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Might not mean anything to you in Aussie Rules heartland. But it means a lot up here where AFL is the 4th ranked football code, behind rugby league, rugby union and soccer.Agree there. I see no reason players can't be included in the academy system regardless of background for the purpose of development, but when it comes to your ties to a club - this should be assessed on individual basis. Nick Blakey and James Borlase both should never have been tied to a club through the academy. Using the Dogs as an example - Buku Khamis last year was in our NGA, and absolutely had good reason to be there. JUH, on the other hand, was a gift from the Gods that fell in our laps.
I also don't agree with players being linked to clubs simply because "they might be lost to other sports". That doesn't mean shit to me - the only reason a player should be linked to a club is if they otherwise would never have had opportunities in elite sport in the first place. Kids from poor backgrounds or coming from regional areas should be the ones included, not some kid who grew up in Sydney and was tossing up between Rugby and AFL
I don't see how it's really relevant though. That's a kids personal choice.Might not mean anything to you in Aussie Rules heartland. But it means a lot up here where AFL is the 4th ranked football code, behind rugby league, rugby union and soccer.
Without our academies, most of academy kids would end up playing a different professional sport.
At the Lions, only Keidean Coleman, Ben Keays and Jacob Allison would have pursued AFL if our academy didn’t exist.
And it’s doubtful Coleman, and his younger brother who is draft eligible this year, would have made it.
Harris Andrews, Eric Hipwood, Jack Payne, Connor Ballenden, Connor McFadyen, Archie Smith, and Tom Fullerton would not have played AFL.
Archie Smith and Tom Fullerton were taken out of elite basketball pathways. Fullerton was at the Brisbane Bullets on a development scholarship. He was also in the Aus U15 schoolboys AFL team, before basketball pulled him away from footy.
Connor McFadyen was in the Aus U16 cricket team, while also part of our academy. His younger brother captained the Aus U16 cricket team two years later, and is draft eligible next year, and is potentially a better AFL talent than Connor.
Hipwood has said many times he would have played cricket if the Lions academy didn’t exist. Similar story with Andrews.
Payne was an elite junior athlete, representing Australia in discus at the junior Pan Pacific games, before a Lions scout spotted him and asked him to join our academy.
Unfortunately we lose academy kids to rugby league. Kalen Ponga being the most high profile. It’s hard when league doesn’t have the same draftee contracts that AFL does. What 19 year old is turning down a multi million dollar contract.
The point for the Northern academies is to develop talent that isn’t going to up and leave after 2, 3 or 4 years, because they’re homesick.I don't see how it's really relevant though. That's a kids personal choice.
If the argument is we want the kids linked to a club so they don't leave for other sports because we want the best talent possible, what's the problem with allowing, for example, Collingwood to set up an affiliated academy up north and bring kids through their club?
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Then the only reason they exist is to serve the northern clubs. Seems pretty unfair on other clubs, especially the smaller ones who struggle with retention as it is and are often forced to overpay their existing players while struggling to recruit high demand talentThe point for the Northern academies is to develop talent that isn’t going to up and leave after 2, 3 or 4 years, because they’re homesick.
The point for the Northern academies is to develop talent that isn’t going to up and leave after 2, 3 or 4 years, because they’re homesick.
Fantastic cant wait. Hope to hear more about Newchurch, Borlase, Baldwin, Edwards, Thilthorpe etc.Sorry to take this off track
I’ll be releasing my SA player profiles tonight as I put in some hard yards to cover all the previous footage I could
It’s more than Gold Coast, Sydney and GWS.I support that argument. It makes sense..... in isolation.
but what is the measurement there?
Because with a quick look at the crows list I count 10 Sa lads (very few of which are any bloody good) on their list. I am sure that is more than gcs but is it more than Brisbane / Sydney / gws?
would supporters of it for the reasons you suggest back the crows to have the same rules since their ability to attract and keep local talent is comparable?
I have my doubts.
