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QAFL 2021

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If the point that you are trying to make is that QLD should not expect to be seeing an increase in the number of our kids being drafted, I don't agree. The number of kids being drafted should be commensurate with our comparative participation numbers (unless there is some inherent bias in the system or our development is inferior. I think there is a bit of both. Our development is inferior and there may actually also be a bit of anti QLD bias contributing). Anti QLD bias is the whole concept that if you are from QLD you can't play because QLD is a rugby state

I think that is certainly inherent in many scouts minds - easy to look for what they can't do before focusing on what they can. If you look at the draft process in its entirety though the selection of talent hit rate is not great. Outside of the top 20 picks the rest is really a raffle as to who is going on to play 100 games of AFL footy. Is why some coaches (Roos comes to mind) and clubs don't think of it as a great place to rebuild a list but prefer to take someone who might have shown some ability at the elite level but need some moulding to become the complete package (or competent enough to play each week).
 
The failure of the academy is not the lack of kids getting drafted, as I completely agree that there is a cyclical nature here, kids need the baseline talent etc. Though, as outlined above I do wonder if we are developing that identified talent well. I’ve heard of the mythical ‘IDP’s’ as well – every time I ask for some sort of feedback, they refer to these things – but never seen one for a player from our club. Kids have told me their IDP hasn’t changed for 3 years when I’ve asked for a copy, and they might say ‘waste of time showing you Thommo, the academy doesn’t even look at them’

The major failing is that kids that come out of the academy undrafted (which will be 99% of them) come out hating footy, not wanting to continue to play and are giving away the sport en masse. So while we aren’t getting any better results in the draft, we’re now in a situation where a significant proportion of the talent in our game is being taken out of clubs into the academy, as a stepping stone to not playing at all ever again, or going to another sport.

So in effect, our draft results are going backwards, or stagnant – but our sport is actually getting weaker locally as the talent is filtered OUT of the sport via the academy, and thus creating a self fulfilling prophecy about the standard of senior footy in QLD

Saxon Crozier, Jake Farrell, Chris Moloney, Jack Clayton, James Ward, Jesse Quint, Tom Ansell, Nate Dennis, Blake Jones, Tom Wischnat – where are all these blokes playing in 2022…?


Take a look at this list from 2018 from u13 to u18 Lions academy:


I reckon 30-40% of the people on that page don’t even play anymore, drop out rate is much higher when you look at u18 lists only. To me that is concerning, but doesn't seem to register on the radar sadly.

The absolute #1 priority of any footy club / academy / coach should be to instil enjoyment in the sport for players. I haven't been involved at academy level but would be really disappointed if this is not routinely used as the measuring stick. if a kid doesn't love the game then naturally they won't continue once the extrinsic reward is no longer on offer. There are ways of doing this too which are not difficult.
 
Premier I honest have no idea hence the question. If you say there is no fallout and considering his heights achieved I cannot question fitting into the best 22 and I alsi presume he is 1 point (junior games)? So can I guess and say match payments?

match payments and rumoured to have a job paying $x per hour that is now suddently $x per hour plus $10, which over 40 hours a week is another $400. Virtually untraceable to the salary cap police! (do they exist at all anyway?)
 

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Premier I honest have no idea hence the question. If you say there is no fallout and considering his heights achieved I cannot question fitting into the best 22 and I alsi presume he is 1 point (junior games)? So can I guess and say match payments?

“my phone was running hot” quote Boston GC Bulletin. Fielding offers. Contrary to what people think the Cats aren’t a big paying club no pokies or anything so there was always a fair chance Boz would end up elsewhere
 
See Palmy gun be it Tom Thynne has won the Wangaratta Rovers Best and Fairest ,great effort in a side with some very good players . Runner up was Tyler Roos ex Southport player ,,, so a bit of QLD flavour taking out tht top awards in one of the best comps in Victoria

a very good effort from Tommy considering he also missed a heap of games with border closures and flying in and out. 3 best and fairests already at age 25 is pretty handy!
 
“my phone was running hot” quote Boston GC Bulletin. Fielding offers. Contrary to what people think the Cats aren’t a big paying club no pokies or anything so there was always a fair chance Boz would end up elsewhere

Absolutely ,, Boston goes where the game day dollars are ,, has no commitment to his early days with Broady .. fair call hes trying to get the best bucks from whatever club ..
 
