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Academy Watch

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Bucking Beads said:
Why is him getting taller an issue??
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Will be hard to get bulk on him without other trade offs... pace, mobility, durability. 202 cm is at the absolute top end of where I'd like him to be.
 
TheBrownDog said:
Will be hard to get bulk on him without other trade offs... pace, mobility, durability. 202 cm is at the absolute top end of where I'd like him to be.
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Now I understand. Maybe he ends up our long term replacement for Stef.
 
TheBrownDog said:
Will be hard to get bulk on him without other trade offs... pace, mobility, durability. 202 cm is at the absolute top end of where I'd like him to be.
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Maybe we can slice a cm off the soles of his feet .......
 

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As you could imagine, there was a plethora of journos giving their opinions on various mediums yesterday so forgive me if I get the source incorrect; but I am pretty sure it was Brett Thomas on SEN that suggested that Connor Ballenden is the current favourite to go #1 in the 2017 draft (Lions Academy, KPF).

Anyone heard anything similar?
 
So getting WAY ahead of myself here but it's pretty exciting to think of the prospect of our spine one day being completely comprised of academy boys!

Andrews
Hipwood
Keays
Freeman
Ballenden

Now there's a LOT of water to go under the bridge but god that's exciting
 
Panthera said:
As you could imagine, there was a plethora of journos giving their opinions on various mediums yesterday so forgive me if I get the source incorrect; but I am pretty sure it was Brett Thomas on SEN that suggested that Connor Ballenden is the current favourite to go #1 in the 2017 draft (Lions Academy, KPF).

Anyone heard anything similar?
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yes. check out the media alert thread.
 
its interesting to see that most of the really highly rated prospects in our academy are the talls. I guess this is symptomatic of the fact that guys who are this tall really struggle for a position in the other football codes. Rugby perhaps as a backrower however you've got to have a fair bit of size about you. It still highlights some of the issues we have in drawing top class athletes away from League and union, however the fact that we are seeing a large number of KPP's coming through the academy is heartening given its arguably the hardest position to find and retain quality players in. There will always be a plethora of mids out there.
 

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Fatcat08 said:
its interesting to see that most of the really highly rated prospects in our academy are the talls. I guess this is symptomatic of the fact that guys who are this tall really struggle for a position in the other football codes. Rugby perhaps as a backrower however you've got to have a fair bit of size about you. It still highlights some of the issues we have in drawing top class athletes away from League and union, however the fact that we are seeing a large number of KPP's coming through the academy is heartening given its arguably the hardest position to find and retain quality players in. There will always be a plethora of mids out there.
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It's been true for a fair while as well. Look at the Qld boys before and after our heyday who went on to play quite a few games and you find a lot of the likes of Gilbert, Riewoldt, Hudson, Hale, Tippett x2, Merrett, Dixon and so on. The Beamses are few and far between, relatively speaking.
 
dlanod said:
It's been true for a fair while as well. Look at the Qld boys before and after our heyday who went on to play quite a few games and you find a lot of the likes of Gilbert, Riewoldt, Hudson, Hale, Tippett x2, Merrett, Dixon and so on. The Beamses are few and far between, relatively speaking.
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Yep certainly been a trend pre academies as well. Not a lot of good mids out of QLD, Voss obviously, Aker and Beams? Armitage maybe given the year he had. Can't remember too many after that. The academies will be a real success when we can start getting some real quality mids through the door. i know Keays comes in this year but compared to the talls its still a real shortage.
 
Is someone able to tell me what outstanding attributes Allison has? I know he's got a big leg on him but is he an inside player with his size? Is he good in the air or quick? Many thanks if someone can answer this.
 
Not a Psycho said:
Is someone able to tell me what outstanding attributes Allison has? I know he's got a big leg on him but is he an inside player with his size? Is he good in the air or quick? Many thanks if someone can answer this.
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Had a bit to do with Allison last year as a 16 year old. Was definitely an outside player then with great leg speed, also boasted solid endurance. His kicking is at a really high level obviously and I was often blown away at how precise he could be over 60 meters plus. Rarely wasted it when he had it. Always backs himself in and has a lot of confidence and self belief. Really lives and breathes everything about football. Super athletic kid who was told by the NAB academy to model his game on Pendlebury. Good in the air but not as much one on one as he was (and as far as I know still is) pretty slim. Not bad around stoppages but wasn't one of his stronger areas at the time. This likely would have changed in some capacity with development this year at the NAB academy/Lions Academy. Probably a lot of stuff you would have already known but thought I'd offer up some points anyway.
 
Billythekid17 said:
Had a bit to do with Allison last year as a 16 year old. Was definitely an outside player then with great leg speed, also boasted solid endurance. His kicking is at a really high level obviously and I was often blown away at how precise he could be over 60 meters plus. Rarely wasted it when he had it. Always backs himself in and has a lot of confidence and self belief. Really lives and breathes everything about football. Super athletic kid who was told by the NAB academy to model his game on Pendlebury. Good in the air but not as much one on one as he was (and as far as I know still is) pretty slim. Not bad around stoppages but wasn't one of his stronger areas at the time. This likely would have changed in some capacity with development this year at the NAB academy/Lions Academy. Probably a lot of stuff you would have already known but thought I'd offer up some points anyway.
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Thank you
 

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Theres been a bit of chat thrown about Connor Ballendan being rated a potential top round pick in 2 years time (via Liam Pickerings comment and people throwing their two cents in)

anyone seen him play? whats the go with him? is the chat legit? any info would be awesome, be pretty cool to have another elite forward prospect come in, in two years time
 
The hype around these players make me think the AFL was probably lucky that Eddie managed to make enough noise to whittle down the Academy system so early. Could you imagine the uproar if we were able to take Keays, Hipwood, Alison and Ballendan under the old system in consecutive years. That's four first round picks that are predicted to go in the first 10-15 picks. Gotta say, if there is thing about our club that makes me excited for the future right now, it's the academy and the talent it's producing.
 
In 2014, 5 of our under 15s squad made the All Australian team.
Connor Ballendan
Brendan Shelton
Jack Clayton
Tom Fullarton
Bayden Goff

Now not all junior players will progress, and even less chance when they're a long way out at under 15s level. But gee hard to not get excited.

We might need to have 6000 points in the 2017 draft to match all bids. :eek:
 
Worth a mention that along with Bellendan we also have Jack Clayton in the 2017 draft eligible AFL Academy intake. He is another great prospect for us and one who I will be looking forward to getting a close look at next year.

That is to go with Hipwood and Keays this year and Allison and Rolls next year. Great to see the talent coming through and rising to the top.
 
BigCat2 said:
In 2014, 5 of our under 15s squad made the All Australian team.
Connor Ballendan
Brendan Shelton
Jack Clayton
Tom Fullarton
Bayden Goff

Now not all junior players will progress, and even less chance when they're a long way out at under 15s level. But gee hard to not get excited.

We might need to have 6000 points in the 2017 draft to match all bids. :eek:
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Shelton was one who had some decent hype around him, but dropped off he radar a bit this year. I might have heard he cut back on his footy commitments this year as he might have previously been playing in the DD, Brisbane as well as school footy.
 
Quigley said:
Worth a mention that along with Bellendan we also have Jack Clayton in the 2017 draft eligible AFL Academy intake. He is another great prospect for us and one who I will be looking forward to getting a close look at next year.

That is to go with Hipwood and Keays this year and Allison and Rolls next year. Great to see the talent coming through and rising to the top.
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its noted Clayton is also playing U17 queensland schoolboys cricket and playing 3rd grade in mens cricket, might pursue a career in cricket
 

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