The 'Recruit'

[Kram]

When they have to be in their 20s and not even playing at state level it's not really that surprising that the talent field is going to be fairly thin.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Jackal was in my top three along with Semel and Moreland but the way this is panning out I think it is going to somebody without a football back ground.

The only non-footballer to be booted off was the Yank because he was just a 6 foot 10 penile extension.

Funny because when the show was first advertised and promoted it was all about players who for some reason or another missed out on there chance to play afl, trying to find the next Barlow, Pod's etc.

Pods and Barlow were very good VFL players.

These blokes are slow, unfit country weekend warriors. Unfortunately they're a dime a dozen, there's hundreds of them across Australia.

Anyone good enough would have been found, at least at state league level. These guys have never made it for a reason.

Of course any AFL recruiter will take a chance on a great athlete instead - they have all they need in terms of these guys and they can go and grab another anytime should they need it for some reason.

Show was always going to be a waste of time due to excluding anybody who'd ever played state league.

This show would be great if they got rid of that rule - just exclude anybody who's ever been on an AFL or rookie list. Get all state footballers battling for a spot who've never had a chance - they're the guys who are truly on the fringe.

 

[1990crow]

Wagner clearly the best player left.

 

[Scotland]

What's the point of just getting a bunch of state league players? AFL clubs already recruit from the state leagues, and 90% of players drafted come from the state league feeder comps - WAFL colts in WA, SANFL colts (not sure what they call it in SA) and TAC Cup in Victoria.

Barlow, Gibson, Ballantyne, Kane Mitchell, Myles Sewell, Derickx, Podsiadly etc. - the clubs have seen these guys in action and know what they can do. Some get a chance, some don't. Some succeed, some don't. Someone like Brett Backwell won the Liston Trophy playing in the VFL and the Magarey Medal playing in the SANFL as well as the Fos Williams Medal representing SA. Does anyone remember his AFL career? Didn't think so.

Someone like Mark Nicoski (188cm, 85kg, quick, long kick - pretty much an athletic prototype for modern footy until he got injured) was rookie listed at 20. I remember reading an article where he said as an 18 year old he had the body of a 13 year old and clubs wouldn't look at him. He kept trying and eventually grew and filled out and started to shine for Subi so got his chance but I reckon plenty in the same position are lost to the higher levels of the game.

Kids who weren't standouts at Colts level or choose to pursue another sport they're good at instead of footy or kids who never wanted to try out in the city at 17 etc. Some end up cruising through amateur/country footy on natural ability training once a week, some don't stick with footy. It's a tough gig to play state league footy. I had a mate who played in his mid 20s and the additional training and sacrifice required for the step up was huge. I think it's good that the show is trying to find a diamond in the rough, even though there will be plenty of rough.

 

[Kram]

Yeah there is quite a lot of footy players that would definitely good enough to play at say WAFL level but are out in country leagues because there is more money for a fraction of the commitment. Problem is most would be well into their 20s and whilst very good footy players have been passed over getting looked at potentially playing at a higher level when younger because they don't quite have the physical or skill attributes and never going to make it in the AFL.

 

[Aeon05]

Wagner clearly the best player left.

Chris Moreland looks pretty handy aswell

 

[Taylor]

Wagner clearly the best player left.

That back issue has thrown a serious spanner in the works. They aren't even at full loads yet and he is calling his experience "Agony".

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

When Morlo said, "Meeting Michael Clarke is something money can't buy." I laughed. I'm sure Clarke got paid a nice sum for appearing on the show and promoting Qantas.

 

[Taylor]

When Morlo said, "Meeting Michael Clarke is something money can't buy." I laughed. I'm sure Clarke got paid a nice sum for appearing on the show and promoting Qantas.

It may have been part of the sponsorship contract with Clarke's employer that he has a certain number of public appearances he is required to be made available for.

 

[Scotland]

When Morlo said, "Meeting Michael Clarke is something money can't buy." I laughed. I'm sure Clarke got paid a nice sum for appearing on the show and promoting Qantas.

Was Clarke promoting Qantas? He did it so seamlessly...

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

It may have been part of the sponsorship contract with Clarke's employer that he has a certain number of public appearances he is required to be made available for.

What a humanitarian Clarke is, making free public appearances for his sponsor (aka the entity that pays him) If you think Clarke appeared on The Recruit for free then good luck to you

 

[Taylor]

What a humanitarian Clarke is, making free public appearances for his sponsor (aka the entity that pays him) If you think Clarke appeared on The Recruit for free then good luck to you

I don't think his contract said: "Appear in May on the Recruit" but I'm sure there is a component in his Australian Cricket contract regarding sponsorship commitments, quantifying the figure would be really difficult.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

I don't think his contract said: "Appear in May on the Recruit" but I'm sure there is a component in his Australian Cricket contract regarding sponsorship commitments, quantifying the figure would be really difficult.

He gets paid by the ACC to make public appearances too. But I enjoy how you're being so loyal to him even though you probably don't know him.

