NGA - A complete rort

[Harris Specter]

Fantastic article by Jake Niall that highlights how much of a joke the current NGA system is.

Link

But Collingwood didn’t find Quaynor from obscurity and develop him into a player worthy of being selected in the first round. The Magpies simply discovered that Quaynor – who had played footy most of his life and hailed from Paul Roos’ old club, Beverly Hills – qualified because his father had an African background. NGA players must have African, Asian or Indigenous heritage.

North, too, had next to no input in making Thomas into a player. He was the best player of his age in Tasmania as a 16-year-old; they were just blessed that he fell into their NGA zone.

The same, unfortunately, applies to nearly all of the 15 NGA eligible players. Hawthorn did not develop Irving Mosquito (Indigenous, from Gippsland Power). West Coast did not teach Charlie Cameron’s younger brother Jarrod (Swan Districts) how to play. The Demons didn’t spend hour upon hour with Toby Bedford (Indigenous, from Rosebud) honing his skills.

The view of many within the game is that the NGA Academies were set up as a sop to the 14 clubs that believed the Northern Academies were too beneficial to the NSW and Queensland teams.

Forget that Gold Coast are starting again from near scratch after eight years of failure, that Brisbane have been marooned around the bottom for years and that the Giants remain a fragile operation and have acted as a farm team for the Pies. Some Victorian clubs, headed by Collingwood, felt that the academies were excessive free kicks. The NGA was the apparent trade-off.

Instead, we have yet another system where Collingwood (Eddie whinges) and the AFL simply fall heads over heels to please them. Now a bunch of clubs who already have access to Victorian talent and the go-home factor, obtain access to elite young kids when they really shouldn't, especially since they didn't spend much time developing them.

 

[Scotland]

Sounds like Jacob Hopper.

 

[Dom PC]

How the hell can Charlie Cameron's brother be eligible for the NGA... that's just a joke.

If they really want this NGA to be legitimate, perhaps make some common sense rules which aren't open to abuse... this is AFL's incompetence at its best here.

 

[Lensen]

How the hell can Charlie Cameron's brother be eligible for the NGA... that's just a joke.

If they really want this NGA to be legitimate, perhaps make some common sense rules which aren't open to abuse... this is AFL's incompetence at its best here.

same way John Blakey's son is eligible for the Swans academy i guess

 

[Dom PC]

same way John Blakey's son is eligible for the Swans academy i guess

That doesn't really answer anything...

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

same way John Blakey's son is eligible for the Swans academy i guess

Why wouldn't he be eligible?

 

[Scotland]

An indigenous player coming through Swan Districts is about as 'non traditional' as a meat pie and sauce.

But the Northern clubs are recruiting kids from the Riverina and sons of former AFL greats under academy rules so what did people expect?

 

[Lensen]

Why wouldn't he be eligible?

well under the logic that "Charlie Cameron's brother shouldn't be eligible as he would've played footy anyway", it's not a giant leap to apply the same logic to Blakey is it?

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

well under the logic that "Charlie Cameron's brother shouldn't be eligible as he would've played footy anyway", it's not a giant leap to apply the same logic to Blakey is it?

He was resident in Sydney without access to elite pathways, which is the reason for the Northern Academies. He actually could choose to go to North under the father-son rule, despite the academies help. Not seeing the problem.

 

[Lensen]

He was resident in Sydney without access to elite pathways, which is the reason for the Northern Academies. He actually could choose to go to North under the father-son rule, despite the academies help. Not seeing the problem.

not interested in having the same argument about reason for the academies that has played out eight thousand times here, only that the logic is not significantly different

 

[falcons2]

What is being missed is the NGA's come from cultural groups that have a high level of withdrawal from the game in teenage years. If it means a few genuine stars get to clubs through this system, so be it. The game is better off because some who would have gone away, stay.
As always there are two lists, one with positives for NGA's and one for the negatives. In the end people make a judgement as to a systems worth. If you think others sports aren't into elite kids, especially those from vulnerable backgrounds you are kidding yourself.
To call it a rort is nothing but click bait.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

I said this when it was announced. I've followed footy all my life, was born here and my kids are now growing up with footy. But because my wife is Filipino they would qualify for the NGA's. It's ridiculous another half-arsed idea from the AFL

 

[Engimal v3]

He was resident in Sydney without access to elite pathways, which is the reason for the Northern Academies. He actually could choose to go to North under the father-son rule, despite the academies help. Not seeing the problem.

Without access to elite pathways? Blakey had two clubs that wanted to pick him up as father son.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Without access to elite pathways? Blakey had two clubs that wanted to pick him up as father son.

I'm talking about development at a younger age.

 

[Rob]

What is being missed is the NGA's come from cultural groups that have a high level of withdrawal from the game in teenage years. If it means a few genuine stars get to clubs through this system, so be it. The game is better off because some who would have gone away, stay.
As always there are two lists, one with positives for NGA's and one for the negatives. In the end people make a judgement as to a systems worth. If you think others sports aren't into elite kids, especially those from vulnerable backgrounds you are kidding yourself.
To call it a rort is nothing but click bait.

Rort seems like a pretty apt term for it. Loopholes are being found by clubs to enable them to gain an advantage that was never intended.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Seems like a pretty ridiculous “system”.

But hey, it’s the AFL, par for the course

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Rort seems like a pretty apt term for it. Loopholes are being found by clubs to enable them to gain an advantage that was never intended.

