The 'Recruit'

[J_Moore]

Without having seen the show yet, but having worked on more than a few reality shows in my time, I would be surprised if that was the case Don Draper. Possible they shot the reveal of the final 12 a few times, but unlikely they'd cheat a whole game. Much more likely to try and fake bigger reactions than actually occurred than the other way around.

 

[Cleavy]

Yeah magic of filming and editing. Could very well have happened. Take a look at the footage of them being dragged off and told it was over, minimal devastation shown. I stand by original claim. He could have easily injured his calf between filming and needed it to be staged as an injury.

*shrugs* he's got big enough wraps on himself that he could have ended up in an iron lung and he would still think he would make it through (and winning the race with the cinderblock helped)

 

[iDon]

Well then must be false news that I got, Waylen the one that wins it. Should have been drafted a few years back, some story came out from back home and scared off recruiters. But same source so must be wrong too.

 

[master bate]

Well then must be false news that I got, Waylen the one that wins it. Should have been drafted a few years back, some story came out from back home and scared off recruiters. But same source so must be wrong too.

Waylen left the draft combine after 2 days. Finished last in the cinderblock run and had to be dragged along by a stumpy hairy bloke. At the beach recovery he didn't want to go underwater and was scared of sharks and star fish. He likes playing footy to impress girls.

He may well win it. I hope he does. But unless they are massively playing it up for filming this is still a guy who's light years culturally removed from AFL footy. At least filming this show is a good way for him to be in Melbourne for 10 weeks, it's a good test for him if he can't survive 10 weeks he wont survive long in the AFL.

 

[Bert Man]

http://www.fox8.tv/shows/the-recruit/episode-one

Thanks a lot.

 

[saviour01]

Armitage is far and away the best football player in the Sydney AFL, not that it means much. The other bloke from NSW plays in div 1 (below premier league) in Sydney (which I also play) and I had never heard of him. Can't believe he made top 12.

 

[getthefooty]

Such a shocking hour of television. Had hopes that this wouldn't be like the abortion that was 'Cricket Superstar' but seems to be going down exactly that route. Basically just an hour of Vossy saying 'remember, only ONE of you will get through/Do YOU have what it TAKES??', Fitzy telling us over and over again about his 5 minutes in the AFL, interviews of blokes bullshitting about they've wanted to play AFL since they were in the womb, a hot blonde chick that had seemingly no role at all and about 2 minutes of actual vision of them playing footy. Seriously, I don't know how you could tell what anyone's ability was like from what they just showed.

 

[master bate]

Such a shocking hour of television. Had hopes that this wouldn't be like the abortion that was 'Cricket Superstar' but seems to be going down exactly that route. Basically just an hour of Vossy saying 'remember, only ONE of you will get through/Do YOU have what it TAKES??', Fitzy telling us over and over again about his 5 minutes in the AFL, interviews of blokes bullshitting about they've wanted to play AFL since they were in the womb, a hot blonde chick that had seemingly no role at all and about 2 minutes of actual vision of them playing footy. Seriously, I don't know how you could tell what anyone's ability was like from what they just showed.

She wasn't even hot!

I agree. Although I do think it has potential to improve. The first episode they have to build up the narrative and introduce a lot of players quickly. I'm hoping as the series goes on that Voss, the sports psychologist (aforementioned chick) and Darren Burgess (fitness coach) can actually give us some proper insight. There were small moments when Burgess was either brutal or technical about fitness that had me interested. Hearing a sports psychologist describe how a kid who likes to be the joker (Gossy) may be at risk of not being serious wasn't such a revelation.

That said I don't know why they even started with 50 to just cut the short, fat and old guys who were never going to make it. May as well have started with 20 and got down to 12 straight away.

The problem with these shows are they try and cater to a large audience by going with all that crap you mentioned. Instead I'd actually love to see it try and be more realistic and even if it's less dramatic it could hook us footy heads in to the show. As it stands those who love footy will find it overly dramatic, fake and boring. Those who don't like footy won't care too much unless they can create some ripping reality TV.

 

[jimbler]

It seems odd that they would cut a whole bunch of them straight away for just failing a fitness test. You'd think that that would be the easiest thing for Burgess and Co. to correct. You'd have to assume that they'd already had a look at all of them kick a footy etc... before they did that, and taken that into account as well.

 

[getthefooty]

She wasn't even hot!

Seriously? Very cute. Love chicks that can pull off glasses too.

 

[BF Tiger]

Missed the start, what's the chick's role? Who is she?

Not being one bit sexist, but I feel the role of the female on this show is rather pointless. She doesn't come across as very smart at all and most of what she has said has been cringeworthy at best.

For example; in the review of the potential recruits after the game.

"He talked well".

"He is lazy ... because he has that 'she'll be right' larrikin attitude".

