2025 Academy Games.

[Dow]

Very good 86-69 win over a Suns side who seem to have plenty of talent and who were sometimes able to move the ball very sharply. Probably every one of our players did well, so it's hard to single out who were our best.

Our goal kickers were: McCartney 3, Chamberlain 2, and one each to Titmuss, King, Chambers, Harrison, Clifton, Lenarduzzi, McNamara and Andreacchio.

It was something of a return to form for McCartney, who wasn't. great in his first couple of games of the season. But today he took some strong marks and a couple of his goals were snaps under pressure. Chamberlain was also good in the forward line and his second goal was a very sharp bit of roving at pace. King did some good things, but it was an almost day for him. Could have got four or five, except for a late hand here or a desperate tackle there.

In the midfield, I thought McNamara led by example. He was tough in close and used the ball the ball well. Much the same with Harrison. But really, everyone who had a go close to the ruck did well. Our two rucks, Clifton and Lenarduzzi, also had strong games. I don't think either are genuine 200cm+ ruck size, but both battle hard and both have ball skills. I thought that the Jenkin twins were instrumental in our comeback. Both work tirelessly to get into space, both shut down opposition space and both look like they see options well.

In the back line, Carmichael was his usual calming self. While Morahan and Beavis both look as if they could grow into kpd prospects. Although it took me a while to recognise Beavis with his new haircut.

I'm now looking forward to this team playing in the Talent League and seeing how they go against some Victorian sides. My current guess is that they'll go very well.

Thanks for all your reports/views of our academy games etc I really look forward to them, please know they are read and appreciated

[dejavoodoo44]

Thanks for all your reports/views of our academy games etc I really look forward to them, please know they are read and appreciated

Ta. It's just a shame that I'm enthused about the current couple of academy cohorts, when the AFL has drastically decreased our chances of taking them all.

[dejavoodoo44]

Carmichael and Chamberlain are playing for the National academy on the weekend against the Richmond VFL side. It's not really playing for Australia, as the headline suggests, since they're selecting from guys who joined that academy last season. Hence King isn't in the side, because he was injured for much of last season.

QBE Sydney Swans Academy: Carmichael and Chamberlin to represent Australia

https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1752171

[dejavoodoo44]

Seems like we're playing against the Lions at Blacktown tomorrow at 2pm. I can't find a team sheet, but obviously Carmichael and Chamberlain are in Melbourne, so won't be playing. There should be live streaming through YouTube.

https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/academy/fixture

[dejavoodoo44]

The team list for today's game.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DITA1KlJ4w6/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7e9c5b4b-2454-407e-b609-5a97b2ec7d80&ig_mid=FB5EB62F-CBAA-4B33-A5A4-8DF99BDE3B76&img_index=2

It looks like Carmichael and Chamberlain out, and Jans and Coughlin in. Jans is a useful midfielder, who played a strong game earlier in the season.

Also looks like a combined Swans and Giants female team are playing at 9am.

[dejavoodoo44]

Link to the live stream.

https://www.youtube.com/live/IEJ22Ecqm7w?si=Qi5yJ-sr-fyhdTX6

[dejavoodoo44]

In front 14-13 after a fairly scrappy first quarter. Goals to McCartney and Harrison. Brisbane may have had a wind advantage, as some of their kicks seemed to travel longer than expected, while some of ours held up. Ryan was looking pretty good as a tall defender.

[dejavoodoo44]

Brisbane kicked a couple of late goals to get ahead 31-22, after we played a pretty dire second quarter. The best that can be said, is that we forced them into plenty of errors. Unfortunately, we committed far too many unforced errors, to get any cohesive ball movement going. Our only goal was when Chambers got a downfield free, after Harrison was hit late.

[dejavoodoo44]

After I pumped up the team, following an excellent performance last week, they've just served up one of the worst quarters that I've seen from an academy team. Brisbane are now ahead 48-22 after we missed target after target after target. I'm not even sure that we had a deep forward 50 entry, until we kicked the ball out of bounds in the forward pocket, with about 30 seconds to go? Oh well, I suppose we can only improve.