It's an argument that's been held at length. I think it's fair if clubs put resources into developing players they get something back.

As for the NGA rules I think you'll find anomalies if you look deeply. Why should an Anglo kid not be able to receive assistance in remote areas that kids from another racial background can.

I'm all for putting money into remote indigenous communities, footy seems to be a real positive influence, and they need positives in many of them.

Maybe just restrict the NGA academies to numbers taken by a club though.

 

[blitzer]

I'd like to see the AFL remove the discounted points for first round picks for all of NGA, Northern Academies and Father / Son. Then it won't matter if people aren't too happy with the qualifying attributes. Nobody gets up in arms about second rounders and later. Nobody really cares too much about clubs getting access to local talent either.

There is only one thing people really care about. Clubs getting priority access at a discounted cost to elite talent, particularly when they finished high on the ladder the year prior. The more that clubs are seen to be paying a genuinely fair cost for that access to elite talent, the less of an issue the whole thing will be. Waiting for the AFL to magically remedy qualification criteria in a way that satisfies everyone and is equitable is a pipe dream.

 

[falcons2]

Loopholes are being found by clubs to enable them to gain an advantage that was never intended.

Loopholes is what all teams do. Its a matter of do the benefits outweigh the negatives.

 

[master bate]

He was resident in Sydney without access to elite pathways, which is the reason for the Northern Academies. He actually could choose to go to North under the father-son rule, despite the academies help. Not seeing the problem.

When you dad plays 300 games, is a long time assistant coach at an AFL club and you're eligible for 2 father son clubs I don't think 'access to elite pathways' was an issue. Even if the family didn't want to move Dad could've had him guided by the Swans as a favour or coached the kid himself!

The NGA's barely touch the water as a rort compared with Blakey.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

When you dad plays 300 games, is a long time assistant coach at an AFL club and you're eligible for 2 father son clubs I don't think 'access to elite pathways' was an issue. Even if the family didn't want to move Dad could've had him guided by the Swans as a favour or coached the kid himself!

The NGA's barely touch the water as a rort compared with Blakey.

I dont agree the NGA's are a rort, I do think they need to be more inclusive.

It's nonsense to say the Swans would develop a player for North as a favour though. It's a competition. Their chairmans son Jack Buckley is actually a rookie on our list. It's not a favour though. He did it the hard way through the local Sydney comp and impressing in NEAFL games after being selected as a filler.

All if this completely misses the point anyway, it was Blakey's hoice to nominate through the academy or as a father son.

We've nominated 5 players for the draft this year through our academy and will likely choose 2. We usually nominate twice as many as we will bid on. The others are being given their opportunity for an AFL career.

Our academy so far has had 16 players debut at AFL level. 5 for other clubs. It's not as simple as some seem to think.

 

[master bate]

Does the AFL want more QLD and NSW kids playing footy - yes. That's the justification for the Northern Academies.

Does the AFL want more Indigenous and multicultural kids playing footy - yes. See above.

Just like the AFL removed parts of the Riverina from the Giants when it was clear they weren't fostering talent as much as accumulating it there should be some changes but the idea seems reasonable.

Proposed changes:
- Limit the Indigenous involvement to remote areas, they are the kids who really struggle to get in proper development programs
- Remove the discount in the first 2 rounds of the draft
- Create a minimum hours per week/month contact time that clubs have to put in for players to be eligible

I'm actually more concerned about the professionalisation of junior football at a young age and the game going all in on academies and development squads rather than the select academies. I'd rather let kids be kids and play in their local teams and let the good ones find their way to TAC teams when it's time. There's already potential draftees crashing and burning based on the results of under 16 teams.

 

[radiojake]

I like the one where the son of 4 time Port Adelaide (SANFL) premiership player and 250+ gamer Darryl Borlase, and former Australian Netballer (2x Commenwealth Games Gold Medalist and 3x World Netball Title) in Jenny Borlase is tied to the Crows NGA because he happened to be born in Egypt when the Borlases lived and worked over there after their footy/netball careers were over

Currently playing U/16s for SA

If the Crows get him and he's a gun I'll be stoked, but it's a joke and not what the system should be used for

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Does the AFL want more QLD and NSW kids playing footy - yes. That's the justification for the Northern Academies.

Does the AFL want more Indigenous and multicultural kids playing footy - yes. See above.

Just like the AFL removed parts of the Riverina from the Giants when it was clear they weren't fostering talent as much as accumulating it there should be some changes but the idea seems reasonable.

Proposed changes:
- Limit the Indigenous involvement to remote areas, they are the kids who really struggle to get in proper development programs
- Remove the discount in the first 2 rounds of the draft
- Create a minimum hours per week/month contact time that clubs have to put in for players to be eligible

I'm actually more concerned about the professionalisation of junior football at a young age and the game going all in on academies and development squads rather than the select academies. I'd rather let kids be kids and play in their local teams and let the good ones find their way to TAC teams when it's time. There's already potential draftees crashing and burning based on the results of under 16 teams.

The academy Ricerina zone had exactly the same issues as the NGA academies do now. In the beginnning they appear to, and it kinda true, simply harvest talent. It takes time to develop it.

 

[Caj]

Just wait for the uproar from the Vic clubs when the WA and SA teams start nominating highly rated indigenous players from their academies and it will be changed again