The 'Recruit'

[Pea Nut]

Out of curiosity, where is Johann Wagner at nowadays?

Injured. Apparently a show to make an impact next year.

 

[Satan]

Out of curiosity, where is Johann Wagner at nowadays?

Edit: And Padraig?

johan is in a lot of supercoach teams for loophole purposes

 

[MotleyLemon]

Padraig going just ok in the VFL apparently, but never really expected much from him anyway. Seems to get a few hit outs and about 5 touches a game.

 

[Pea Nut]

Bradie Foster is stuck playing QAFL after no NEAFL clubs were interested in his services.

 

[Willo_]

Padraig going just ok in the VFL apparently, but never really expected much from him anyway. Seems to get a few hit outs and about 5 touches a game.

Is improving well though, pretty sure he has a bag of 5 this year which is bloody good for a bloke who has played about a dozen games of footy total

 

[getgaff]

Can any VFL watchers tell me how Ty Armitage has been tracking with the Blues affiliate. I played against him last year in AFL Sydney and he was a high accumulating midfielder.

I heard he was tracking well in the pre season but haven't been able to touch base with his games.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

They would really be scraping the bottom of the barrel doing this every year. They have to wait for another crop of youngsters who didn't get picked up comes through.

Especially since the stand out from last year can't get close to a call up through injury or whatever else. These guys are a long way off it.

 

[coniglio_number1]

I think the show should be about high level athletes from overseas or indigenous regional areas etc. clubs would've had years to look at the guys that play in the lower leagues and they obviously remained undrafted, the fact that the only Aussie that 'made it' was the winner. No other clubs wanted the rest and throwing another season of morelands isn't going to result in memorable winners.

The best prospects from the international combines should be on this show along with the best indigenous kids. Include a welfare officer eg macloud to help the indig guys. Then we will probably see a few more guys taken

 

[Kram]

They would really be scraping the bottom of the barrel doing this every year. They have to wait for another crop of youngsters who didn't get picked up comes through.

Especially since the stand out from last year can't get close to a call up through injury or whatever else. These guys are a long way off it.

Yep was just going to say this, probably really pushing it to find enough suitable candidates to be able to have it on every year.

 

[Power Raid]

I wonder if Port will give him a run against Freo in round 23 before delisting him.

I can't see him getting a run at all

 

[Big Bryza]

Out of curiosity, where is Johann Wagner at nowadays?

Edit: And Padraig?

Johanns at Port. Saw him play SANFL a few weeks back. Didn't get a lot of it but looked comfortable at that level. You'd think they'll give him 1 more year to see if he's good enough.

 

[Scotty_222]

Has been in and out of the SANFL side with injury, but has generally been good for 10-15 disposals and 1-2 goals a game across half forward at that level when he's been able to play.

Still contracted for next year so he won't be delisted just yet. Even if he doesn't ever get an AFL game, Port have at least gotten some free publicity and a solid player for the Magpies for a couple of years out of the whole deal.

he would have got a run if he came to us at the suns..

 

[master bate]

They have to get better state league talent and then play them against or with state league sides. Really they should try and enter all of the final 12 in VFL standalone clubs. Frankston would probably gladly welcome 12 free players for 12 weeks, they've got nothing to lose. With better talent and more opportunities for the contestants to display that talent they can just put the winner in the draft and be confident they will get drafted (with the backup of one side committed to take him with their last rookie pick if it comes to that).

It was too hard to find good future AFL talent running around outside of the best state leagues. Maybe more will step forward now they've seen season 1 but in these days of professionalism and athleticism they might be very hard to find.

 

[Kram]

Yep unless they are some potential project type athlete from overseas anyone half decent that thought they a chance of being drafted and wanted to would already be in the WAFL/SANFL/VFL trying to get noticed where AFL recruiters actually look. I mean you do get some gun footy players running around in the country that are more than capable of playing at at least state level. But they are likely too old anyway and have probably already given up on playing at the highest level knowing they don't have the talent or dedication and just playing out there for some extra coin.

 

[BACCS]

They are doing the show again next season

 

[Belnakor]

they will have to do with the international flavor i reckon.

or open it to current WAFL players so they can find the next barlow etc.

The fact only 2 clubs were willing to draft the guy who was about 50% better than the rest... AND he hasn't even got a game at AFL level means the show's premise is flawed.

 

[Kram]

or open it to current WAFL players so they can find the next barlow etc.

That's kind of defeats the point as well though because those guys being already in the system in those leagues are mostly already going to be known to AFL recruiters anyway.

 

[J_Moore]

Yep was just going to say this, probably really pushing it to find enough suitable candidates to be able to have it on every year.

They will run it every year until people stop watching. It's a product for Fox8 and a marketing vehicle for the AFL. It's not meant to produce actual footballers

 

[Damon_3388]

I like the concept and enjoyed the first series, but I'm still skeptical as to whether the talent is actually out there.

If you're anywhere near being AFL standard, reality is that you're already playing in a state league and aren't eligible for selection for the show, and if you're not, you're probably just not good enough or not committed enough to make it to the elite level.

Still, I think these criteria would interesting for the show in 2016:

- Must be born between 01/01/1992-31/12/1994 (21-23 years old)
- Must not have played a game (senior or reserves) in the VFL, SANFL, WAFL, NEAFL, NTFL or TSL in the years 2013, 2014 or 2015 (extended to 2012/13 and 2015/16 for NTFL participation).
- Must have resided in Australia from 2013-present
- Must have played at least one game of organised football in each of the years 2013, 2014 or 2015 (extended to 2012/13 and 2015/16 for Northern Territory participants)

This way, we'd really find out which Australian footballers the draft system "missed", that are playing outside of the state leagues at the moment, that may be AFL standard. I don't think there are too many TBH, but you never know.

