2015 academy discussion thread (with some FS thrown in for good measure)

[ernie koala]

Dunkley captained the AFL academy side last year....So obviously some people think he's a good player...And has leadership qualities.

He's been out of action with a stress fracture in the back for 4 months.

To assess his drafting stocks, based on his stats from his first game back, when he played half a game, is ridiculous.

May not be relevant to the Swans anyway, the more I read articles like this one, the more I get the feeling he won't nominate.

Sounds to me like he wants to stay in Melbourne, he has to go through the draft I know, but if he gets overtures from a Melbourne based club he may take his chances.

Father-son prospect Josh Dunkley yet to decide on Swans - AFL.com.au

[WauchopeAnalyst]

Mills and Dunkley were underage players last year and looked really good and everyone believed that with further improvement they will by guns. Both have bad injuries and we will not know untill the season finishes. Mills can play in and out and a real competitor. Dunks is a bull inside and very tough. It really doesn't matter until Dunks makes his decision.

[Steve]

I think this is one of the downsides of the new system from a nominating player perspective. In the past it was really the club offering the player a spot, often much earlier in the year - which was simple in terms of accepting it, or rejecting (eg. Marc Murphy).

Now a club really can't make a commitment until close to the deadline, but even then there would have to be disclaimers put on that - eg. you nominate them on the basis you think no-one will bid higher than a 3rd round pick, but then someone 'bids' a much higher pick - you may have no other choice but to decline matching it as it would completely throw out the rest of your draft strategy.

So even once the draft starts, in many cases you still couldn't have given a 100% commitment to the player you're eligible to select. So of course Dunkley can't be making firm commitments to nominate Sydney when it will still be some time before we can even decide how strong an indication we can give him that we would be able to take him.

If the AFL get their technology organised and it is live bidding in the draft, I can't see why they'd make it a bidding process anyway. Just leave it that clubs can pick any available player during the draft, and if that is an academy or FS player, then the other club can match that selection as per the new scale. It potentially disadvantages the nominating club having to play your hand prior to the draft, rather than just letting clubs choose players based on where they really think they'll go or how much they want them, rather than factoring in that a club has nominated certain players (and so fairly committed to taking them).

[chalbilto]

Dunkley captained the AFL academy side last year....So obviously some people think he's a good player...And has leadership qualities.

He's been out of action with a stress fracture in the back for 4 months.

To assess his drafting stocks, based on his stats from his first game back, when he played half a game, is ridiculous.

May not be relevant to the Swans anyway, the more I read articles like this one, the more I get the feeling he won't nominate.

Sounds to me like he wants to stay in Melbourne, he has to go through the draft I know, but if he gets overtures from a Melbourne based club he may take his chances.

Father-son prospect Josh Dunkley yet to decide on Swans - AFL.com.au

That is the impression I got reading the article, plus the fact he is training with Richmond seems to indicate that he wants stay in Melbourne. One upside of this scenario, if it were to occur, is that the Swans will not be overly stretched with the F/S and academy bidding for both Mills & Dunkley.

[707]

Might just be playing cards close to his chest. I'm sure the club would be talking to him and indicating that they will or won't match depending on how high the bid.

The end of year placings will be very important, be great to have clubs like GWS, Crows and Port on the ladder around Dunkley's rough draft position. Also be good if Wretchmond wasn't around that spot!

[Mug Punter]

Whilst I'd think we'll draft Dunks Jnr provided he is a late first round (10+) I hope he makes the decision he feels is right for him....

He seems like a good style of a bloke

[ernie koala]

I think this is one of the downsides of the new system from a nominating player perspective. In the past it was really the club offering the player a spot, often much earlier in the year - which was simple in terms of accepting it, or rejecting (eg. Marc Murphy).

Now a club really can't make a commitment until close to the deadline, but even then there would have to be disclaimers put on that - eg. you nominate them on the basis you think no-one will bid higher than a 3rd round pick, but then someone 'bids' a much higher pick - you may have no other choice but to decline matching it as it would completely throw out the rest of your draft strategy.

So even once the draft starts, in many cases you still couldn't have given a 100% commitment to the player you're eligible to select. So of course Dunkley can't be making firm commitments to nominate Sydney when it will still be some time before we can even decide how strong an indication we can give him that we would be able to take him.

If the AFL get their technology organised and it is live bidding in the draft, I can't see why they'd make it a bidding process anyway. Just leave it that clubs can pick any available player during the draft, and if that is an academy or FS player, then the other club can match that selection as per the new scale. It potentially disadvantages the nominating club having to play your hand prior to the draft, rather than just letting clubs choose players based on where they really think they'll go or how much they want them, rather than factoring in that a club has nominated certain players (and so fairly committed to taking them).

Yep, totally agree. Nominating players is a potentially huge disadvantage, as it opens up the spectre of vexatious bids.

[goswannies]

I don't know why Sydney don't have a Melbourne based physio/doctor/rehab specialist / affiliate with access to appropriate facilities, to enable prospective recruits like Josh to rehab & further facilitate the bond. Such a medical affiliate could also be useful for Melbourne based medical screening of potential recruits.

[tasmania60]

I know he has been injured,but watched the game ,and him specifically, cant see why ? Only watched 1 game but if you weren't looking for him he didnt stand out ?

[WauchopeAnalyst]

Josh Dunkley was the Runner Up for the AFL Academy, Ben Mitchell Medal, which is for "character" for the players. Perfect for the reboot of the "bloods' with Heeney, Mills with Parker and Hannebery as leaders.

[Conor_Dillon]

I believe Lloyd Perris won that same award a few years back as well?

[WauchopeAnalyst]

I believe Lloyd Perris won that same award a few years back as well?

Yep, you are right. Hope the knee is right and ready to go. Needs to have the right charatcer for the 'Bloods' to work.

[DA_Swan]

Pretty balanced article here from Emma Quayle

The Swans, or the draft? Josh Dunkley has time to make up his mind

[Conor_Dillon]

Sounds like young Josh is playing his cards close to his chest, he doesn't want to nominate Sydney unless we think we can afford him which is yet to be determined. I'm still confident that if we really want him, we will get him.

[DA_Swan]

Given that according to the article he is now 190 cm and probably still growing and with our trade restrictions be hard to see us not taking him in what we are being told is not a deep draft - especially if he wants certainty on what club he will be playing for