 

[pokerspiv]

I only watched the first ep but Jackal was still in it??

Short, old, slow, average skills..

Jackel was the fastest guy there.

 

[master bate]

Pods and Barlow were very good VFL players.

These blokes are slow, unfit country weekend warriors. Unfortunately they're a dime a dozen, there's hundreds of them across Australia.

Anyone good enough would have been found, at least at state league level. These guys have never made it for a reason.

Of course any AFL recruiter will take a chance on a great athlete instead - they have all they need in terms of these guys and they can go and grab another anytime should they need it for some reason.

Show was always going to be a waste of time due to excluding anybody who'd ever played state league.

This show would be great if they got rid of that rule - just exclude anybody who's ever been on an AFL or rookie list. Get all state footballers battling for a spot who've never had a chance - they're the guys who are truly on the fringe.

There are a few who played country or local footy before entering state leagues (Sam Lloyd, Kyle Martin, Matt Jones), if they found those types it might work. Goss kicked 80 goals in the VAFA, its fair to say he could play good VFL footy. Waylo could play good state league but the same problem that saw him booted might've stopped him from being a consistent state league player. That Wagner features on a SANFL list tells me someone at some stage thought he had state league talent. Just seems they could only find 3 or so guys like that who had that level of talent but hadn't been around for a while. Agree most of the rest of the non athletes look like non AFL players. Hence why there's only a couple left.

I don't know how it would rate, but I agree something with state league players could be better. Not sure how you would work a competition though and get them away from their clubs. Maybe in October you could film a documentary with 12 of the best VFL prospects leading in to the draft. Have them train with AFL clubs to see how they hold up in preseason. A really footy detailed series that goes for maybe 4 or 5 weeks leading in to the draft documentary style. A bit like the NFL/HBO's Hard Knocks if you've seen that.

 

[Taylor]

Jackel was the fastest guy there.

How was his tank for a going on 27 year old? He looked spent by the end of the first quarter against Dad's Army.

 

[pokerspiv]

Yeah there is quite a lot of footy players that would definitely good enough to play at say WAFL level but are out in country leagues because there is more money for a fraction of the commitment. Problem is most would be well into their 20s and whilst very good footy players have been passed over getting looked at potentially playing at a higher level when younger because they don't quite have the physical or skill attributes and never going to make it in the AFL.

Good example of this, Sheldon Taylor is back home playing for Kukerin-Dumbleyung now, after being captain of the WA U16's and originally being mentioned alongside guys like Jaeger O'Meara as a draft prospect.

 

[pokerspiv]

How was his tank for a going on 27 year old? He looked spent by the end of the first quarter against Dad's Army.

Hard to say since they don't really show much of the matches. The fittest guy of the lot was Daniel Johncock, but he was a major tool and one of the first cut.

 

[getgaff]

Starting to frustrate me more that footballers are being de-listed not guys like Paddy who has a poor attitude also

Jackal wasn't a realistic chance to gain a contract from winning The Recruit I don't think as his age was playing against him, same problem Semmel may have.

Don't get why they are playing against a Shane Warne/ St Kilda "All Stars" team either. Nothing much can be gained from games like that. Would rather see them face a state level side or maybe the winner of the Foxtel Cup?

 

[pokerspiv]

Semmel is probably the unluckiest of all since it's purely his age keeping him out. He has decent size and is skilled and tough, he would have had a red hot chance 6 years ago.

 

[Taylor]

Semmel is probably the unluckiest of all since it's purely his age keeping him out. He has decent size and is skilled and tough, he would have had a red hot chance 6 years ago.

I'm curious to see who he was back then.

 

[pokerspiv]

I'm curious to see who he was back then.

Some of the comments on the show to date have suggested he was a bit naughty when he was younger. E.G. When they played the cops, Voss kept needling him.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Wagner clearly the best player left.

Except he's currently playing state league reserves. There's an enormous step from reserves to AFL level. I think we're being largely deceived by the show with Wagner. Somebody with his attributes (height and speed in particular) was always going to dominate a competition like this because he's a unique player that is difficult to match up on. When he gets to higher grades the match ups are going to be less favourable and he'll struggle more. I don't think he's as good as the show makes him out to be.

Reece Maxwell is still my pick of the bunch. Right attitude, still young, high upside, great attributes. Bradie and Moreland are the other two in with a shot. Goss and Semmel maybes.

 

[betterthanu]

Except he's currently playing state league reserves. There's an enormous step from reserves to AFL level. I think we're being largely deceived by the show with Wagner. Somebody with his attributes (height and speed in particular) was always going to dominate a competition like this because he's a unique player that is difficult to match up on. When he gets to higher grades the match ups are going to be less favourable and he'll struggle more. I don't think he's as good as the show makes him out to be.

In his 1st game back since June. Kicked 4 and will probably slot back into the Seniors.

 

[Taylor]

In his 1st game back since June. Kicked 4 and will probably slot back into the Seniors.

What was he sidelined for?