2015 Western Australian Draft Prospects

[LemmingMaster]

I was talking to a recruiter and they're actually worried that in general across all states that the gap between under 18's and AFL is to wide.
It seems like the AFL in general needs to jump on board and create better development pathways for AFL.

I have no idea what the solution is but WA is a prime example at the moment of a system that is just not working anymore and it needs some change.

I have no doubt that it is a combination of funding, programs and coaching/development.

 

[hawk2]

Still going on about Della Franca? If he's not a hard ball winning inside midfielder then he's not going to make any difference the squads performance.

The WA squad doesn't have enough underage players to cover the lack of quality in this years draft group, not too many. There would be a dozen extra underage players who would walk into the squad on talent alone IMO. Guys like Hura, Seton, Powell and Waterman haven't been a detriment to the performance of the team generally. Getting pillared out of the middle and turning the ball over coming out of defense hasn't been down to those players.

The problem with the 16's to 18s development is that it's not necessarily going to be the same players dominating U18 as there was two years earlier. You look at the 2014 draft group and they simply didn't have the physical attributes to compete with Vic Metro and didn't have the depth of quality to go with South Australia. Too much was bet on a small group of players, most of whom where poor athletically speaking.

This year the squad lacks the on ball muscle, rather than class on the outside. The very opposite of the problem WA had last year (injuries hurt WA more last year). If the draft year simply hasn't produced the right type of players or not enough high end athletes are excelling in terms of football smarts and application to the game then your eventually going to get found out at higher levels.

I'm more optimistic about the 1998 group, they tick both the football and athletic boxes and have a great mix of talls and smalls. If they aren't competitive then the development rather than player selection is really the problem and WA should really consider a stand alone U16 competition.

I hope your right about the 1998 group but they certainly have not make a difference this year with their football and athletic abilities lets hope that they get the development they need next year so they turn out as good as you reckon. Why would you abandon a under 18s team would you not try to fix the problem (State Academy).

 

[hawk2]

No idea what you think I'm saying but if you read my posts properly you'd know I was only using Della Franca as an example and was making th exact same points.

Della Franca is just a prime example of a young guy who has missed an opportunity to show his talent due to bad selection and there are other guys who have missed the same opportunity these more mature guys might have give you your ball muscle.

 

[footywatcher3]

Watched souths vs west perth today. Hinchcliffe is an interesting player, dominates but has an interesting body shape - does anyone see him getting picked up? Dzelebdzic seems okay aswell but doesn't move to well.

 

[ROYAL EAGLE]

I don't know that you can put it all down to funding. I just think the whole set up is wrong. These boys are taken in as 16 year olds and the Academy seem to be able to turn them out OK but the problem is that there is nothing for the gap year (17 year olds) and this is were the system is falling down. Surely between the Academy and the WAFL clubs they can address this issue. Some WAFL clubs seem to be sitting on there hands and doing very little to actually develop these elite players. They should be training at a senior level, given more advanced coaching and challenged to get better.
In relation to the WA Academy I think these guys are failing badly if other states have same funding how come they can still turn out talent, what are they doing wrong. Have they been in the job too long and are just coasting, maybe a whole change of staff might bring some new ideas into the Academy.

Its mainly funding WA spends less than SA, Vic Country and Vic Metro.
They took funding away from the academy to give back to the clubs, but the clubs dont use the money
as wisely.
WA funding coming from wa footy commission, and they dont get a lot of funding from the AFL.

Its part of the reason Narkle from WCE is the WA under 16 indigenous coach, he doesn't get paid for the role,
WCE pay his salary.

 

[chinggis77]

WA football legend Glen Jakovich has urged the WAFC to beef up its commitment to development pathways, declaring there are “major red lights flashing” at junior level.

The WAFC’s commitment to its talent programs has raised eyebrows from the AFL and recruiters over the past few seasons, with poor results at the under-18 national championships and a lack of development in the State’s best young players seen as major concerns.

WA’s four games at this year’s tournament have resulted in one win and three losses by an average of 84 points.

Jakovich, a specialist coach with the AFL Academy, said if things continued to spiral in coming years, WA was in danger of losing its reputation as a strong football State.

“In my role with the national academy I’ve seen over the past four years the decline in our development,” Jakovich said.

“I see a significant difference in their training, their performance, their body shapes, the maturity of their bodies as opposed to their Eastern States counterparts.

“You can’t blanket the whole WA development program because I don’t see those guys on a week-to-week basis ... there are some issues. As a stakeholder and powerful traditional football State, we are severely on notice.”

Jakovich said the first step to turning things around would be to increase funding to the WAFL Talent Academy, where he believes staff have a huge workload.

