2012 starts now.

Slenko

Senior List
Sep 9, 2008
256
5
Victoria
AFL Club
Essendon
Size of the town means nothing in today's money driven footy scene, it's the size of the offer that counts.

In the past I probably would have agreed but the Horsham Demons model has certainly disproved that it is always the case.

Ararat have the talented juniors coming through so I cannot see why they cannot replicate that model to some degree, but they appear to give greater emphasis on Under 17 flags as opposed to blooding those kids in senior ranks and then convincing them to stay.
 
Feb 4, 2008
1,280
192
Melbourne
In the past I probably would have agreed but the Horsham Demons model has certainly disproved that it is always the case.

Ararat have the talented juniors coming through so I cannot see why they cannot replicate that model to some degree, but they appear to give greater emphasis on Under 17 flags as opposed to blooding those kids in senior ranks and then convincing them to stay.

Too many nearby clubs forking out cash to ararats top kids.

Horsham have the advantage of that awesome record to help keep them, but for ararat to get in that position? The answer is to spend more cash

One district club offered one of our top kids (17 yo) 400 a game + travel I mean seriously... That's absurd!
 

Slenko

Senior List
Sep 9, 2008
256
5
Victoria
AFL Club
Essendon
Too many nearby clubs forking out cash to ararats top kids.

Horsham have the advantage of that awesome record to help keep them, but for ararat to get in that position? The answer is to spend more cash

One district club offered one of our top kids (17 yo) 400 a game + travel I mean seriously... That's absurd!

An awesome record has to start some where. No doubt Horsham players get offered money but choose to stay. To achieve 9 in row you first have to win one. Ararat have only 1 in about 20 years.
 

Fancy

Senior List
Apr 13, 2011
184
4
Fancy Pants Lives
AFL Club
GWS
In the past I probably would have agreed but the Horsham Demons model has certainly disproved that it is always the case.

Ararat have the talented juniors coming through so I cannot see why they cannot replicate that model to some degree, but they appear to give greater emphasis on Under 17 flags as opposed to blooding those kids in senior ranks and then convincing them to stay.





In Horsham’s case it’s more about the inequalities created by successive local government administrators.
 

Dodgeyknee

Debutant
Jan 10, 2008
110
1
Ballarat
AFL Club
Hawthorn
I think you are being a bit harsh. Ararat and Stawell dominated the late 90, early 00 before the Demons started their run.

Ararat will always have good juniors because of the size of the town. The hard part is keeping them in town and those that do stay get offered big cash by Tatyoon & Moy/Will
 

BETON5

All Australian
Dec 19, 2006
926
177
Demonland
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Storm
An awesome record has to start some where. No doubt Horsham players get offered money but choose to stay. To achieve 9 in row you first have to win one. Ararat have only 1 in about 20 years.[/quo

FACT: Ararat have won 2 flags in 12 years played in all 4 grand finals from 99-02 and should have won all 4.Which makes Ararat the 2nd most dominant team in the Wimmera in the past 2 decades.
A bit different than 1 in 20 Slenko
 

RooBoy2012

Rookie
Jan 24, 2012
38
3
Horsham
AFL Club
Collingwood
Nice to see Noodles Macfarline announced in the paper the club is looking forward to it. i'm from dimboola and I'm not to happy about the name of Sibson coming to dimboola from his record of being at a club every year.But the club will give him a chance and to perform.
 

Slenko

Senior List
Sep 9, 2008
256
5
Victoria
AFL Club
Essendon
An awesome record has to start some where. No doubt Horsham players get offered money but choose to stay. To achieve 9 in row you first have to win one. Ararat have only 1 in about 20 years.[/quo

FACT: Ararat have won 2 flags in 12 years played in all 4 grand finals from 99-02 and should have won all 4.Which makes Ararat the 2nd most dominant team in the Wimmera in the past 2 decades.
A bit different than 1 in 20 Slenko

Since 1986 they have won 2 flags in 25 years. I was one flag out. Should, could BUT DID NOT. In that same time Stawell have won 3. Statistics can be misleading, but my one in 20 years was not that far out without any research. It is still beside the point, for the talented juniors going thru their ranks, 2 in 25 is still a poor return given the population base.
 

FullOfKnowledge

Debutant
Feb 6, 2012
71
2
Horsham
AFL Club
Essendon
I really disagree with the way Dimboola are going about their structure of recruiting. Dimboola should just about be in the rebuilding stage were they need to generate play through there youngsters instead of paying thousands of Dollars for recruits like Macfarline to come back.Yes MacFarline does have roots at dimboola. but players that have come out of the juniors should be a priority is some of the coaching staff down in dimboola. Chris Miller. tall man. Son of Bruce miller. could be dangerous if had guidance or support. It would be hard for Gary Davidson to try and generate players from the U17's List as the junior never have success in that area. But a couple that have caught my eye watching and umpiring the juniors. such as Darcy dubious. played a couple senior games. given a go at the wrong times in finals. Luke Hutchinson. a exciting Football with Pace and potential to be a star. I think these youngster will Play ressies but coming out of school move away and davidson or next coach in future. will always need to recruit as the juniors would not travel to come back and play in a reserves side.just think Dimboola are taking the wrong approach
 

Footy blitz

Rookie
Nov 22, 2011
36
0
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Come on dodgyknee name names who have left from ararat to Moyston or tatty for big cash? Ararat should be a premiership contender with local talent around the area but they like to push them away more then recruiting them to the club. Ararat have dug themselves a hole.
 

