Strategy Fremantle Dockers Next Generation Academy

hoss

Norm Smith Medallist
May 28, 2004
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I won’t detest, your boys gave us a real shellacking. The number 8 and 11 in your side, stood out as top performers.

I’ve had a reasonable amount of exposure to the WCE NGA and a limited amount of exposure to the FD NGA and from my understanding the main points of difference are:
  • WC historically invited anyone and everyone to play in these matches filling their teams with average players where Freo puts the boys through a trial before inviting the players they want. (I’m sure this isn’t always the case with each squad they preduce but I recall this being done)
  • The FD zones at a junior level are more stronger than the WCE zones. Peel, Claremont, WP, S&E Freo > Subi, Perth, EP and Swannies.
Now that Drew Petrie is heading the academy, the attitude at WC seems to be changing as they are taking it a lot more seriously than in the past. He copped a few thrashings late last year and earlier this year so I think they’ve realigned their goals from expanding the game to a wider audience to now focusing on team and player development.

The only time I’ve seen the WCE NGA beat Freo’s is the 05 aged group earlier this year and the 00-01 age group in 2016.

The WCE boys also only had one training session prior to Saturdays game but next year, the amount of training is rising significantly from previous years.
Thanks for the info Zurgblade. My son (number 8) had only trained for 2 weeks as he is an 05 member) and hadn't played with the older kids. Glad you thought he stood out too because us dad's can be biased. No 11 was Israel. Kurt joked after the game 'Tendai didn't know my name at the start but does now' which was true. Even the 04 boys were asking who he was and whether he was meant to be 04 or 05. Proud as punch.

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Thanks for the info Zurgblade. My son (number 8) had only trained for 2 weeks as he is an 05 member) and hadn't played with the older kids. Glad you thought he stood out too because us dad's can be biased. No 11 was Israel. Kurt joked after the game 'Tendai didn't know my name at the start but does now' which was true. Even the 04 boys were asking who he was and whether he was meant to be 04 or 05. Proud as punch.

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Woo! We got one! Long term contract! Future Champion!

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Zurgblade

Team Captain
Feb 14, 2018
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Thanks for the info Zurgblade. My son (number 8) had only trained for 2 weeks as he is an 05 member) and hadn't played with the older kids. Glad you thought he stood out too because us dad's can be biased. No 11 was Israel. Kurt joked after the game 'Tendai didn't know my name at the start but does now' which was true. Even the 04 boys were asking who he was and whether he was meant to be 04 or 05. Proud as punch.

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Congrats to your boy. He performed solidly taking some great aerial marks.

Did he also play in the 05 derby at Optus around the middle of the year?
 

hoss

Norm Smith Medallist
May 28, 2004
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Congrats to your boy. He performed solidly taking some great aerial marks.

Did he also play in the 05 derby at Optus around the middle of the year?
Nah, this is the first time he's played for the Freo NGA. He's still only 13 so missed out on the WAFL development squads too. He was invited to play the Oct carnival as an under-ager but was overseas at the time.

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Sep 30, 2005
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Nah, this is the first time he's played for the Freo NGA. He's still only 13 so missed out on the WAFL development squads too. He was invited to play the Oct carnival as an under-ager but was overseas at the time.

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Can I ask how how he qualifies?
 

Zurgblade

Team Captain
Feb 14, 2018
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Can I ask how how he qualifies?

From my understanding, this is the eligibility criteria for true NGA status and exclusively being aligned to a club. That being said, I am sure none of the clubs would deny any player from representing their academies, regardless of heritage.

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA:

1. The participant is of Asian / African heritage – the player or one parent is born in an African or Asian country.
2. The participant or both parents were born in a country in which English is not the traditionally first spoken language (referred to as CaLD countries – Culturally and Linguistically Diverse).
 

Zurgblade

Team Captain
Feb 14, 2018
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Nah, this is the first time he's played for the Freo NGA. He's still only 13 so missed out on the WAFL development squads too. He was invited to play the Oct carnival as an under-ager but was overseas at the time.

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He'll no doubt get a chance to play before the Derby next year. It a pretty special occasion for all the players.
 

hoss

Norm Smith Medallist
May 28, 2004
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Can I ask how how he qualifies?

Born overseas with both parents born overseas.

