Academy Watch

[The Flying Belgian]

If you want a list of kids who should be there, I have a few for you.

Appreciate the effort.

 

[Thommo 42]

Prindable is in.

Good call on Jake Howson, kid is an absolute beast.

 

[Schache_off]

The last few posts reminds me of a book I read recently by Economist, Cameron Murray. The book has nothing to do with footy but all about power and money and how corrupt mining, superannuation, housing etc is. It references a study where people were put in a game and could reward others but not themselves and no-one had an advantage when all strangers played. When people who knew each other played together they were very likely to reward a friend or someone they had a personal relationship with.

It sounds like a little bit of this is probably going on. It would be very hard to design a system for identifying players for a squad that everyone would think is fair and gets the right result. The bias of a few would still come through in the end...

 

[nWo]

Easy line to give, but really only relevant to the top 10 or so.

One of the biggest issues is that 60 kids now think they're getting drafted, when 3-4 max will be and the other 50+ are witches hats.

If you are going to bring witches hats, at least make it performance/merit based, especially considering they have now hijacked all representative footy, so if you ever want to wear the QLD jumper outside the school stuff or be rewarded for performance, there is only one place that can happen.

Above poster about young Morrison from Yeronga/Moringside is spot on, he does have some limitations. But based on merit and performance, he should be there. Isn't it a development program? Isn't fitness the easiest thing to work on? I watched that kid in the Colts GF and his kicking is perfectly fine, on both side of the body.

If you're 16, and playing Senior footy for the QAFL Premiership side - then you're going ok. Meanwhile kids playing u15s getting picked ahead of you. As tommo said, how disrespectful can you be towards club footy?

If you want a list of kids who should be there, I have a few for you.

Jake Howson - 10 x Colts games for 27 goals and 3 x QAFL Seniro games for Aspley for 4 goals. Seriously good player, overlooked again. (Aspley need someone to push for him like they had to for Harris Andrews...) - for me, I disagree with the above, this kid is undoubtedly in the mix for best 22, more like Best 10.

Ethan Myers - 10 x QAFL Senior games for Aspley, still an u17 eligible player.

Tom Levi - bottom ager, alleged to have a bad attitude, so black balled for life..? Amazing talent, elite ball user.

Harry Caspers - bottom ager from Noosa, I watched the trial game live. He would have had 30+ disposals, why invite him and then ignore how he goes?

Cooper Mataia - Grange ruck/forward. Low footy IQ, but as far as potential goes, he is right up there if in the roght program

Hayden Hall - Grange - think he won the QAFL colts goalkicking, great contested mark and hits the scoreboard.

Cooper Stone - hard running mid small forward from Sherwood, also played senior footy in 2024 as an u17 eligible player

Harry Thompson - only 15 year old in the QAFL Colts competition (17 games) is as tough as they come, tackles like a machine, uses it well and would be the quickest kid in the program

Jervis War - I'd never seen this kid in my life, but as above - he kicked 2 of the most elite long left foot running goals from well beyond 50m in the 'trial' game that even if he didn't touch it again, you would pick him from those alone!

Tyan Prindable - been somewhat out of site as a elite inside mid playing seniors for Coorparoo, will be the surprise packet of the QAFL next year, dominates around stoppage. Do yourself a favour and watch the live stream of the 2 x school cup finals from the weekend, he was the best player at the carnival other than Murray from Palm Beach

Thomas Waters - son of former Bear Matt Waters - and plays like his old man, tough and skilful. u17 eligible kid playing Colts at Grange all year and one of their best.

Ben Morrison - as discussed above


From the above, I would say Howson, Myers, Caspers, Hall, Stone and Prindable would be pushing the best 22 without a shadow of a doubt. The others unlucky, but only because they have name so many.

I don't know how old some of these kids are either, but you can generally work it out from their playing history. Doesn't seem to matter either when you look at the squad!

Don’t disagree with much on that list except Ethan Myers is now a 20 year old next year….

 

[Miller1971]

yeah, wasn't sure how old they all were. thought Myers played u17s only last year though. I guess you can play u17 when you are 18, so 19 this year, 20 next year - makes sense.

Howson though....what a beast! Is he related to Mitch at Morningside?

 

[M Malice]

Jake Howson, I'm assuming he is a KPF?

Miller1971 , Thommo 42 and nWo , if you have seen much of him what do you think of Ty Gallop?

Howson or Gallop the better prospect?

 

[Miller1971]

Gallop is much better, but I'd say Howson is the next best KPF in that age bracket in QLD

 

[nWo]

Jake is the younger brother of Mitch - will be interesting to see how he goes in 2025

 

[nWo]

yeah, wasn't sure how old they all were. thought Myers played u17s only last year though. I guess you can play u17 when you are 18, so 19 this year, 20 next year - makes sense.

Howson though....what a beast! Is he related to Mitch at Morningside?

Ethan had a fantastic year at Aspley - never got an Academy chance but played heaps of seniors this year

 

[Thommo 42]

Jake is the younger brother of Mitch - will be interesting to see how he goes in 2025

How old is he?