deccan18

Debutant
Apr 21, 2010
52
2
ballarat
AFL Club
Carlton
I really disagree with the way Dimboola are going about their structure of recruiting. Dimboola should just about be in the rebuilding stage were they need to generate play through there youngsters instead of paying thousands of Dollars for recruits like Macfarline to come back.Yes MacFarline does have roots at dimboola. but players that have come out of the juniors should be a priority is some of the coaching staff down in dimboola. Chris Miller. tall man. Son of Bruce miller. could be dangerous if had guidance or support. It would be hard for Gary Davidson to try and generate players from the U17's List as the junior never have success in that area. But a couple that have caught my eye watching and umpiring the juniors. such as Darcy dubious. played a couple senior games. given a go at the wrong times in finals. Luke Hutchinson. a exciting Football with Pace and potential to be a star. I think these youngster will Play ressies but coming out of school move away and davidson or next coach in future. will always need to recruit as the juniors would not travel to come back and play in a reserves side.just think Dimboola are taking the wrong approach

Should just about be in the rebuilding stage? i would have called the last few years rebuilding. It was a well known fact that Dimboola forked out huge money to have a tilt at two grandfinals, 05 and 06. The club had little success after this period until the financial situation was rebuilt. This often happens in country footy, there are ups and downs. The last few years including 05/6 have seen junior footballers at the club progress into great footballers for the club. You only need to have a look at the loyalty of O'neill, Smith, The Braithwaites, Schultz, who have travelled from Adelaide, Melbourne and Ballarat to play at thier home club. Im pretty sure they ran around in the ressies whilst these highly paid recruits from Darwin where playing. What i'm trying to get at is that development of youngsters is very important, but its not a given right that you go straight to seniors from U17 if you're a local. Development often comes from having a year in the ressies. It's something that youngsters should be striving for, bettering thier football in whatever way they can without thinking its thier god given right to be picked. A big part of this is young blokes getting thier tires pumped up by outside clubs offering money.It's called LOYALTY, what you can give the club, not what they can give you. And as far as MacFarlane goes, you would be silly not to have him at your club, the amount he gives to the juniors is worth every cent he is being paid. Not to mention his football ability. If you disagree with what i'm saying just speak with Al Mckinnon, he might be able to give you a lesson or two in loyalty and sacrifice for the greater good. Recruiting is a part of football.
 

RooBoy2012

Rookie
Jan 24, 2012
38
3
Horsham
AFL Club
Collingwood
Should just about be in the rebuilding stage? i would have called the last few years rebuilding. It was a well known fact that Dimboola forked out huge money to have a tilt at two grandfinals, 05 and 06. The club had little success after this period until the financial situation was rebuilt. This often happens in country footy, there are ups and downs. The last few years including 05/6 have seen junior footballers at the club progress into great footballers for the club. You only need to have a look at the loyalty of O'neill, Smith, The Braithwaites, Schultz, who have travelled from Adelaide, Melbourne and Ballarat to play at thier home club. Im pretty sure they ran around in the ressies whilst these highly paid recruits from Darwin where playing. What i'm trying to get at is that development of youngsters is very important, but its not a given right that you go straight to seniors from U17 if you're a local. Development often comes from having a year in the ressies. It's something that youngsters should be striving for, bettering thier football in whatever way they can without thinking its thier god given right to be picked. A big part of this is young blokes getting thier tires pumped up by outside clubs offering money.It's called LOYALTY, what you can give the club, not what they can give you. And as far as MacFarlane goes, you would be silly not to have him at your club, the amount he gives to the juniors is worth every cent he is being paid. Not to mention his football ability. If you disagree with what i'm saying just speak with Al Mckinnon, he might be able to give you a lesson or two in loyalty and sacrifice for the greater good. Recruiting is a part of football.



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Could not agree any more!
 

Bear Tamer

Draftee
May 4, 2011
12
0
Wimmera
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Ladder Predictions...

I will start...

Warracknabeal
Horsham
Dimboola
Minyip Murtoa
Horsham Saints
Stawell
Ararat
Nhill
Horsham United
 

Pockets2

Draftee
Dec 23, 2008
6
0
Next Door
AFL Club
Geelong
Come on dodgyknee name names who have left from ararat to Moyston or tatty for big cash? Ararat should be a premiership contender with local talent around the area but they like to push them away more then recruiting them to the club. Ararat have dug themselves a hole.



Many experts on the Ararat Football Club voicing their opinions here without much insight.
Ararat is working feverishly to retain its young list, many of whom are relocating due to university and work commitments and seem to be doing a reasonable job. Many under 17s from last season have also committed. Have also added a couple more experienced players to the list over the off season.
 

moose47

Team Captain
Dec 31, 2008
448
11
Wimmera
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Manangatang 3rds
Are you seriously saying that Horshams sucess is due to political influences????
I don't know what it is with Fancy. She keeps pushing that barrow but never fully explains nor gives any credible evidence to support her theory.
 

Wimmera Wally

Draftee
Jul 29, 2010
2
0
AFL Club
Essendon
I would say that the barrow that Fancy is pushing is full of sour grapes!

On a different note it seems a few teams have recruted some quality players(new players to the league) this year. Its a fair guess that Warrack and Horsham will be in the top 3 atleast but there should be solid improvement from Dimboola and Horsham Saints. Could be a cracker finals series by the end of it all!
 

BETON5

All Australian
Dec 19, 2006
926
177
Demonland
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Storm
I would say that the barrow that Fancy is pushing is full of sour grapes!

On a different note it seems a few teams have recruted some quality players(new players to the league) this year. Its a fair guess that Warrack and Horsham will be in the top 3 atleast but there should be solid improvement from Dimboola and Horsham Saints. Could be a cracker finals series by the end of it all!
Final Ladder 2012 before finals.
Warracknabeal
Horsham
Dimboola
Ararat
Horsham Saints
Nhill
MinyipMurtoa
Stawell
United....
 
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