Academy Rorts - The 2025 Draft Thread

[lionraven]

Don't think a club that has picked a key position player at pick 1 has won a flag in the last 25 years with that player in it. KPP + Pick 1 = Bad JuJu.

How many pick 1s ever win a premiership at their original club? The club needs to be shit enough to warrant a pick 1 but then get good enough within 10 years to win a flag. Cam would be one rare player. Did West Coast do it in 2018? Very rare feat.

 

[JasRulz63]

How many pick 1s ever win a premiership at their original club? The club needs to be shit enough to warrant a pick 1 but then get good enough within 10 years to win a flag. Cam would be one rare player. Did West Coast do it in 2018? Very rare feat.

Four. Drew Banfield, Luke Hodge, Des Headland and Cam Rayner.

Tom Boyd is the only pick 1 to win a premiership not at his original club.

 

[rye]

Four. Drew Banfield, Luke Hodge, Des Headland and Cam Rayner.

Tom Boyd is the only pick 1 to win a premiership not at his original club.

hodge probably deserves an asterisk - hawthorn played finals and ended up with pick 1 that year due to a fairly favourable trade.

 

[Perrip]

 

[Elixuh]

St Kilda CEO on the Gold Coast this week:

Hopefully the AFL tells the Saints to get back in their box.

 

[noobermensch]

In a hard fought win for the Allies it was their midfield ascendency that proved the difference across the 4 quarters and midfield general Dan Annable deserves a lot of the credit for that. He was strong in the contest, winning plenty of footy at the source or exerting strong defensive pressure, and although his disposal was a little wayward at times he still led his team in score involvements.

 

[lionraven]

I do wonder if all this northern academy chat is a smoke screen for the comeuppance of the NGA rorts that's about to get reported on and closed up this August.

Firstly, I am a visible minority and getting minority players in the league and getting visibility is important to reach new audiences. My family started caring more about the Australian cricket team when Khawajah got in. My family paid a lot more attention whenever Houli or Saad are/were playing. If there were visible Indian origin players who identified as that then they would pay more attention to AFL. My Indian parents would never support me pursuing a career in professional sport. With the likes of Khawajah my parents are now supportive grandparents to my nephew playing cricket seriously.

However, at the moment it seems the NGA is not about getting new people into the sport. its more about digging through the family tree of existing talents to rort the system. Now that the AFL is reviewing this, it seems like the perfect time to have a whinge about our Northern Academies. When the AFL comes in support of our academies then the likes of Trash Kilda will have more ammunition to whinge when their rort is closed down.

 

[knaf]

I do wonder if all this northern academy chat is a smoke screen for the comeuppance of the NGA rorts that's about to get reported on and closed up this August.

Firstly, I am a visible minority and getting minority players in the league and getting visibility is important to reach new audiences. My family started caring more about the Australian cricket team when Kawajah got in. My family paid a lot more attention whenever Houli or Saad are/were playing. If there were visible Indian origin players who identified as that then they would pay more attention to AFL. My Indian parents would never support me pursuing a career in professional sport. With the likes of Kawajah my parents are now supportive grandparents to my nephew playing cricket seriously.

However, at the moment it seems the NGA is not about getting new people into the sport. its more about digging through the family tree of existing talents to rort the system. Now that the AFL is reviewing this, it seems like the perfect time to have a whinge about our Northern Academies. When the AFL comes in support of our academies then the likes of Trash Kilda will have more ammunition to whinge when their rort is closed down.

Thanks for the insight. Look forward to your nephew opening for Australia.

 

[Sproj]

How everyone else in the AFL views St Kilda's whinging.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Firstly, I am a visible minority and getting minority players in the league and getting visibility is important to reach new audiences. My family started caring more about the Australian cricket team when Khawajah got in. My family paid a lot more attention whenever Houli or Saad are/were playing. If there were visible Indian origin players who identified as that then they would pay more attention to AFL. My Indian parents would never support me pursuing a career in professional sport. With the likes of Khawajah my parents are now supportive grandparents to my nephew playing cricket seriously.

I too am a visible minority, and this all matches my experience too.

Trash Kilda

Thank you good sir/madam, this shall be my new nickname for them too.

 

[Clarkythelion]

The good thing about the St Kilda position of - NO Academies, is that the Giants have taken the exact opposite position - The Giants should get their Western Sydney kids for Free. The full spectrum of debate is good.

I tend to be leaning towards the Giants, as per recent posts, if the Giants can crack the non-English speaking background market and strong ethnic communities of Western Sydney that would be a good thing. I'd even support Melbourne clubs whom truly got kids involved in the game, and can prove it, from African immigrants, for free. I really do think academies can be used for good, reaching into certain communities and creating pathways out for disadvantaged and/or wayward youth. The lions could have the Western corridor area of Ipswich, Woodbridge, Inala. Gold Coast could have Logan. Maybe Lions can have Cairns and the Suns Townsville for free. I just think St Kilda's idea is a bit too much about, "white Australian kids only"

 

[briztoon]

The good thing about the St Kilda position of - NO Academies, is that the Giants have taken the exact opposite position - The Giants should get their Western Sydney kids for Free. The full spectrum of debate is good.

I tend to be leaning towards the Giants, as per recent posts, if the Giants can crack the non-English speaking background market and strong ethnic communities of Western Sydney that would be a good thing. I'd even support Melbourne clubs whom truly got kids involved in the game, and can prove it, from African immigrants, for free. I really do think academies can be used for good, reaching into certain communities and creating pathways out for disadvantaged and/or wayward youth. The lions could have the Western corridor area of Ipswich, Woodbridge, Inala. Gold Coast could have Logan. Maybe Lions can have Cairns and the Suns Townsville for free. I just think St Kilda's idea is a bit too much about, "white Australian kids only"

Gold Coast already have most of Logan as part of their academy zone, as well Townsville and Cairns.