He said additional money would also allow the program to bring in better qualified staff rather than rely on volunteers.

However, the dual West Coast premiership hero said the number of children playing football was also a concern. The WAFC’s annual reports reveal a dip in the proportion of young players transitioning from junior football (nine to 12 years of age) to youth football (13-17) over the past five years.

In 2010, more than 70 per cent of junior footballers made the transition to youth level. It dropped to 55 per cent last year.

This season is the first that amateur club Bullcreek Leeming, the club which produced Ben Cousins and Simon Black, has not fielded an under-17 side.

“In the heartland of football in that catchment area, that is alarming. There are major red lights flashing,” Jakovich said.

“We are losing players to other codes, that’s a definite factor. Soccer is killing us at the moment. I’m not sure if (the WAFC) is listening and seeing the big picture.”​

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/28504402/junior-alarm-bells-ring-loud-jakovich/

Sad picture, but seems to reflect what others are saying on here.

Unbelievable that Bullcreek have not been able to field an U17 side. They have been a powerhouse for years.

Seems to reflect a decline in AFL participation also across the country in metropolitan areas. Vic Metro haven´t been as strong as they have been historically either.

 

[Oneiros]

The transition to Youth Football is a definite concern.

 

[hawk2]

WA football legend Glen Jakovich has urged the WAFC to beef up its commitment to development pathways, declaring there are “major red lights flashing” at junior level.

The WAFC’s commitment to its talent programs has raised eyebrows from the AFL and recruiters over the past few seasons, with poor results at the under-18 national championships and a lack of development in the State’s best young players seen as major concerns.

WA’s four games at this year’s tournament have resulted in one win and three losses by an average of 84 points.

Jakovich, a specialist coach with the AFL Academy, said if things continued to spiral in coming years, WA was in danger of losing its reputation as a strong football State.

“In my role with the national academy I’ve seen over the past four years the decline in our development,” Jakovich said.

“I see a significant difference in their training, their performance, their body shapes, the maturity of their bodies as opposed to their Eastern States counterparts.

“You can’t blanket the whole WA development program because I don’t see those guys on a week-to-week basis ... there are some issues. As a stakeholder and powerful traditional football State, we are severely on notice.”

Jakovich said the first step to turning things around would be to increase funding to the WAFL Talent Academy, where he believes staff have a huge workload.

He said additional money would also allow the program to bring in better qualified staff rather than rely on volunteers.

However, the dual West Coast premiership hero said the number of children playing football was also a concern. The WAFC’s annual reports reveal a dip in the proportion of young players transitioning from junior football (nine to 12 years of age) to youth football (13-17) over the past five years.

In 2010, more than 70 per cent of junior footballers made the transition to youth level. It dropped to 55 per cent last year.


OK so less kids are playing football so that means we are getting less talent is that right. Wouldn't the same thing be happening in other states,
but they can still produce talent, what is WA doing wrong, surely it can't all be blamed on funding.

This season is the first that amateur club Bullcreek Leeming, the club which produced Ben Cousins and Simon Black, has not fielded an under-17 side.

“In the heartland of football in that catchment area, that is alarming. There are major red lights flashing,” Jakovich said.

“We are losing players to other codes, that’s a definite factor. Soccer is killing us at the moment. I’m not sure if (the WAFC) is listening and seeing the big picture.”​

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/28504402/junior-alarm-bells-ring-loud-jakovich/

Sad picture, but seems to reflect what others are saying on here.

Unbelievable that Bullcreek have not been able to field an U17 side. They have been a powerhouse for years.

Seems to reflect a decline in AFL participation also across the country in metropolitan areas. Vic Metro haven´t been as strong as they have been historically either.

 

[hawk2]

Ok so less kids are playing AFL football so that relates to less talent is that right? Wouldn't the same thing be happening in other states, but they seem to still be able to produce talent. What is WA doing wrong, it can not all be blamed on funding.

 

[HawkintheTuarts]

Less playing means smaller pool of talent, would be a better way of phrasing it.

Again, don't think it is all doom and gloom and the response at the moment is a bit knee-jerk but definitely looks like things in the WAFC need to change and it's not just limited to the underage State teams.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Where does the money for the TAC clubs come from?

What incentive is there for WA to spend more on player development, especially if the players just go into the AFL system for little to no benefit to WA football?

Is there enough AFL money going into WA football?

(The same questions could be asked about SA football)

 

[blueboy25]

Watched souths vs west perth today. Hinchcliffe is an interesting player, dominates but has an interesting body shape - does anyone see him getting picked up? Dzelebdzic seems okay aswell but doesn't move to well.

Speaking to a recuriter about Hinchcliffe earlier in the year and he said that he tested really well with his speed a stand out along with his kicking.