Absolutely ,, Boston goes where the game day dollars are ,, has no commitment to his early days with Broady .. fair call hes trying to get the best bucks from whatever club ..

there’s no I’ll feeling towards Andrew from Broady he has just become a father so he needs to do what’s best for his family. Adds a bit more to an already good rivalry
 
Absolutely ,, Boston goes where the game day dollars are ,, has no commitment to his early days with Broady .. fair call hes trying to get the best bucks from whatever club ..
Boston goes to the highest bidder because he’s earned the right. Has a kid now. I’m sure he’s put his family first rather than the loyalty of a footy club
 
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nWo without prying may I ask what you learned in that process? And what was the 'interesting' part?

Just the process of trying to figure out schools etc. He did his own research and looked into schoarships etc but never got to in depth. The interesting part was the amount of money for scholarships - I guess very similar to some GPS Rugby schools here.

He was never going - his mother wouldn’t let him :). His goal is to make the Lions Academy in 2022 and play at the 16’s Nationals. He enjoyed his time last year in the academy but has been training with Aspley QAFL just doing pre season. As a 15 year old this has been an eye opening experience for him. He is loving it and hopefully he can take the lessons learnt back to his 16’S team in 2022.
 
The major failing is that kids that come out of the academy undrafted (which will be 99% of them) come out hating footy, not wanting to continue to play and are giving away the sport en masse. So while we aren’t getting any better results in the draft, we’re now in a situation where a significant proportion of the talent in our game is being taken out of clubs into the academy, as a stepping stone to not playing at all ever again, or going to another sport.

So in effect, our draft results are going backwards, or stagnant – but our sport is actually getting weaker locally as the talent is filtered OUT of the sport via the academy, and thus creating a self fulfilling prophecy about the standard of senior footy in QLD

Saxon Crozier, Jake Farrell, Chris Moloney, Jack Clayton, James Ward, Jesse Quint, Tom Ansell, Nate Dennis, Blake Jones, Tom Wischnat – where are all these blokes playing in 2022…?

I reckon 30-40% of the people on that page don’t even play anymore, drop out rate is much higher when you look at u18 lists only. To me that is concerning, but doesn't seem to register on the radar sadly.

First off, it's great to hear the different perspectives of the academy. I've heard a little bit over the years about the selection process, but the development side of things not so much.

But I was just speaking on the weekend to a 19yo who's been playing since they were 7, never made the Academy (although their best was arguably good enough compared to some others who were in), played at a good club with a good culture, but has just fallen out of love with the game and has called it quits. Nothing about the standard of the game. Just tired of the grind of training, nursing injuries etc. And probably just assessing their lives as part of being adults and asking themselves "what am I getting out of the game?".

So while I'm sure some kids come out of the Academy disillusioned, is it really fair to lay the poor rate of increased participation at the feet of the Academy? For that criticism to be valid, that drop-off in participation has to be compared to other sports and to other states. If it's higher, then sure questions need to be asked and better strategies worked out. I'm sure as someone who wants to see their club (and the league) as strong as possible you want to see that drop-off rate as low as possible and even 3 of the those names listed playing on are going to make the league a better standard. But sometimes things are what they are.
 

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First off, it's great to hear the different perspectives of the academy. I've heard a little bit over the years about the selection process, but the development side of things not so much.

But I was just speaking on the weekend to a 19yo who's been playing since they were 7, never made the Academy (although their best was arguably good enough compared to some others who were in), played at a good club with a good culture, but has just fallen out of love with the game and has called it quits. Nothing about the standard of the game. Just tired of the grind of training, nursing injuries etc. And probably just assessing their lives as part of being adults and asking themselves "what am I getting out of the game?".

So while I'm sure some kids come out of the Academy disillusioned, is it really fair to lay the poor rate of increased participation at the feet of the Academy? For that criticism to be valid, that drop-off in participation has to be compared to other sports and to other states. If it's higher, then sure questions need to be asked and better strategies worked out. I'm sure as someone who wants to see their club (and the league) as strong as possible you want to see that drop-off rate as low as possible and even 3 of the those names listed playing on are going to make the league a better standard. But sometimes things are what they are.

The three Ps have put an end to more careers than anything else. Especially 18 year old's
 
Stop worrying Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have the solution to all your Academy problems.