[dejavoodoo44]

Improved effort to kick five goals that quarter and for a brief while, it looked we could have pulled off an unlikely comeback win. However, Brisbane kicked the last couple and ended up winning 73-52. Ryan was swung forward and kicked a couple, one of them from a strong contested mark. King also kicked a couple, one from a nice bit of roving and the other from a contested mark when leading into the half forward flank, then converting the set shot from around 50. Harrison also goaled from around 50, after bursting out from a centre clearance. But of course, it's hard to win games, if you only play one good quarter.

[Dow]

Improved effort to kick five goals that quarter and for a brief while, it looked we could have pulled off an unlikely comeback win. However, Brisbane kicked the last couple and ended up winning 73-52. Ryan was swung forward and kicked a couple, one of them from a strong contested mark. King also kicked a couple, one from a nice bit of roving and the other from a contested mark when leading into the half forward flank, then converting the set shot from around 50. Harrison also goaled from around 50, after bursting out from a centre clearance. But of course, it's hard to win games, if you only play one good quarter.

Thanks for the on going updates - can I ask why did King not play in game vs the Tigers VFL today along with the top academy boys ?

[dejavoodoo44]

Thanks for the on going updates - can I ask why did King not play in game vs the Tigers VFL today along with the top academy boys ?

I think that side was selected from players who joined the national academy last season. King was injured for much of last season, so that was the likely reason that he wasn't in that academy intake.

[Dow]

I think that side was selected from players who joined the national academy last season. King was injured for much of last season, so that was the likely reason that he wasn't in that academy intake.

Thanks mate, that makes sense - I would love you opinion on the 3 lads we look likely to take from the Academy when you have a chance.

[dejavoodoo44]

Thanks mate, that makes sense - I would love you opinion on the 3 lads we look likely to take from the Academy when you have a chance.

I did answer much the same question on page one of this thread, so I might just paste it and add a few things at the end.

"King probably has the most upside and could be taken very high. He has plenty of pace, a high leap and is elusive in traffic. He's also a pretty good kick and appears to see the field well. However, his high draft position probably depends on a couple of things. Firstly, staying injury free, especially avoiding another concussion. Secondly, spending an increased time in midfield, which might cause draft experts to muse on whether he's the next Bontempelli.

Then it's probably Chamberlain. The club obviously has a good opinion of him, as they gave him a couple of U18 games, when he was still eligible for U16s. How high he goes, probably depends on how much time he spends playing as a genuine KPF. If he starts regularly clunking marks in the goal square and manhandling defenders, then he could get the recruiters excited. But at the moment, they might be looking at him more as a Jack Gunston type forward, or a physically imposing winger?

Carmichael is not far off, but he's more an efficient accumulator, who usually runs around the half back line. He can play midfield well, though, so if he spends more time in there, his draft stocks might rise?

I also think that McNamara isn't far behind that trio. He's a classy ball user coming out of defence. It might also be handy for his prospects, if he spends more time around the ball. The small amount of time that I've seen him in there has impressed me, as he seems to have composure in traffic and tends to choose good options."

So, to add to that. King has remained injury free and his six goal performance in one of the games, has probably done enough to ensure that he gets taken high. Even if he hasn't spent that much time around the ball. How high he goes probably depends on how he goes in the Allies games.

Chamberlain doesn't look like he's transforming into a KPF, so it's possible he slips a bit? So far, he's still kicking around a goal a game as a half forward and getting some handy possessions on the wing. He's doing well, but generally I think that key forwards get taken higher than third talls.

Carmichael is possibly going past him? Even though he hasn't spent much time in the middle, his work off half back has been impressive. He seems to see options very well, and as a consequence, he probably has a high disposal efficiency percentage. He can also defend well against medium and small forwards.

And I might as well add to what I said about McNamara. He's possibly increased his chances of being drafted, by spending more time as a bigger bodied inside mid. He wins a fair bit of ball, lays plenty of tackles and takes contested marks against opposition mids. Although, his disposal in traffic can be a bit hit and miss.

And I will add a rider that it's still a long way out from draft night and a lot can change. We haven't played any Talent League games yet, and they possibly count more than early season form. And I've heard Kinnear say a couple of times, that he counts form in the national championships, a lot more than he counts form in the Talent League. So, if someone stars for the Allies against Vic Metro or WA, then that could really boost their draft position. Though of course, you need to play well enough in the earlier games, to be selected for the Allies.

[KSAS]

Thanks so much for these valuable updates Deja. Appreciate being informed what we have in the pipeline, to then able to begin calculate what it may take to draft them if they're considered worthy.