Sydney Swans raid US Colleges in search for athletic talent

[RUNVS]

Its yesterdays news but i thought it was worthy of a main board thread.

Sydney Swans raid US Colleges in search for athletic talent
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-athletic-talent/story-e6frexwr-1226252834423

US COLLEGES have long poached talent from the AFL's ranks - now the Sydney Swans are turning the tables on the overseas sporting powerhouses.

Alex Starling, a 22-year-old college basketballer, will join the Swans next month as part of the AFL's international scholarship program. Move over Israel Folau.

And Sydney's academy head coach Paul Roos believes the Floridian could be the first of many to try their hand at the Australian game. Starling is a 196cm, 93kg "phenomenon" who played college basketball for Florida's Bethune-Cookman University in the US's top tier of amateur competition.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-athletic-talent/story-e6frexwr-1226252834423

Here is some footage of him at the SCG doing some drills with Paul Roos

[YOUTUBE]wm5UbzJC4Sg[/YOUTUBE]

and here is some footage of him playing basketball

[YOUTUBE]kkRzuSHQ-Ms[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Kwality]

Another example of the FAILURE of the current model of junior development to produce enough talent.

Clubs heading overseas ... put the effort/dollars into growing the local product.

Is this effectively funded by the AFL?

 

[Smyth94]

Not worth it.

Haven't we learnt in recent years that there are mature age players in the second tier competitions that can come in and actually become very good at AFL level?

 

[Rakuten06]

Again, I'm biased because I'm an American but here it goes:

I think it will help the growth of the Australian Rules Football if the college athletes can't pursue a successful professional career then they can move to Australia and try their hand at footy. Take a look at Tadhg Kennelly for example, he moved from Gaelic Football to AFL and he is a proficient defender in the Swans and if he didn't have any injuries that covers most of his AFL career, he would be the best International AFL player, and he's already the best Irishman to play footy anyway.

 

[Danog]

BZZT. Jim Stynes

 

[deluge99]

Good move by the Swans and if Roos is behind the recruit he will no doubt have talent.

To those above that push the local talent mantra, there may be no shortage of local talent but there is shortage of guys 195cm+ who can move like the wind.

 

[zetz]

'Raid' ... sensationalism

 

[SirJimi05]

Waste of time and money.

How come Paul Poos is coaching him? I thought he was retired.

 

[scottwade]

Is this effectively funded by the AFL?

No.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-athletic-talent/story-e6frexwr-1226252834423

The Swans' program in the US was entirely funded by long-time supporter Basil Sellers, who also played a major role in bringing Irishman Tadhg Kennelly to Sydney.

FWIW Sydney actually had an American play for them in the early 1990s.

Guy called Sandford Wheeler.

Although he had emigrated to Australia at a young age with his family.

 

[SirJimi05]

Dwayne Armstrong - Essendon.

 

[Spluff]

Not worth it.

Haven't we learnt in recent years that there are mature age players in the second tier competitions that can come in and actually become very good at AFL level?

Difference is that you have to draft mature age players, you can pick these guys up without wasting a single pick.

 

[Tas]

Difference is that you have to draft mature age players, you can pick these guys up without wasting a single pick.

They still take up space on your finite list and cost a lot of money to develop.

I am generally in favour of looking at ex-basketballers as ruckmen because it is probably the easiest role to convert into.

Goldy was an ex-basketballer who only started playing football about a year before being drafted so saying players can't convert or adapt is wrong, the question is can you get your hands on a talented enough person young enough to develop them. Goldstein had to choose between abandoning a professional basketball career for football, no american junior is going to make that same sacrifice.

But, that is not to say a lesser skilled basketballer wouldn't be just as good a footballer. If you have the athletic qualities and you can convert to being fluent in the skills relatively quickly then it can work.

The question is what would it cost to be able to find the needles in the haystack and is this bypassing of the draft system going to lead to clubs that can afford to spend tens of millions in recruitment and development on foreign soil going to diminish the purpose of the draft to create a level playing field.

 

[Rob]

They still take up space on your finite list and cost a lot of money to develop.

As I understand it, aren't international rookies on a separate list?

And the money doesn't matter. The AFL's made it clear that they'll prop you up if you spend too much.

 

[Fire]

Another example of the FAILURE of the current model of junior development to produce enough talent.

Miss the point much?

This kind of mentality baffles me. I suppose its a failure of the system if any one of the 7 billion humans on the planet that aren't Australian can earn a position over the weakest local recruit.

How arrogant to assume that the rest of the world can't possibly compete with the lower fringe of Australians coming through. Yep, shows real weakness in the system there.

 

[Covertackle]

Another example of the FAILURE of the current model of junior development to produce enough talent.

Clubs heading overseas ... put the effort/dollars into growing the local product.

Is this effectively funded by the AFL?

from an outsiders perspective.....

AFL is a very 'white' game. compare the cultural mix of the NSL and NRL. on the otherhand, the AFL, despite having a wide cultural mix, is short on darker players.

there is absolutely no suggestion it has anything to do with racism. more likely to do with demographics. the reason the NRL is so multicultural is because overseas players come here. they happen to be obviously not white anglo saxons. not always evident of any other european peoples that play AFL or NRL.

i recon its part of the reason the AFL is desperate to get more pacific island players into AFL, and the purchase of islanders hunt and fulau. now its evident they are chasing afro/americans.

im not sure whats more embarrasing. the shortage of couloured AFL players, or the AFLs determination in recruiting them at any cost.

im not sure why sport must reflect the multicultural ideal. but the AFL have got it bad...

