Swans Academy and player watch

[Ludwig]

It looks like a great group coming through.

There were some favourable comments on Davis coming out of the champs, but it's great hearing it from YT101. Sounds like he's a legitimate AFL prospect.

As for Watson, do you know his birthdate. Could it be that he is eligible for the 2015 draft, not next year?

[707]

Good kids are going to cost us picks from now on. A bit like F-S, depending on which other club/s rate the Academy player and where our picks are in relation to the other bidder, we could still get them at a discounted price like we did with Tom Mitchell.

The real bonus is if you get two kids of similar ability and you ned to use your next pick to secure the first one but your pick after that to secure the second one. A bit like the Western Bulldogs did getting Liberatore under F-S for pick 44 as they had already given up their pick 22 for Wallis. 22 was a bit cheap for Wallis and 44 was a steal for Liberatore.

I wonder if there are combined restrictions on total F-S and Academy players we can take in one draft?

I reckon the Academy bidding system will be fairly similar to what happens at F-S bidding. A club puts in a bid to keep the F-S club honest without really expecting to get the son. I think it's all worked out beforehand and the bidding is for administrative purposes. In all honesty, when there is such a vast pool of other kids available, why would an interstate club want to try and get a player who has been steeped in the Swans (or other northern clubs) Academy, their heart would always be at home with the Swans. Maybe GWS might try and make it difficult for us like they did with their trading this year!

[wolftone57]

if the players from the academy are worth bidding for then we will take them I am sure. the difference with the old system is we could take them as rookies. We now have to use good draft picks for them. If they are not worth a first round pick I don't think the club will give it up for them. But there are some very good prospects coming out of the academy system at the moment and several have quite high rankings and will get better with another academy season and the Nationals as mature U18's. Looking forward to seeing this years crop cropping up so to speak in the Twos.

[Dosser]

I bet Melbourne will be bidding for them.

[Pmcc2911]

There is another kid to watch in the Swans acadamy - Callum Mills - absolutely dominates his club games.
He is only 16 so has a more time to go in the junior system, would be looking for him to stand out in 2014.

[Mug Punter]

Academy players being drafted for market value is more than fair.

The most important part of this, and the part that provides the development incentive, is that we are given the option of drafting the best kid from our zone. So, if we can develop a Tom Boyd then we get him as our first round pick. That is a huge advantage.

Of course, if we are successful and start developing a few superstars then it won't be long until knobs like Eddie start squealing about us getting an unfair advantage.

[DamY]

Academy players being drafted for market value is more than fair.

The most important part of this, and the part that provides the development incentive, is that we are given the option of drafting the best kid from our zone. So, if we can develop a Tom Boyd then we get him as our first round pick. That is a huge advantage.

Of course, if we are successful and start developing a few superstars then it won't be long until knobs like Eddie start squealing about us getting an unfair advantage.

Eddy already thinks we have an unfair advantage with the Academy! Or is that what you were alluding to?

[unconfuseme]

The AFL has this year shifted junior football Clubs in areas such as - Parramatta, Baulkham Hills to the GWS zone so that the AFL can say that junior footy participation numbers have increased in the GWS zone.

All done with smoke and mirrors.

I would love to see the "real" participation numbers in the west!

This year was also Bankstown's turn to be forced out west against their will ..."a great opportunity for the club to be aligned with GWS, blah, blah, blah ...."

I don't think this is working for them Billy ...

It is a hard sell when the reality is that GWS junior comps rarely have more than 6 teams in an age group and are totally lopsided ... whilst the Sydney Harbour Competition is graded in every age group ... it's hard to lie about that stuff, and then make it sound attractive to do a 5 hour round trip to win or lose by 20 goals.

... and the result?

Surprisingly we can report that the outcomes were exactly what the club officials warned the AFL would happen 5 years ago, when it was first floated, and has told them every year since.

* The 150 kids who were registered with the Bankstown Junior club a few short years ago left the club along with irreplaceable coaches, administrators and volunteers.

* The AFL could not attract enough kids there to run a meaningful Auskick clinic this year.

* They have lost ALL sponsors.

* The Council is being pressured to turn one of the only AFL specific grounds in Sydney (Kelso Park) into a cricket centre.

* A handful of kids are still playing AFL, mostly with near by Sydney Harbour clubs, and the rest went to soccer, NRL or nothing.

Bankstown LGA is an AFL wasteland.

One of Tom Harleys last jobs was to sort this out ... far too hard for an ex Geelong Premiership captain I'm afraid ... he's out of here!!!

