Welcome to Brisbane, Ely Smith

To be honest I'd be a little miffed if I was the Giants. Guy spends most of his junior footy in your academy, moves in his draft year and is immediately ineligible as an academy player, yet if it had been the other way round he would have had to be in their academy for 5 years before becoming eligible. I'd be pissed if it happened to us that way. I think if a guys been in your academy for a number of years then moves in his final year he should still be eligible for an academy spot. I mean the point is to reward the development of young guys through to AFL and in all reality they've certainly done that. Yet Vic clubs can throw a guy in a nga academy and he's immediately eligible
 
Dec 1, 2013
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To be honest I'd be a little miffed if I was the Giants. Guy spends most of his junior footy in your academy, moves in his draft year and is immediately ineligible as an academy player, yet if it had been the other way round he would have had to be in their academy for 5 years before becoming eligible. I'd be pissed if it happened to us that way. I think if a guys been in your academy for a number of years then moves in his final year he should still be eligible for an academy spot. I mean the point is to reward the development of young guys through to AFL and in all reality they've certainly done that. Yet Vic clubs can throw a guy in a nga academy and he's immediately eligible
And do next to nothing in development for them. WC are even on record saying they havent done annyting
 
To be honest I'd be a little miffed if I was the Giants. Guy spends most of his junior footy in your academy, moves in his draft year and is immediately ineligible as an academy player, yet if it had been the other way round he would have had to be in their academy for 5 years before becoming eligible. I'd be pissed if it happened to us that way. I think if a guys been in your academy for a number of years then moves in his final year he should still be eligible for an academy spot. I mean the point is to reward the development of young guys through to AFL and in all reality they've certainly done that. Yet Vic clubs can throw a guy in a nga academy and he's immediately eligible

Also happened to the younger Himmelberg.

Expanding on your point, the club academy rules have them reporting on how they plan on developing their players:

14.8 Annual Development Program
(a) Clubs must present an annual development program for their Club Academy for approval by the AFL by 31 January each Football Year which annual development program must contain any requirements set down by the AFL Manager Talent and Academies from time to time.
(b) Clubs shall comply with, observe and perform each of the provisions of the annual development program approved by the AFL under Rule 14.8(a). A Club that does not comply with the approved annual development program shall be liable to a sanction.

I can't find the corresponding rules for the NGA academies, but using the NGA Academy for the Saints as an example, they have details on U12s to U15s, but then it's literally "we hand you over to the TAC Cup teams" and there's no NGA program listed for older players. http://smjfl.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/NGA-and-Interelague-Program-Description-website.pdf
 

briztoon

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To be honest I'd be a little miffed if I was the Giants. Guy spends most of his junior footy in your academy, moves in his draft year and is immediately ineligible as an academy player, yet if it had been the other way round he would have had to be in their academy for 5 years before becoming eligible. I'd be pissed if it happened to us that way. I think if a guys been in your academy for a number of years then moves in his final year he should still be eligible for an academy spot. I mean the point is to reward the development of young guys through to AFL and in all reality they've certainly done that. Yet Vic clubs can throw a guy in a nga academy and he's immediately eligible
Was he in GWS’s or Swans academy?

I haven’t heard Ely talk about his junior development, but listening to Conole and others talk about him, doesn’t sound like he spent a lot time in an academy when in Sydney.

He sounds like a late bloomer who was overlooked a lot at all levels.

Completely agree where you’re coming from though.


Have you listened to the latest Roar Deal episode with Connor McFadyen? Doesn’t sound like he had a lot to do with our academy up until his draft year.
 
Have you listened to the latest Roar Deal episode with Connor McFadyen? Doesn’t sound like he had a lot to do with our academy up until his draft year.

Don't think that's accurate at all. McFadyen has been in the Academy pretty much since he was eligible and this involves regular training/development with participants. Largely this involves "regional" squads (in the recent past it's been Brisbane Nth, Brisbane Sth and Sunshine Coast) up to U16 level (to alleviate inordinate travel demands on youngsters), then more contact with the club itself from that point on as the numbers are whittled down.
 
Was he in GWS’s or Swans academy?

I haven’t heard Ely talk about his junior development, but listening to Conole and others talk about him, doesn’t sound like he spent a lot time in an academy when in Sydney.

He sounds like a late bloomer who was overlooked a lot at all levels.

Completely agree where you’re coming from though.


Have you listened to the latest Roar Deal episode with Connor McFadyen? Doesn’t sound like he had a lot to do with our academy up until his draft year.

Gws, loved in western Sydney

He was overlooked for the rep programs initially because he only moved to Vic at the start of the season, hence he was an unknown to the Vic country selectors. That was a large part of the reason he wasn't playing rep footy earlier

Yep listened to mcfadyen, I think you're getting a bit mixed up with contact with academy vs the actual club. As above they do their academy work in their local area, but it's still run through the academy
 
If GWS wanted him they could have drafted him. They didn’t.

Not really sure how that's relevant to the discussion. Thy They may not have rated him at their picks but that doesn't invalidate the completely different point I'm making
 

irish

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How is young Ely settling in ? How's he training ? Any observations folks
 
How is young Ely settling in ? How's he training ? Any observations folks

Looks a great size in Mr Ripper photos. I thought he looked solidly built compared to other draftees but doesn't look out of place at all against our senior players.
 
How is young Ely settling in ? How's he training ? Any observations folks
I run into Ely, Payne and Eagles down at Cannon Hill shopping centre the other day he said that he was settling in very well and the boys are all very welcoming.
He appeared very surprised when I stopped and called him by his name. Surprised I knew who he was!
Just some small talk but he seemed happy and settled and they were having a good old laugh together.
 
Mar 13, 2013
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For those obsessed with Ely not smiling

ely smile.jpg
 
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