2021 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[Maltopia]

Re GWS academy, what about Harry Cunningham? He is a country lad, was he from a AFL area?

[The Big Cat]

I was at that game - that loss was a real heartbreaker. We literally led all day until that goal, kicked by Steven Alessio with 4 seconds left on the clock.

I was there too. Lloyd kept doing his characteristic dives and the ump fell for it every time.

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Re GWS academy, what about Harry Cunningham? He is a country lad, was he from a AFL area?

Yep. Comes from up Wagga area.

[Aprilbr]

Yep. Tutored a couple of GWS ‘academy products’ from rural NSW at a Victorian boarding school. They’d been to Sydney once and we’re just shown the ‘academy’. They were on football scholarships and had played footy all their lives in traditional football areas.

GWS academy = Rort.

It will be interesting to see how long the Giants are allowed to keep the Riverina to themselves. They have been going for 10 years now. When do they cease to be seen as a developing club? Many all time greats of the AFL have come out of that area so they should not be allowed to have it indefinitely.

[Markwebbos]

It will be interesting to see how long the Giants are allowed to keep the Riverina to themselves. They have been going for 10 years now. When do they cease to be seen as a developing club? Many all time greats of the AFL have come out of that area so they should not be allowed to have it indefinitely.

Surely making a Grand Final indicates they've taken their training wheels off?

Out of interest have they lost any of those players "going home" to Victoria. I wonder if it might be as much about giving them some protection against the dreaded GHF than developing talent pathways in Western Sydney.

[Mr Magoo]

Surely making a Grand Final indicates they've taken their training wheels off?

Out of interest have they lost any of those players "going home" to Victoria. I wonder if it might be as much about giving them some protection against the dreaded GHF than developing talent pathways in Western Sydney.

They have had a fair chunk taken out with the border areas (ie albury etc) taken out.

If the academy level contests are anything to go by GWS dont dominate them by any stretch so I dont agree that there is this massive pool of talent coming out of that area.

The one thing I have seen is that many of those riverina boys do get the opportunity to go off to melbourne around years 11 and 12 and they then play at the footy schools and even in the TAC cup for melbourne based TAC sides so they get a wider exposure to the scouts etc who frequent a lot of these games.

[707]

FYI- another delisted free agent window opened today and closes on November 10.

[mcs]

UNSOURCED BEATSON COMMENTS”

I reckon he is spot on in his comments about this year - should sort the wheat from the chaff in terms of what recruitment teams are worth the $ they are paid. But there will be a lot of luck involved - moreso than normal.

[mcs]

They have had a fair chunk taken out with the border areas (ie albury etc) taken out.

If the academy level contests are anything to go by GWS dont dominate them by any stretch so I dont agree that there is this massive pool of talent coming out of that area.

The one thing I have seen is that many of those riverina boys do get the opportunity to go off to melbourne around years 11 and 12 and they then play at the footy schools and even in the TAC cup for melbourne based TAC sides so they get a wider exposure to the scouts etc who frequent a lot of these games.

They certainly lost a fair chunk of the most productive part of that a few years ago - so its not the rort it once was that's for sure.

[Aprilbr]

Do GWS still have access to Wagga? The list of names starting with Wayne Carey and Paul Kelly to come out of that place over the years is amazing.

[bloodspirit]

Interesting article by Knightmare aka Chris Doerre about the good value to be had with mature age draft picks: AFL 2021 Draft Chris Doerre The Geelong Cats have defied Father Time for years - and it's no accident (espn.com.au). Given that we have got to be looking at some KPDs, apart from Paddy Mac there's also Charlie Dean, Blake Schlensog and Leek Alleer that deserve consideration as mature age options for us.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

It will be interesting to see how long the Giants are allowed to keep the Riverina to themselves. They have been going for 10 years now. When do they cease to be seen as a developing club? Many all time greats of the AFL have come out of that area so they should not be allowed to have it indefinitely.

They have had a fair chunk taken out with the border areas (ie albury etc) taken out.

