- May 8, 2017
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I don't think the saints have a problem with recruiting indigenous kids, we have drafted talented kids from the NT and WA when we have had the chance.In the forthcoming draft, the only Indigenous boy that I know of is tied to North Melbourne by its Tasmanian scholarship plan or whatever you want to call it. And the Northern Territory is tied up by Collingwood, Essendon, Melbourne, Hawthorn and possibly other clubs, so it is going to be very hard for us to recruit young Indigenous players in the future.
You raise a good point about the zones borderbarry but I would remind people that this isn't new. If memory serves me correctly the lions and others have at times had first choice of players out of the NT.
I think that and the changing face of football has conspired against some east coast clubs selecting indigenous kids who don't come from what is now seen as the accepted pathway into the AFL.
The really obvious talent winds up as a zone selection or in a capital city at a private school and winds up being drafted into the system. The late bloomers aren't being picked up in large numbers no matter who they are or what their background is.
How many overage players are drafted each year?.
Back in the day clubs had metro and country zones and recruited out of the WAFL and the SANFL etc, these days you are behind the 8 ball if you don't get picked up as an 18 year old.
I haven't looked back at our teams but I remember other indigenous players like Bob Jones and Russell Jeffrey just to name 2 that haven't been mentioned.
I think the AFL and the clubs are doing a pretty good job to be honest, even my local club has a steady stream of kids from the NT and programs in place for schooling and host family's etc.
I guess that guys like Liam Ryan are always going to get picked up at a greater rate by the WA clubs simply because they have the players in the WAFL.
Now the development league is gone in the VFL how many places will there be in the VFL for non AFL listed players and who will want to fill them when most weeks you won't get a start or will take a back seat to the listed players.
Sorry if the post is a bit of a ramble I've got a plumber here working as I post, tree roots.