The full story, he was born overseas to Filipino parents. Biological father ran off before he was born. He got to Australia when he was 6, pretty sick with chest issues, a whole 16.3kg and no English. I took him down to Auskick in Yr 2 so he could make some friends, learn some English and most of all build some strength and lung capacity. Luckily, we then lived down at South Beach a few doors down from a young Nat Fyfe so he got to have a kick and meet him when I was teaching him how to kick (Kurt, not Nat) on Wilson Park. Obviously he's bled purple and been a member of Freo FC ever since.

Has all the natural talent in the world (I could see that when he was playing basketball at 3) but no endurance .... slack 13 year old. He did the AFL combine testing as part of an invite only Rising Stars academy (11 - 15 yo) last year as a 12 year old and got in top couple for standing vertical leap 49cm (2nd), running jump left foot 68cm (1st), right foot 57cm (2nd) and agility 8.45 secs (1st) despite being one of the younger ones. We've never pushed him (he's still 13!) but it's all up to him now. We've all seen hundreds with the natural talent bomb out who don't have the drive or want to do the hard work. That'll be the difference between whether he plays WAFL or AFL. Sorry too much info there!
 
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Purpletown

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Sep 22, 2014
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Born overseas with both parents born overseas.

The full story, he was born overseas to Filipino parents. Biological father ran off before he was born. He got to Australia when he was 6, pretty sick, a whole 16.3kg and no English. I took him down to Auskick in Yr 2 so he could make some friends, learn some English and most of all build up his body. Luckily, we then with lived down at South Beach a few doors down from a young Nat Fyfe so he got to have a kick and meet him when I was teaching him how to kick (Kurt, not Nat) on Wilson Park. Obviously he's bled purple and been a member of Freo FC ever since.

Has all the natural talent in the world (I could see that when he was playing basketball at 3) but no endurance .... slack 13 year old. He did the AFL combine testing as part of an invite only Rising Stars academy (11 - 15 yo) last year as a 12 year old and got in top couple for standing vertical leap 49cm (2nd), running jump left foot 68cm (1st), right foot 57cm (2nd) and agility 8.45(1st) despite being one of the younger ones. We've never pushed him (he's still 13!) but it's all up to him now. We've all seen hundreds with the natural talent bomb out who don't have the drive or want to do the hard work. That'll be the difference between whether he plays WAFL or AFL. Sorry too much info there!

What an inspiring story hoss. Well done and all the best to the young fella and yourself.
 
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Good stuff hoss, hope he can keep it up and maintain the discipline. I went through South's juniors and saw so many stars at young age go onto nothing while guys like Daniel Gilmore, ash McGrath and Clint jones put in the hard work and benefitted.

Also how good would it be to have a prince on the list both for purple rain intro and prince of pockets successor.
 

Wally Walpamur

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 23, 2016
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Born overseas with both parents born overseas.

The full story, he was born overseas to Filipino parents. Biological father ran off before he was born. He got to Australia when he was 6, pretty sick with chest issues, a whole 16.3kg and no English. I took him down to Auskick in Yr 2 so he could make some friends, learn some English and most of all build some strength and lung capacity. Luckily, we then lived down at South Beach a few doors down from a young Nat Fyfe so he got to have a kick and meet him when I was teaching him how to kick (Kurt, not Nat) on Wilson Park. Obviously he's bled purple and been a member of Freo FC ever since.

Has all the natural talent in the world (I could see that when he was playing basketball at 3) but no endurance .... slack 13 year old. He did the AFL combine testing as part of an invite only Rising Stars academy (11 - 15 yo) last year as a 12 year old and got in top couple for standing vertical leap 49cm (2nd), running jump left foot 68cm (1st), right foot 57cm (2nd) and agility 8.45 secs (1st) despite being one of the younger ones. We've never pushed him (he's still 13!) but it's all up to him now. We've all seen hundreds with the natural talent bomb out who don't have the drive or want to do the hard work. That'll be the difference between whether he plays WAFL or AFL. Sorry too much info there!
Someone nominate this man for father of the year. I hope to see him running around in purple on five year’s time ;)
 
Feb 11, 2011
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On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app[/QUOTE]
Born overseas with both parents born overseas.

