Remove this Banner Ad

Academy Watch

  • Thread starter Thread starter irel
  • Start date Start date
  • Tagged users Tagged users None

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Is anyone able to educate me as to why the Allies play as a team in the U18s against the other ‘major’ states (and obvs won the comp this year) but at U16 level the various Allies state / academies play as standalone teams in. Div 2 and hence don’t get to compete against the major states?
 
in the u16s, QLD is split into Lions and Suns.

NSW is split into GWS and Swans, then you have Tassie and NT.

It's a better way to flush out all the talent in the northern states as they don't have the league below it for talent ID like the major footy states do, and if the Lions played Vic Metro for example, they would get absolutely thumped.

Once they get to u18s and Allies, the cream rises to the top and the talent has largely (not always) established themselves.

I'm not a big fan of the academies, but they still do a much better job of picking sides etc than the state schoolboy system, which is broken.
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

It's hard to know how old every kid in the u15 club competition is, because its u15.5 so some of the best players may well be 16 this year and ineligible. However on the weekend just gone, I noted some very strong players still playing club footy I had assumed would be in Ballarat.

Plus, at the carnival there was only one kid selected that isn't from SEQ. While the northern teams weren't strong, I noted some very very good players running around in a few of them, but hard when you're getting dusted by 80+ points to put your best foot forward. There is even a DD kid I know, who comes down to play club footy in Briabane who is better than at least half the selected side, but again they got smashed by 100 in pretty much every game they played, and he was the only decent kid they had so hard to notice him.

The one benefit they 'could' have derived from picking basically an SEQ team is preparation, as they could have had a bunch of sessions together. But they came together last Friday for the first time, 2 days before their first game. Not sure thats ideal prep!

Hope WA are just really strong, or they will improve a bit as they get to know each other.
 
They trained on Thursday, not Friday.

Didn't know that was the only session they had though. Seems ridiculous, like they don't take the carnival seriously.

94-0 isn't great! Spare a thought for the forward-line sitting down there in Ballarat weather catching a cold.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Almost as if the coach picked one random north queenslander to avoid running training sessions.

I've just watched the stream of a couple of games, its truly embarassing who they took and who they left at home now that they are out there actually playing.

Though that Jervis and Smith are both good players. (Suns again!)
 
What a shame to waste the opportunity that a carnival like this offers...however leaving the whole thing in the hands of the education department (when basically nobody at least in public schools plays for their school anymore) seems like a recipe for disaster!
 
It's just lazy.

You look at this years team.

South Coast - 9 players (Winners)
Sunshine Coast - 7 players (R/up) (Coach of the team also coaches this region :rolleyes: )
Met East - 6 players (3rd)
Met North - 2 players (4th)

Like they have just decided to use a formula to pick the side based on how teams finished. You win, you get the most, and then so on.

Met West were 5th, won 3 games by 100+ points and have nobody in there! Teams are seeded based on how their region perofrmed the year before, so you're behind the 8-ball before you arrive unless you're from one of the above 4 regions.

Can't tell me nobody from anywhere in North Queensland, Darling Downs or the entire Western Suburbs of Brisbane isn't good enough. They should speak to the regional coaches before the carnival even starts and create a watch list, maybe even speak to the academy about who they rate. By all means make your own decisions, but at least make them educated decisions.

Not going to name names, as its not fair on the kids - but there are 3 kids in there from Met East and at least 2 each from the two coastal teams who aren't even close to some of the lads who missed out. The Darling Downs team had a bunch of 12 year olds in it, and apparently had 26 at their selection trial, their best kid is miles better than half the selected side - but what chance does he have to show his talents?
 
Jake Fazldeen (small forward) and Wyatt Greenaway (general defender) are two other players I have on my watch list from last years U16 team. Tom Fry (mid) and Alex Pope (mid) are two others, but have them a bit behind the other 5 afore mentioned players.
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Fry was the Lions MVP from that u16 team last year. He is committed to Sherwood for 2024, good on him for being loyal to Mayne, but hed have played every week for us in the QAFL if he came this year.

Fazldeen has been hitting the scoreboard alot for Grange in the QAFL, he is a v good player.

Gilder has been a revelation this year. I've always rated him, but he has played every week in the QAFL Seniors, was best on ground in our win over Morningside a few weeks back, then the following week he was moved onto Lachie Henderson (who was giving us a bath) and he nullified him completely. First 3 or 4 games we played him on a wing, but the training wheels came off quickly and he is dominating down back. As the pic shows, he has also put on some good size!

