Swans Academy and player watch

[Swanstubbs]

Isaac Heeney highlights - AFL.com.au

On AFL website, not sure if posted already. Looks the goods(e).

[Mug Punter]

The following re Academy comes from Andrew Ireland's interview posted on Swans site.

"SS: Another area of the club which has attracted attention this year is the QBE Sydney Swans Academy. We?ve just seen that the bidding system for the 2014 National Draft will not change this year; what are your thoughts on that decision and any criticism the Academy has received?

AI: If you talk about it in a general sense, I thought the criticism of the Academy was pretty pathetic. The reality is that there was no sense that the development of football, or of players to come into the national draft, had improved one bit for all the money that was being spent in New South Wales. While there were a number of really good programs, the numbers just didn?t show improvement. We had always argued that if you really wanted to make an impact in NSW and Queensland, then you needed the AFL clubs to have a vested interest in trying to drive the outcomes. With that in mind, we?ve been really happy with the programs we?ve been able to put together with Dennis Carroll as the Director of our Academy and Chris Smith running it, and initially Paul Roos coaching and now Michael O?Loughlin, driving a really intense and great program. We get kids as young as nine or ten trialling for it and we?ve always had a view that it would take a number of years before we would see players benefitting from the programs and come out the other end as potential draftees.

We have been willing to invest an awful lot of money into the programs, but the AFL established the rules, and although we do lobby for them, at the end of the day they approve them. The fact that the first time a boy of potentially high quality was seen to be coming through, we have people complaining about it, and that?s why I say it?s pathetic. Most of that was coming out of Melbourne, where they don?t know or don?t care about how hard the game is to develop in the northern states. With that in mind, I?m really pleased that there have been no changes made this year. It would have been an abysmal decision by the AFL to try and change things so late in the year. It?s never occurred before with the rules, so that?s a sensible decision, and now we?ll just see where it goes in the future.

I was very much involved with the introduction of the bidding system, because we always felt that the father/son rules were too skewed and it was ridiculous to see the case of Tom Hawkins, being the best player in the under-18 competition at the time, able to go to Geelong as a round three selection. The bidding system has changed that dramatically, and there may well be a better way to make it even closer, but the thing that the AFL has always accepted even if they do bring in a new system, is that they will have to provide compensation or an ability for clubs who run Academies to get a benefit from doing it.

The other thing is, as much as you might try and rate what a draft pick is worth, which is the complicated thing they are trying to do, no two drafts are the same and no two players are the same. There have been great first round picks and there have been lesser first round picks. It?s never guaranteed and to try to micromanage every bit of that when there are so many unknowns about the outcome would be a mistake."

I think if we are fair dinkum about wanting the Academy long term we need to offer some downside risk to the table.

I'd really like to see us offer to withdraw from the first three or four rounds of the draft permanently provided we get the first four picks from the draft. If we finish last and the best academy pick is rated 20 plus we lose. If we finish first and get three first rounders in a bumper crop we win. If the opposition is so worried about this happening limit it to two picks (one is meaningless).

At the moment we have a bet each way - if the academy doesn't produce then we still recruit a Victorian kid but if we do produce we get upside. I can see why this is seen as unfair.

Let's roll the dice and back our local lads and opt out!!!

[ernie koala]

I think if we are fair dinkum about wanting the Academy long term we need to offer some downside risk to the table.

I'd really like to see us offer to withdraw from the first three or four rounds of the draft permanently provided we get the first four picks from the draft. If we finish last and the best academy pick is rated 20 plus we lose. If we finish first and get three first rounders in a bumper crop we win. If the opposition is so worried about this happening limit it to two picks (one is meaningless).

At the moment we have a bet each way - if the academy doesn't produce then we still recruit a Victorian kid but if we do produce we get upside. I can see why this is seen as unfair.

Let's roll the dice and back our local lads and opt out!!!

I'm sure I read somewhere Andrew Ireland saying that we did offer exactly what you suggest . ie drop out of the ND and grow our own. But the AFL wouldn't go for it.

[floppinab]

I'm sure I read somewhere Andrew Ireland saying that we did offer exactly what you suggest . ie drop out of the ND and grow our own. But the AFL wouldn't go for it.

Yep, read the same thing somewhere but I think to at least try to gain some semblence of equity in the AFL recruitment process around the country they have to tie it in to the draft in some manner.

[ugg]

NSW/ACT players invited to the 2016 AFL State Draft Combine.
Jake Brown
Jordan Harper
Ryan Hebron
Lucas Meline
Matt Wilson
Lachlan Tiziani

http://aflnswact.com.au/blog/2016/08/03/invitees-state-afl-draft-combine-state/

Brown, Hebron and Wilson have played for our reserves this year. Meline and Tiziani are GWS Academy players. Harper is with the Canberra Demons and is one of the favourites to win the NEAFL MVP.

[crackedactor]

[FONT="]NSW/ACT players invited to the 2016 AFL State Draft Combine.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jake Brown[/FONT]
[FONT="]Jordan Harper[/FONT]
[FONT="]Ryan Hebron[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lucas Meline[/FONT]
[FONT="]Matt Wilson[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lachlan Tiziani

[/FONT]http://aflnswact.com.au/blog/2016/08/03/invitees-state-afl-draft-combine-state/

Brown, Hebron and Wilson have played for our reserves this year. Meline and Tiziani are GWS Academy players. Harper is with the Canberra Demons and is one of the favourites to win the NEAFL MVP.

I also noticed that Nick Blakey (Son of our assistant Coach John) is also in the squad from NSW region. I know Kangaroos and Brisbane can claim him under father/son rule, but we do we stand with John being our coach for over 5 years and Nick living in the Sydney region?

