News AFL overhauls Academy and FS bid matching, discussing draft lockout

[Caligo]

These players are going to clubs at a 20% discount so the afl is literally saying we will give you a former players kid for 80% of the cost of a regular draftee.

Then there is the whole youth development aspect of it where clubs are incentivised to put more coaching and resources into the kids of former 100 game players just in case they turn into a good player vs regular kids who as NGA players which can only be kept if they are not top 40 level.

It’s fun and makes a good entertainment product because people like having that family/legacy associated with clubs vs say if Nick Daicos was playing for North ect.

But it’s definitely nepotism

Nepotism would be a substandard player getting to play afl just because of his dad being good. I don't actually think any such player has ever existed. Maybe one if someone thinks really hard.

Nick Daicos was playing afl no matter what. A club getting him cheap isn't nepotism because it doesn't directly benefit him. The benefit is to the club (and, as you said, the afl).

Nepotism it ain't.

 

[.Shotties.]

How many home grown guns have WA had return back vs the 4 GC just picked up in their academy?

Well, we don't know if they will all end up being guns, but in terms of players returning to the Eagles:Yeo, Kelly, Langdon, Wellingham, Ah Chee, Jetta, Reddan. How many players have asked for a return to NSW or Queensland in the 40 odd years there have been teams there?

Hell, the first picked of them is a home-grown WA talent...

That few years in Auskick must have really been something.

 

[bzparkes]

Well, we don't know if they will all end up being guns, but in terms of players returning to the Eagles:Yeo, Kelly, Langdon, Wellingham, Ah Chee, Jetta, Reddan. How many players have asked for a return to NSW or Queensland in the 40 odd years there have been teams there?

Redden is from SA.

But the fact is, good clubs can attract players from anywhere. What's this obsession with them having to be from their home state?

Brisbane's very good at it, Sydney just picked up Grundy and Adams.

GC are becoming more appealing and not just a retirement village anymore and GWS, whilst losing a lot of players over the journey(like GC) have still been able to generate a lot of top 10 picks and are a genuine premiership threat.

That few years in Auskick must have really been something.

And?

Huge WCE supporter and was always going to play AFL.

 

[.Shotties.]

But the fact is, good clubs can attract players from anywhere. What's this obsession with them having to be from their home state?

Because building a list from home-state talent is preferable to having to build one from interstate players. Tour list manager seems to agree with this. Having the option to tap players from a club's home state is also easier than convincing them to uproot their lives and move.

And?

Huge WCE supporter and was always going to play AFL.

Huge claim and incredibly unlikely that a talented sportsperson in SE Queensland would have made the AFL without the academies. Aside from that, Walters did a lot more growing in Queensland than WA, so calling him home-grown is a stretch.

 

[bzparkes]

Because building a list from home-state talent is preferable to having to build one from interstate players. Tour list manager seems to agree with this. Having the option to tap players from a club's home state is also easier than convincing them to uproot their lives and move.

Huge claim and incredibly unlikely that a talented sportsperson in SE Queensland would have made the AFL without the academies. Aside from that, Walters did a lot more growing in Queensland than WA, so calling him home-grown is a stretch.

I grew up in Tassie but moved there from Perth when I was 8.

I don't consider myself Tasmanian.

 

[.Shotties.]

I grew up in Tassie but moved there from Perth when I was 8.

I don't consider myself Tasmanian.

Thank you for sharing, very brave. WA had little to no hand in Walters's development, therefore he isn't a homegrown WA talent.

 

[Monsterdarlz]

Northern academes are fine just need to remove the silly discount on the picks and tougher matching rules a bunch of junk picks shouldn’t equal a freebie first rounder

 

[bzparkes]

Thank you for sharing, very brave. WA had little to no hand in Walters's development, therefore he isn't a homegrown WA talent.

What's the point of the pathways exactly?

 

[.Shotties.]

What's the point of the pathways exactly?

To provide a high level talent pathway to the AFL that hadn't previously been there. I assume this is something you'd be aware of before getting hot under the collar about it.

 

[bzparkes]

To provide a high level talent pathway to the AFL that hadn't previously been there. I assume this is something you'd be aware of before getting hot under the collar about it.

Well, you'd be wrong right there.

The academies aren't specifically to get talent into the AFL, they're to get people involved as grass roots level so that they end up following the AFL and not the NRL.

Kids making into the AFL is a massive bonus obviously, but the main goal is to grow the supporter base in the northern states, not specifically get kids onto AFL lists.

Jed Walter and his family were always going to follow the AFL, hence my point.

 

[Choppers]

Well, you'd be wrong right there.

The academies aren't specifically to get talent into the AFL, they're to get people involved as grass roots level so that they end up following the AFL and not the NRL.

Kids making into the AFL is a massive bonus obviously, but the main goal is to grow the supporter base in the northern states, not specifically get kids onto AFL lists.

Jed Walter and his family were always going to follow the AFL, hence my point.

WTF! .....do you actually believe what you just posted.......

 

[bzparkes]

WTF! .....do you actually believe what you just posted.......

Err, why else do you think Northern academies exist?

You're kidding yourself if you think the main purpose is to have the Northern clubs win flags.

They want to grow the supporter bases and the main way to do that is to get kids involved in grass roots and have the clubs at least playing finals.

 

[.Shotties.]

Well, you'd be wrong right there.

