How does a 16 year old make the AFL if not living in Victoria (MELB)

heman

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Thread starter #1
So experts how does a 16 yr old make the AFL if they live in Adelaide, Perth and so on?
 

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sante

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#3
Crow-mosone said:
Thats what i thought at first :) But then i realised after reading it like 10 times that he means, what does a 16 year ld have to do/get into to make it to the Draft Camps and so on and then be able to be in the Draft!!! I think this is what he means
 

irel

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#5
Show skills and abilities that are above those of his pears.
Translated it means. Able to get the ball under duress, display courage and deliver the ball with pin point accuracy showing vision and awareness to then locate a teammate in a better position on the field. Has to be able to do this regularly and able to use both feet with equal efficiency.
Subject to body type and position on the field, he has to poses diverse skills and abilities that are required for a particular position. For eg: A modern day ruckman has to be over 194 cm be able to jump, withstand constant physical punishment, display quick reflexes and have bellow average intelligence.
However a CHF also needs to be of the tall variety, perhaps above 192 cm, have an exceptionally flexible physique, display courage that defies logic, has to have an innate ability to read the game, generally display natural leadership qualities and be able to read an auto que for his post footy TV career.

So if your son displays the above qualities and plays in a competition where he can be seen than he has the potential to make it to AFL level.

Anyhow I've just scratched the surface at addressing your question but I hope I have been of some assistance.
Cheers for now.
 

coasting

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#7
Kids who play in the TAC have a distinct advantage at being drafted. But its not the end of the world for kids in the other states as it is possible for them to work themselves into the AFL via the rookie list. This is why there has been an abnormally high number of West Australians who have made it through the rookie list because they probably should have been drafted in the first place but had to prove themselves further to make it.
 

Weaver

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#8
heman said:
So experts how does a 16 yr old make the AFL if they live in Adelaide, Perth and so on?
(Excluding the overage players drafted from State Leagues)

You must play at least one game with a WAFL / SANFL club at some level (including Colts).

Playing for one of the elite schools is a big help. Teams like Hale and Sacred Heart will have a draftee most years.

This year only one WA player (van Berlo) and 3 SA players (Hartlett, Tiller and Slatterly) were taken after being overlooked in last years draft. All the others were first run talent. 3 of those guys have represented their state at under-18s so you have to get to that level.

The only 2 guys from WA-SA taken did not play at Under-18 Championship level were Rusling and Tiller. So you want to represent your state.

Anywhere between 15 and 20 of the kids taken (more than a third) will have made the elite AFL-AIS academy. This year - Roughead, Deledio, Gibson, Garner, Stribling, Monfries, Deluca, Wood, Franklin, Maric, Williams, Wells, Copping, Griffin, McQualter, Sherman, Morton and Tambling.

So, with a few exceptions, you'd want to play under-16s and under-18s for your state, making the ALF-AIS squad is a big help, and you pretty much have to get invited to draft camp.

Even if you can manage all that you'd better be able to kick, and have to be quick and mobile. Every year the kids seem to get more athletic and almost every year new records are set at the draft camp.
 

grub29

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#9
Weaver said:
(Excluding the overage players drafted from State Leagues)

You must play at least one game with a WAFL / SANFL club at some level (including Colts).

Playing for one of the elite schools is a big help. Teams like Hale and Sacred Heart will have a draftee most years.

This year only one WA player (van Berlo) and 3 SA players (Hartlett, Tiller and Slatterly) were taken after being overlooked in last years draft. All the others were first run talent. 3 of those guys have represented their state at under-18s so you have to get to that level.

The only 2 guys from WA-SA taken did not play at Under-18 Championship level were Rusling and Tiller. So you want to represent your state.

Anywhere between 15 and 20 of the kids taken (more than a third) will have made the elite AFL-AIS academy. This year - Roughead, Deledio, Gibson, Garner, Stribling, Monfries, Deluca, Wood, Franklin, Maric, Williams, Wells, Copping, Griffin, McQualter, Sherman, Morton and Tambling.

So, with a few exceptions, you'd want to play under-16s and under-18s for your state, making the ALF-AIS squad is a big help, and you pretty much have to get invited to draft camp.

Even if you can manage all that you'd better be able to kick, and have to be quick and mobile. Every year the kids seem to get more athletic and almost every year new records are set at the draft camp.
After reading all this my advise is to have a crack at golf.
 

Mr Q

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#10
coasting said:
This is why there has been an abnormally high number of West Australians who have made it through the rookie list because they probably should have been drafted in the first place but had to prove themselves further to make it.
Actually I suspect that the WA clubs in particular know this, thus they gamble a little that WA talent will still be around at rookie draft time. Probably because the WA clubs have the best ability to scout WA talent, while its too far away for non-WA clubs to do as good a job.

I don't know if the same is true for the SA clubs though.
 

masai

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#11
coasting said:
Kids who play in the TAC have a distinct advantage at being drafted. But its not the end of the world for kids in the other states as it is possible for them to work themselves into the AFL via the rookie list. This is why there has been an abnormally high number of West Australians who have made it through the rookie list because they probably should have been drafted in the first place but had to prove themselves further to make it.
Well put.

Maybe the TAC group get a "magic carpet" ride, whilst others have to prove themselves against the "big boys" at WAFL or SANFL level before being elevated onto the senior list.

Still reckon the draft age is too low, should be 19+.
 

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smasher

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#12
If in Victoria send him to a school that has good footy groundings.Some schools have high profile coaches eg Stewart Loewe is the marking coach at Hailebury.Most APS have AFL connections.
 

Hammerfire

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#13
Getting a game of footy at Haileybury is pretty easy due to the abundance of asians there!!

My dad used to work at Keysy campus, and about 8-10 years ago they made a big effort to really turn themselves into a "production line" for solid football players.

The Bursars then ********ed everything up and now the school has more arcade machines than footballs!! (Not literally, but may aswell)

Too much "cash for scholarship" with the international students!!
 
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#15
its obviuos though that if theres a kid with the same ability here and in vic that the vic club will go with the vic. if wa boys lived in vic you would see a hell of alot more wa boys picked let me assure u
 

CJH

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#16
smasher said:
If in Victoria send him to a school that has good footy groundings.Some schools have high profile coaches eg Stewart Loewe is the marking coach at Hailebury.Most APS have AFL connections.

Sometimes kids may be taken in batches from the schools. Richmond were obviously interested in Tom Roach but as a result also came across Daniel Jackson. I also understand that Julian Rowe was on our radar but was taken by Collingwood. 3 kids from Carey Grammar in the one year.

We have also raided Caulfield Grammar in recent years. At one point, we had 2 Kellaways, Chaffey, Damien Ryan and Nick Jewell on our list, all from Caulfield Grammar (though AK was taken later from Sandringham). St. Kilda have also taken Goddard and McQualter from this school.
 

Vinnie Vegas

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#17
Every club has Caulfield Grammar boys on their list, Caulfield Grammar is a production line for high quality footballers. Judd is another example.
 

Hammerfire

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#18
Goddard and McQualter are Gippsland boys aren't they??

Judd is Carey's poster child, and he is why any midfielder coming out of there is looked at.

McQualter has been dubbed a lesser version of Judd by the coach guy there i think.
 
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