The full story, he was born overseas to Filipino parents. Biological father ran off before he was born. He got to Australia when he was 6, pretty sick with chest issues, a whole 16.3kg and no English. I took him down to Auskick in Yr 2 so he could make some friends, learn some English and most of all build some strength and lung capacity. Luckily, we then lived down at South Beach a few doors down from a young Nat Fyfe so he got to have a kick and meet him when I was teaching him how to kick (Kurt, not Nat) on Wilson Park. Obviously he's bled purple and been a member of Freo FC ever since.

Has all the natural talent in the world (I could see that when he was playing basketball at 3) but no endurance .... slack 13 year old. He did the AFL combine testing as part of an invite only Rising Stars academy (11 - 15 yo) last year as a 12 year old and got in top couple for standing vertical leap 49cm (2nd), running jump left foot 68cm (1st), right foot 57cm (2nd) and agility 8.45 secs (1st) despite being one of the younger ones. We've never pushed him (he's still 13!) but it's all up to him now. We've all seen hundreds with the natural talent bomb out who don't have the drive or want to do the hard work. That'll be the difference between whether he plays WAFL or AFL. Sorry too much info there!
love the story.
 

Zurgblade

Team Captain
Feb 14, 2018
417
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Small inside to the reformed NAB AFL Academy. The video features Dockers NGA members Brandon Walker, Joel Western and Liam Henry.

I for one am very happy that the academy was reformed this way. It means more WA Athletes and top end athletes around the country will get better exposure to elite development rather than the traditional small number handpicked by the state. Makes you wonder what impact it will have on future drafts though which have always been so heavily represented by Victorians.
 

Patty_Moz

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Aug 8, 2011
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This is pleasing to hear, I rountinely have given my brother endless amounts of s**t for having butterhands in years gone by.

Sound like your coaching is paying off .

Any chance you could give us some details as to how Amir qualifies for NGA?

I'm finding this thread incredibly interesting.
 

UYD 4 Life

All Australian
Nov 27, 2017
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Small inside to the reformed NAB AFL Academy. The video features Dockers NGA members Brandon Walker, Joel Western and Liam Henry.

I for one am very happy that the academy was reformed this way. It means more WA Athletes and top end athletes around the country will get better exposure to elite development rather than the traditional small number handpicked by the state. Makes you wonder what impact it will have on future drafts though which have always been so heavily represented by Victorians.

Thanks - do you know what numbers they are?
 
May 11, 2014
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Sound like your coaching is paying off .

Any chance you could give us some details as to how Amir qualifies for NGA?

I'm finding this thread incredibly interesting.
So there's this random question on SportsTG that asks your parents nationality (I still use it when I sign up for umpiring every year). Always thought it was a bizarre question. But presumably that is where the information comes from. As players in juniors still need this filled out for them when rego comes round.

Mum is Malaysian and Amir is born in Basel, Switzerland of all places. So we're half Australian and Malaysian. We moved to Perth when Amir was 1. So when we touched down in Perth I was 13 myself, and kicked the ball like a rugby ball. Supposedly I had raw unharnessed talent according to my coaches but tbh getting told you're a s**t kick 200% of time stopped me playing. Nor did Mum even know what the game was, and loved soccer and everything about it.

Fast forward about 5-6 years and Mum feeling bad she didn't even know the game to even support me has more than made up for it with Amir. Goes to every game, makes the effort to teach Amir how to treat his body, the right mentality, humble, to keep the balance with school. I've put my two cents in from what I learnt from my failures and how he can mould that into motivation that works for him. Now he's knocking on the door to East Freo, this, and he's captain of his junior team all because he's a great sponge to good help, whether it's juniors or his family.

Helped that Amir grew bloody massive compared to his peers. The kid is 14 and towers over me lol. So he can rugby tackle the life out of anyone. But I reminded him that he has an older brother who's short, so I wouldn't count growing too much more. So I told him, if you want to get somewhere with this then you're going to have to learn how to learn. As every coach out there is trying to help you, and you better learn now that you don't want to be that hero that people rolls their eyes at because they think they're too good. So he can kick with both feet, can now mark, inexplicably can man up while running off and win his own ball.. etc etc.

I could go on and on about his most important asset which is his attitude, it's amazing.. he'll be a success whatever it is and right now his efforts are towards football and getting into extension Math.

Do I think he'll get there? Time will tell, but my brother is genuinely a down to earth good kid and it'll be nice if he's the first Australian/Malaysian to do so.
 
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