Swans trial US college basketballer, Alex Starling.

[BillyRayCypress]

I'm sorry. I won't mention Dean again. Promise


Back on topic. I hope he does hurry up and get here because he looked very impressive on the USAFL website clip.

[Swansongster]

I'm sorry. I won't mention Dean again. Promise


Back on topic. I hope he does hurry up and get here because he looked very impressive on the USAFL website clip.

With Pyke as a template, he should be inspired and recognise that three years of hard work is required to get a look in. I hope he was at, or saw the Grand Final. Who would would not aspire to being a part of that?

[DamY]

Swans trial US college basketballer, Alex Starling.

Ml

[Primmy]

I am having a quiet moment imagining Starling being mentored by Rhyce....or NicMal, or ooohhh, Mummy. Or Stuart Dew. I'd give anything to be a fly on the wall.
If any of you had followed his religious tweets, he is from a different planet, and no we do not pray on our knees before a game (well, I do at and during a Granny, but standing, and anyway that's beside the point).
I am having oh dear moments here. I am predicting a huge cultural transition over and above learning a new 360 degree game, that may play a major part in the situation.

[Dosser]

I wonder if he and Israel tweet each other or would that be a Hail Mary tweet.

I wonder if that would make him a bird of pray?

[dimelb]

I wonder if that would make him a bird of pray?

[goswannies]

Sanford Wheeler should have a chat to him

[Ludwig]

In all seriousness, I think Starling might come along a lot faster than Pyke, given his basketball background as well as playing American football where he would be catching passes with a ball similar to a Sherrin, which is not all that much different than marking. He probably already has many of the skills and athleticism required for our game. It will be a question of how quickly he can adapt to the peculiarities of AFL footy.

[liz]

In all seriousness, I think Starling might come along a lot faster than Pyke, given his basketball background as well as playing American football where he would be catching passes with a ball similar to a Sherrin, which is not all that much different than marking. He probably already has many of the skills and athleticism required for our game. It will be a question of how quickly he can adapt to the peculiarities of AFL footy.

That is pure speculation, with no evidence on which to base it. Sure, he might. But the number of players from non-traditional backgrounds who have had any kind of impact on the game is pretty limited. And those that have have almost exclusively made it either as a ruckman (Stynes, Brogan, Pyke) or as a HBFer (any of the Irishmen who can be said to have "made it'). Although these two roles are very different from each other, I wonder if they are the easiest positions to learn where you need to be to have an impact, and/or can be broken down into the fewest things to think about while learning the role.

Starling's size makes him not big enough to be a true ruckman in today's game. He is probably going to be tried out as a key forward or key defender, both roles where an ability to read the game as it unfolds up the ground are pretty important.

And don't underestimate what Pyke has achieved. To come from nowhere to be an integral part of a premiership side in just four years is an amazing effort.

[DLBIA14]

Basketballers have good pedigree in our game though. Pendles, NicNat, Tippett (just off the top of my head) all are very proficient basketballers in their time so one might say that by history and appearance, the skills executed within basketball are more conducive to the AFL that rugby type sports.

Pyke IMO is the exception, not the rule so much as to say that I seriously doubt either Falou or Hunt will ever become half as proficient. Given perhaps Starling's athletic advantages (and the fact he is willing to leave his family and home to try a sport he barely know) one might suggest he has a better chance of making it than them though he'll need Pyke's attitude to get much further.

We'll know within a year whether he is mentally up to it and capable of making the transition.

[Ludwig]

That is pure speculation, with no evidence on which to base it. Sure, he might. But the number of players from non-traditional backgrounds who have had any kind of impact on the game is pretty limited. And those that have have almost exclusively made it either as a ruckman (Stynes, Brogan, Pyke) or as a HBFer (any of the Irishmen who can be said to have "made it'). Although these two roles are very different from each other, I wonder if they are the easiest positions to learn where you need to be to have an impact, and/or can be broken down into the fewest things to think about while learning the role.