We’ve seen northern academy kids get drafted to Vic clubs.Then the only reason they exist is to serve the northern clubs. Seems pretty unfair on other clubs, especially the smaller ones who struggle with retention as it is and are often forced to overpay their existing players while struggling to recruit high demand talent
Taj Schofield
178cm 72kg
Midfielder
DR: 20-40
Strengths
Kicking
Clean hands
Balance
Crumbing
Football IQ
Production
Queries
Athleticism
Size
- Schofield would have claims as the best kick in this years draft and he isnt too far off with his quick clean hands either, Schofield can play on the inside a bit but looks more suited to the outside with his dangerous kicking, would make a good rebound defender but would like to see how he tests for leap, he has the speed and clean hands to play a range of positions if needed.
Yeah I did factor his leap as a big hurdle but yeah it’s mostly for his kicking which is damaging and could be used coming out of defence, personally think he starts his career forward before moving into a midfield/forward role when he puts on some sizeI would be horrified to see Schofield in a backline. No overhead presence and could be knocked over by a child.
personally think he starts his career forward before moving into a midfield/forward role when he puts on some size
So your thinking you may not match an Schofield bid in the top 30? A club wanting some more elite ball users I think would bid early but certainly no harm matching if it comes a bit laterThat’s probably right.
my concern is the level he will have to reach to become a starting midfielder for us. Our 26 and under group is wines, rozee, Houston, spp, duursma , butters, Amon , Dbj pushes into the midfield a lot with Drew progressing wildly. They’re all starting midfielders at a pretty decent or great level. That’s 9.
then there is atley, Farrell , Williams , Bergman, Patmore and mead.
we’re at least a 50/50 chance of landing Jackson Hately at the end of the year and there will be more incoming mids over the next 1-3 years
So it’s really hard to see Schofield as a starting mid early on in his career. Even as a forward mid we have a tonne of options. He would likely need to become a Travis boak type gutrunner to add to that kick to be a shot.
as I see it he projects to be a 18-28th on the list type player like lienert is currently for us.
Lachlan Jones as a defender prospect while kind of an unknown in what he can become quality wise is more a need with broady gone, Hartlett getting on slash always injured and Houston in the midfield. Small /medium defender is a wide open race in the next few years.
port fans are desperate for our father sons to start producing some key position players!
I would think Giants should be more than happy to let Hately go like they did with Bonar. Green already looks ahead of Hately, and his contract will be cheaper in the short term. If we're arguing semantics, I'd think it's close to 50/50 for Crows and Port, with only a marginal chance of him actually staying at the Giants1/3 at most, there is another team in SA looking for young mids
So your thinking you may not match an Schofield bid in the top 30? A club wanting some more elite ball users I think would bid early but certainly no harm matching if it comes a bit later
Yeah more often than not the talented NGA/FS players aren’t a club need
1/3 at most, there is another team in SA looking for young mids
Thanks for the info eDPS, particularly on Newchurch who seems to be a bit of a mystery man. No one on the Crows board appears to know too much about him and it is proving hard to find someone who does. This is the first draft range that I have seen for him.
No worriesThanks for the info eDPS, particularly on Newchurch who seems to be a bit of a mystery man. No one on the Crows board appears to know too much about him and it is proving hard to find someone who does. This is the first draft range that I have seen for him.
I don’t think they’ll throw Hately out the door like Bonar, much better player and gws rate him highly. Looked ready to explode preseason, so if he does leave it’ll be for a decent price.I would think Giants should be more than happy to let Hately go like they did with Bonar. Green already looks ahead of Hately, and his contract will be cheaper in the short term. If we're arguing semantics, I'd think it's close to 50/50 for Crows and Port, with only a marginal chance of him actually staying at the Giants
I'm not so sure about him being the better player of the two tbh. Bonar impressed me more in U18s, with the only thing really hurting him being his lack of durability. I just don't see how Hately fits in with Green coming through and already looking better.I don’t think they’ll throw Hately out the door like Bonar, much better player and gws rate him highly. Looked ready to explode preseason, so if he does leave it’ll be for a decent price.