Gillett has played the last 2 weeks, much harder for a teenage ruckman, but on the weekend he was very good, took about 7 contested marks and had 15 touches and we got dusted by 15 goals, so it was a good effort from a 17 year old ruckman in the circumstances.

Will Munro has also now been added to this side.
 
Looking at the Suns players. Joe Kennedy is father son eligible to Brisbane.

Leo Lombard (small mid) and Caleb Nancarrow (ruck forward) were in last years U16 AA team. And Zanker-Close is rated by Suns fans (he's also this years draft).
 
Fry was the Lions MVP from that u16 team last year. He is committed to Sherwood for 2024, good on him for being loyal to Mayne, but hed have played every week for us in the QAFL if he came this year.

Fazldeen has been hitting the scoreboard alot for Grange in the QAFL, he is a v good player.

Gilder has been a revelation this year. I've always rated him, but he has played every week in the QAFL Seniors, was best on ground in our win over Morningside a few weeks back, then the following week he was moved onto Lachie Henderson (who was giving us a bath) and he nullified him completely. First 3 or 4 games we played him on a wing, but the training wheels came off quickly and he is dominating down back. As the pic shows, he has also put on some good size!

Gillett has played the last 2 weeks, much harder for a teenage ruckman, but on the weekend he was very good, took about 7 contested marks and had 15 touches and we got dusted by 15 goals, so it was a good effort from a 17 year old ruckman in the circumstances.

Will Munro has also now been added to this side.
Does Gillett look like he could play forward or back at all? I had it in my head he was the young guy who could play anywhere, although it appears that was Gilder?
 
It's just lazy.

You look at this years team.

South Coast - 9 players (Winners)
Sunshine Coast - 7 players (R/up) (Coach of the team also coaches this region :rolleyes: )
Met East - 6 players (3rd)
Met North - 2 players (4th)

Like they have just decided to use a formula to pick the side based on how teams finished. You win, you get the most, and then so on.

Met West were 5th, won 3 games by 100+ points and have nobody in there! Teams are seeded based on how their region perofrmed the year before, so you're behind the 8-ball before you arrive unless you're from one of the above 4 regions.

Can't tell me nobody from anywhere in North Queensland, Darling Downs or the entire Western Suburbs of Brisbane isn't good enough. They should speak to the regional coaches before the carnival even starts and create a watch list, maybe even speak to the academy about who they rate. By all means make your own decisions, but at least make them educated decisions.

Not going to name names, as its not fair on the kids - but there are 3 kids in there from Met East and at least 2 each from the two coastal teams who aren't even close to some of the lads who missed out. The Darling Downs team had a bunch of 12 year olds in it, and apparently had 26 at their selection trial, their best kid is miles better than half the selected side - but what chance does he have to show his talents?

time to move on mate, nothing to do with the academy anyway and its not a huge deal. My own kid missed out, and I've explained those circumstances, so lets all just get on with it!
 
Fry was the Lions MVP from that u16 team last year. He is committed to Sherwood for 2024, good on him for being loyal to Mayne, but hed have played every week for us in the QAFL if he came this year.

Fazldeen has been hitting the scoreboard alot for Grange in the QAFL, he is a v good player.

Gilder has been a revelation this year. I've always rated him, but he has played every week in the QAFL Seniors, was best on ground in our win over Morningside a few weeks back, then the following week he was moved onto Lachie Henderson (who was giving us a bath) and he nullified him completely. First 3 or 4 games we played him on a wing, but the training wheels came off quickly and he is dominating down back. As the pic shows, he has also put on some good size!

Gillett has played the last 2 weeks, much harder for a teenage ruckman, but on the weekend he was very good, took about 7 contested marks and had 15 touches and we got dusted by 15 goals, so it was a good effort from a 17 year old ruckman in the circumstances.

Will Munro has also now been added to this side.
Thanks Thommo. Where do you see Gilder projecting as a potential AFL player position wise? 3rd tall defender? Or a taller flanker type? Also draft wise next year do you see him as someone likely to make it onto an AFL list?

Also how do you rate his pace, agility and vertical leap? I’ve read previously he is an absolute freak athletically and probably the most athletic player from a Lions perspective since a young Jared Brennan. Would you agree with that?
 
Does Gillett look like he could play forward or back at all? I had it in my head he was the young guy who could play anywhere, although it appears that was Gilder.

Gillett is about 202cm, 12 months ago he was on track to just be a key forward, but now he's a genuine ruck/forward and when he goes forward, its not just to rest as a ruckman, he's genuinely good down there.

Had a really good game on weekend.

Couple of Gillett clips



Couple of Gilder Clips



Gilder is the one that can really play anywhere, but is probably a defender.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top Bottom