Dolla Beal

leeloo

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#51
Its the idea I like pursuing not the actual player.

I believe we should be working harder in this area to try and uncover a decent player.
It costs nothing but time.

In this players instance there was never any hope he would make it but its a damn good publicity stunt.

Remember its the idea im pushing not the man.

Beal will not make it as an AFL player.
Body type completely wrong so could only play forward or defense and will take him far too long to come to grips with the basic skills let alone reading the play.
Also agree with someone earlier who said he didn't like his attitude of thinking he could easily switch.
My guess is he saw how many crabs were playing in the NBL and probably thought it would be the same in AFL.
AFL players are a lot more professional than the NBL guys.
Takes more than just great skills to get games these days.
Well, it looks like you have your wish to a certain extent. We are at least looking!

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-04-24/six-clubs-at-la-combine

SIX clubs have sent scouts to this week's US AFL International Combine in Los Angeles as they look to gain an edge in list management.

Recruiters from Collingwood, the Sydney Swans, Richmond, Fremantle, Port Adelaide and North Melbourne will attend the three-day testing from Friday, where 20 American athletes will test under AFL conditions.

They will go through the same agility, sprinting, jumping and endurance tests that Australian hopefuls experience at the NAB AFL Draft Combine in October, as well as be introduced to the oval-shaped ball from Friday through to Sunday.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-04-24/six-clubs-at-la-combine
 

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Rob

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#52
So we should be looking. These guys cost nothing in salary cap space and you don't sacrifice a spot on the list. Even if there's only a 1 in 20 chance that they would even play an AFL game, it's probably a risk worth taking.
 

strobe00

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#55
Cricket, polocrosse, rodeo and rooting.

Not necessarily in that order.
Good stuff. Had to look up polocrosse... sounded like motocross on a bike, but the reality was probably harder to contemplate giving a go. Riding anything that weighs 5-10 times what you do, and is alive, doesn't sound like fun to me. Rodeo fits into the same category.

To each their own though.

Am a fan of one of the other two... freckles and hours in the sun made the options pretty simple. ;)
 

Sman-21

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Thread starter #56
Thx for the info Leeloo.
I doubt we will find any great players but even if we just found a good serviceable player its worth it.

Might get lucky and find someone who becomes a good player.
All that matters is that we explore every avenue .

No risk, doesn't effect playing squad/cap all it requires is time to develop any they think have the athletic abilities to make it.
 

strobe00

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#57
Thx for the info Leeloo.
I doubt we will find any great players but even if we just found a good serviceable player its worth it.

Might get lucky and find someone who becomes a good player.
All that matters is that we explore every avenue .

No risk, doesn't effect playing squad/cap all it requires is time to develop any they think have the athletic abilities to make it.
Really just depends how early you can get em. For rucks, if you could get them in at 20 or 21 there's every chance they could catch up quick enough to be handy around the time that an Aussie ruck would mature.

The athletic talents will likely be there. Tank and game sense are next. Kicking skills are less critical as a ruck, but they should have some useful talents re tap work and body work.

You're probably right in that there mightn't be many great players that'll become part of our game. But I think there's some serious potential in concentrating early on keen, early 20s, athletic third stringers with the right mental aptitude.

Some extra physical aggression with a frame and athletic talents like nicnats could be pretty handy. Pretty large pool of talent over there if a couple could make a decent go at it.
 

13then7

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#58
Good stuff. Had to look up polocrosse... sounded like motocross on a bike, but the reality was probably harder to contemplate giving a go. Riding anything that weighs 5-10 times what you do, and is alive, doesn't sound like fun to me. Rodeo fits into the same category.
Insert bad joke about a Friday night at Metropolis with way too many drinks, many years ago.

So cricket hey?
 

strobe00

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#60
This is why we wouldn't consider someone like Beal. Too busy concentrating on prospects that stand a realistic chance of getting a run at AFL level at some point.

Let the Weags give try outs to guys so they have something to talk about on Channel Eagle and Weevil Vision. Rather us concentrate on locating players instead of publicity.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-04-28/taller-than-sandi-cox-shines-at-international-combine

"In the finish the average height of the group was 201cm, and generally it was an outstanding success," Sheehan said.
"Collingwood, the Swans, Richmond, Fremantle, Port Adelaide and North Melbourne sent recruiters to oversee the US AFL International Combine, and Sheehan believes there will be more American players join AFL lists as a result."

You know the athletic talents will be in place. Motivation/avoiding home sickness is probably also a good possibility, as a lot of them have already left home to go to uni in another state (admittedly not another country), and are serious about wanting to become professional athletes. It's just (!) a matter of getting a hold of them early enough to get the skills and knowledge into them, for them to make a go of it in the AFL.
 

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strobe00

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#62
The speed, mobility and hands of the big guy in that article sounds promising, some other club should give him a go.
Another significant positive... he's only 23. Rucks take a while to reach their peak, so he could do a couple of years apprenticeship and have picked up the knowledge he needs to be useful when he's still within the prime age band. Odds are, guys like this would keep improving for a fair while after they passed the usual 25-26 year old peak.

Definitely reckon it'd be worth the while of just about any other team besides us and the Weags.
 

manpurple

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#63
I definitely think we have nothing to loose with a yank recruit. Can someone comment the class B rookies. We have Moller from Sydney. We are looking at a kid from Ireland. We're looking in the US.

How many can you have on the list?
Can you have more than 1 from the same place?
Could we have an american, our Irishman and Moller all as class B rookies?
 

Man of Men

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#64
I definitely think we have nothing to loose with a yank recruit. Can someone comment the class B rookies. We have Moller from Sydney. We are looking at a kid from Ireland. We're looking in the US.

How many can you have on the list?
Can you have more than 1 from the same place?
Could we have an american, our Irishman and Moller all as class B rookies?
I think youre only allowed 2 class B rookies regardless of their background
 
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