He's a specimen. Big boy, good skills, aggressive and tough.

 

[nWo]

How old is he?

He's a specimen. Big boy, good skills, aggressive and tough.

He will be 18 in a month or so I think - just about to finish grade 12

 

[Miller1971]

ahh, so he would be an over ager.

Still worth a shot, he is a very very good player - mystery why he hasn't been there before.

These kids overlooked by Lions should be given alternative pathways, the monopoly controlled by a few, who have a history of bias and looking after mates means kids like Howson don't get the right opportunities.

 

[Bob Neil]

Per AFLQ FB account:

A huge congrats to the Queenslanders who have just been named in the 2025 Marsh AFL National Academy squads!

These rising stars are among Australia’s top football talent and will take part in the elite program during their Draft year.

2025 Marsh AFL National Academy Girls:
Dekota Baron (Southport/GC SUNS Academy)
Georja Davies (Southport/GC SUNS Academy)
Ava Usher (Bond Uni/GC SUNS Academy)
Alannah Welsh (Southport/GC SUNS Academy)

2025 Marsh AFL National Academy Boys:
Beau Addinsall (GC SUNS Academy/Burleigh)
Daniel Annable (Brisbane Lions Academy/Redland-Victoria Point)
Dylan Patterson (GC SUNS Academy/Palm Beach Currumbin)
Zeke Uwland (GC SUNS Academy/Burleigh)
Kalani White (GC SUNS Academy/Broadbeach)

Read more at bit.ly/3Aqv73d

 

[GC2015]

Per AFLQ FB account:

A huge congrats to the Queenslanders who have just been named in the 2025 Marsh AFL National Academy squads!

These rising stars are among Australia’s top football talent and will take part in the elite program during their Draft year.

2025 Marsh AFL National Academy Girls:
Dekota Baron (Southport/GC SUNS Academy)
Georja Davies (Southport/GC SUNS Academy)
Ava Usher (Bond Uni/GC SUNS Academy)
Alannah Welsh (Southport/GC SUNS Academy)

2025 Marsh AFL National Academy Boys:
Beau Addinsall (GC SUNS Academy/Burleigh)
Daniel Annable (Brisbane Lions Academy/Redland-Victoria Point)
Dylan Patterson (GC SUNS Academy/Palm Beach Currumbin)
Zeke Uwland (GC SUNS Academy/Burleigh)
Kalani White (GC SUNS Academy/Broadbeach)

Read more at bit.ly/3Aqv73d

Unbelievable to see 8 of 9 Queenslanders named in the national academies are from the Suns Academy. It's good to see Annable made it as well. I know he was highly rated in his younger years and we've seen too many highly rated Queensland prospects (in their younger years) fall away once we get to their draft year. Looks like it's going to be a good year for the Allies in 2025 so Annable should be in a good position to push his case.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Unbelievable to see 8 of 9 Queenslanders named in the national academies are from the Suns Academy.

I find that very worrying as a Lions fan because it shows how far behind our academy set up is compared to the Suns. If it were a one-off you could say the Suns just had good luck, but they've developed plenty of first round prospects in the past couple drafts (Read, Rogers, Walter, Lombard, Harris). We've had a couple too (Fletcher, Long, Peters) but the cracks have been papered over by Marshall's development at Melbourne Grammar and Marcus Ashcroft's amazing sperm. Something needs to change or we'll keep developing fewer top academy players.

 

[Thommo 42]

couple of unlucky Lions imo, but Annable is a star.

 

[Nunez]

Find a way to sneak Lillico in.

 

[GC2015]

I find that very worrying as a Lions fan because it shows how far behind our academy set up is compared to the Suns. If it were a one-off you could say the Suns just had good luck, but they've developed plenty of first round prospects in the past couple drafts (Read, Rogers, Walter, Lombard, Harris). We've had a couple too (Fletcher, Long, Peters) but the cracks have been papered over by Marshall's development at Melbourne Grammar and Marcus Ashcroft's amazing sperm. Something needs to change or we'll keep developing fewer top academy players.

I'd say it's a direct reflection of how reliant the two clubs are on their academies. Right now, we need the academy to succeed far more than you guys do, so we're taking it very seriously and spending more money/dedicating more resources to it. I get the impression that it's really just a cherry on top situation for you guys - we'll take it if it's there, but we're not going to go out of our way to make it succeed. The only way I see it changing is if you guys fall away and become more reliant on it, like we are. Although your recent success with the F/S rule probably makes that very unlikely and Marshall is very much the exception to the rule as a product of the Victorian APS system.

On paper, the Lions Academy looks solid producing two first round picks in Fletcher and Marshall in three years. In reality, the numbers like those mentioned in the national academy article above suggest otherwise.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I'd say it's a direct reflection of how reliant the two clubs are on their academies. Right now, we need the academy to succeed far more than you guys do, so we're taking it very seriously and spending more money/dedicating more resources to it. I get the impression that it's really just a cherry on top situation for you guys - we'll take it if it's there, but we're not going to go out of our way to make it succeed. The only way I see it changing is if you guys fall away and become more reliant on it, like we are. Although your recent success with the F/S rule probably makes that very unlikely and Marshall is very much the exception to the rule as a product of the Victorian APS system.