Blatantly exposing the paucity of genuine elite footy talent outside of the AFL and the state leagues might be killing the golden goose for this show in a way, though. I'm generally in favour of international recruits and athletes crossing over from other sports having a go, and it's necessary for this process and for the growth of the game in general, so being so restrictive with the criteria (as I listed above) probably isn't needed, but it'd be interesting to see how things played out if those guidelines were followed.

At the very least, I'd hope they somewhat follow those age guidelines. Getting guys who are 25-26-27 years of age is pretty pointess, IMO, as if they're not already vaguely AFL standard by that age, unless they've got some sort of elite/freakish trait, they're probably coming from too far back to really make it "worth it". They had a couple of nuggety mid-20s midfielders without elite skills or endurance on there last year, who probably are quality amateur/country footballers, but don't realistically have any hope of becoming AFL players in this day and age. There's dozens of mids coming through from junior levels each year that clubs would prefer to invest their time in, and even then, a number of them get overlooked when coming out of the U/18 system (see the majority of Morrish Medalists).

 

[Unknown Identity]

I know the director of Spike Creative.

The AFL will not let ex AFL players on the show and they cannot have played WAFL, VFL, SANFL etc for 2 years.

This is designed specifically to get indigenous talent or a country star.

They will begin filming late this year so they will be able to have practice matches early in 2016 to allow them to play against VFL type teams.

 

[master bate]

I know the director of Spike Creative.

The AFL will not let ex AFL players on the show and they cannot have played WAFL, VFL, SANFL etc for 2 years.

This is designed specifically to get indigenous talent or a country star.

They will begin filming late this year so they will be able to have practice matches early in 2016 to allow them to play against VFL type teams.

Well they must be hoping for a huge increase in talent from the first season if they want it to be any good. Indigenous players are probably the best hope of finding someone with the skills and speed for AFL. Not sure how many Tory Dickson, Sam Lloyd types are out there but hopefully anyone who resembles that level of player in the bush and young enough does apply.

 

[Unknown Identity]

Well they must be hoping for a huge increase in talent from the first season if they want it to be any good. Indigenous players are probably the best hope of finding someone with the skills and speed for AFL. Not sure how many Tory Dickson, Sam Lloyd types are out there but hopefully anyone who resembles that level of player in the bush and young enough does apply.

Last season they got 770 entries..
Hopefully they get 1000+ this year.

16 of the clubs pretty much snubbed the concept last year. They're hoping they'll be more enthusiastic about it this year.

They've just finished filming an NRL version that discovered some talent.

 

[Damon_3388]

They've just finished filming an NRL version that discovered some talent.

The thing with rugby league is that you could probably walk into any gym in Australia, pick out a couple of 110-120kg muscleheads in their 20s who are willing to "go hard" and crash into people, and you'd have yourself an average front rower after a few weeks of learning the game. There's obviously skill and will involved (especially to become something more than average), but the skill, tactical, endurance and repeat effort requirements are much more achievable in rugby league for someone who's not already at the level than Australian football.

 

[TwentyNine]

I don't think you're ever going to see the show uncover a genuine AFL-level player. They're all either going to be not good enough (Wagner) or not up to it mentally (Manson). The closest it will get is if it keeps bringing on the international guys which, honestly speaking, is just crap because it's supposed to be about suburban 'backyard hero' footballers.

 

[lionshine]

I think the show should be about high level athletes from overseas or indigenous regional areas etc. clubs would've had years to look at the guys that play in the lower leagues and they obviously remained undrafted, the fact that the only Aussie that 'made it' was the winner. No other clubs wanted the rest and throwing another season of morelands isn't going to result in memorable winners.

The best prospects from the international combines should be on this show along with the best indigenous kids. Include a welfare officer eg macloud to help the indig guys. Then we will probably see a few more guys taken

I agree 100% with the bolded part. As much as the show's premise was about finding a potential star from local footy and turning it into a feel good story, the chances of this happening are just so slim. The show should attempt to find some high level athletes from around the world such as players who didn't quite cut it in basketball or soccer but are freakishly fast or can jump ridiculously high and spend time teaching them the game and developing their skills. I think the chances of finding an elite athlete from somewhere around the world and turning him into an AFL player are higher then trying to find someone from bush footy who is a good, honest player but will never have the athletic ability to play at the highest level and doesn't have the elite skill regardless.

It wouldn't be hard to lure athletes from around the world either. Show them a clip of grand final day and a shot of the MCG grandstands full of 100, 000 screaming fans and they will jump straight on a plane for the chance to experience that. Imagine if Lebron James and Christiano Ronaldo had shitty basketball and soccer skills but still had their athletic ability? Imagine having unknown guys who are like James and Ronaldo running around a football field learning to play the game of AFL. I think that would be far more fascinating to watch as opposed to watching short, slow country footballers trying to have a crack at the big time despite everyone knowing they will never be good enough.

I think a lot of people would hate the idea of basing a show around giving athletes from around the world the chance to win a spot on an AFL rookie list due to the amount of Australians who love the game and work hard their entire lives for a shot and never make it, however, I think the type of concept I have suggested would help grow the game and garner interest from other countries. Plus I think there would be more clubs interested in taking a risk on a tall, athletic freak from America or Asia or Europe compared to a country footballer.