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

[jono2707]

Remember that whilst NSW is not a traditional 'AFL state', it is the predominant sport in many parts of southern NSW and I would question the need for academies for kids from, say, the Riverina. Otherwise it could be argued that some other country areas of Vic, SA, WA and Tas would be just as deserving of club-aligned academies....

[chalbilto]

Remember that whilst NSW is not a traditional 'AFL state', it is the predominant sport in many parts of southern NSW and I would question the need for academies for kids from, say, the Riverina. Otherwise it could be argued that some other country areas of Vic, SA, WA and Tas would be just as deserving of club-aligned academies....

If the clubs invest financially in academies as the northern teams have done, then I can see no argument for these clubs having academies and getting the subsequent benefits to academy players.

[jono2707]

[/B]

If the clubs invest financially in academies as the northern teams have done, then I can see no argument for the in these clubs having academies and having the subsequent benefits to academy players.

Agreed

[Doctor]

The fact that Hopper, a Riverina boy, goes to the GWS 'Academy' in Wagga, and is now at boarding school in Victoria, is a poor example of how and why the Academy system should exist - I thought it was meant to be for AFL teams in 'non-AFL' areas to develop young sportsmen and provide opportunities for these players to have a pathway to the game that wouldn't exist. I don't see how this fits for this Hopper kid as it does for Heeney and Mills.

Makes a bit of a mockery of the system and leaves it somewhat open to attack from those who seek to have the benefits of the academy system to be diluted.

Very fair points. My feeling is that it has been done to give GWS first crack at some of these kids and ensure that they still have the ability to have first crack at them. The AFL is desperate for them survive. If it means that areas that have consistently produced good footy players without academies get that additional leg up, then so be it.

[S.S. Bleeder]

John Longmire | Videos | Wide World of Sports | 9Jumpin
Longmire had a golden opportunity to give it to McChins and/or really drive the message home on the academies and he went soft. Disappointing.

[Ludwig]

John Longmire | Videos | Wide World of Sports | 9Jumpin
Longmire had a golden opportunity to give it to McChins and/or really drive the message home on the academies and he went soft. Disappointing.

Longmire can remain dignified, knowing full well that he can count on us at RWO to put the boot into McChins.

[Conor_Dillon]

Very fair points. My feeling is that it has been done to give GWS first crack at some of these kids and ensure that they still have the ability to have first crack at them. The AFL is desperate for them survive. If it means that areas that have consistently produced good footy players without academies get that additional leg up, then so be it.

That is 100% the only reason...unfortunately the Melbourne based clubs believe it is also the reason behind ALL of the academies existing.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Callum Mills - 2015 AFL Draft Prospect Highlights - YouTube

he can play..............so so footage and cant wait to watch the next video when he is a year older this year

ive watched him a few times last year

[Matt80]

Callum Mills - 2015 AFL Draft Prospect Highlights - YouTube

he can play..............so so footage and cant wait to watch the next video when he is a year older this year

ive watched him a few times last year

He looks like he has good hands, good extraction skills, good handball and a good understanding with Heeney.

What are his foot skills like on both sides. Are they as good as Heeney's?

[Mug Punter]

Regardless of what it costs us I think we will take both Mills and Dunkley. Two elite talents don't come along like for one club too often and you have to take them while you can.
Any further additions to our list this year (and possibly next) will be upgrades from the rookie list making the rookie draft super important.

I agree, with Heeney and these two we have three potential guns...

Andrew Ireland's comments re this issue were interesting.

The main penalty is at the top end talent and I do think that the next two years are perhaps anomalies. And if they are not then perhaps Eddie has a point re unfair advantage (hated typing that).

The real benefit for us will be that players we draft with our picks 2,3 and 4 with the draft who are rated say top 30 will give us real value. And we will be drafting kids we have known for maybe 10 years so will know them intimately. With a kid like Henney it is impossible to hide him but I can see us playing some ducks and drakes with kids we want to draft and getting them to run lame at the draft camp. act like dickheads in the interviews etc..

We will also have a huge pathway into the Rookie system, again with young kids we know very well.

Look at the nuggets we have uncovered late in the draft before (Goodes, Parker et al). Can really see this working for us.