Firstly we need to establish some variables.
  1. 18 x 44 = 792 Senior list spots (+5% for fringe/rookies) = 831.6 AFL Spots per year for Males aged between 18 and 36.
  2. 2020 census data for only the greater area of Brisbane reports that there are 79 848 Males in the 15-19 years bracket.
  3. Australian Population is 49.3% Male and 50.7% Female and 2016 census data states 1,421,595 people aged 15-19 (therefore 702,325 Males aged 15-19)
  4. 702 325 / 5 (or 2.5 or 1.66 if players aged 17,18,19 are eligible) = at minimum 140 465 or 421 395 Draft Age Eligible males per year
  5. 83 players were drafted in 2021
  6. You have between 0.01969 & 0.05909% chance of being drafted.
  7. So if an academy program has 200 kids, then you should expect 0.11 kids to be drafted. lol so 1 every 9 years.
So If I use some made up numbers, much like COVID facts, to localize this further. 1% of the 15-19 year aged population in Greater Brisbane(2) played Australian Football - you have 798 kids.

Which seems to be a number well under with club based attendance records, but you know, I'm freestyling right now and it feels right so I'm going to keep going so yeah Hydroxychloroquine works, the Earth is flat, investigate 9/11.

Also, disregarding international participants who will blow these locally based statistics out of the water.

Anyways, so in conclusion - take all these numbers and completely disregard them, because the crux of your problem is you're equipping children with the mindset and belief that they're going to complete a program, come out equipped with the skills and capabilities to fill 1 of 83 spots in a national draft (also x amount are consumed by kids who's dads did the kicky thing so that lowers the available spots if your dad isn't one of them).

So this right here is your problem.

Queensland, statistically speaking should be celebrating 1 positive result.

Worst part in all this is how these kids get spat out at the end and its the local coaches who have to try and undo this, usually toxic, self-centered, mindset they're equipped with and assimilate them into local football as well as the mundane existence of regular life where their physical weekend endeavors are no longer celebrated.

Solution:

So stop bagging a system (AFL Academies) that is fundamentally setup to fail anyways. Pull your kids out, save some money and develop them at club land in a welcoming community environment, around grown men and try enter the AFL system as well rounded individuals like QLD kids are meant to as 20-22 year old's.

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How local clubs should be structured, but we'll save that for another post.

 

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First off, it's great to hear the different perspectives of the academy. I've heard a little bit over the years about the selection process, but the development side of things not so much.

But I was just speaking on the weekend to a 19yo who's been playing since they were 7, never made the Academy (although their best was arguably good enough compared to some others who were in), played at a good club with a good culture, but has just fallen out of love with the game and has called it quits. Nothing about the standard of the game. Just tired of the grind of training, nursing injuries etc. And probably just assessing their lives as part of being adults and asking themselves "what am I getting out of the game?".

So while I'm sure some kids come out of the Academy disillusioned, is it really fair to lay the poor rate of increased participation at the feet of the Academy? For that criticism to be valid, that drop-off in participation has to be compared to other sports and to other states. If it's higher, then sure questions need to be asked and better strategies worked out. I'm sure as someone who wants to see their club (and the league) as strong as possible you want to see that drop-off rate as low as possible and even 3 of the those names listed playing on are going to make the league a better standard. But sometimes things are what they are.

fair, but the dropout rate of kids from youth to senior footy used to be predominantly in the less talented crop who just don't see the point in continuing what was essentiually a childhood hobby. The best players rarely gave it away so young, until the academies cropped up.
 

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haha, the Pie shop trade will cover his matchies though

Ah, the pathetic personal insults and shaming from a clown who continues to hide behind an alias.. top shelf human you are. Would love to know your footy background and playing/coaching history, must be a multiple BnF Winning club champion and premiership coach surely.
 
Boston goes to the highest bidder because he’s earned the right. Has a kid now. I’m sure he’s put his family first rather than the loyalty of a footy club

Boston goes to the highest bidder because he’s earned the right. Has a kid now. I’m sure he’s put his family first rather than the loyalty of a footy club

Dusty Pup ,, did you read my comment .. I said fair call , go and get whats the best deal ,,,njot just match payments , but potential success of the club choosen
 
fair, but the dropout rate of kids from youth to senior footy used to be predominantly in the less talented crop who just don't see the point in continuing what was essentiually a childhood hobby. The best players rarely gave it away so young, until the academies cropped up.
You can throw out a cast net to find reasons why kids drop out. My opionion is and always will be either at junior or senior level coaching.
Make your players feel welcome and let them enjoy what they are doing.
Once it becomes a chore or just to stressful you have lost them. As a coach it's the most important thing you can do.
That goes for club and academies. Tell the truth about where thier footy is at and give honest positive feedback to help them improve.
Yep really simple stuff but so is footy if you break it down to its basics.
Form relationships that last forever and you are a great coach. Helping your players move up to higher levels is just the icing on the cake.
 

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