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

[liz]

That was my initial thought too. But we would then lose the benefits of the academy. I think that the ideal scenario would be to wind the academy back to only about 20 boys. We would select the best pre-teens which were recommended to us by our scouts and by their results. This squad would gradually be whittled down to 1 or 2 by the draft age.

This way we get the best of both worlds. We spend very little on the academy. The AFL and the other clubs would get very little benefit in the form of the promotion of the code and recruitment of players we have invested in. Yet, we would still have the pick of the crop. The occasional player might slip through to the other clubs but that would only be on the rare occasion that there was more than one selection (ie. this year).

It probably wouldn't last too long however as the AFL wouldn't be too happy about this.

And it would completely undermine the main purpose of the Academies. They are not just about picking off a few elite kids to join their host clubs. They are about providing opportunities for talented young sporting teens to develop their skills. The overwhelming majority of kids who pass through the academies will never get close to a professional career. But they may contribute to improving the standard and participation rates of Australian Rules football at all levels throughout the state.

What you describe is essentially the old scholarship system, except confined to a smaller number of clubs. That did practically nothing.

[Ludwig]

And it would completely undermine the main purpose of the Academies. They are not just about picking off a few elite kids to join their host clubs. They are about providing opportunities for talented young sporting teens to develop their skills. The overwhelming majority of kids who pass through the academies will never get close to a professional career. But they may contribute to improving the standard and participation rates of Australian Rules football at all levels throughout the state.

That's an excellent point and one I hope we raise with the AFL at the appropriate time, in case they've forgotten.

And I would like to add that these kids that don't make it, as well as their families, will have a new found interest in AFL. And this is why the academies run by the local clubs are the best opportunity for the AFL to grow the game in non-traditional states.

[liz]

That's an excellent point and one I hope we raise with the AFL at the appropriate time, in case they've forgotten.

And I would like to add that these kids that don't make it, as well as their families, will have a new found interest in AFL. And this is why the academies run by the local clubs are the best opportunity for the AFL to grow the game in non-traditional states.

I would hope that all four northern clubs are ramming this down the throats of the AFL at every chance they get. It is the fundamental reason for the academies existing. If it was just about cherry picking the odd star I'd have a lot more sympathy for those who argue the academies are unfair. But most in the traditional states (and especially Victorians) seem to have absolutely no concept of how big the gulf is between their states and the two northern states in terms of the opportunities there are for teenagers to play football to a decent standard.

[Meg]

I would hope that all four northern clubs are ramming this down the throats of the AFL at every chance they get. It is the fundamental reason for the academies existing. If it was just about cherry picking the odd star I'd have a lot more sympathy for those who argue the academies are unfair. But most in the traditional states (and especially Victorians) seem to have absolutely no concept of how big the gulf is between their states and the two northern states in terms of the opportunities there are for teenagers to play football to a decent standard.

That is so depressingly true.. Last night I made myself miserable reading a thread on the academies on Big Footy. All but one person making comments appeared to be from Victoria and they unanimously viewed the academies (particularly the Swans Academy) as an unfair advantage for the northern clubs to gain first access to talented young players. The one person who understood the wider and more important objective of the academies and the need they fill in the rugby league/rugby/soccer environment of NSW and Qld was ironically a Collingwood supporter but one who now lives in Sydney.

[andy0414]

Spot on Meg. The kids need to be won over to AFL first and that is something a lot of people do not understand unless they have lived in NSW or Qld. Maybe a good way around this is that the Academy teams are made to use their first round pick each year on an Academy player. Some years they would get good value (Mills) some years they would not.
I also think that each year the top four teams should not be able to sign free agent players.

[S.S. Bleeder]

And it would completely undermine the main purpose of the Academies. They are not just about picking off a few elite kids to join their host clubs. They are about providing opportunities for talented young sporting teens to develop their skills. The overwhelming majority of kids who pass through the academies will never get close to a professional career. But they may contribute to improving the standard and participation rates of Australian Rules football at all levels throughout the state.

What you describe is essentially the old scholarship system, except confined to a smaller number of clubs. That did practically nothing.

That's well and good in an ideal world Liz. We all want to see the game grow in NSW but far more important than that is our success. All I'm saying is that if the academy becomes unviable for us then this is better than having no academy at all.

