Recruiting James Hird Academy (Father/Son and Next Generation)

[Yoda_]

Perhaps you could post it then and I’ll stick your post so you can keep it up to date

The James Hird Academy website has updated the list with next two years eligible kids

Official AFL Website of the Essendon Football Club

The official AFL website of the Essendon Football Club

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[Bjchan13]

Sweid on an AFL list is mission accomplished by the academy system. Would've been happy to watch him for us but freo wanted him more and got their man

 

[Moo]

Sweid on an AFL list is mission accomplished by the academy system. Would've been happy to watch him for us but freo wanted him more and got their man

The character of this kid is off the charts.

 

[Bjchan13]

The character of this kid is off the charts.

Very impressive comeback from an ACL

 

[jdstorm]

I don’t understand why we are acting like this is the right result. It’s the smart play from essendons part.

It’s no where near the right result where compo picks and other afl machinations have pushed out the “first round” so far that a matching a mid 2nd round pick with a pick within 10 picks (assuming 18 FRPs ) would have to cost you moving back from pick 4 To pick 5 in a future draft.

Academy’s are good for the game and teams should have to pay a fair price for talent. However in this instance the price to match and use defecit was unfair

 

[Old Campaigner]

Some of the commentary makes it out like we have passed up Judd.

That's the cool thing about draftees, they're new and lacking in exposure so they can be whatever you want to imagine

 

[King Patty]

I don’t understand why we are acting like this is the right result. It’s the smart play from essendons part.

It’s no where near the right result where compo picks and other afl machinations have pushed out the “first round” so far that a matching a mid 2nd round pick with a pick within 10 picks (assuming 18 FRPs ) would have to cost you moving back from pick 4 To pick 5 in a future draft.

Academy’s are good for the game and teams should have to pay a fair price for talent. However in this instance the price to match and use defecit was unfair

yep a sensible answer would be any pick after 20, shoudn't impact a future first round pick if there is a deficit.

I would scrap night one being first round.......just make it the top 20 night one (including bids).

If that means Brisbane haven't had a pick yet and they won the premiership, I don't really care.

Then splitting the players into
Bid 0-10 no discount
bid 10-20 10% discount deficit rolls into future first round
bid 20-40 20% Discount deficit rolls into future second round
bid 40+ match with any next pick

 

[MightyDon]

yep a sensible answer would be any pick after 20, shoudn't impact a future first round pick if there is a deficit.

I would scrap night one being first round.......just make it the top 20 night one (including bids).

If that means Brisbane haven't had a pick yet and they won the premiership, I don't really care.

Then splitting the players into
Bid 0-10 no discount
bid 10-20 10% discount deficit rolls into future first round
bid 20-40 20% Discount deficit rolls into future second round
bid 40+ match with any next pick

I’d move as far as to teams that play finals can’t match first round NGAs, teams in the bottom half of the ladder need access to these players not teams in the the 8. If teams want to trade up to get a pick where their player might land that’s up to them to put a compelling trade to the club that has the pick.

 

[King Patty]

I’d move as far as to teams that play finals can’t match first round NGAs, teams in the bottom half of the ladder need access to these players not teams in the the 8. If teams want to trade up to get a pick where their player might land that’s up to them to put a compelling trade to the club that has the pick.

Maybe just top 10 picks cant be matched NGA. But I wouldn't want that for father son.

That would mean Suns and Lions miss all of Uwland, Patterson and Annable.
Or do they just develop them less, of hide them like swans and king.

Or maybe limit it to 1 top 10 NGA per year if playing finals.

So suns can match uwland, but need to trade up to pick Patterson

 

[Old Campaigner]

Maybe just top 10 picks cant be matched NGA. But I wouldn't want that for father son.

That would mean Suns and Lions miss all of Uwland, Patterson and Annable.
Or do they just develop them less, of hide them like swans and king.

Or maybe limit it to 1 top 10 NGA per year if playing finals.

So suns can match uwland, but need to trade up to pick Patterson

I think from next year they're limiting the number of picks that can be used to match a bid; there's probably not a lot more that needs to be done as that will force a club matching a top 10 bid to hold at least one first round pick in order to have enough points. Even under the current regime it's not like GCS got a free ride, they had to offload a number of players and do a lot of trading to get enough picks to match their bids.

In theory (and I think for the most part it holds up) the academies are deepening the talent pool by getting more players into the elite talent pathways, so it's not like the draft is getting watered down or anything like that.

If it's too hard for clubs to recoup the benefits of their academy programs they will simply cease investing in them and a lot of players (particularly in non-AFL states) will be lost to the game entirely.

 

[MightyDon]

Maybe just top 10 picks cant be matched NGA. But I wouldn't want that for father son.

That would mean Suns and Lions miss all of Uwland, Patterson and Annable.
Or do they just develop them less, of hide them like swans and king.

Or maybe limit it to 1 top 10 NGA per year if playing finals.

So suns can match uwland, but need to trade up to pick Patterson

Father sons are so rare I don’t think they need to change, that kind of luck and chance is as much the bounce of the ball and unique to the game. The suns getting 2 top 5 and 4 first round draft picks on the back of last years NGAs is out of control. I’d rather teams “hide” players, that’s just up to recruiting staff being better

 

[King Patty]

the suns getting 2 top 5 and 4 first round draft picks on the back of last years NGAs is out of control. I’d rather teams “hide” players, that’s just up to recruiting staff being better

Plus suns traded out 2 first round picks (7+8) for Petracca and got former pick1 Ugle-Hagan

 

[Zach Package]

Plus suns traded out 2 first round picks (7+8) for Petracca and got former pick1 Ugle-Hagan

Suns have been trading picks into the future and prepping for this outcome for 2 or 3 years and are essentially rigging their entire draft strategy around it, and losing established players to help make it happen.