[111431]

I also noticed that Nick Blakey (Son of our assistant Coach John) is also in the squad from NSW region. I know Kangaroos and Brisbane can claim him under father/son rule, but we do we stand with John being our coach for over 5 years and Nick living in the Sydney region?

if he is in the swans academy I think we have the same rights as father/son

[ugg]

Basically he gets to choose between Lions, Kangaroos and Swans

Father-son prospects Nick Blakey and Bailey Scott could have rare choice
Father-son trio headlines Academy squad - AFL.com.au

[Levii3]

Under the F/S does the player need to nominate a club or it is automatic?

[Triple B]

Under the F/S does the player need to nominate a club or it is automatic?

Not sure exactly what you're asking, but a player needs to nominate that he wants to go to a club under F/S, he is not forced to go there. eg. Marc Murphy elected not to nominate Brisbane and was drafted by Carlton.

If a player has the choice of 2 clubs, he can nominate which club. eg. Joe Daniher could have nominated either Essendon or Sydney and heaven only knows why, he chose Essendon.

These examples were both before the points system, but I'd imagine that part of the process about nominating or not nominating would remain unchanged...

[Meg]

Swans Academy and player watch

Basically he gets to choose between Lions, Kangaroos and Swans

Father-son prospects Nick Blakey and Bailey Scott could have rare choice
Father-son trio headlines Academy squad - AFL.com.au

I'm wondering if this is correct. I know that an eligible draftee has choice in regard to F/S (whether to accept F/S nomination, or which F/S nomination to accept, or whether to simply go into the draft).

But I did not think an eligible academy draftee had the choice to refuse a club's nomination - that is, if the academy club nominated and paid the points price, the academy player could not refuse the nomination.

But if the above is correct, then I would have thought the academy eligibility would over-ride the F/S eligibility. So (for example) if the Swans wanted young Blakey and paid the relevant points, they would get him irrespective of other clubs' F/S status.

I've just read the rules and I'm not sure about my statement above re academy players - but neither is there anything in the rules which suggests an academy player must accept his nomination in the draft. Whereas the rules re F/S do suggest that. (Although there is reference to a club needing to lodge a duly completed application form in regard to an academy player before the draft - it may be the case that the academy player is required to sign their consent on that form.)

Can anyone clarify please?

[Maltopia]

I'm wondering if this is correct. I know that an eligible draftee has choice in regard to F/S (whether to accept F/S nomination, or which F/S nomination to accept, or whether to simply go into the draft).

But I did not think an eligible academy draftee had the choice to refuse a club's nomination - that is, if the academy club nominated and paid the points price, the academy player could not refuse the nomination.

But if the above is correct, then I would have thought the academy eligibility would over-ride the F/S eligibility. So (for example) if the Swans wanted young Blakey and paid the relevant points, they would get him irrespective of other clubs' F/S status.

I've just read the rules and I'm not sure about my statement above re academy players - but neither is there anything in the rules which suggests an academy player must accept his nomination in the draft. Whereas the rules re F/S do suggest that. (Although there is reference to a club needing to lodge a duly completed application form in regard to an academy player before the draft - it may be the case that the academy player is required to sign their consent on that form.)

Can anyone clarify please?

It's simple, Blakely chooses us and our academy pick then cancels out any FS selections. Eddie has kittens and the NSW academies are closed.

Disclaimer - I don't know for a fact that the draftee's choice of their academy cancels out any FS selections.

[Doctor J.]

I'm wondering if this is correct. I know that an eligible draftee has choice in regard to F/S (whether to accept F/S nomination, or which F/S nomination to accept, or whether to simply go into the draft).

But I did not think an eligible academy draftee had the choice to refuse a club's nomination - that is, if the academy club nominated and paid the points price, the academy player could not refuse the nomination.

But if the above is correct, then I would have thought the academy eligibility would over-ride the F/S eligibility. So (for example) if the Swans wanted young Blakey and paid the relevant points, they would get him irrespective of other clubs' F/S status.

I've just read the rules and I'm not sure about my statement above re academy players - but neither is there anything in the rules which suggests an academy player must accept his nomination in the draft. Whereas the rules re F/S do suggest that. (Although there is reference to a club needing to lodge a duly completed application form in regard to an academy player before the draft - it may be the case that the academy player is required to sign their consent on that form.)

Can anyone clarify please?

I have no reference for this but wouldn't it be the player opts to not choose a father son club, then like Marc Murphy goes into the draft, and all other clubs can draft him, however being part of the academy, the Swans are in the box seat to draft him. Once drafted, the player cannot refuse to go to the club that drafts him.

I would not think that a player being part of an academy would override a FS pick.

[Meg]

I have no reference for this but wouldn't it be the player opts to not choose a father son club, then like Marc Murphy goes into the draft, and all other clubs can draft him, however being part of the academy, the Swans are in the box seat to draft him. Once drafted, the player cannot refuse to go to the club that drafts him.

I would not think that a player being part of an academy would override a FS pick.

Both F/S and academy players go into the draft with eligible clubs having priority access to them if they match the (discounted) points allocated to them by another club's draft pick.

So, using Blakey as an example, the question remains - which of the three potentially eligible clubs gets the right to match a bid? The article being quoted says that would be Blakey's choice. I was suggesting the academy club might get the first right. (And I can see some logic in academies getting first right since they have invested time and resources into the players).

[ugg]

Going with the precedent of Joe Daniher choosing the Bombers over us, I imagine how it will work is that the player will nominate before the draft which club he wishes to accept the nomination from. Then the bidding will only be allowed by that club.