No, I wouldn't.

The academies aren't specifically to get talent into the AFL, they're to get people involved as grass roots level so that they end up following the AFL and not the NRL.

Kids making into the AFL is a massive bonus obviously, but the main goal is to grow the supporter base in the northern states, not specifically get kids onto AFL lists.

These aren't mutually exclusive.

Jed Walter and his family were always going to follow the AFL, hence my point.

...right. But that's not the same as him being in the draft and taken which you seemed to take issue with and it doesn't make him a home grown talent.

 

[.Shotties.]

Err, why else do you think Northern academies exist?

To provide an elite talent pathway where the previously was none.

You're kidding yourself if you think the main purpose is to have the Northern clubs win flags.

Only crank Victorians think that

 

[bzparkes]

No, I wouldn't.



These aren't mutually exclusive.

...right. But that's not the same as him being in the draft and taken which you seemed to take issue with and it doesn't make him a home grown talent.

To provide an elite talent pathway where the previously was none.

Only crank Victorians think that

I think you're incredibly naïve if you think the AFL actually cares about Northern clubs winning the flag.

That'd be a bonus but the only thing that matters is $$$ flowing into the AFL coffers from the Northern states.

 

[.Shotties.]

I think you're incredibly naïve if you think the AFL actually cares about Northern clubs winning the flag.

I don't think that and nothing I've posted says that.

 

[bzparkes]

I don't think that and nothing I've posted says that.

Fair enough, my mistake.

 

[sr36]

Redden is from SA.

But the fact is, good clubs can attract players from anywhere. What's this obsession with them having to be from their home state?

Brisbane's very good at it, Sydney just picked up Grundy and Adams.

Yeah. It's ridiculous the amount of carry on about home state. AFL players must be pretty peculiar if the Gold Coast and Sydney are unable to attract Victorian AFL players...

 

[sr36]

No, I wouldn't.



These aren't mutually exclusive.

He's right. The main purpose is to grow supporters not players. Local players succeeding helps that, but it's not the main purpose.

 

[Saab NLAW]

I would say the academy is not just there to give non AFL folk a chance but as a junior system that just doesn't exist in the Northern states. There is no TAC. school footy or WAFL/SANFL Colts programs to give that elite level training and development to kids on the GC before the academies came along. White and Walter may still have become AFL players, but in Walter's case, may not have got to the level he finds himself at now, and players like Rogers or Graham may not have even made it at all.

I think their will be changes, but I don't think you can dismiss what it does based on a couple of father/sons that are scattered through the clubs.

A couple? FFS, the Academies have been full of kids from AFL backgrounds.

Don't get me wrong, I'm an advocate for the Academies for GCS and GWS, I think they play an important part in growing the game and we should retain them until those two clubs start being eligible for father/son selections. But what we have now is completely different to what the AFL and supporters of Northern clubs claim they are meant to be. What they are now is a recruiting zone, that's obvious and a fact. the other big problem is Brisbane and Sydney getting a recruitment zone, that is just a blatant attempt by the AFL to make those clubs artificially successful.

 

[Membling]

That's the problem though, the Academy's were meant to be for kids with absolutely no AFL background to grow the game. The fact that Kalani White is part of Qld's just demonstrates what a rort it is. There's been a long list of academy players like that, Callum Mills is another example.

I think you may be incredibly wrong and likely thinking of Blakey?

Other notable players who have elected to go to their F/S clubs and not academy are Bailey Scott and both Ashcrofts.

There are a few other things that should be focused on in equalising the comp in conjunction with the draft if they are serious about an even comp

 

[Saab NLAW]

I think you may be incredibly wrong and likely thinking of Blakey?

Other notable players who have elected to go to their F/S clubs and not academy are Bailey Scott and both Ashcrofts.

There are a few other things that should be focused on in equalising the comp in conjunction with the draft if they are serious about an even comp

Callum Mills

I really don't understand Sydney fans, they are so entitled. Sydney doesn't lose players any more than the rest of the competition. They're able to continually bring in elite talent, they were allowed to have a higher salary cap, gifted a recruiting zone and their supporters complain and whinge non-stop about an uneven competition.

So typical from a club who are the first to take the moral high ground on all issues but then happily take money from a county who will jail someone for being a homosexual. Bunch of hypocrites

 

[Membling]

Callum Mills

Well, if you are meant to say he was a F/S you are wrong.

If you are suggesting he played footy at at young age... he did.

Before playing union for seven years repping Warringah. He was then offered to try out at the academy at age 13 by Prodham. Which kinda sounds like an academy success story

 

[Saab NLAW]

Well, if you are meant to say he was a F/S you are wrong.

If you are suggesting he played footy at at young age... he did.

Before playing union for seven years repping Warringah. He was then offered to try out at the academy at age 13 by Prodham. Which kinda sounds like an academy success story

The same Callum Mills whose grandfather played AFL, supported Sydney from a very young age and started playign footy at age 4? The same Callum Mills whose mum admitted that he always carried a footy around with him, even when playing rugby? The same Callum Mills who only played rugby so he could be with his mates at a young age?

LOL, he was always going to play AFL and even his mum admitted it.

Rort

 

[RedmanWasHere]

The same Callum Mills whose grandfather played AFL

Technically no.

He played Australian Football.

He played IN the WAFL.

He also never played in the VFL/AFL.