Yes they are also trading in established players, but by my count they've only taken 3 non academy kids in the national draft in the last 5 years, they're hardly having their cake and eating it too.

They're just having a shitload of cake. Maybe the problem is their academy remit needs to be narrowed or they need to have worked with them for a longer period of time so they don't have as many johnny come latelys?

 

[ant555]

They do not have to change much more in the bidding system. Sides had to work the trades well this year to get their players.
We got a good deal from the Blues we would not have had under the previous system.
Couple more adjustments and it will be okay.
No need for too much complexity.

 

[astrowizzle]

I think from next year they're limiting the number of picks that can be used to match a bid; there's probably not a lot more that needs to be done as that will force a club matching a top 10 bid to hold at least one first round pick in order to have enough points. Even under the current regime it's not like GCS got a free ride, they had to offload a number of players and do a lot of trading to get enough picks to match their bids.

In theory (and I think for the most part it holds up) the academies are deepening the talent pool by getting more players into the elite talent pathways, so it's not like the draft is getting watered down or anything like that.

If it's too hard for clubs to recoup the benefits of their academy programs they will simply cease investing in them and a lot of players (particularly in non-AFL states) will be lost to the game entirely.

That brings some equalisation into the afl then I have no problems

The sun's, Brisbane, gws, Sydney have had a free ticket for a long time. The sun's are going to be scary next year onwards. They basically have been allowed to dump b graders and top up with top picks every year. there is a point in time when it has to stop

 

[Old Campaigner]

That brings some equalisation into the afl then I have no problems

The sun's, Brisbane, gws, Sydney have had a free ticket for a long time. The sun's are going to be scary next year onwards. They basically have been allowed to dump b graders and top up with top picks every year. there is a point in time when it has to stop

It's not exactly a free ticket though. As you say they've had to accumulate those picks through various means and lose established players along the way. It's the same sort of sacrifice any club would have to make to improve their hand in the draft.

 

[jdstorm]

I’d move as far as to teams that play finals can’t match first round NGAs, teams in the bottom half of the ladder need access to these players not teams in the the 8. If teams want to trade up to get a pick where their player might land that’s up to them to put a compelling trade to the club that has the pick.

That’s crap. Why even have NGAs then.

If teams are creating talent development pathways and developing kids well enough to be afl players they should get access. Just needs to be a fair price.
See Suns trading Flanders for pick 7

most bottom teams too cheap to develop talent are the teams that do t want it

 

[Seagrave_Holmes]

12 months is a long time but Blake Justice by all reports is shaping as a real first round prospect next year.

Still looks very light framed but a good ball user. Hopefully he can get some development next year as more of a silky outside midfielder, potentially complementing the crop we just drafted.

 

[MightyDon]

That’s crap. Why even have NGAs then.

If teams are creating talent development pathways and developing kids well enough to be afl players they should get access. Just needs to be a fair price.
See Suns trading Flanders for pick 7

most bottom teams too cheap to develop talent are the teams that do t want it

You do understand how this all works and what makes players eligible?

 

[jdstorm]

You do understand how this all works and what makes players eligible?

Very much so.

there’s a huge amount of talented athletes that meet that requirement . A bit of quality coaching at an early age and skys the limit.

 

[Andronicus]

It's not exactly a free ticket though. As you say they've had to accumulate those picks through various means and lose established players along the way. It's the same sort of sacrifice any club would have to make to improve their hand in the draft.

Exclusive access is absolutely a free ticket. They may have to give things up, but they have a guaranteed first round option that others don't.

 

[Yoda_]

12 months is a long time but Blake Justice by all reports is shaping as a real first round prospect next year.

Still looks very light framed but a good ball user. Hopefully he can get some development next year as more of a silky outside midfielder, potentially complementing the crop we just drafted.

he is a similar prospect to Huss, whilst his kicking is reasonably ok, it can be inconsistent. He is more inside mid / flanker than outside runner

 

[Yoda_]

The close of 2025 sees Khalil El Khakour become ineligible for 2026, will be having a really keen interest on the 2026 ground and beyond.

Blake Justice the big one at the moment, projecting somewhere between 25 - 40 imho, Gabriel Tangata, despite his limited underage exposure is another ive got some hope for as a small explosive defender/midfielder.

The 2027 group is obviously the one we are all wanting to improve drastically as well.

 

[Yoda_]

New NGA Zones allocated

Every club's new NGA zone confirmed after AFL review​

Tasmania's impending entry into the AFL has forced a re-jig of NGA zones

AFL.com.au revealed in September that the AFL had made significant changes to its NGA eligibility rules as well, including removing the criteria that allowed a player to be tied to a club if they were born overseas in the relevant zone, the removal of European countries as multicultural access and an expansion of age eligibility from 19 to 21 years to give clubs more access to late developers in their Academies.

WHICH NEXT GENERATION ACADEMY ZONES YOUR CLUB NOW HOLDS?

ESSENDON

North-West Melbourne, Tiwi & West Arnhem Land

Kyneton

 

[Andronicus]

Surprised the new zones didn't just expand the northern franchise areas.

 

[DapperDon]

I'm Surprised Geelong didn't just get Victoria entirely