I feel as though her appointment is purely for the purpose of the show appearing to not be exclusively male-oriented and to seem diverse. Could be wrong though, and as the show develops, her psychological work may actually prove to be just an important coaching tool. At the moment though, every time she speaks it seems as though she is just trying to remain relevant.

C'mon Echols... who at your club has the surname Russell...

 

[Underdog]

I enjoyed it. My wife even watched it with me.

I don't think some understand the nature of the program. It's on Fox8, not Fox Footy. Want to watch amateurs play, go to your local park on a Saturday arvo.

I didn't think it was overly dramatic. It certainly didn't pull the bullshit that most reality competitions do.

It'll be interesting to see the characters develop. See if JC, Goss and the chubby one get knocked down a few pegs and focus their energy, see if the volleyballer and Waylen grow in confidence, see how the basketballer develops etc.

 

[Unique Name]

When the ultimate fighter (UFC reality show) first started the season had stupid challenges that had nothing to do with fighting. As the seasons past they realised that the people watching didn't want all that crap. So they dialed it back and focused more on the fighting. Still could do with more focus on fighting and less on the drama but it improved.

I mention this because it looks like the Recruit may have made the same mistake. I couldn't care less about watching wannabe footy players diving with sharks or jumping off the Eitihad roof. Focus on the footy, the training and the skill drills and they will have a good show.

#103

 

[wcesam]

So apparently there's like a mini draft for the player who wins the comp. What if nobody wants him? Where does he go? Seeing as its a guaranteed contract..

 

[yakka man]

Way too reality TV like. Should've shown more footage of them playing/training and less of them being voted off the Island.

 

[Underdog]

I mention this because it looks like the Recruit may have made the same mistake. I couldn't care less about watching wannabe footy players diving with sharks or jumping off the Eitihad roof. Focus on the footy, the training and the skill drills and they will have a good show.

#103

I'd say the character and team building exercises in this instance are particularly important. That's the biggest flaw in most of these blokes and what's been holding them back.

 

[Underdog]

Way too reality TV like. Should've shown more footage of them playing/training and less of them being voted off the Island.

They want a wide audience, hence it being on Fox8 and not Fox Footy. The more footy footage involved, the more the audience will be confined to football nerds.

I didn't mind the amount of footage displayed. They would never have more than a highlights package in any case and most here don't understand that they are complete bullshit when it comes to rating players. The most relevant information was the observations of the coaching team.

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

I've seen the Jackal play a fair bit.
Geez he covers the ground quick and just slams into blokes.

 

[St 07]

If Zephaniah Skinner couldn't make it due to homesickness, Waylen isn't going to. Skinner had all the tools, yet homesickness got the better of him in the end.

 

[master bate]

It seems odd that they would cut a whole bunch of them straight away for just failing a fitness test. You'd think that that would be the easiest thing for Burgess and Co. to correct. You'd have to assume that they'd already had a look at all of them kick a footy etc... before they did that, and taken that into account as well.

I don't think so. If they are going to go on an AFL list as of next year they'd want to have a pretty good base already. Whoever they pick will have had 10 weeks on this show then a few months training by themselves before they start an AFL preseason. That's not a lot of time to work with.

I've heard a rumour that one of the top 5 of the 13 gets cut after sustaining a stress fracture as well so that highlights that it's not that easy to do a 'Stewie Dew' transformation on these guys.

And in Goss and Waylo they did pick 2 of the less fit guys. I think most of the guys they cut straight away weren't fit or good footballers.

 

[drummond2fevola]

Bloke I played with last weekend was on this show (I didn't watch it - had indoor cricket).

 

[Watson_my_mind]

Good show, enjoyed it. Was good mates with DJ (blonde bloke who injured calf) growing up, known him a long time, hasn't changed a bit haha. An AFL recruiter at one of our private school Senior 1sts games said he plays like Nick Dal Santo, which is probably pretty accurate.

I was also surprised to see it was on Fox 8, was scanning through all the sports channels then had to look it up, but that probably explains why it had a reality segment. But its nowhere near the reality segment of some other shows out there people.

 

[Experimental]

That blonde chick is a deadset ****ing idiot. "The biggest muscle you have in your body is your brain". I almost died laughing.

The only part Fitzy played was bragging about his 3/4 of a second in the AFL, then buggered off until the end of the show. The hell?.

Waylen has some serious skill, but as stated above, is generations away culturally from being a part of AFL football. I did laugh at the starfish comment though. I'll be barracking for Waylen.

Great premise, poorly executed. I'll probably keep watching though.

 

[FootyGeek]

I enjoyed it. My wife even watched it with me.

Wow. Really? One of THOSE shows eh?

 

[living_in_syd]

Thought it was okay! Watched it on the link provided!