List Mgmt. 2025 Young Talent Time

[what a game]

NGA changes announced:

• removed the criteria that allowed a player to be tied to a club if they were born overseas in the relevant zones, with all NGA applications from now on to rely on parents' cultural backgrounds
• the addition of the Pacific and Central and South American regions to the cultural eligibility criteria and the removal of European countries;
• an expansion of age eligibility from 19 to 21 years to allow clubs to have more time to access players if they are late developers;
• a requirement that the player and their family must have resided in the NGA zone for at least 12 months before their application is submitted
• minimum requirements for clubs that clubs must meet to obtain draft concessions and NGA funding, including minimum number of players engaged, minimum hours of development of players and minimum reporting requirements;
• clubs having to submit applications in a player's 15th year, brought forward from their 16th year;
• allowing other clubs to pre-list NGA players who are not selected by their aligned clubs;
• dedicating a Category B rookie list spot for NGA eligible players, which is triggered once a club fills its first Category B rookie position;
• the AFL offering part-funding of Category B rookie contracts for Indian and Chinese players, with the funding on this incentive to be decided by the AFL;
• the formal introduction of the AFLW NGA draft concessions for the 2026 draft.

AFL cracks down on player eligibility in NGA revamp

Clubs must spend more time with Next Generation Academy prospects and register their interest earlier in order to get priority draft access

www.afl.com.au

I think Lucas Robinson still qualifies as his parents were borm in Zimbabwe

His father was . His mum is from tarin rock

 

[Tonga Bob]

His father was . His mum is from tarin rock

One's enough

 

[Paracleet]

Ultimatley the northern acadamies will become a block on development if thiings go according to 'plan'. They currently, notionally, exist as a replacement for unified statewide (for that read capital city and nearby) under age leagues with full facilites and coaching in NSW and QLD. At the moment all they do is go around plucking the best young talent out of the clubs in whatever existing strucuture those states have. That can't continue indefinately.

I'd argue its not actually helping football as a game develop in those states that much, its more just a means of rationalising exlcusiuve access for the 4 northern terms to players in their respective states. If they were serious about it the AFL be funding the creation of a network junior clubs to actually take up the large numbers of players in Auskick in those states. This structure doesn't don't exist then you can't feed any hyoptetical under age league.

If the goal of the academies is to devleop football in those states to the point they have such a competition, then everyone should agree that the northern academies as constituted, and the exclusive access, is not forever.

 

[Sherriff Incorporated]

Oskar taylor?

He seems to be ranked 15-22 in mocks. So right in our 1st pick draft range. He also fits a major list need in that he plays similar to Jordan Clark so a fast defender with good skills. He'll be likely to climb a bit after the draft combine as I think he'll do exceptionally in the kicking and 20 metre sprint trials.
This from Rookie Me Central:
A fifth Eastern Ranges prospect in our top 30, Taylor joined Robey in earning a call-up to the National Draft Combine. There’s a view he’ll be taken as high as the teens despite missing out on Vic Metro selection, instead proving his wares across a consistent Coates Talent League campaign. While his dazzling speed and wicked foot skills catch the eye, Taylor is touted as a defence first half-back who wins the ball back before flicking the switch into attack mode. He isn’t afraid to venture high up the ground, taking metres and hitting targets on his favoured left side. Taylor can go short and sharp or long and direct, proving a weapon in transition. He averaged 21 disposals across 17 games this season to sit firmly in first round contention.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Oskar taylor?

25
A rebounding defender who rapidly rose up draft boards in the second half of the season, Taylor transformed his game nicely this year. He started the season as more of a role player who had a defensive-first mindset down back, but he added more counter-attack to his game as his confidence grew. While not part of Vic Metro’s squad for the under-18 national championships, Taylor snagged a state combine invite on the back of his form for the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League. He showed himself to be a player who could win one-on-one contests, take intercept marks and break the lines with his speed and nice left-foot kick coming out of the back half. Taylor was also exposed to a few midfield rotations late in the season and was able to impact there as well. He was part of the Ranges’ side which surged to a premiership in September and recorded 21 disposals and six intercept possessions in the Grand Final, during which he aggressively pushed up the ground and worked off opponents well.

2025 Coates League 97 ranking points, 20.5 disposals, 3.9 marks, 1.1 intercept marks, 5.1 intercept possessions, 3.2 rebound 50s, 0.9 spoils, 2.3 tackles (17 games)

 

[Taylor]

Does Freo want to draft a half back after trading in one?

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Ultimatley the northern acadamies will become a block on development if thiings go according to 'plan'. They currently, notionally, exist as a replacement for unified statewide (for that read capital city and nearby) under age leagues with full facilites and coaching in NSW and QLD. At the moment all they do is go around plucking the best young talent out of the clubs in whatever existing strucuture those states have. That can't continue indefinately.

I'd argue its not actually helping football as a game develop in those states that much, its more just a means of rationalising exlcusiuve access for the 4 northern terms to players in their respective states. If they were serious about it the AFL be funding the creation of a network junior clubs to actually take up the large numbers of players in Auskick in those states. This structure doesn't don't exist then you can't feed any hyoptetical under age league.

If the goal of the academies is to devleop football in those states to the point they have such a competition, then everyone should agree that the northern academies as constituted, and the exclusive access, is not forever.

Post this in the DTFA thread on academies, please. The responses will be very funny

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Yeah, I cant see us taking ANOTHER HBF when we are trading in McVee and will have Whan (who I really dont see making it anywhere else but there or wing)

 

[malpaso]

Does Freo want to draft a half back after trading in one?

