Kale Who?

[Go Hoops]

Gee, 60 grand, doesn't know much about footy and w'ere no certainty to get him. He must be something special.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20546524-36035,00.html

 

[TGTOA]

"Every club must offer at least one scholarship a year to a boy aged between 15 and 17, and then has the option of drafting that boy directly to the club in the year they turn 18. So far, all bar Richmond and Brisbane have selected at least one boy."

If he turns out any good, we'll get him. Sounds like every club has to do it, just that we've obviously picked someone with no footy background. These kind of schemes are there to encourage clubs to take a punt on a kid, which is exactly what we're doing. I say good on 'em for trying something different.

 

[nananana catman]

If it doesnt work, we still have the normal draft to prusue kids, if it does work, we get a good player. I like it!

 

[GeeCat]

Kale's the type of player this scheme was introduced for, and encourages. Raw as anything, but the potential (at least, athletically) seems to be there.

With his unique blend of size and athletic gifts, it seems we're half way in creating (or nurturing) the prototypical modern-day footballer. If he can get a grip on the leather-skin as quickly as he has on basketball (Within 2 yrs of starting the game, has notched up the state rep guernseys and earned himself a Basketball Australia scholarship) he might be half handy down the track.

And as others have mentioned, he won't cost us a thing (as far as picks are concerned).

 

[mckinale]

Kale's the type of player this scheme was introduced for, and encourages. Raw as anything, but the potential (at least, athletically) seems to be there.

With his unique blend of size and athletic gifts, it seems we're half way in creating (or nurturing) the prototypical modern-day footballer. If he can get a grip on the leather-skin as quickly as he has on basketball (Within 2 yrs of starting the game, has notched up the state rep guernseys and earned himself a Basketball Australia scholarship) he might be half handy down the track.

And as others have mentioned, he won't cost us a thing (as far as picks are concerned).

i dont get it
couldnt geelong just check out the best talent at under 15 level and sponsor him?

 

[GeeCat]

i dont get it
couldnt geelong just check out the best talent at under 15 level and sponsor him?

That's effectively what we're doing.

The Scholarship scheme simply gives clubs first dibs to NSW players when they become eligible for their drafts. We sign the kids up, train them till their 17-18, then (to correct myself) simply give up our final draft selection if we think they're up to it.

 

[mckinale]

That's effectively what we're doing.

The Scholarship scheme simply gives clubs first dibs to NSW players when they become eligible for their drafts. We sign the kids up, train them till their 17-18, then (to correct myself) simply give up our final draft selection if we think they're up to it.

oh ok, but we've just really picked someone way out of left field?
has somebody picked up the best midfielder that has actually seen a game of footy before?

 

[catempire]

For starters, it has to be someone from NSW. That narrows the field considerably. Secondly, I think they have to be 15 y.o. or younger which means that even if they're pretty talented at 14 y.o. there's really no guarantee they'll hold that form until draft age. That's why you might as well punt on a project player like we have. Someone who could be anything and is high-risk, high-return.

 

[GeeCat]

oh ok, but we've just really picked someone way out of left field?
has somebody picked up the best midfielder that has actually seen a game of footy before?

The fact that Kale hasn't had as much exposure to footy than many of the other scholarship holders might be more gutsy, but the whole scheme itself is hardly an exact science. Every club takes a risk in signing up these boys, many of them wouldn't have played for more than 2-3 years. Alot of clubs have had to rely on second-hand information in prompting them to sign these kids up.

It was suggested awhile back that Scott Reed (190cm/80kg 15 yr old) was considered the stand-out at the Talent Camp (one of the new initiatives set up to showcase the NSW crop), but it all sounds pretty subjective to me. For the record, Eddie managed to snap him up.

 

[Turbocat]

For mine I love this type of "arrangement".

Think about all the talented kids in Aust., yet we deny our comp so much potential talent in the most populated state. Not only kids that are under the NRL’s wing but other in many compatible sports. Kids like this Temple , who seems to have the ideal body shell for our game, a game that could offer so much to them a chance to secure a future that they may not have even be aware of. This is big canvas thinking , its not about today or tomorrow or even about an individual club benefiting by it, Its about the proliferation of our brand of sport into the most obvious area with potential for growth in Aust , NSW. It’s like a missionary approach to sport , we are bringing our “Religion” to the ignorant and the non-believers.

Even with the recent upward trends of Swans ,the slowly increasing attendance there has hardly been in increase in the amount of kids coming from the major Rugby state in Aust. Although the occasional kid will standout , the numbers just scream that we not getting anywhere near the influx of youth that we should be able to recruit. Not that anyone could blame any individual club for not rolling the dice on some very green kid from NSW. The limited number of list positions these day means that even kids from a traditional background , even kids that have performed well at state level , can miss out draft time. So how do we get more input from the NSW talent pool? So how do get the word out to these kids that are being deprived such rich opportunities

We are all such self serving creatures , the best way to influence behaviour is reward. Not so much Carrot and Stick , more Carrot and Carrot patch. This system encourages each club, probably even favouring the wealthier clubs to use their resources to pick out some young kids that have yet to set their future path in stone. Any club who spots the type young kids they think has the rudimentary skill set to make it in few year is allowed to sign them, use capital on them , develop them with the carrot down the track being that even if they become the best kid in Aust , you will have the right to draft him when he is eligible.

