'Sweeping changes' to Academy and Father/Son bidding system

[MomentByMoment]

This is not a pot shot at GWS, the AFL or anyone in particular however there are things circulating almost on a daily basis about many players being unhappy at living in Sydney (Western Sydney) and wanting to return home.

There is always a huge risk when recruiting players from interstate that eventually they will want to go home and for many kids becoming home sick can be the deciding influence as to whether or not they remain at the club that drafted them.

The GWS have a great young list that is being built around fantastic key forwards and a huge amount of ball winning/athletic midfielders, if you are to believe half of what the rumors are then there will be a Brisbane like exodus. Would the AFL allow it? Considering the AFL has an obsession with success in Sydney, it's hard to see them allowing such a thing to occur.

Shiel - It seems common knowledge his gone: Richmond and Melbourne front runners
Jaksch - Apparently put in a request to go home: Hawthorn mentioned
Cameron - All sorts of rumors in Sydneys papers about him leaving, not sure on this: Carlton/Bulldogs?
Boyd - The latest name to come up: Carlton and Dogs would be all over him, he could take his pick
O'rourke - Again it's been noted he is widely tipped to come home: Essendon being mentioned
Whitfield - Dandenong boy, home sick?: Take his pick of clubs

Those are just the names that have circulated, there has also been talk of Patton, Plowman and Stewart all wanting to head back to Victoria.

Question is - Could the GWS be an almighty failure for the AFL? Is the player exodus a possible reality or just fanciful rumors? The crowds for GWS are delplorable, the coverage they get is about one 10th of what the Swans get and having moved from Melbourne myself to Western Sydney, is the culture change to much for the Victorian guys?

It's uncertain times for the AFL and footy in Western Sydney.

Lifted this quote from the BF website. To me, it goes to the heart of the problem. Sydney (and the other northern clubs) need a local pool of talent.

[MomentByMoment]

We're all kind of going round in circles with this thread and the anti-Eddie thread (which is almost the same topic anyway). I think it sounds like the current system is gone, so the best we can hope for is something that doesn't do too much damage and remains reasonably fair. Maybe I'm asking too much?

The biggest losers out of watered down academy benefits are the Suns and GWS who won't get F/S picks for a long time. I guess the old Melbourne clubs were so peeved about the expansion clubs' draft concessions so I guess they won't give a hoot about these upcoming changes and the impact to the growth of the game in non-traditional AFL states.....

I am not so sure.
If GWS gets smashed by players fleeing home the AFL will have a huge hole on their hands. They will be desperate for constructive policies on growing the talent base in the northern states. Sound familiar?

[MightyBloods]

Lifted this quote from the BF website. To me, it goes to the heart of the problem. Sydney (and the other northern clubs) need a local pool of talent.

The strong rumour I heard a few months ago was Adam Tomlinson to Richmond. Choco has an extremely good relationship with the kid and rates him highly. .....and like most kids early in the career is struggling with homesickness.

[barry]

Just to stick it up Eddie and co, you'll be happy to know Barry, I'll even put up with it being played at ANZ now and then!

Woo hoo!

[Meg]

'Sweeping changes' to Academy and Father/Son bidding system

Gold Coast speaking out, making same points RWOers have been discussing. That is, it is unethical to change the rules on which investments into the academies have been made.

"Gold Coast chairman John Witheriff has questioned the AFL?s values and accused it of a lack of courtesy in the decision to review the bidding system for development academy players and father-son selections.

''Certain promises were made regarding regulatory benefits for clubs and held out as an inducement to invest significant money, talent and intellectual property into developing the game in non-traditional markets.

''As a result, our club did what it had to do. Now, just when the fruits of some clubs? labours are coming into play, you look at changing the rules. It?s simply not fair.''

Read more: Gold Coast queries AFL's values as academy stoush intensifies

[Doctor]

The strong rumour I heard a few months ago was Adam Tomlinson to Richmond. Choco has an extremely good relationship with the kid and rates him highly. .....and like most kids early in the career is struggling with homesickness.

If it is to be a truly national comp we do need to get beyond this. I know it must be hard for young guys to be away from home and adjust but that's what you have to do if you want to play in the AFL. Look at the attitude of professional sportsmen in the US. They are happy to be drafted anywhere and go where they get picked. The players, the clubs and the fans need to understand that this is a business, and one that is supposedly highly professional, and that you go where you have to go. Until it becomes an accepted generational change it will never really work.

[Reggi]

Good article. Just a debacle cannot see Mclachlan lasting long

[Ludwig]

Read more: Gold Coast queries AFL's values as academy stoush intensifies

This is the part that gets me:


Last week's meeting at AFL headquarters of the equalisation working
party saw McGuire dominate the discussion with the topic of academies
taking up most of the meeting. McGuire received support from the other
clubs present including the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide in the
view that the league must nip in the bud potential zoning advantages
to club's in the two pioneer states.

This seems to be the norm these days at AFL House with McGuire pretty much setting the agenda and running the show. Of course our friend at PA will have to suck up to Eddie if he wants to have a long career in media.

The southern state clubs see the northern clubs as mere development zones for themselves. They have no interest and no plan in seeing the game grow outside their little corner of the world.

