Academy: Gold Coast SUNS Gun Factory

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Brad Jordan said:
Can someone explain to me how drafting your own academy players works again? How can the Suns retain their academy talent like Rogers and Walter, etc? Sorry, I've only been a footy fan for about 3 years.
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Academy and father-sons work on points.

Each draft pick a club has is worth a certain amount of points in a given draft. If an opposition team bids on an academy player on draft night, then you have to match that pick where they were bid on with an equal points (there is sometimes a discount for academy picks).

So if they decide to bid on a player at Pick 5, we have to match those points by combining a bunch of picks. But if they don’t bid, we can just collect them with a later pick.

So, most of the time, teams with high academy or Father-Son players in that draft decide to trade out all their early picks for more later picks (2nd, 3rd and 4th round picks). They might also trade out their first round pick this year for next year, so that they aren’t forced to use it in a year where they already have a top talent.

This gives them more points overall and if a bid comes, they lose their late picks instead.

Basically, Suns traded all our picks last year for picks this year to ensure we have enough points to bid on any players.

A good example of this is the Bulldogs for Jamara Ugle-Hagan a few years ago, or Brisbane for Will Ashcroft last year.
 
KaySwizzle said:
Academy and father-sons work on points.

Each draft pick a club has is worth a certain amount of points in a given draft. If an opposition team bids on an academy player on draft night, then you have to match that pick where they were bid on with an equal points (there is sometimes a discount for academy picks).

So if they decide to bid on a player at Pick 5, we have to match those points by combining a bunch of picks. But if they don’t bid, we can just collect them with a later pick.

So, most of the time, teams with high academy or Father-Son players in that draft decide to trade out all their early picks for more later picks (2nd, 3rd and 4th round picks). They might also trade out their first round pick this year for next year, so that they aren’t forced to use it in a year where they already have a top talent.

This gives them more points overall and if a bid comes, they lose their late picks instead.

Basically, Suns traded all our picks last year for picks this year to ensure we have enough points to bid on any players.

A good example of this is the Bulldogs for Jamara Ugle-Hagan a few years ago, or Brisbane for Will Ashcroft last year.
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So that explains the boatload of picks this year. Are we more or less guaranteed to keep our top academy players this year with the picks we accumulated?

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Brad Jordan said:
So that explains the boatload of picks this year. Are we more or less guaranteed to keep our top academy players this year with the picks we accumulated?
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Yes. We are virtually guaranteed to keep them. I think any club that has an academy player rated inside the top 30 will always make sure they hold onto them. Even if we need more points to make sure of it, we can always tap into next year's picks. However that may prove problematic because next year's academy crop is supposedly strong also. It's a good problem to have but our recruiters may have to get creative to ensure we have enough points for this year and next year.
 
GC2015 said:
Yes. We are virtually guaranteed to keep them. I think any club that has an academy player rated inside the top 30 will always make sure they hold onto them. Even if we need more points to make sure of it, we can always tap into next year's picks. However that may prove problematic because next year's academy crop is supposedly strong also. It's a good problem to have but our recruiters may have to get creative to ensure we have enough points for this year and next year.
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Having too many good academy prospects sounds like a good problem to me! Really looking forward to the future of this club.

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central.rookieme.com

Read, Rogers ready to light up the Gold Coast sky

Suns Academy prospects Jake Rogers and Ethan Read are primed for big top-age campaigns. We chatted with them during preseason.
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Q&A​

ETHAN READ​

Q: How has preseason been?

A: It’s been really good. I got the opportunity to train with the Suns so I’ve been feeling really fit, and have been working on my improvement areas.

Q: What’s your best position?

A: I’d say ruck, and then maybe a little bit up forward but I’ve just got to develop that role a bit more.

Q: What are your strengths?

A: My strengths are probably my around the ground work, my aerobic ability, and then my skills below my knees.

Q: Is there anything you’re looking to improve on?

A: My marking, my ruck craft, and just my strength.

Q: Do you have any goals set up for 2023?

A: I like to set some short-term goals, so just to get better at my improvement areas and making the (representative) games and teams, and to get drafted.

Q: How has being part of the AFL Academy been?

A: It’s a good opportunity. You’ve got all the coaches and facilities, all the boys, it’s a good standard of footy. So far it’s been exceptional.

Q: How has your bottom-age season set you up for your top-age campaign?

A: I feel like it’s prepared me pretty well. I had a good year so I’ll just take that into this year and take my game to another level.

Q: Do you have any mentors or players you mould your game on?

A: Not really. I take parts from other ruckmen and forwards, but I don’t really have a set player who I really model my game off.

Q: How has the Suns Academy helped your development?

A: They’ve been really good with obviously getting to train with the AFL, and the coaches are really supportive, just all the boys and everyone around the Suns are really good.

Q: AFL club supported?