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Nothing wrong with doing this now and then. Firstly, if the guy is any good, the Swans do not have to compete with other clubs in a draft to get him. A list spot, a small salary and development, that's it. It also doesn't hurt with marketing.

 

[r_boy]

from an outsiders perspective.....

AFL is a very 'white' game. compare the cultural mix of the NSL and NRL. on the otherhand, the AFL, despite having a wide cultural mix, is short on darker players.

there is absolutely no suggestion it has anything to do with racism. more likely to do with demographics. the reason the NRL is so multicultural is because overseas players come here. they happen to be obviously not white anglo saxons. not always evident of any other european peoples that play AFL or NRL.

i recon its part of the reason the AFL is desperate to get more pacific island players into AFL, and the purchase of islanders hunt and fulau. now its evident they are chasing afro/americans.

im not sure whats more embarrasing. the shortage of couloured AFL players, or the AFLs determination in recruiting them at any cost.

im not sure why sport must reflect the multicultural ideal. but the AFL have got it bad...

I think they're just after the talent to be quite honest.

 

[Blues_Man]

Again, I'm biased because I'm an American but here it goes:

I think it will help the growth of the Australian Rules Football if the college athletes can't pursue a successful professional career then they can move to Australia and try their hand at footy. Take a look at Tadhg Kennelly for example, he moved from Gaelic Football to AFL and he is a proficient defender in the Swans and if he didn't have any injuries that covers most of his AFL career, he would be the best International AFL player, and he's already the best Irishman to play footy anyway.

Not many actually succeed though..not growing up playing Aussie rules is a huge handicap and the player has a lot of ground to make up....worth a shot probably. but i wouldn't be banking on many (if any) succeeding at AFL level .

 

[scottwade]

i recon its part of the reason the AFL is desperate to get more pacific island players into AFL, and the purchase of islanders hunt and fulau. now its evident they are chasing afro/americans.

im not sure whats more embarrasing. the shortage of couloured AFL players, or the AFLs determination in recruiting them at any cost.

im not sure why sport must reflect the multicultural ideal. but the AFL have got it bad...

I'm pretty sure this is an Australia Day troll, but just in case.

Firstly is it too much to expect a post would have some semblance of proper grammar/spelling and that at the very least you get a person's name correct?

It's Folau.

Secondly it is not the AFL chasing "afro/americans" it is the Swans looking for talent in alternative markets, as they have done with Kennelly (Gaelic football) and Pyke (rugby union).

Both who, for the record, are white.

Why US college players now?
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...er-alex-starling/story-e6frf9jf-1226253617207
Roos;

"Only 1 per cent of college athletes go on to professional careers which leaves a massive number of outstanding athletes who could come to our game." Roos said.

Lastly I'm not sure what point you are trying to make.

You criticise the AFL for not having enough "coloured" players and then slate the AFL for embracing multiculturalism.

Hunt & Folau were identified by the AFL for their on and off field potential, not because of their skin colour.

The AFL doesn't reflect the "multicultural ideal", it merely reflects the people that play and support the game of Aussie Rules.

 

[superman_kon]

Little known fact but Don Pyke from WCE was an american

 

[Palmervich]

Little known fact but Don Pyke from WCE was an american

Yeah, technically, but his father was Australian who had played WAFL, and he came to Australia when he was about 9, so he still grew up around footy.
Don't have a problem with this though, and this guy looks good from the short bit of footage, although his kicking action is very suss

 

[Kwality]

Little known fact but Don Pyke from WCE was an american

Yeah, Don was born in the US, son of Frank Pyke, a useful Aussie rules footballer for Perth Footy Club, represented his State, placed a couple of times in the Sandover Medal.

Don was born when his Dad was undertaking studies in the US:
In December 1966, Pyke left Perth with his wife, Janet, to study sports science at Indiana University. He graduated with a Ph.D. in exercise physiology and human performance, and later taught at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, and Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[1] Pyke returned to Western Australia in 1972, where he accepted a position as a lecturer in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Western Australia (UWA), and resumed his football career with Perth. While at UWA he was involved with the rehabilitation of fast bowler Dennis Lillee, who Pyke had previously taught at Belmont Senior High School. He is credited by some with "saving [Lillee]'s cricket career" and "[giving Lillee] back his fire".[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Pyke

 

[RiggoDiesel44]

Not sure what to think of this. First of all, Bethune Cookman is NOT in the "top tier of amateur competition." BCU is barely on the radar screen in American college athletics. But that hardly matters. There are some excellent athletes walking around their campus.....as well as schools everywhere....that don't have the talent to play NFL/NBA. For every player that makes it to the major league level, there are a thousand that don't. And I'm talking about top flight players that would amaze you.....but they're just aren't good enough. So in theory, it's a overflowing recruiting ground for the AFL.

But Bluesman made a good point. None have these guys have ever played Aus Football.....or even heard of it for that matter. Sure, they've got great athletic skills and could pick up the basics of the game but they just wouldn't have the instincts of someone who has played it since they were a kid. A long way to go for talent....and likely expensive. And as cool as it'd be to see a couple of our boys over there, I gotta' think there's plenty of talent in Australia already.

 

[Dickie Greenleaf]

Another example of the FAILURE of the current model of junior development to produce enough talent.

Clubs heading overseas ... put the effort/dollars into growing the local product.

Is this effectively funded by the AFL?

This is very alarming news indeed. Clearly, the local talent pool is completely dry.

 

[muttonchops]

I have no problem with, dont really care either way but how about the hypocracy. When the Suns and the Giants go and recruit from rugby league many are up in arms saying how Folau and Carmichael will never make it. But when the Swans go and rectuit a yank with absolutely no history with our game we hear nothing. Where are all those people now especially the Sydney rugby writers.