Sounds like he could be a winger though as well..

 

[Sherriff Incorporated]

Yeah, I cant see us taking ANOTHER HBF when we are trading in McVee and will have Whan (who I really dont see making it anywhere else but there or wing)

I think they see McVee as a winger personally. That's where he played as a junior. I also think Chappy might actually play wing next season and beyond too so we may need more half backs than first thought.

 

[pK75]

I think they see McVee as a winger personally. That's where he played as a junior. I also think Chappy might actually play wing next season and beyond too so we may need more half backs than first thought.

Glad you’re onboard with never having too many HBFs in the team.

 

[Sherriff Incorporated]

Glad you’re onboard with never having too many HBFs in the team.

Hey as long as they're quick and have good kicking skills. Eg. Not Banfield.

 

[millsy]

I think they see McVee as a winger personally. That's where he played as a junior. I also think Chappy might actually play wing next season and beyond too so we may need more half backs than first thought.

I thought part of the sell from us was giving him more of a role in distributing off half back rather than being forced to play deeper and more defensively?

 

[Sherriff Incorporated]

I thought part of the sell from us was giving him more of a role in distributing off half back rather than being forced to play deeper and more defensively?

I read he wanted to play further up the ground which could be interpreted as wing or a distributing half back. It was said by big footy Melbourne supporters that in his exit interview in 2024 he told the club he wanted to play more midfield in 2025 but then had his preseason ruined by injury.

 

[freo_leo29]

The uncontested and free flowing nature of the Futures game wasn't really the ideal place for Dockers NGA Lucas Robinson to show his best stuff. Robinson is a big, tough, contested inside mid who shares some similarities with Dyson Sharp: elite in the clinches, diligent with his defensive work, loves a tackle, and surprisingly strong overhead able to impact in contested marking situations around the ground. Lucas found plenty of the footy here but was mostly doing the grunt work to release his outside runners with hands in close, racking up 7 clearances for the game.

Love what I saw there

Takes the ball on the move like 15 of 19 times, means he knows where to run

 

[wakojako]

Love what I saw there

Takes the ball on the move like 15 of 19 times, means he knows where to run

People are reading to much into the highlights. Just let the kid develop and re-assess at the end of next season. He has a full year to work on his craft and the full resources of the NGA program.

 

[fnerd]

People are reading to much into the highlights. Just let the kid develop and re-assess at the end of next season. He has a full year to work on his craft and the full resources of the NGA program.

Nah faaaaarrrrkkkk that!

I’ve seen more than enough to declare the kid Patty Cripps mk ll !!!

(Minus the baby head , shit eating grin and general all round flogness of course!)

 

[Freoforever86]

Amongst the other quick mids that were on display, he looked very slow and minimal chase effort. Once it left his immediate area he didn’t sprint chase, jogged after his opponent.

I didn’t think he was a top 15 player on the ground. There were some amazing forwards, dynamic mids and fast rebounding back flankers.

I watched it hoping we had a top 5 kid lined up, but completely understand why the club was pushing for the draft to be reset asap, the academies abolished and the first round protected. I’m not sure Robinson is a 1st rounder. Maybe end of 1st round.

Yep seen enough. Remove from the academy and wrote him off.

Far out. Will be playing league footy next year. Excited to see what his game can turn into next year

 

[CaseySibosadoHOF]

For us in the first round, there's a handful of guys I like but I'm not as confident as last year of being able to stay put and be happy with whichever of the top group falls to us.

Walls mentioned about 12 times the idea of accumulating points to move up. Now with the current state of play it's difficult to say which picks stay where. But assuming we enter the draft with a first rounder (some seem to think we won't), what's the feasible range to trade into where you'd feel confident that moving up moves the needle?

 

[freo_leo29]

Makes sense to bundle the picks up to get as high as possible

Take the first then take a second pick with all of ours bundled up then take Whan with the last spot

 

[fnerd]

Makes sense to bundle the picks up to get as high as possible

Take the first then take a second pick with all of ours bundled up then take Whan with the last spot

Yea reckon this is wallsys modus operandi

 

[kuhni]

Amongst the other quick mids that were on display, he looked very slow and minimal chase effort. Once it left his immediate area he didn’t sprint chase, jogged after his opponent.

I didn’t think he was a top 15 player on the ground. There were some amazing forwards, dynamic mids and fast rebounding back flankers.

I watched it hoping we had a top 5 kid lined up, but completely understand why the club was pushing for the draft to be reset asap, the academies abolished and the first round protected. I’m not sure Robinson is a 1st rounder. Maybe end of 1st round.

Getting rid of the concessions as soon as possible has always been the fairest, realistic outcome for us.

 

[kuhni]

Walls mentioned about 12 times the idea of accumulating points to move up. Now with the current state of play it's difficult to say which picks stay where. But assuming we enter the draft with a first rounder (some seem to think we won't), what's the feasible range to trade into where you'd feel confident that moving up moves the needle?

I like how he mentioned talking to a few players about moving across.

 

[Rockmelon]

With Robinson, is he able to train with Freo full time next year as he's out of school? or is that not allowed?

 

[mattis117]

Walls mentioned about 12 times the idea of accumulating points to move up. Now with the current state of play it's difficult to say which picks stay where. But assuming we enter the draft with a first rounder (some seem to think we won't), what's the feasible range to trade into where you'd feel confident that moving up moves the needle?

I'm very happy with that quote of trade for needs and draft best available - that's exactly how it should be done.