[Meg]

SS, your idea of reducing the Academy to about 20 players is most unlikely to be accepted by the AFL as you acknowledged in your original post. I've copied below the opening para. from the AFL Rules regarding the establishment of the academies. The primary objective for the AFL is the development of talent within the regions allocated to each club - and this won't be achieved with 20 players.
-------------------------
14.1 Club Academies
Each of the Brisbane Lions, Sydney Swans, Gold Coats Suns and Greater Western Sydney Giants shall establish an Australian football academy to develop junior talent within its Academy Region (Club Academy)

[liz]

Rather than fluff pieces about Heeney and how he'd be lounging on a beach in Newcastle if it weren't for the Academy, or Mills and how Pridham got him to fill in one day in his son's game, the Swans (and other northern clubs) should be producing fluff pieces about graduates of the academies that no-one has heard of - players who are playing local football in the NSW and Queensland leagues, and how those clubs are benefitting from having young players who have had the benefits of academy development. Or about a family who has now become Swans fanatics because their son was / is involved in the academy, having previously had no interest.

There's been the odd article about the "lesser names" over the past couple of years, but I think the Swans and other clubs (and the AFL) could do more to spread the message that the schemes are about so much more than the players who might one day get drafted.

[Meg]

Spot on Liz.

[Ludwig]

Would be nice to have a stack of testimonials from parents of kids that attended the academy saying how they've turned into avid Aussie Rules fans because of the experience.

[JPK12]

Rather than fluff pieces about Heeney and how he'd be lounging on a beach in Newcastle if it weren't for the Academy, or Mills and how Pridham got him to fill in one day in his son's game, the Swans (and other northern clubs) should be producing fluff pieces about graduates of the academies that no-one has heard of - players who are playing local football in the NSW and Queensland leagues, and how those clubs are benefitting from having young players who have had the benefits of academy development. Or about a family who has now become Swans fanatics because their son was / is involved in the academy, having previously had no interest.

There's been the odd article about the "lesser names" over the past couple of years, but I think the Swans and other clubs (and the AFL) could do more to spread the message that the schemes are about so much more than the players who might one day get drafted.

Seriously the avg AFL fan couldnt careless, hence why the fluff pieces on just the new recruits.

[aardvark]

Might be time to start hiding them again. A few fake injuries, a couple of bad behavior news stories on social media then a sneaky rookie pick up. Leave the rubbish in the Academy, let the AFL pay for it and hide the "Good ones".

[southsideswan]

I try to get my head around the draft, concessions and father/son rules. The more the admin tries to make it fair the worse it appears to get.

Father/son concession is just a lucky dip. It is only in place because it makes supporters feel good about a son following in his fathers footsteps. It is only in place because there is a draft and few players get to pick where they play. They are pawns in the game.

The academy selections are another unfair advantage for those that have them EXCEPT they are essential in non traditional AFL regions for the growth of players and supporters. Victorian clubs do not need them due to school and junior structures in place.

The only thing I think is in our favour with the academy is that it is a joint venture between Swans and QBE.

This should be totally paid for by the AFL. Since it is not we should get some benefits and fight like hell for them.

I personally think the draft, father/son rule and preferential academy picks should be scrapped, plus so many of the other concessions that are just there so the hierarchy can play god.

[Nico]

The fervor in the aftermath of the Asian Cup success you would think send alarm bells to the AFL regards the development of the game in the northern states. Every time the AFL does something such as has happened, they will disenfranchise parents of young boys who potentially can join or have joined the academies. These people running the show and influential others are so narrow minded that the game can only suffer.

[rojo]

I heard one of the Asian Cup promoters declare that the 'sleeping giant' (soccer in Australia) is now starting to 'wake up'.

It was a brave move by the previous AFL admin. to plant the new clubs GWS and GCS in enemy territory but I don't think the current AFL admin. with its Melbourne myopia has any idea as to how increasingly difficult the battle to develop interest in and attract young players to AFL in NSW and QLD is going to be. With the success of the Socceroos and the buzz it is creating one would think that the next few years are going to be critical. One thing it is going to show is just how serious the AFL is in its commitment to developing the game in the northern states and how much more aggressively it has got to promote it at all levels.

Until this point in time the Northern Academies are proving to be a successful model/strategy both in developing grass roots interest and finding and training up young footballers. So the AFL has got to bite the bullet. It could take over the running of the Academies, which will appease the Melbourne clubs, and lets face it, is how it should be but there has not been the necessary effort or will in the past to successfully do it. It would be a huge decision to make, in that it would mean a complete restructure.

So we are back to the current situation and the decision to restrict the Northern Clubs in regard to having first access to their Academy players. If the mooted restrictions are applied, one outcome will be the clubs and sponsors having to seriously consider their commitment to them and at the very least scaling them back somewhat. Not a good time to be winding back, I would have thought!

So AFL, the final decision in this 'small' matter may be more important when looking back, than you are currently thinking.