A: The Suns.
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Q&A​

JAKE ROGERS​

Q: How has preseason been?

A: It’s been really good. I got the opportunity to train with the AFL Suns for two months over their preseason. I got great learnings out of that and feel like I took a lot out of it. So preseason’s gone pretty well.

Q: What’s your best position?

A: Probably the midfield to half-forward role. I’ve played a bit of that, switching in and out of those roles.

Q: What are your strengths?

A: My speed and agility, then also my decision making and my ground balls.

Q: Is there anything you’re looking to improve on?

A: I’ve been working on my ability to cover the ground and my fitness over the preseason, so I think that’s probably my main improvement area.

Q: Do you have any goals set up for 2023?

A: It’s probably a clichéd one, but to play consistent footy and also to play at the highest level I can and have a good year.

Q: How has being part of the AFL Academy been?

A: We’ve had one camp now and we had plenty of Zoom calls, but it’s been really good, a great opportunity. All the boys are good down there, ‘Tarks’ (coach, Tarkyn Lockyer) is really good so yeah, it’s been good fun already.

Q: How has your bottom-age season set you up for your top-age campaign?

A: I think I had a good 17s year, that sort of prepped me for this year and taught me what it takes to play at the highest level. So I think playing the Futures and Allies games at the highest level has really got me going into this year really confident of what I can do.

Q: Do you have any mentors or players you mould your game on?

A: A few from the Suns sort of took me under their wing. Noah Anderson was big, and Sam Flanders. They showed me the ropes when I was doing a preseason there. I probably try model my game off players like Shai Bolton and Kozzie Pickett, the short and agile players that can make an impact on the game.

Q: How has the Suns Academy helped your development?

A: I feel like it’s given us really good opportunities to train with the AFL team, just opportunity really. You get great learnings and make great friendships so it’s been really good.

Q: AFL club supported?

A: I’ve always been a Pies supporter
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Another U18 academy training session took place tonight. A few observations that might be worth sharing. We'll start with Walter. I know it's been said before but he really is considerably bigger than most players his age. From a skills point of view, he was running some nice leads and protecting the drop zone well, to the point that he was often taking chest marks on the lead. In fact, it looked a lot like Hawkins on the lead and his massive upper body combined with his short burst speed allowed him to easily beat his opponent to the ball to take chest marks.

The thing that stood out with Rogers was his speed/agility and his nifty ball-in-hand skills. Can see why he's been compared to a young Zorko because although he's a bit shorter than your average mid, he really makes up for the lack of height with his speed and hand skills. Read is tall and skinny at this stage but his below the knees skills were on display today. Definitely rare to see someone over 200cm doing that below their knees. Overall very impressed with all three for different reasons.

Lombard was on the sidelines again mostly doing sprint drills as well as a few handballing drills. Really looked like he wanted to be out there with the others. I'll add that Lombard is already very developed and athletic. You wouldn't think he was a bottom ager just by looking at him.

The Kings Ransom said:
Do we have any official measurements for Read? Looks like 200?
Would love him to get to 205. Keep growing young man!
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Doesn't appear to be anything official yet but it's been reported in the past that he's over 200cm.
 
GC2015 said:
We'll start with Walter. From a skills point of view, he was running some nice leads and protecting the drop zone well, to the point that he was often taking chest marks on the lead. In fact, it looked a lot like Hawkins on the lead and his massive upper body combined with his short burst speed allowed him to easily beat his opponent to the ball to take chest marks.

The thing that stood out with Rogers was his speed/acceleration and his nifty ball-in-hand skills. Can see why he's been compared to a young Zorko because although he's a bit shorter than your average mid, he really makes up for the lack of height with his speed and hand skills. Read is tall and skinny at this stage but his below the knees skills were on display today. Definitely rare to see someone over 200cm doing that below their knees. Overall very impressed with all three for different reasons.

Lombard was on the sidelines again mostly doing sprint drills as well as a few handballing drills. Really looked like he wanted to be out there with the others. I'll add that Lombard is already very developed and athletic. You wouldn't think he was a bottom ager just by looking at him.
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I could read academy training session updates all day and never grow tired.

I thought Lombard was about the same height and weight as Rogers, or am I mistaken?
 
Brad Jordan said:
I could read academy training session updates all day and never grow tired.

I thought Lombard was about the same height and weight as Rogers, or am I mistaken?
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Although they never stood next to each other, I would say Rogers and Lombard are about the same height. Around the 175cm mark. Lombard's father (UFC Fighter Hector Lombard) is only 175cm tall himself so I don't think Lombard Jr is going to grow much more than his current height. It's not a big deal because we've seen plenty of players who are sub 180cm make it to the big league (and dominate like 177cm Lachie Neale) but generally the ones who are over 180cm seem to have a better shot at getting drafted. Having said that, if you have the talent then it probably doesn't really matter how tall you are and these two appear to be in that category.
 