[Matt80]

This is the part that gets me:


Last week's meeting at AFL headquarters of the equalisation working
party saw McGuire dominate the discussion with the topic of academies
taking up most of the meeting. McGuire received support from the other
clubs present including the Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide in the
view that the league must nip in the bud potential zoning advantages
to club's in the two pioneer states.

This seems to be the norm these days at AFL House with McGuire pretty much setting the agenda and running the show. Of course our friend at PA will have to suck up to Eddie if he wants to have a long career in media.

The southern state clubs see the northern clubs as mere development zones for themselves. They have no interest and no plan in seeing the game grow outside their little corner of the world.

You can't say that David Koch will have to suck up to Eddie if he wants a long career in media. Koch created a hassle for Eddie when he was 9s CEO. Koch, Mel and the brilliant team at Sunrise were spanking Eddie's Today program in the ratings in 2006. This led to the Jessica Rowe situation which wounded Eddie as CEO.

If not for the brilliance of Koch, Eddie could have been an even more dominant figure than he is now. The CEO position is more powerful than the lead game show host and lead football commentator.

If you feel animosity towards Eddie you should take a moment to pay tribute to David Koch for creating a problem for Eddie when he was CEO.

Well done Kochie.

If Koch does not rate the Academy's, then that's a personal and Port Adelaide view. He has not been using the media to push that agenda.

[Faunac8]

You can't say that David Koch will have to suck up to Eddie if he wants a long career in media. Koch created a hassle for Eddie when he was 9s CEO. Koch, Mel and the brilliant team at Sunrise were spanking Eddie's Today program in the ratings in 2006. This led to the Jessica Rowe situation which wounded Eddie as CEO.

If not for the brilliance of Koch, Eddie could have been an even more dominant figure than he is now. The CEO position is more powerful than the lead game show host and lead football commentator.

If you feel animosity towards Eddie you should take a moment to pay tribute to David Koch for creating a problem for Eddie when he was CEO.

Well done Kochie.

If Koch does not rate the Academy's, then that's a personal and Port Adelaide view. He has not been using the media to push that agenda.

Thanks for the enlightening background Matt your sycophantic and slavish defence of all things Koch is really quite over the top.
And your suggestion that we "pay tribute" to David Koch?
Spare me!! the man openly covets the Sydney sponsorship market and anything that may impact on our club and it's performance is only beneficial to his agenda.

[Ludwig]

You can't say that David Koch will have to suck up to Eddie if he wants a long career in media. Koch created a hassle for Eddie when he was 9s CEO. Koch, Mel and the brilliant team at Sunrise were spanking Eddie's Today program in the ratings in 2006. This led to the Jessica Rowe situation which wounded Eddie as CEO.

If not for the brilliance of Koch, Eddie could have been an even more dominant figure than he is now. The CEO position is more powerful than the lead game show host and lead football commentator.

Thanks Matt. I seem to be missing all the important news. I didn't know any of this stuff. That's what happens when you're not a Sunriser.

I guess this was just a rare exception when he happens to have sucked up to Eddie and taken his side. I'm sure it will never happen again.

[Meg]

Support for the academies from Luke Bruest.

"Hawthorn's NSW product Luke Breust believes player academies such as those held by Sydney and Greater Western Sydney are a vital pathway for players in the state to make it to the AFL."

Breust said players from his home state had a better chance now of finding their way onto an AFL list than when he was a junior.

''There's a few local boys from back home who are in the Giants Academy. They really enjoy it and think it's great for their development to get away from Temora and into Sydney, and have access to quality coaches and resources that can help better their game,'' Breust said.

Read more: Hawthorn's Luke Breust hails easier path for NSW players

[0918330512]

You can't say that David Koch will have to suck up to Eddie if he wants a long career in media.

Seriously Matt, Ludwig can say whatever he wants about whoever he wants. If you're allowed to continuously and repetitively post the same drivel ad nauseum, the rest of RWO is permitted to disagree with you.

Koch created a hassle for Eddie when he was 9s CEO. Koch, Mel and the brilliant team at Sunrise were spanking Eddie's Today program in the ratings in 2006. This led to the Jessica Rowe situation which wounded Eddie as CEO.

I, for one, am somewhat over your Sunrise worship. RWO is a FOOTBALL forum ... primarily a Swans one. Sunrise has almost nothing to do with either of those things. Please, give it a rest!!!!
Oh, and cut the cr@p about that "brilliant sunrise team" ... they sacked Mel! & I personally enjoyed watching her more than Koch (& her voice was far less annoying!! (though I do like Kochie's financial tips)

If you feel animosity towards Eddie you should take a moment to pay tribute to David Koch for creating a problem for Eddie when he was CEO.

I'll pay tribute to the two Swans presidents who have stood up to Eddie. I'll pay tribute to the RWO posters who object to Eddie. I'll pay tribute to Plugger who threw crutches at Eddie. I will not be dictated to by you to whom you feel I, or anyone else, should pay tribute to.

Until tonight, I thought only Eddie could get me annoyed enough to post like this. Apparently not. Please Matt80, enough already!

[CureTheSane]

lolz @ Matt80. Your Sunrise posts brighten my day

[goswannies]

lolz @ Matt80. Your Sunrise posts brighten my day

The Sunrise posts? or the responses they evoke ... or should that be provoke?