Not to worry, they are using exactly the same scripts with Baulkham Hills Junior Club right now!!!

Wonder which Sydney Harbour clubs will benefit from Baulko's demise? ... or more importantly, which codes!?

You know what they say, if you want the same outcomes, just keep doing the same things

... I don't expect to see too many kids drafted from GWS in the next, hmmm ... 100 years?

[Dosser]

Not to worry, they are using exactly the same scripts with Baulkham Hills Junior Club right now!!!

Wonder which Sydney Harbour clubs will benefit from Baulko's demise? ... or more importantly, which codes!?

You know what they say, if you want the same outcomes, just keep doing the same things

... I don't expect to see too many kids drafted from GWS in the next, hmmm ... 100 years?

Say it isnt so! I played fullback for the very first Baulko team when we split from Pennant Hills. I would be devastated if they disappeared.

[YoungTalent101]

Not exactly sure on the academy rules liz, but I would also find it interesting to know how many they are allowed to pick up. Yes, that trend is true but from what I have heard this is one of the strongest academy groups to come through yet. Would be interesting to see if Heeney fell through in the draft, as he could possibly be selected before the swans get their chance to draft him. Watson will be watched this year by a few clubs im guessing. Foster and Davis are both very talented too (along with a few other academy members) and could see them selves land a rookie spot somewhere.

- - - Updated - - -

It looks like a great group coming through.

There were some favourable comments on Davis coming out of the champs, but it's great hearing it from YT101. Sounds like he's a legitimate AFL prospect.

As for Watson, do you know his birthdate. Could it be that he is eligible for the 2015 draft, not next year?

Watson is eligible for the 2014 draft as he is turning 18

- - - Updated - - -

There is another kid to watch in the Swans acadamy - Callum Mills - absolutely dominates his club games.
He is only 16 so has a more time to go in the junior system, would be looking for him to stand out in 2014.

Callum Mills is a freak. Only 16 but won best and fairest of div 2 at the national champs, captained NSW and won MVP. He did all this while only playing 3 games before he went into the nationals.... All I can say is, if the draft was tomorrow he would go top 5. NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

[Auntie.Gerald]

i think there is a NSW ACT session on down at Centennial at 4pmish onwards this arvo also with a lot of these kids that i am sure will be present

[TheGong]

The Mad Monday Show have posted their top 10 prospects for 2015 draft. Swans Academy player Callum Mills and potential father son Josh Dunkley are included.

Callum Mills (North Sydney/ Swans Academy)

In the next couple of years there appears to be some strong talent coming out of NSW, with none better then Callum Mills. A Sydney Swans academy member, Mills shows good leadership on and off the field and was the captain of NSW/ACT division 2 winning side at the 2013 U/16 national championships. Known for his hard ?gut? running and strong contested ball winning, Mills is the prototype Sydney Swans player when they get first dibs at drafting him in the 2015 draft. Mills is more then a ?in and under? midfielder however with some polish to go forward and kick goals that can be damaging and earned him the MVP for NSW as well as Division 2 Best player at the U/16 Champs. A level 1 AIS/AFL Academy Member Mills should flourish again in the Swans Academy getting the chance to play in the NEAFL against more mature male bodies and learn the professional ways of an AFL club.

Joshua Dunkley (Sale/Gippsland Power)

Dunkley son of past AFL player Andrew (217 games ? Sydney) is a well-built midfielder who can win his own contested football and be damaging in the clearances. At age 15 he played in senior premiership with Sale and can play with the more mature bodies. Dunkley an AIS/AFL Academy member should fit nicely into this years Gippsland TAC Cup team playing a key role through the midfield and may be a chance to represent Vic Country at the U/18 Championships.

[liz]

Imagine the uproar if, at the 2015 draft we manage to secure a top-10 rated player with the final pick in the first round (which we will have had for the second consecutive season after going back-to-back). And then imagine how bad it will be if we secure another top-10 rated player with our second round pick! It could make the COLA bleating look trivial in comparison (notwithstanding the fact that FS is not specific to the Swans and several other clubs - Collingwood and Geelong in particular - have done very well out of it in the past).

I realise that the eggs haven't even been laid yet, let alone hatched, and much can change in the next two years. Dunkley, in particular, is far from assured as a potential FS selection, given the comments in the media about Dunks still being sore over his "enforced" retirement.

[Reggi]

His tweets would suggest he is sydney bound

[DamY]

His tweets would suggest he is sydney bound

Callum or Dunkley?