GC2015 said:
Read is tall and skinny at this stage but his below the knees skills were on display today. Definitely rare to see someone over 200cm doing that below their knees. Overall very impressed with all three for different reasons.


Doesn't appear to be anything official yet but it's been reported in the past that he's over 200cm.
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You got any inside info StreetBob2013 ?
 

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briztoon said:
hahahahahaha I love how you tagged someone who had 0 posts when you tagged them.

Nothing to see here folks.
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We’ll I don’t really know but figure it’s unlikely that your first 2 actions on bigfooty would be liking posts about a certain gc academy player unless there was some connection.

they don’t have to comment if they don’t want to.
 
Anyone heading to Austworld Oval tomorrow morning (10:30am) to watch our academy boys take on Brisbane? I don't believe this one is being streamed unfortunately.
 
GC2015 said:
Anyone heading to Austworld Oval tomorrow morning (10:30am) to watch our academy boys take on Brisbane? I don't believe this one is being streamed unfortunately.
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Yep, I’ll be there.

5 x 20 minute game. “A” team playing first 3, second team playing last 2 apparently.
 
SUN OF A GUN said:
Yep, I’ll be there.

5 x 20 minute game. “A” team playing first 3, second team playing last 2 apparently.
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Awesome mate. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it but I'd really appreciate some updates from yourself or anyone else that goes if I don't make it. Can't wait to find out how they go, particularly the big 3. They've been looking really good in the training sessions I've seen.
 
SUN OF A GUN said:
Yep, I’ll be there.

5 x 20 minute game. “A” team playing first 3, second team playing last 2 apparently.
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If it’s possible, wouldn’t mind an update on who you reckon the top Lions performers are from a draft perspective. Not asking for anything detailed, just if anyone stands out.
 
Good hit out for our U18’s, comfortably beating the Lions this morning in hot and humid conditions, with not much of a breeze.
“A” team played 3 x 20 mins, then 2 x 20 mins for the fringe players.
Was too far away from the scoreboard to quote the exact score, but Suns kicked 8 in the first 3 quarters to the Lions 4. Suns should have kicked at least 2-3 more from set shots, with probably around 8-9 behinds.

First quarter was tight, but the Suns speed on the ball slowly overwhelmed the Lions as the game wore on. A number of times Read tapped down to Rogers, Lake, Eckersley and co, who burst out of the midfield and speared the ball straight onto a leading forward’s chest. The Lion’s didn’t seem to have an answer, but battled on bravely.

Jake Rogers is the REAL deal. He had his own pill through the middle and racked up possessions with ease. Reminds me a lot of Touk. Hit his targets by hand and foot and shook off would be tacklers with ease. Laid a number of big tackles on larger opponents and kicked a nice goal when he floated forward. Absolute standout BOG for mine.

Walter had a quiet outing only slotting a behind or two. Crashed a number of packs and is definitely a physically imposing presence. However, the pairing of Walter and Dawson in the forward line looks potent, with Dawson kicking 2 majors and clunking 5 or 6 marks inside 50. He probably should have finished with 3-4. Looks like we have the crash and bash Casboult type KPF in Walter and the agile leading KPF in Dawson. Joe Kennedy (Matthew Kennedy’s son) popped up for 3 goals, crumbing well off Dawson and Walter.

Read was strong in the ruck, and was only chopped out by Dawson for maybe 5 mins a quarter. He is agile and has a great tank for his height, but needs to put on serious weight to transition to the top level. Looks to be easily over 200cm. Can see him sitting behind Moyle and honing his craft while his body matures.

Our backline lacked a bit of height with Zanker-Close out injured. The Lion’s had two tall KPF’s and the plan seemed to be to bomb it in to them. Worked once or twice, but the backline generally held up well. There is no real tall timber (over 195cm) back there, which may be an issue going forward.

U16’s Addinsall and Uwland (brother of Bodhi) both showed they were comfortable at this level. Addinsall was good out of the midfield and Uwland was composed coming out of defence. Murray played in the forward line, but looked a bit lost. Got in the way of the KPF’s a few times and failed to hit the scoreboard. They may be looking for a spot to play him, as he has been pushed out of the mids at this level.

The quality dropped markedly once the “A” teams came off after 3 quarters, but the Suns were well on top in that contest too.

All in all, a solid start to the U18 season. With the likes of Lombard and Zanker-Close yet to return, and the possible inclusions of Nancarrow and Everett, this team will be extremely competitive in the Northern Academies Series and Coates Hire Talent League this season.

GC Goals: Kennedy 3, Dawson 2, Rogers, Gulbin, Number 3. (Sorry, no team sheet)
 
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Academy: Gold Coast SUNS Gun Factory

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