2025 Academy Games.

[Thunder Shaker]

Only four and a half months to go until the weakest and most compromised draft ever! I feel sorry for WC who hold their own picks 1 & 19 but 19 will be about 30 by the time they get to select with it. Same happened last year. Not ideal for a rebuilding club. Attention AFL - you have an equalisation problem, just one of many!

The draft for the women's competition has an interesting rule: any bid matching must be done with a draft pick within 18 places of the current pick's bid. A similar rule should be considered for the men's draft. Points would still be needed, but one of those picks must be within 18 places of the bid.

For example:
* A bid is made at pick 2 (2481 points). The club matching the bid holds pick 17 (879 points) and some later picks. They match the bid, and pick 17 is used up. Here, no new first-round picks are magically created. Pick 19 stays at pick 19.

Other scenarios from bids matched in the first round wouldn't always require first-round picks to match, but such picks would be from the second round instead.

To make this fair, such picks count even when used up. So clubs needing to match two bids in the first round would have the picks available if they took two late first-round picks to the draft (and did not trade them out), provided they had the points.

Introducing rules similar to this would reduce the bloating of the first round of the draft. This is not a panacea; it would make the draft more complex without fixing all the problems, notably free agency compensation picks that are created out of thin air. These compromise the draft just as much.

[dejavoodoo44]

The Rookie Me preview for the Allies v Vic Metro game at 10.30 today.

PREVIEW | 2025 AFL U18s: Allies vs. Vic Metro - Aussie Rules Rookie Me Central https://share.google/gfTBP2RPXFStEiBcr

[dejavoodoo44]

Quite a free flowing first quarter, with the Allies leading 32-26. Carmichael has had some midfield time and has been pretty busy. McNamara went deep forward for a brief period and got himself a goal from close range, after winning the roving contest.

[dejavoodoo44]

Vic Metro got right on top, to lead 64-40. Of our players, Kyle had a pretty good quarter, playing largely on the wing. He got a goal with a quick snap. For some reason, Chamberlain has been playing deep in defence. I'm not sure if I've ever seen him play there before?

[dejavoodoo44]

Vic Metro still moving the ball more effectively and are now out to a 100-65 lead. Although, the Allies are doing a lot of experimenting with their positioning. For instance, both Carmichael and McNamara got goals that quarter playing forward, when in the time that I've watched them at the academy, both have almost entirely played either defence or midfield. The McNamara goal was from a strong contested mark, while the Carmichael effort was a decent long shot under a bit of pressure.

[Dow]

Was a hard watch, not sure what to take out of that game other than Carmichael was consistent without being great

[The Big Cat]

Academy boys playing dead?

[dejavoodoo44]

Disappointing end to a somewhat disappointing Allies campaign, to lose 128-86. For most of the game, Vic Metro moved the ball more effectively. Which was probably helped, by the fact that the Allies had many players spending significant periods out of their regular positions. Like, it did seem a strange time to see how Chamberlain might go as a defender, when in the three seasons that he's played for the academy, I don't think he's spent any time there: except for the odd minute or two, drifting down from the wing. He tried hard, but on a number of occasions, his efforts just succeeded in deflecting the ball to a free opponent. Whereas, I don't think Carmichael spent that much time in defence, but he might have come in really handy, trying to contain the Vic Metro small forwards, who were running riot.

Of our academy players, perhaps the one who did the most to boost his draft stocks was McNamara. He kicked three goals, swapping between forward and midfield. Previously, he's spent very little time in the forward line. Generally, he has only wandered in there occasionally, when having a spell on the ball, instead of his usual half back role. I tend to think he's worth a rookie pick. He's a strong competitor and good ball user, when playing in defence, and when playing midfield, the advantage that he has over the opposition, is that he's usually a better mark than them. One area where he probably needs to improve, is pace off the mark. That is, when playing midfield, he could do with more explosive speed, in order to win more contested possessions. If that could be worked on during an AFL preseason, then he could develop into a very handy, big bodied midfielder.

