News Chen Shaoliang - China's AFL Pioneer

[Lockhart Road]

Power signs first recruit from China
PORT ADELAIDE has signed its first Chinese-born recruit for the club’s academy at Alberton.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport...a/news-story/3dbfc5140ec5d5c6326d490736a79e09

...Team China captain Chen Shaoliang, 23, this week joined Port Adelaide on an AFL international scholarship for this season and, hopefully, next year as part of the Power’s ambitious plans in China.

Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas said his club was now looking at China beyond sponsorship deals and a long-planned pre-season game to emphasise more game development programs and new recruiting missions.

“Until now, I’ve not seen our China strategy as a talent-identification play,” Thomas said. “But every time I go to China and I see Chinese kids playing Australian football with real enthusiasm and love of the game, I ask, ‘Why not?’.” ....

...From Chaozhou in south China, Chen Shaoliang arrived at Alberton on Tuesday to join the Port Adelaide Magpies academy. The expectation is he will be in line for selection for the SANFL reserves within two months.
.... “There’s a good chance,” he said. “Now that I am here, (Chinese Australian footballers) will search for me on TV and on the Internet.”
That television and Internet feed will be produced by Port Adelaide. The Power opened the pathways to China two years ago with links to the Hong Kong Football Club...

....Chen Shaoliang will be fully immersed in the Port Adelaide system at Alberton with total access to the programs worked by senior coaches Ken Hinkley (Power) and Chad Cornes (Magpies) and the fitness system devised by Darren Burgess.

Port Adelaide’s intent to step up its China Strategy will be fully detailed in the next two months.

“Bringing Chen to Port Adelaide is part of our next chapter to engage with China,” Thomas said.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport...a/news-story/3dbfc5140ec5d5c6326d490736a79e09

http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/video/2016-03-17/ptv-meet-chen-shaoliang

http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/2016-03-17/team-china-skipper-to-play-for-port-adelaide

 

[El Zorro]

Awesome news.

 

[El Zorro]

What do we know about him? Talent wise I mean. Any chance that he might become a bonafide footballer or is it all PR?

 

[Ant Bear]

There was a good 5 minute story on one of the current affairs programs tonight about him.
Looks a park footballer, unfortunately. But has good size and speed, so we may be able to develop him into a SANFL footballer.
AFL is a pipe dream. Johann Wagner...

 

[faquito]

Woah, this was unexpected. Great news.

 

[Macca19]

Awesome! Welcome Chen!

 

[Lockhart Road]

Woah, this was unexpected. Great news.

This is only one piece of the package, mate. I'll give more information asap about Chen and the long-term objectives of putting him to this incredible test. It's a great 'farm boy takes on the other side of the world' story, in which I'm chuffed to have played a small role.

 

[snozulu]

great initiative. welcome Chen.

 

[Coobk001]

I'm buckled in!

But, s**t, our jumpers look awful.

The neck line?

 

[Magus]

This is amazing. <3 this club

 

[OneGreatClub]

Good move Port and it seems his games will be filmed for internet so the Chinese community can get involved. Hope he makes it. Seems like a nice bloke too and very grateful and excited for the opportunity. An ambassador too.

 

[treegz]

Just found another article on him from a few years ago which expands on the 2012 draft combine

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/chinese-athlete-gets-jumpstart-into-afl-20120921-26cgw.html

Particularly liked this bit

"His vertical jump was 86 centimetres, that's eight centimetres better than Nic Naitanui, and Nic holds the AFL record"

 

[manureid]

Sounds like he should be a volleyballer.

 

[PepeSilvia]

Great news, but this guy on facebook raises a valid point.

 

[Doctor Feel]

Great news, but this guy on facebook raises a valid point.

View attachment 225910

Get bendt.

 

[Byrons Firen]

Great news, but this guy on facebook raises a valid point.

View attachment 225910

He who laughs last, laughs loudest and longest. Chen Shaoliang bien.

 

[Long live PAFC]

Welcome to the club Chen!

A great move for him and the club.

 

[PatientMental]

American things aren't the devil old man.

 

[TheFVK]

Lobbe2Shaoliang

 

[Portmanteau]

You had me at "His vertical jump was 86 centimetres, that's eight centimetres better than Nic Naitanui, and Nic holds the AFL record"

Nickname is obvious... Chent Ormond-Shaollen

 

[AdsGoNads]

He who laughs last, laughs loudest and longest. Chen Shaoliang bien.

Another potential Sammy Gray in the making.

 

[MrPortAdelaide]

i wouldnt mind setting up an academy in China, im not sure of the costs, but if you were going to do it you would want a guarantee from the AFL that the club could draft them and you would also want to be starting them at about 13 years of age, because it would take 2-3 years for a potential player to get up to speed with the skills of the game and another 2 years after that for them to hone those skills to the level of a potential AFL draftee and player. It would be a big mistake to start training kids at 16 because by the time they are 18 they are still most probably 2 years behind a kid who has player footy all their lives.

 

[Powerstufff]

i wouldnt mind setting up an academy in China, im not sure of the costs, but if you were going to do it you would want a guarantee from the AFL that the club could draft them .....

There's already the ability to take on international rookies.

 

[CharlieKelly]

I've always found it fascinating how Asians make up about 7% of the Australian population, yet so few have ever played AFL.

 

[MrPortAdelaide]

There's already the ability to take on international rookies.

taking on 18-20 year olds that have never played the game is largely a waste of time because it takes so long for players to hone your skills as a player is regard to kicking the ball, marking the ball etc. Unless you are recruiting a lock down defender or a ruckman the rest never seem to make. If you are going to recruit overseas players you have to be able to spend a minimum of 4 years on them to get the skills up to standard, the younger the better