Starling's size makes him not big enough to be a true ruckman in today's game. He is probably going to be tried out as a key forward or key defender, both roles where an ability to read the game as it unfolds up the ground are pretty important.

And don't underestimate what Pyke has achieved. To come from nowhere to be an integral part of a premiership side in just four years is an amazing effort.

Of course there is a lot of speculation when projecting what will happen for a type of player (American basketballer) that has never been tried before. I am agreeing with you regarding the superb effort that Pyke has made, which was part of my point. Pyke didn't come from a sport where there is a good record for transition to afl, but Starling does come from a background where there has been some noted success stories, which is why I would think he should find the transition easier than Pyke. One of the main reasons for Pyke's success was his determination. We don't know what we are getting in that regard with Startling.

One reason I am optimistic about Startling, as speculative as it may be, is I believe the level of talent for many basketballers not making it to the NBA is a lot higher than most playing in the Australian league. I am guessing that Starling is a better athlete and basketballer player than say Brogan is. I would expect that Starling would be groomed for a KPP and not a ruckman. I believe that Starling had mentioned that he also played American football, which has the added advantage that he would be used to handling a ball around the same size as our footy. catching it and kicking it. Some of our players have done alright kicking the footy in the NFL.

Roos had mentioned a number of times how talented he thought American basketball players were. He's put a big effort into this selection and I think he's got a keen eye for talent. And surely it's cost the Swans a bit of change to recruit him. I may be overly optimistic, but I am quite excited to see how he goes.

[Big Al]

Swans trial US college basketballer, Alex Starling.

And don't underestimate what Pyke has achieved. To come from nowhere to be an integral part of a premiership side in just four years is an amazing effort.

I still shake my head in awe at what Pyke has achieved. It has to one of the more incredible stories in AFL footy. Actually cut that, it's one of the more incredible stories in any sport. It would be like Mike Tyson becoming a Chess champion.

[Triple B]

Pyke IMO is the exception, not the rule so much as to say that I seriously doubt either Falou or Hunt will ever become half as proficient.....

He might not have a Premiership medallion, but you need to add a yellow filter to the red and white glasses if you think Pyke is twice as proficient as Karmichael. He had a terrific season...

[R-1]

Re: Swans trial US college basketballer, Alex Starling.

Yeah Hunt has really come on this year. Looking like he might develop into a very good clearance player.

[jono2707]

Basketballers have good pedigree in our game though. Pendles, NicNat, Tippett (just off the top of my head) all are very proficient basketballers in their time so one might say that by history and appearance, the skills executed within basketball are more conducive to the AFL that rugby type sports.

Pyke IMO is the exception, not the rule so much as to say that I seriously doubt either Falou or Hunt will ever become half as proficient. Given perhaps Starling's athletic advantages (and the fact he is willing to leave his family and home to try a sport he barely know) one might suggest he has a better chance of making it than them though he'll need Pyke's attitude to get much further.

We'll know within a year whether he is mentally up to it and capable of making the transition.

I would think Pyke had a few things going for him:

* Rugby is not a completely dissimilar game and as a fullback, he would have been used to kicking the ball.
* He was a professional athlete playing away from home in France
* He'd played in a World Cup and so was used to being on a big stage
* Physically he's quite a specimen - that's gotta help!

Starling seems to have been a good player from a mid-tier University, but not from one of the big conferences where they play every game in front of 15-20,000 screaming fans. He certainly seems to have the physical tools to go ok, and it'll be great to see how he goes, but in my mind its a bigger stretch for him than it has been for Pykey. But Pykey has been brilliant so why not give it another go with another foreigner...

BTW I too have been very impressed with Karmichael - he came along in leaps and bounds this year and there's no reason he wont improve again next year. As for Folau, he could be anything, but I don't think he has the smarts that Karmichael has, and I also don't think his heart is in it....