Kyle had a pretty good game, but his disposal is a bit hit and miss. Although, I don't recall him being part of the academy until this season: so if he is some sort of recent convert, then perhaps he's worth a rookie pick?

Carmichael wasn't quite as a good, as he was in the other Allies games, but I think he's probably done enough, to see a bid come for him perhaps late first or second round.

[dejavoodoo44]

After a decent win over the Giants in their first match, the u16 side continues their championships campaign at 2.50pm today, playing Brisbane at Carrara. I thought it might be a tough ask, after Brisbane beat Gold Coast by 80 odd points in their first game, but Gold Coast lost to Tasmania earlier today by 160. So, perhaps that was more the case of Gold Coast being strangely terrible, than Brisbane being great?

I can't find a team list, but the full squad can be accessed through here.

U16s - AFL.com.au https://share.google/UZNLnpZOxf1knShAv

There's streaming via YouTube.

[dejavoodoo44]

Brisbane ahead 9-5 after a quarter in which both sides struggled to move the ball. Defensive pressure was pretty good, though.

[dejavoodoo44]

Pretty terrible quarter to fall behind 47-7. The big difference was that Brisbane were kicking to the advantage of their forwards and then after marking it, they were generally kicking straight. Whereas, we largely kicked to the advantage of the Brisbane defenders.

As an aside, we had an excellent example of why I don't really like quarters that go for a set number of minutes. With a few minutes to go, Monte Cairns (who was possibly our best) took a mark and was ironed out by a late bump from a Brisbane opponent. Instead of awarding a 50, the umpire just stood around, while Cairns received attention and was then assisted from the field. With time just about to run out, the umpire handed the ball to another Swans player, who booted a long kick forward, only for time to expire while it was in the air. I think it's easy to see how set quarters could be abused, if a team was desperately trying to defend a close lead.

[dejavoodoo44]

Finally got our first goal with a few minutes left in that quarter. Unfortunately, Brisbane got a fair few more and they're now in front 72-15. They seem more physically developed than us, and their field kicking has been a lot better.

[dejavoodoo44]

Well, I suppose it's good news, that we kicked four goals and won that quarter. Unfortunately, it didn't really make any difference and Brisbane won 92-42.

While I doubt very much if Brisbane fielded a heap of overagers, they generally appeared to more physically developed. Enough to make me wonder if their squad as a whole, had spent a significant more amount of time in the gym? Now that I mention it, I do wonder what the policies for the various academies are, in regards to turning skinny kids into AFL ready bodies? Is that sort of training largely left up to individuals and/or their local clubs, while the academies are more focused on skills training and giving them advice? Or do academy squads spend plenty of time in the gym together?

Anyway, the Brisbane side seemed better able to stick tackles and to get possessions away when being tackled. They were also stronger in the marking contests. Plus, their field kicking was better as a whole. Which was probably emphasised by them kicking 14-8 to our 5-12. For what it's worth, our goal kickers were: Edwards, Marsden, Marshall-Orr, McLennan and Mok.

Our best players were possibly Cairns, McLennan and Marshall-Orr. Cairns, with his bigger body, was competitive around the contests. McLennan, although he looks like a skinny outside mid, was effective playing inside. He's always in motion, is quick to the ball and has skills. While Marshall-Orr was our most dangerous player forward of centre.

All up, a disappointing result, but I'll probably head out to Sharks on Thursday, to watch them take on Gold Coast.

[dejavoodoo44]

The Rookie Me scouting notes for the Allies v Vic Metro game. Carmichael and McNamara get a mention.

Scouting Notes: 2025 AFL U18s - Allies vs. Vic Metro - Aussie Rules Rookie Me Central https://central.rookieme.com/afl/202...-vs-vic-metro/

[BFG]

So many prospects are F/S, academy or NGA tied and it's been decribed as the "Meatloaf" of drafts LOL

Speaking of the Meatloaf GF performance, that dodgy Andrew Demetriou's name popped up last night, on a Fox show, as advising the NT about their bid for the 20th AFL licence in 2032.