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Academy Watch

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Required said:
Here is probably the best place for this.
As i said before. They struggle because Lions employ and staff the academy with people whos biggest professional achievement will be to coach in the Lions academy. They have made it. No ambition to go further.

If they want change, they need to hire a recently retired player with AFL coaching aspirations, who looks at the academy as an opportunity to prove himself in all areas of coaching, and everything that goes with it. Someone desperate for results, and that is measured in draftees, and happy kids satisfied they had the chance to give it their best shot. Someone who has higher aspirations and will use the academy to achieve it. He must also have cart blanch to select his own assistants and staff to the extent an AFL coach would have. He has to own it.

If the northern academies had some restrictions/limit in the draft of Vic, WA, SA, players, im pretty sure one would see big changes at the Lions. Right now, they have no real motivation to make it work. They can get all their talent from down south.
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just returning to this thread and came across the above.

Swans academy have just appointed Leon Cameron as their head coach.

Thats the sort of investment required to get it right.
 
Miller1971 said:
just returning to this thread and came across the above.

Swans academy have just appointed Leon Cameron as their head coach.

Thats the sort of investment required to get it right.
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ha ha . . . I know it looks sus but I actually posted my last message before I read yours
 

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Miller1971 said:
just returning to this thread and came across the above.

Swans academy have just appointed Leon Cameron as their head coach.

Thats the sort of investment required to get it right.
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If we get a sponsor who is willing to throw in a million a year like Sydney have I am sure we would do something similar.
 
M Malice said:
Throw a million at Mark Williams.
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Need that sponsor first.

I’m already wondering when the AFL start scaling back the access Northern clubs have to their academies.

Wouldn’t surprise me if changes happen in 2025.

Unless Tassie get their own academy or priority access to local players for a period.
 
don't think they will do anything about the Northern academies until they actually start producing genuine talent regularly

At the moment, getting a handful of kids drafted late in the process every couple of years doesn't have the Vic footy mafia up in arms, so the status quo will remain.

If the Lions Academy start churning out elite players on the regular, then the AFL might look at it - but its not happening any time soon
 
Zane Littlejohn just announced as Senior Coach at Box Hill.

So head of academy role now vacant. Adrian Fletcher is available again after stepping own from our Senior role, they should give him a ring. Seriously amazing footy brain and knows how to identify and develop talent - he would need a good PA though!
 

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Miller1971 said:
how does this show any true value to academy system?

just a good story of persistence.
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Have to agree. Plenty of players getting drafter prior to the academy from Queensland. All the academy seems to do now is lock down the talent to give us first call. Not sure its doing much to improve QAFL footy either, some would argue its even doing local footy a diservice. I hope things improve, we could do with a few good talls over the next few years, something that has been fairly reliable over the last couple of decades.
 
Miller1971 said:
how does this show any true value to academy system?

just a good story of persistence.
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It is not just the stars it produces, it is all that go thru the system get the opportunity to be their best. It is not just those the Lions draft, but those that get a chance elsewhere.
 
Morbidly_Obese said:
Are there any 1st round prospects from the academy this year?
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Couple of KPPs from memory - McDonald and Richardson. Not first rounders yet based on what I've read.
 

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scoman said:
Good timing. Both defenders primarily?
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Richardson played ruck in the U16 Championships last year as an overager (as a December birth), and was named the U16 AA ruck.

Played primarily as a defender in the U17 games.

He reads the ball very well as it’s coming in, but often holds on to it to long or try’s to take the game on when under pressure, which results in a bail out kick down the line.

He was moved up the ground for one quarter, where he played sort of as a half back, running in to the midfield as a big unit.


I believe McDonald has played as a KPF at colts or QAFL level, but I hadn’t heard of him before the national U17 showcase game at the end of the season, and definitely do not remember seeing him play or listed on a team sheet, in any of the state or academy U17 games.
 
briztoon said:
Richardson played ruck in the U16 Championships last year as an overager (as a December birth), and was named the U16 AA ruck.

Played primarily as a defender in the U17 games.

He reads the ball very well as it’s coming in, but often holds on to it to long or try’s to take the game on when under pressure, which results in a bail out kick down the line.

He was moved up the ground for one quarter, where he played sort of as a half back, running in to the midfield as a big unit.


I believe McDonald has played as a KPF at colts or QAFL level, but I hadn’t heard of him before the national U17 showcase game at the end of the season, and definitely do not remember seeing him play or listed on a team sheet, in any of the state or academy U17 games.
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Can Richardson play as a full time big-bodied mid?
 
Morbidly_Obese said:
Can Richardson play as a full time big-bodied mid?
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Why? We need depth in KPP/defenders. I'm hoping we let them develop in our exact area of need starting next year.

If one of them click, it'll help replacing Adams down the track.
 

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