Also I can see other clubs perhaps phantom bidding and for Mills and Dunkley we will just have to cop it sweet. But if you are a club bidding number 3 for a kid who is only 8-9 at best then you are playing a dangerous game. Over time I think we will have to take a hard headed approach to this and be prepared to lose a couple of kids.

Then again if it is a number 1 pick you pay whatever is takes.

[Conor_Dillon]

He looks like he has good hands, good extraction skills, good handball and a good understanding with Heeney.

What are his foot skills like on both sides. Are they as good as Heeney's?

Haven't seen him use his left foot too many times but he's definitely a lovely user by foot on the right...equal to if not better than Isaac

[Conor_Dillon]

Under 18 Academy player Elijah Burton has been selected as one of the top-ups for this week's reserves game...does anyone know much about him? Age/position/playing style etc?

[S.S. Bleeder]

I agree, with Heeney and these two we have three potential guns...

Andrew Ireland's comments re this issue were interesting.

The main penalty is at the top end talent and I do think that the next two years are perhaps anomalies. And if they are not then perhaps Eddie has a point re unfair advantage (hated typing that).

The real benefit for us will be that players we draft with our picks 2,3 and 4 with the draft who are rated say top 30 will give us real value. And we will be drafting kids we have known for maybe 10 years so will know them intimately. With a kid like Henney it is impossible to hide him but I can see us playing some ducks and drakes with kids we want to draft and getting them to run lame at the draft camp. act like dickheads in the interviews etc..

We will also have a huge pathway into the Rookie system, again with young kids we know very well.

Look at the nuggets we have uncovered late in the draft before (Goodes, Parker et al). Can really see this working for us.

Also I can see other clubs perhaps phantom bidding and for Mills and Dunkley we will just have to cop it sweet. But if you are a club bidding number 3 for a kid who is only 8-9 at best then you are playing a dangerous game. Over time I think we will have to take a hard headed approach to this and be prepared to lose a couple of kids.

Then again if it is a number 1 pick you pay whatever is takes.

I hope that we are prepared to throw everything at getting them. I would prefer to have two players that are both likely to become elite as opposed to selecting several players, 2-3 of which may eventually make the team. Admittedly it doesn't help our depth but we can get fringe players via the rookie draft.

[Ludwig]

If only Josh Dunkley could have been born 10 days earlier, all this angst about the new system would have been moot. Josh could have been drafted last year under the old system.

[Mug Punter]

I do think this year will be an outlier....

I think we will get real value from the second round quality academy products - I'd say that a genuine first rounder would only come along every 5-6 years.

Just wondering if someone can help me with how this system works. I gather we can carry over players to the following year but only if the debt is cleared before the next seasons trade period.

Can someone please explain how that works?

I do think that if we want both Dunkley and Mills we will need to trade a player but an early second rounder would be all that we need (this is not meant to cue a trade discussion)

So, if Mills is rated #1 and Dunkley #8 (both VERY optimistic I think) then if we finish third this year we would need to give up picks 16, 34, 52 a player worth a trade for pick 21 plus the following year's pick 16. Plus we get 344 points change. Seems like a decent deal to me.

If they were rated 3rd and 10th then we would keep our following year first round pick or not have to trade

The real benefits are down the list I think. In the same situation of finishing 3rd and then picking four academy kids rated as 10, 20, 25 and 30 we would only have to give up either pick 16 the following year or trade a player for pick 21

Another risk people have mentioned is that of phantom bids high in the list. I think that this risk is perhaps over-estimated by us. Firstly this is only really effective for picks 1-6, after that the penalty to us is lessened. Clubs with those picks will usually not be the clubs who wish to hurt us with the possible exception of the pig at Whitten Oval. Clubs in the bottom 6 should be totally focussed on getting the best kids for their club not hurting us.

I can also see a gentleman's agreement between the Northern Alliance clubs not to select each others academy players. With the possible exception of that f-wit at Port I can also see the SA and WA clubs not wishing to hurt us.

Finally I can see us playing some serious mind games with the Melbourne clubs at draft camps etc. If kids know that the club will definitely draft them if they can they have nothing to fear - they can be as rude and obnoxious when being interviewed by Bucks, they can be complete prats throughout the draft camp. Sure, they may be acting, but are they really? Only we will know because we have known these kids since they were 11.

Could the Swans be the first AFL club to have a full time acting and drama teacher on their books