Yes there is finacial risk, there is also reward and I like the sound of what the Cats have done. They have picked out a kid that has absolutely no football skills at all but has all the underlying , God given talent , to be a very good AFL player. They have picked a kid who should grow to be a Ruckman sized player , a position which has numerous past examples of very successful players that have slightly less than perfect ball skills. Who knows just how good a kid like this could be if he is trained and developed correctly while is still young enough to be sponge like. Not so long ago I posted my belief that a scheme like this could work for Father / Sons , maximizing any luck we have by training young offspring in everything required in the modern game from an earlier age.

Will Temple succeed?

Who knows but I for one be very interested in this process. How appropriate that we are putting so much evangelical effort into this kid we have picked. After all if we are trying to spread the good word North of the border , we need to build a Temple for the masses to become aware of the good word. A movie once said “Build it and they will come” , well if we succeed in building this Temple I’m sure more will come and come and come.

 

[nananana catman]

Some of your analogies and metaphors are beautiful Turbs

 

[catempire]

A movie once said “Build it and they will come” , well if we succeed in building this Temple I’m sure more will come and come and come.

AH Turbo, the cheese! The cheese!

 

[jim boy]

Its an interesting situation, if its worth nurturing youth through this 'academy', then maybe we should be looking at nurturing other youth that we have first dibs on, ie - father/sons

 

[mckinale]

Its an interesting situation, if its worth nurturing youth through this 'academy', then maybe we should be looking at nurturing other youth that we have first dibs on, ie - father/sons

I think thats a waste (no offence) we get first dibs on them regardless where as these guys, we can get dibs on anyone from NSW. You're right it'd be good to develop father sons but you could end up with 2 players if you dont.
Am i wrong?

 

[jim boy]

I don't know about that, it may cost $50,000 per player to develop and it may only produce a good player for every one in ten youths, but that makes it worth it in my book.

Imagine if we had got hold of David Clarke at the age of 11 and made sure he could kick. Either his delivery would have been much better which would have made him a major player or would we have known that he was a dud much earlier and not wasted our time on him as we did

 

[mckinale]

good call but couldnt we just send a guy out to the father son selectoions independantly and just look at them every so often. Really put it in their heads that to become an afl footballer they need to work on every facet of their game till it is up to scratch. If they arent worth our 3rd round then dont select them with it

 

[AM]

I guess the concern is that he has no aussie football pedigree at all. He seems to have been selected on the basis of his athleticism. Though I'd be suprised if they hadn't done some other testing. It's worked with a few of the Irish guys who came here with a very rudimentary grasp of our game. Worth the gamble I reckon.

 

[Barrabus]

Apparently he only had been playing basketball for a few years, which would suggest he's a quick learner, since he's made state.

Not to mention, that he'll learn to kick properly, and not have to reccorrect his action after 10 years.

 

[Turbocat]

This is posted on the GFC site. The kid certainly sounds as if he has the natural assets to play the game.The last paragraph is interesting as it confirms that when the time comes we will have the option to just list him , just like a Rookie.




http://gfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=302382

Cats ink first apprentice
6:05:56 AM Wed 11 October, 2006
gfc.com.au
Geelong has signed Kale Temple from Wollongong as its first player under the AFL’s NSW/ACT apprenticeship scheme.

Temple has excelled in a number of sports. He is an outstanding track and field athlete, competing in all distances between 100-metres and 800-metres as well as five field disciplines.

He has clocked 11.9 seconds over 100-metre and is a dual NSW south coast cross country junior champion. Temple is a member of the NSW Institute of Sport emerging athlete program.

Temple also holds a gold scholarship with Basketball Australia’s ITCP program and he recently represented NSW at the national under 16 basketball championship in Victoria.
“We believe that the AFL and Football NSW introduced the apprenticeship scheme to attract players from outside the normal football pathways,” Geelong recruiting manager Stephen Wells said.

“We identified an athletic criteria that we were looking for in a young player and Kale met all of these with his height, speed, endurance and high achievement.

Temple has already shown an aptitude in adapting his new sport.

“We’re excited because the football sessions that Kale has had have shown he is likely to adapt to the game more quickly than we expected,” Well said.

Kale, who recently turned 15, stands 194 cm and weighs 82 kg.

Under the scheme, youngsters from the NSW region, such as greater Sydney, will be nurtured by AFL clubs throughout their teenage years. At the end of the apprenticeship clubs are able to place the player on its list before the draft takes place.

 

[GeeCat]

There seems to be two interpretations going around. One has the respective club simply surrendering their last pick in the draft, whilst the other seems to imply a clear pathway through to the list (ie at no cost).

 

[tenderwarrior]

There seems to be two interpretations going around. One has the respective club simply surrendering their last pick in the draft, whilst the other seems to imply a clear pathway through to the list (ie at no cost).

at the end of the day, there is no difference. actually, there is no difference at the start of the day either!

 

[jim boy]

There is a difference, if clubs can use their last pick as similar to father/son, they need only delist/trade three players. If they get the player through pre-draft promtion, similar to rookie promotion, then the club has to delist/trade four players.