Last I heard, Jack Bowes dad still ran their Cairns academy.

As for St Kilda’s nga academy, I have no idea about the demographics of their recruiting zone, other than it encompasses the Sandringham Dragons CTL zone, and a lot of their kids come from wealthy private schools.

 

[dlanod]

I'd even support Melbourne clubs whom truly got kids involved in the game, and can prove it, from African immigrants, for free.

To me, they should have a five year NGA membership requirement similar to our academy having a five year residency requirement.

Sign the kids up at 13 and they'll be a lot more invested in making sure they come through and develop. Being able to sign the kid up at 16 when he's already making rep squads and you're just cherry picking those who already did it themselves.

 

[Matty411]

Saints and the other clubs down south do not get this simple fact: without the academies, these players (by and large) would not be playing AFL (or even footy in some cases).

They're supposed to invest all that into players then let them go wherever? Wake up, Ross.

I do think the discount needs to be abolished, but clubs still deserve first dibs. This is the way of the future with Aussie Rules making headway in the northern states.

Reckon some want it to go back to the VFL days.

- from a long-suffering QLD Blues supporter

 

[Elixuh]

Saints and the other clubs down south do not get this simple fact: without the academies, these players (by and large) would not be playing AFL (or even footy in some cases).

They're supposed to invest all that into players then let them go wherever? Wake up, Ross.

I do think the discount needs to be abolished, but clubs still deserve first dibs. This is the way of the future with Aussie Rules making headway in the northern states.

Reckon some want it to go back to the VFL days.

- from a long-suffering QLD Blues supporter

The only supporters outside of the Northern clubs who actually understand the purpose is people like you who live in Qld.

If the academies didn’t exist the Saints would be drafting exactly the same player. I genuinely think it is to distract saints members from where their list is at and that there may be a few more years of pain while they sort it out. So look over here, it’s the lions fault.

 

[morsie]

Clubs like StKilda want the Northern clubs especially Qld clubs to go back to their previous role of feeding players to the Melbourne clubs.

 

[Dalions]

Clubs like StKilda want the Northern clubs especially Qld clubs to go back to their previous role of feeding players to the Melbourne clubs.

With the Academies slowly getting stronger, it should really give them better access to Victorian talent so they don’t have to pick at the Northern clubs.

 

[M Malice]

After Annable and maybe Geesu this year may the Rorts continue in perpetuity, some ratings from future drafts on the Draft board, ranking in brackets.

2026- Matthew Owen.. Midfield(16), Caylen Murray.. Midfield(38), Cooper Hodge..Midfield(44).
2027- Noah Rafter (22), Max Boothey.. ruck(35),

We need some Key position forwards and backs to come through.

 

[Elixuh]

After Annable and maybe Geesu this year may the Rorts continue in perpetuity, some ratings from future drafts on the Draft board, ranking in brackets.

2026- Matthew Owen.. Midfield(16), Caylen Murray.. Midfield(38), Cooper Hodge..Midfield(44).
2027- Noah Rafter (22), Max Boothey.. ruck(35),

We need some Key position forwards and backs to come through.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

After Annable and maybe Geesu this year may the Rorts continue in perpetuity, some ratings from future drafts on the Draft board, ranking in brackets.

2026- Matthew Owen.. Midfield(16), Caylen Murray.. Midfield(38), Cooper Hodge..Midfield(44).
2027- Noah Rafter (22), Max Boothey.. ruck(35),

We need some Key position forwards and backs to come through.

Let me tell you, the U16s look promising. Rafter is actually only the 8th or 9th most impressive player in that side in my eyes. Boothey definitely looks good, and I'm also enthusiastic about both a key forward and key defender in that side - Rohan Bickerton and Sam Dobbie respectively. I don't know if they'll keep progressing but there's enough to give me high hopes.

 

[Maboo]

The only supporters outside of the Northern clubs who actually understand the purpose is people like you who live in Qld.

If the academies didn’t exist the Saints would be drafting exactly the same player. I genuinely think it is to distract saints members from where their list is at and that there may be a few more years of pain while they sort it out. So look over here, it’s the lions fault.

Gerard Healy is a strong and vocal supporter of northern academy’s, he has also consistently called out the nga’s as a rort.
He has called on the AFL to abolish the nga’s and properly fund the existing pathways numerous times on sportsday,including an editorial.

 

[jjami15]

Gerard Healy is a strong and vocal supporter of northern academy’s, he has also consistently called out the nga’s as a rort.
He has called on the AFL to abolish the nga’s and properly fund the existing pathways numerous times on sportsday,including an editorial.

On the Couch has never been the same since he left.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I didn't watch yesterday's U18 championships game, but Prindable seems to have done alright, 18 disposals, 7 tackles, 2 clearances and a goal. Annable was good as usual, 23 disposals, 5 tackles, 5 clearances. Maybe Prindable is earning himself a spot on the list for next season, whether as a draft pick or replacing Brain on the Cat B list. I think he'd be tracking towards being a late draft pick seeing as this isn't considered a good draft.

 

[Crusha]

Don't take this personally #briztoon , but ....

Why aren't there any replays of the Championship games ? .... What does the AFL they think they are hiding ??

It's just you're the only person with Draft in his description to whom I have any access !

 

[briztoon]

Don't take this personally #briztoon , but ....

Why aren't there any replays of the Championship games ? .... What does the AFL they think they are hiding ??

It's just you're the only person with Draft in his description to whom I have any access !

Farked if I know. This often discussed on the draft board. Basically there's only little interest in underage footy, so the AFL know they only have to pay lip service to fans, at best.