If the academy level contests are anything to go by GWS dont dominate them by any stretch so I dont agree that there is this massive pool of talent coming out of that area.

The one thing I have seen is that many of those riverina boys do get the opportunity to go off to melbourne around years 11 and 12 and they then play at the footy schools and even in the TAC cup for melbourne based TAC sides so they get a wider exposure to the scouts etc who frequent a lot of these games.

Do GWS still have access to Wagga? The list of names starting with Wayne Carey and Paul Kelly to come out of that place over the years is amazing.

Mr Magoo is correct, the Riverina is not now and has never been a recruiting El Dorado. In fact it was the least attractive of all the country recruiting zones the VFL allocated in the 70's. Mainly because population density is low. The other reason is that the region is a weired patchwork of NRL and AFL territories, so that while many some great players have come from the Riverina, for every Paul Kelly there was a Laurie Daley.

So while having the region included in the NAB/TAC Cup would be preferable to leaving it in the somewhat negligent hands of the Giants, the worst option of all would be to allow it to go fallow again.

[dejavoodoo44]

Good story about Leek Alleer on the AFL site.

From gruesome injury to Combine record: Leek Alleer's incredible story

The highlights reel is pretty impressive and he does give the impression that he would repay the opportunity given to him. I hope it pans out that we're the ones giving him the opportunity.

[Ralph Dawg]

Good story about Leek Alleer on the AFL site.

From gruesome injury to Combine record: Leek Alleer's incredible story

The highlights reel is pretty impressive and he does give the impression that he would repay the opportunity given to him. I hope it pans out that we're the ones giving him the opportunity.

I'll bet that one of Leek, Bazzo or Van Rooyen will end up on our list. I'm just hoping whoever we draft gets an opportunity to develop. I feel that we have mismanaged our young tall defenders, with minimal opportunities given to guys like Aliir (should never have been rucking or playing forward), Gould, Maibaum and even Toby Pink. In the meantime, Melican keeps getting a run, even though he clearly has limitations. Brand got a few games yet it was obvious he was no chop. As good as they have been, Fox, Dawson and Mills have been played as third talls but are undersized.

[Markwebbos]

I'll bet that one of Leek, Bazzo or Van Rooyen will end up on our list. I'm just hoping whoever we draft gets an opportunity to develop. I feel that we have mismanaged our young tall defenders, with minimal opportunities given to guys like Aliir (should never have been rucking or playing forward), Gould, Maibaum and even Toby Pink. In the meantime, Melican keeps getting a run, even though he clearly has limitations. Brand got a few games yet it was obvious he was no chop. As good as they have been, Fox, Dawson and Mills have been played as third talls but are undersized.

The logic surrounding giving / not giving games to players is mystifying sometimes, with #AliirAliirGate by far the most mystifying. I think there must be some defensive "non-negotiables" that players have to meet to get a game. I suspect that's part of the problem with Gould and AA, who is a better interceptor than 1 on 1 defender, and I believe will have a tougher time next year than he did this. But it is frustrating when we appear to choose not to use players in a way that maximise their strengths and focus too much on weaknesses.

The other point I wanted to make is that the need for tall defenders has changed drastically in the last 3-4 years. It wasn't that long ago that the Tigers were all-conquering using just Reiwoldt and the swarm of smalls. And Reg couldn't get a game as he had no one to play on. Now teams are playing much taller, there's 6-6-6 and the stand rule and you a need for 3 tall defenders who can actually defend.

[Thunder Shaker]

The other point I wanted to make is that the need for tall defenders has changed drastically in the last 3-4 years. It wasn't that long ago that the Tigers were all-conquering using just Reiwoldt and the swarm of smalls. And Reg couldn't get a game as he had no one to play on. Now teams are playing much taller, there's 6-6-6 and the stand rule and you a need for 3 tall defenders who can actually defend.

This is why I think we will need to recruit a KPD this year.

The AFL website has posted this: Kevin Sheehan reveals his top NAB AFL Draft Prospects: Tall Defenders.