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

[Auntie.Gerald]

my take is look at who we have drafted the last few years with our top Picks excluding Heeney

we have ended up with players like

Jones
Rose
Towers
Hiscox
Hewett


Then compare these players to the skills and decision making that Henney has already displayed in his small amount of games in his first year and it is chalk and cheese. Heaney will end up an elite midfielder

Mills work rate is phenomenal and i wouldn't say he has the same skills when playing upfront as Henney but his inside outside work as a genuine midfielder is top 5 like Heeney in a draft

To pick these two guys up is quite remarkable and therefore there needed to be a counter force in the metric applied against us picking up Mills otherwise teams at the bottom of the comp will never catchup in talent

[Mr Magoo]

I largely agree with that as it should be about development not recruitment zones. The GWS counter-argument, and it's one with some validity, is that they don't have any father-son opportunities.

The Danihers are from Ungarie near West Wyalong and this area is very much 50/50 as are Leeton, Griffith and Temora (home of Trent Barrett). Wagga I'd agree with but I guess the problem is where do you draw the line?


I'd imagine that in time the Riverina Football League catchment area will be contentious but for the game I hope any funding is replaced by a similar programme. I'd like to see a NEAFL team out of Wagga drawing on that whole area.

Giving GWS the Riverina allows them the lazy way out and they have shown their lack of interest in real junior development in thw way they have treated their Sydney catchment area. Western Sydney, Canberra and south to the Riverina should be more than enough for them without them taking Swans territory

If they truly want to develop the game in Western Sydney - riverina needs to come out of the GWS zone.

If they want to continue to develop GWS the team then it needs to stay in .

The current NSW Rams team has about two thirds GWS academy to one third Swans academy BUT almost all of that two thirds is from the Riverina. Therefore looking in from the outside , at the moment GWS academy isnt really developing new talent they are just taking advantage of talent that already exists.

I would be interested to know how much of the GWS academy squad is from "new" markets v established ones.

[Mug Punter]

If they truly want to develop the game in Western Sydney - riverina needs to come out of the GWS zone.

If they want to continue to develop GWS the team then it needs to stay in .

The current NSW Rams team has about two thirds GWS academy to one third Swans academy BUT almost all of that two thirds is from the Riverina. Therefore looking in from the outside , at the moment GWS academy isnt really developing new talent they are just taking advantage of talent that already exists.

I would be interested to know how much of the GWS academy squad is from "new" markets v established ones.

I agree. GWS has shown that they have no real commitment to the game from a development perspective and the only way to force them into doing what they should be doing, developing the game in Western Sydney, is by taking away their easy option. Their lack of community engagment is a disgrace actually and I am surprised it doesn't get more air time but then again they barely register on the Sydney sporting public so they are not news in any form....

[Mug Punter]

It's now looking like Carlton will get Pick 1

You would think they wouldn't be risking losing Weitering by making a dummy bid for Mills because that would clearly be what it is.

I'd fully accept either the Bombers or Dees bidding for him at 4 or 5 and as I have said before we need bids on academy players from other clubs to make this work. But the Swans also have to be prepared to let a couple go that they feel are being over-valued.

I'm starting to agree with Ludwig and say that we should let Carlton take him and see Weitering go elsewhere if they bid Number 1 for him. If nothing else but to see Carlton start eating their own over this. I don't think SOS is so stupid or lacking in integrity but I'm starting to agree with Ludwig that he isn't worth all our picks this year plus our first rounder next year if he goes at 1. AT pick 4 (about his true worth) it is a lot more palatable as we give up our first and second round pick

[ugg]

Dunkley VFL update

5 kicks
14 handballs
2 marks
4 tackles
1 inside 50
1 rebound 50
1 hitout

[bloodspirit]

Dunkley VFL update

5 kicks
14 handballs
2 marks
4 tackles
1 inside 50
1 rebound 50
1 hitout

Thanks Ugg. Your posts are always to the point and add something to the conversation.

[Mug Punter]

Dunkley VFL update

5 kicks
14 handballs
2 marks
4 tackles
1 inside 50
1 rebound 50
1 hitout

Hardly the sweetest set of numbers.

I suspect we will make a very precise decision of where we value Dunks Junior in a free draft and then factor in the discount applied - e.g if we would not draft him below 20 (912 Points) then if any team bids before Pick 15 (1,112 points @ 80% = 890 points) we will let him go....

[ugg]

Hardly the sweetest set of numbers.

I suspect we will make a very precise decision of where we value Dunks Junior in a free draft and then factor in the discount applied - e.g if we would not draft him below 20 (912 Points) then if any team bids before Pick 15 (1,112 points @ 80% = 890 points) we will let him go....

As with most stats, context is key. In a well beaten team (Richmond lost 34-77), Dunkley's numbers were better than some of Richmond's listed AFL players and comparable to some of their more senior ones who have played AFL senior games.

[Mug Punter]

As with most stats, context is key. In a well beaten team (Richmond lost 34-77), Dunkley's numbers were better than some of Richmond's listed AFL players and comparable to some of their more senior ones who have played AFL senior games.

All the same it isn't making him really stand out is it.

I suspect the only team that may go in for him is Richmond with their first pick - if they go in at Pick 13 for him I reckon it will be 50-50 for us matching the bid. Clearly it deoends on how highly we rate him and also perhaps on where Mills gets taken. And our ability to trade - I would strongly suspect we'd go for a player swap with WCE/Freo is Jetta wishes to leave but if we can't get that stupid ban lifted then we may dip further into the draft.

Also probably the assessment of the 2016 academy crop too will come into it

[707]

Isaac Heeney has a younger brother Beau. Looks about 2 years younger from the pic in Emma Quayles write up, anyone know if he's in the Academy?

[liz]

Isaac Heeney has a younger brother Beau. Looks about 2 years younger from the pic in Emma Quayles write up, anyone know if he's in the Academy?

He's an older brother. He was in the Academy and played a handful of games for the Swans reserves team a while back. Isaac has mentioned him a few times in media interviews, Sounds like he went to work in the mining industry for a while. (That's unless Isaac has a younger brother too, also called Beau!)

[Mug Punter]

Anyone have any tips on whether there are any other kids apart from Mills that we might look at drafting from the Academy? Know there was a kid from Nelsons Bay that we brought down last year, not sure how he has gone...

[Mr Magoo]

He's an older brother. He was in the Academy and played a handful of games for the Swans reserves team a while back. Isaac has mentioned him a few times in media interviews, Sounds like he went to work in the mining industry for a while. (That's unless Isaac has a younger brother too, also called Beau!)

I was told he was just as talented as well but didnt want to go into the football system. Only a second hand story but imagine two of them on our list that good

[goswannies]

I was told he was just as talented as well but didnt want to go into the football system. Only a second hand story but imagine two of them on our list that good

Brett Goodes would be less than $300K ... 2xHeeneys, a pair of Jacks, two Goodes & the Richards'.

[Ludwig]

We have 11 players on our list that have a brother also playing at an AFL club. I haven't done a check, but certainly this must be the most in the league.