On paper, the Lions Academy looks solid producing two first round picks in Fletcher and Marshall in three years. In reality, the numbers like those mentioned in the national academy article above suggest otherwise.

I'm sure the club still wants discounted access to great talent, they're just not doing what's necessary to make it happen like the Suns are. And Miller1971 and Thommo 42 have detailed many of the problems with how we do things.

Although...

The end of the academy system will come when they're producing so much good talent each year that the AFL finally agrees with the other 14 clubs that it's too big an advantage. 2-3 draftable prospects a season isn't going to trigger that. 8 will. Maybe that entered into the Lions' thinking on academy funding?

The problem with this theory is that even one northern club academy pumping out both quantity and quality of talent each year will be enough to kill it for all of them, and the Suns will reach that stage long before we're within cooee of it.

 

[briztoon]

I'd say it's a direct reflection of how reliant the two clubs are on their academies. Right now, we need the academy to succeed far more than you guys do, so we're taking it very seriously and spending more money/dedicating more resources to it. I get the impression that it's really just a cherry on top situation for you guys - we'll take it if it's there, but we're not going to go out of our way to make it succeed. The only way I see it changing is if you guys fall away and become more reliant on it, like we are. Although your recent success with the F/S rule probably makes that very unlikely and Marshall is very much the exception to the rule as a product of the Victorian APS system.

On paper, the Lions Academy looks solid producing two first round picks in Fletcher and Marshall in three years. In reality, the numbers like those mentioned in the national academy article above suggest otherwise.

I’d argue Fletcher’s success has a lot more to do with his father’s training than what he received from the academy.

Very much a father son selection.

 

[Nunez]

I’d argue Fletcher’s success has a lot more to do with his father’s training than what he received from the academy.

Very much a father son selection.

I don't disagree, but he was very engaged in the academy. Definitely helped fast track him to become a best 22 player in his first year.

 

[GC2015]

I'm sure the club still wants discounted access to great talent, they're just not doing what's necessary to make it happen like the Suns are. And Miller1971 and Thommo 42 have detailed many of the problems with how we do things.

Although...

The end of the academy system will come when they're producing so much good talent each year that the AFL finally agrees with the other 14 clubs that it's too big an advantage. 2-3 draftable prospects a season isn't going to trigger that. 8 will. Maybe that entered into the Lions' thinking on academy funding?

The problem with this theory is that even one northern club academy pumping out both quantity and quality of talent each year will be enough to kill it for all of them, and the Suns will reach that stage long before we're within cooee of it.

You're right. Too much success will definitely result in less access. Maybe what's happening right now isn't all that bad.

 

[Thommo 42]

Right now, the Lions don't really need it FOR THE LIONS.

However, the mandate of the academy is more than just producing draft picks for the Lions to get priority access, its to improve the standard of the local competition, and also to get more kids into the AFL system, whether playing at the Lions or not.

Samson Ryan Noah Cumberland, Oskar Baker

13

Oskar Baker

Age

27

Ht

184cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.8

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.7

4star

MG

277.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

16.0

4star

K

10.8

4star

HB

5.2

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

2.0

4star

MG

333.6

5star

, Will Martyn and a few others overlooked by the Lions have made their way into the system, but while the Lions are so strong right now, its a hard list to get onto and not much turnover either.

I question whether they are doing their bit to push the best QLD kids into the system elsewhere, and I wouldn't blame them if they weren't - its a competitive environment and why would they want competing clubs to get better players?

However, I reckon this year there will be several kids undrafted out of Lions academy, and possibly next year also - and all of them are good enough in my view - but they haven't had enough exposure, so if the Lions don't want them, they will be left at the altar. They were a very good u18 side this year, and out of the actual playing team, Gallop looks like he might be only one picked up.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

I question whether they are doing their bit to push the best QLD kids into the system elsewhere, and I wouldn't blame them if they weren't - its a competitive environment and why would they want competing clubs to get better players?

However, I reckon this year there will be several kids undrafted out of Lions academy, and possibly next year also - and all of them are good enough in my view - but they haven't had enough exposure, so if the Lions don't want them, they will be left at the altar. They were a very good u18 side this year, and out of the actual playing team, Gallop looks like he might be only one picked up.

The first paragraph kind of answers the question coming out of the second: what more could be done? The Lions play these kids in their VFL side. Seems the age-old problem of Qld footy - out of sight out of mind.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

I’d argue Fletcher’s success has a lot more to do with his father’s training than what he received from the academy.

Very much a father son selection.

I've heard the Academy described as more of a finishing school. As it stands in Qld footy, no one system seems equipped to do the job on it's own and I think (from the outside looking in anyway) it's nearly impossible to pinpoint any one training institution as being THE reason an Academy kid gets drafted.