elephant in the room again: the academy system.

For years, the defence of academies hasn’t really been about fairness - the line has been that it’s for “growing the game” and “the betterment of the game.”

That made sense a decade ago. But with record memberships, booming participation, and for the first time Queensland about to surpass WA as the second-highest footy state behind Victoria… is that day now over?

On top of that, Brisbane are about to get access to more high picks again in this draft via their academy. We’ve already seen names like Dan Annable mentioned as genuine top-end talents. So the reigning premiers, with one of the strongest lists in the comp, are still being topped up with elite kids that other clubs can’t touch.

And just look at the recent U16 All Australian sides – academy players from Queensland and NSW are featuring prominently, with Brisbane and Gold Coast kids right in the mix. The pipeline is alive and well, even while the senior side is celebrating a flag.

So, is this the moment where the AFL says: “the system worked, they’re strong again, participation is booming, now is time to end the academies (or maybe at least just the Queensland ones”?

Or will nothing change and the Brisbane behemoth just get stronger and stronger?

 

[juss]

No it won't.

I think their biggest stroke of luck was getting Ashcroft x2 for a handful of junk picks each time

 

[Randomizor]

We won’t see teams getting top 5 players for a bunch of picks in the 30s anymore, but academies will still exist

 

[Chadwiko]

No.

Elite father/son selections for cents on the dollar was the real issue. The last three premierships have involved such players.

 

[Zevon]

 

[Bostonian]

So how much will Annable cost them?

 

[ibd77]

Teams on the slide are gonna get hit the most. AFL will knee jerk like they usually do and put sweeping changes that will affect all club prospects.

 

[bzparkes]

Andrews and Marshall were their only academy players in the GF. Marshall was subbed for Neil.

W.Ashcroft and Fletcher were 2 of their best, both father sons. Just clean that up, like they're doing, and it's not much of an issue.

 

[Randomizor]

Teams on the slide are gonna get hit the most. AFL will knee jerk like they usually do and put sweeping changes that will affect all club prospects.

Assuming Tassie comes in you really don’t want to be a bottom team around 2026 and 2027

 

[Philhawk]

We won’t see teams getting top 5 players for a bunch of picks in the 30s anymore, but academies will still exist

Why?

Less kids play footy in WA than QLD.

So why do clubs in one state get special access to the best of those kids?

No it won't.

I think their biggest stroke of luck was getting Ashcroft x2 for a handful of junk picks each time

They definitely haven’t been this successful purely due to their academy.

But is it fair that the premier gets special access to kids in their state that, in an otherwise equalized comp, they wouldn’t get access to?

They’re about to get access to Annabel (a top 5 pick) for pennies on the dollar.

 

[Thrawn]

I hope not because I want to recruit that sound guy from the Police Academy movies.

 

[Philhawk]

Andrews and Marshall were their only academy players in the GF. Marshall was subbed for Neil.

W.Ashcroft and Fletcher were 2 of their best, both father sons. Just clean that up, like they're doing, and it's not much of an issue.

And Gallop.

Nearly 15% of their starting best 22 isn’t insignificant.

 

[bzparkes]

And Gallop.

Nearly 15% of their starting best 22 isn’t insignificant.

Gallop didn't exactly have much of an impact in the grand final. Played a great prelim but was in the team because Day is cooked. Will be replaced by OAllen next year.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

And Gallop.

Nearly 15% of their starting best 22 isn’t insignificant.

and Fletcher, he was a academy player as well as father/son

Bruce Reville was also a Cat B zone selection also. Charlie Cameron also was traded for a free AFL priority pick instead of giving up a actual pick in that draft that was Jarrod Berry

 

[Young_Guns]

lol. Brisbane dominating would draw more attention to F/S being the bigger issue, particularly with the back-to-back Norm Smith medallist, no?

 

[Philhawk]

lol. Brisbane dominating would draw more attention to F/S being the bigger issue, particularly with the back-to-back Norm Smith medallist, no?

A genetic lucky dip is distinctly different to a system where Queensland clubs get exclusive and subsidized access to the best players in a state which now has a higher AFL participation rate than WA, wouldn’t you think?

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

lol. Brisbane dominating would draw more attention to F/S being the bigger issue, particularly with the back-to-back Norm Smith medallist, no?

The mechanism isn’t the issue. The discount is the problem….

 

[Philhawk]

Assuming Tassie comes in you really don’t want to be a bottom team around 2026 and 2027

10 of the 18 from last years AA under 16 team were tied for the northern academies.

Good luck to everyone else.

 

[Veer Right]

No father sons, academy picks, priority picks, compensation picks in the top 10 in the draft.

None, nadda, zilch.

The bottom 10 clubs should all be on equal footing to take the best pick in their position.

 

[Philhawk]

The mechanism isn’t the issue. The discount is the problem….

The discount and the exclusive access.

Why should Queensland teams have special access in the first place?

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

No father sons, academy picks, priority picks, compensation picks in the top 10 in the draft.

None, nadda, zilch.

The bottom 10 clubs should all be on equal footing to take the best pick in their position.

It’s too late. Putting the fire out after the house is burnt to the ground achieves little.

The long term impact is really just going to be the * next to these flags if they go change the rules now. Just leave them as is

 

[Hydatina Physis]

 

[kaiserchief13]

They will change the F/S rules so teams have to give up 2 mid/late first rd picks or something similar to get a top 3/5 selection, but that wont effect Brisbane for years as they already have their Ashcroft brothers. AFL has created a monster that will take years before any onfield change is seen

 

[Colonial]

No, well not until the same coin is invested in the grassroots that the traditional states get. The GF gets shared around.
Maybe we could have a media that isn’t all about VFL.
That’s before we get to the 3rd party aponsorships

But yeah once all the advantages Victorians receive are looked at we can look at academies in the northern states.

 

[Philhawk]

No, well not until the same coin is invested in the grassroots that the traditional states get. The GF gets shared around.
Maybe we could have a media that isn’t all about VFL.
That’s before we get to the 3rd party aponsorships

But yeah once all the advantages Victorians receive are looked at we can look at academies in the northern states.

Come on Colonial. All that you’ve suggested is a flimsy defense at best.

All that matters is on field performance, which is a direct relation to access to talent.

But the reality is the cat is out of the bag now and there’s no going bag.

But I expect the AFL will act relatively quickly now.