Apparently has given up cricket to concentrate on football as well.

 

[hawk2]

Speaking to a recuriter about Hinchcliffe earlier in the year and he said that he tested really well with his speed a stand out along with his kicking.

Apparently has given up cricket to concentrate on football as well.

Any thoughts on which WA guys have a chance of being drafted this year?

 

[go_the_dockers]

Less playing means smaller pool of talent, would be a better way of phrasing it.

Again, don't think it is all doom and gloom and the response at the moment is a bit knee-jerk but definitely looks like things in the WAFC need to change and it's not just limited to the underage State teams.

Who funds WAFC?

Who has an incentive to grow WA football. Fremantle and West Coast have no incentive, WAFL barely have enough money to keep the comp running.

Does the AFL throw roughly the same money they put into the TAC cup?

 

[pinot]

Soccer Participation by kids have been killing it for years albeit these are 2009 statistics the numbers have gone more lopsided.

http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4156.0.55.001Feature+Article1May 2009

Soccer now have over 900k registered players from 400k in 2009

 

[Ausbenito]

As some one involved in junior footy in Perth the doom and gloom is over the top the facts are most the kids that drop out from juniors to youth footy cant play as a coach in youth footy you cant blame them it is hard to fit some of them in.
There are plenty of kids from all backgrounds playing youth footy and some very talented ones amongst them and plenty of them have tried soccer but prefer to play AFL mainly I think because there are bigger teams with more mates involved with 25 in a squad.
Not winning carnivals IMO comes down to not having the talented big men and maybe not as many talented indigenous boys this year more cyclical than anything next year will reveal alot more as the underage boys should be very good next year.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

For sure the doom and gloom is a bit thick. WA did win two games and the squad was the weakest in years.

Vic Country spanked WA in game one of the U16 champs. Not that it's necessarily very indicative of what is to come.

 

[swansfan51]

Who funds WAFC?

Mainly the WA government.

 

[Footymamiq23]

2016 state under 18s?
Who should make it? Names please!

 

[Ausbenito]

It has already been reported that Seton and Pepper should be top 10 picks hoping some one else knows more of the others.

 

[Masto]

I think there is definitely an issue with dropout rate. I know a 16yo kid, friend of the family, very good athlete with truly elite reflexes and hand-eye coordination. Played Football and Soccer but aussie rules was his first love. Quit football due to a lack of support and is now training with Perth Glory and has even talked to scouts from EPL clubs. Why is this happening? I don't know but something seems amiss.

 

[Snoop Dog]

I was talking to a recruiter and they're actually worried that in general across all states that the gap between under 18's and AFL is to wide.
It seems like the AFL in general needs to jump on board and create better development pathways for AFL.

I have no idea what the solution is but WA is a prime example at the moment of a system that is just not working anymore and it needs some change.

I have no doubt that it is a combination of funding, programs and coaching/development.

I think it also goes to the point of why a lot of clubs are starting to think the solution to some extent may lay in moving back to Academies and giving them opportunity to assist in development. I must admit am of the view it isnt just NSW and QLd where we are competiting with other sports for the best kids. I think it happens everywhere. I also think its best handled by the club as they can roll out their coaches / players etc and engage a community. Trick will be what a huge fight it would be who gets what.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I think it also goes to the point of why a lot of clubs are starting to think the solution to some extent may lay in moving back to Academies and giving them opportunity to assist in development. I must admit am of the view it isnt just NSW and QLd where we are competiting with other sports for the best kids. I think it happens everywhere. I also think its best handled by the club as they can roll out their coaches / players etc and engage a community. Trick will be what a huge fight it would be who gets what.

The draft is compromised enough already, if you add more academies\zones it will make the draft irrelevant.

 

[Snoop Dog]

The draft is compromised enough already, if you add more academies\zones it will make the draft irrelevant.

I know what you are saying but the Academies have undeniably worked for footy development up here.

 

[HawkintheTuarts]

I know what you are saying but the Academies have undeniably worked for footy development up here.

Because the clubs care and are funding then. The NSW scholarship model was a bit of a failure and the AFL sucked at running the academies themselves. It took a lot of trial and error to get to this stage,mans there's nothing guarantee they will keep working.

There's also the fact of GWS having the South NSW zone which has never had a problem with players, which could eschew the stats more favourably to academies.

Who funds WAFC?

Who has an incentive to grow WA football. Fremantle and West Coast have no incentive, WAFL barely have enough money to keep the comp running.

Does the AFL throw roughly the same money they put into the TAC cup?

Surely the Western clubs would have the incentive for a stronger representation of WA players seeing as the majority of their squads would have to come from here.