Another father/son missed?

[goswannies]

Kane Murphy (14 and a half years old) son of ex-Sydney Swans David Murphy, and and All-Australian football player. David played 156 games with the Swans between 1984-1993, was signed last year by StKilda under the AFL NSW Scholarship program.

Kane is a very smart, small midfielder with good skill and endurance. He attends Riverview College in Sydney, where he excels in the school's sporting programs. Kane has been signed on a three year scholarship agreement, at the conclusion of which he will become eligible to be listed by the Saints.


Official AFL Website of the St Kilda Football Club > News Article > Saints sign two more scholarship players

[TheMase]

Kane Murphy (14 and a half years old) son of ex-Sydney Swans David Murphy, and and All-Australian football player. David played 156 games with the Swans between 1984-1993, was signed last year by StKilda under the AFL NSW Scholarship program.

Kane is a very smart, small midfielder with good skill and endurance. He attends Riverview College in Sydney, where he excels in the school's sporting programs. Kane has been signed on a three year scholarship agreement, at the conclusion of which he will become eligible to be listed by the Saints.


Official AFL Website of the St Kilda Football Club > News Article > Saints sign two more scholarship players

We have a whole heap of our own scholarship players. Unfortunately, this program overrides and F/S selections.

[satchmopugdog]

It looks as though we have picked up another scholarship player who goes to the same school and judging by the comments made he was better than young Murphy...I think the main criteria against him was height. Welcome to my world.

[reigning premier]

Kane Murphy (14 and a half years old) son of ex-Sydney Swans David Murphy, and and All-Australian football player. David played 156 games with the Swans between 1984-1993, was signed last year by StKilda under the AFL NSW Scholarship program.

Kane is a very smart, small midfielder with good skill and endurance. He attends Riverview College in Sydney, where he excels in the school's sporting programs. Kane has been signed on a three year scholarship agreement, at the conclusion of which he will become eligible to be listed by the Saints.


Official AFL Website of the St Kilda Football Club > News Article > Saints sign two more scholarship players

Care to explain what you're doing loitering around saints.com.au?

[Damien]

David mustn't think much of the Swans anymore to let his son sign a scholarship deal with the Saints

What does he do these days? Maybe he needs to 20K a year or whatever the scholarship provides! lol

I would have thought waiting out the natural progression of his son's development to see if the Swans were interested would have made more sense. 14 years of age is awfully young to be effectively removing the chance of him playing for the Swans.

[TheMase]

I would have thought waiting out the natural progression of his son's development to see if the Swans were interested would have made more sense. 14 years of age is awfully young to be effectively removing the chance of him playing for the Swans.

Maybe the Swans did not want him?

[Damien]

Maybe the Swans did not want him?

For a Scholarship, but I doubt they rule out F/S Selections at 14.

[TheMase]

For a Scholarship, but I doubt they rule out F/S Selections at 14.

Thats fair enough. My point was, perhaps they were pissed off that they were not wanted at 14, and went elsewhere.

[ugg]

I'm sure we talked about this last year or 2 years ago and Mase is right, the Swans did not offer him a scholarship. In fact David said that he would have preferred that Kane went to the Swans but given that the Saints offered him a scholarship you can hardly blame him for accepting.

[ScottH]

I found this one from 2005
Future father-son draftee - RedAndWhiteOnline.com Messageboard

And more recently:
Any father-son selections anytime soon? - RedAndWhiteOnline.com Messageboard

[hammo]

Not sure if they're missed opportunities. What has Jake Williams gone onto do?

[DST]

Offering scholarships to 14 year olds is nothing more than another form of lottery.

We win some (Bird) and lose some as well (Ranga Whatshisname).

The chance's of the scholarship remaining after they announce the drafting concessions for West Sydney are next to nil as the AFL will want to tie up all 14 years old's + in NSW to establish their U18 TAC squad.

DST

[liz]

David mustn't think much of the Swans anymore to let his son sign a scholarship deal with the Saints

What does he do these days? Maybe he needs to 20K a year or whatever the scholarship provides! lol

I doubt the money alone is the attraction of the scholarship scheme. It also gives these youngsters the chance to get some coaching from a professional club, which has to be a huge boon for a 15 year old. No doubt what you get varies from club to club. Outside the Swans, the Pies and Hawks seem to be taking the scheme quite seriously - no idea about the rest.

It also seems probable that scholarship players will get preferential treatment in terms of selection in representative teams, since their clubs are likely to put pressure on the state selectors to expose their proteges to the highest level of underage competition.

So yes, a scholarship with the Swans might have been the preferred option, but if that wasn't offered and another club was prepared to provide the non-monetary as well as the monetary benefits, it makes sense for a lad keen on progressing as far as he can to take what is offered.

[hammo]

There is an article on our current scholarship players in today's Telegraph.

Swans Young Talent Time | Herald Sun

The article is more about life coaching than their football talent and ability - being indoctrinated with the Bloods ethos from an early age!

[ScottH]

BLAKE Guthrie is a 15-year-old student from Picnic Point High School who is spending a day of his school holidays learning to be the complete footballer - and the complete person.

Really good things come out of that HS.