Academy: Gold Coast SUNS Gun Factory

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Think about it.
If Kalani picks Melbourne, one less draft headache to deal with.

Potentially, should this happen, he could either stay with the Dees or request a trade to the SUNS.

That's for another time.
 
It'll come down to a few factors.

1. Where he feels he'll play his best footy
2. Does he want to move away from home
3. Where he feels he'll fit in the most.

Time will tell. But it's a decision not too disimilar to Blakey.
It is similar to Blakey. Jeff White even worked for us, like Blakey's father with the Swans.

Kalani is allegedly 204cm now and likely still growing so I think it's fair to assume he's going to end up in the ruck. So you've got two ageing first choice rucks at both clubs in Witts and Gawn turning 33 over the next few months. IMO Witts looks closer to retirement than Gawn, but obviously that could change at any moment if injuries are introduced. So what about the back up rucks that he'd be competing with? The Dees just signed Campbell as a free agent and have Fullarton as their third string ruck. We have Moyle and Knobel. I think you could make the argument either way as to where he would most likely succeed.
Think about it.
If Kalani picks Melbourne, one less draft headache to deal with.

Potentially, should this happen, he could either stay with the Dees or request a trade to the SUNS.

That's for another time.
I don't think it's really a headache anymore since the AFL changed the rules to unlimited matching of bids on academy/father-son players. We just need points and we've already acquired plenty for next year.

One thing that is really obvious since Dimma joined the club is that he's trying really hard to recruit/retain players that have connections to the Gold Coast. Kalani falls into that category.
 
It'll come down to a few factors.

1. Where he feels he'll play his best footy
2. Does he want to move away from home
3. Where he feels he'll fit in the most.

Time will tell. But it's a decision not too disimilar to Blakey.
Melbourne will need a KPD to replace May and Lever over the next few years. Definitely a spot there if he's good enough. Suns will have at least one and probably two of Ballard/Andrew/Read in defence. All are young.

IMO given the Suns drafted a KPD this year they don't expect to get him (or possibly think he's good enough).
 

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Melbourne will need a KPD to replace May and Lever over the next few years. Definitely a spot there if he's good enough. Suns will have at least one and probably two of Ballard/Andrew/Read in defence. All are young.

IMO given the Suns drafted a KPD this year they don't expect to get him (or possibly think he's good enough).
Yeah, they prob need a young KPD coming through than the suns do. But you need to see who the successor of Collins would be. And you need multiple prospects vying for roles.
 


So potentially up to 11 draft-worthy players next year, including 2 who are F/S. 6 in the AFLW and 5 in the AFL. Just incredible talent coming through.

The revamped academy really doesn’t get the plaudits it deserves as a budding footy factory, taking the “unfair outcomes” out of the conversation. Non-footy heartland with these results year-in, year-out would’ve been beyond the AFL’s wildest predictions 10 years ago. POTENTIALLY back-to-back top 2 picks in the women’s as well. Yet you won’t hear a peep of positivity about the program itself. Surely Shaw and some of the coaches running it would be in hot demand to take on development roles at AFL clubs?

Just need to take advantage of it on the field now and actually win some games.
 


So potentially up to 11 draft-worthy players next year, including 2 who are F/S. 6 in the AFLW and 5 in the AFL. Just incredible talent coming through.

The revamped academy really doesn’t get the plaudits it deserves as a budding footy factory, taking the “unfair outcomes” out of the conversation. Non-footy heartland with these results year-in, year-out would’ve been beyond the AFL’s wildest predictions 10 years ago. POTENTIALLY back-to-back top 2 picks in the women’s as well. Yet you won’t hear a peep of positivity about the program itself. Surely Shaw and some of the coaches running it would be in hot demand to take on development roles at AFL clubs?

Just need to take advantage of it on the field now and actually win some games.

Unreal. There's no doubt that we're going to lose some of them, but keeping the best ones should take us to where we want to be. Ava Usher and Georja Davies are the real standouts from my understanding so they will likely be prioritised. Beyond that is probably anyone's guess.
 
Unreal. There's no doubt that we're going to lose some of them, but keeping the best ones should take us to where we want to be. Ava Usher and Georja Davies are the real standouts from my understanding so they will likely be prioritised. Beyond that is probably anyone's guess.
Article rates Baron top 5.
 


So potentially up to 11 draft-worthy players next year, including 2 who are F/S. 6 in the AFLW and 5 in the AFL. Just incredible talent coming through.

The revamped academy really doesn’t get the plaudits it deserves as a budding footy factory, taking the “unfair outcomes” out of the conversation. Non-footy heartland with these results year-in, year-out would’ve been beyond the AFL’s wildest predictions 10 years ago. POTENTIALLY back-to-back top 2 picks in the women’s as well. Yet you won’t hear a peep of positivity about the program itself. Surely Shaw and some of the coaches running it would be in hot demand to take on development roles at AFL clubs?

Just need to take advantage of it on the field now and actually win some games.


I wonder where the gold coast sits in terms of the best footy production location in Australia now, per capita (and taking into account how high players are being picked)? It would have to now be top or close to. I know the riverina was the number 1 previously, but it's an outstanding achievement.
 
I wonder where the gold coast sits in terms of the best footy production location in Australia now, per capita (and taking into account how high players are being picked)? It would have to now be top or close to. I know the riverina was the number 1 previously, but it's an outstanding achievement.
Worth listening to Shaw from 42min or so below.

"It's a beast". 8 teams under 8 at Broadbeach.

 
Worth listening to Shaw from 42min or so below.

"It's a beast". 8 teams under 8 at Broadbeach.


That's a great insight from Shaw. It's unreal to see the growth in junior footy participants on the Gold Coast. Broadbeach + Burleigh really seem to be leading the charge and would be the envy of just about any local club in the country by having (according to Shaw) a whopping eight U8 teams and 90 kids playing in the U13s!

He also mentioned that his son Louis played U8s at Broady this year and Jason Cloke's son Harry is played U13s at the Cats. Although they both have famous Collingwood surnames, neither of them played 100 AFL games for the Pies and that probably bodes really well for us in terms of drafting them should they be good enough in the future. Although we will have to compete with the Swans for Shaw's sons and Malceski's son who is one year older in the cohort with Kai Rischitelli (hopefully our first ever F/S pick).

So get ready for more Kalani White situations in the future - including twins Kai & Tahj White who will play for our U14 academy team next year. Lots of father-sons (for other clubs) running around in our academy teams.
 

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Worth listening to Shaw from 42min or so below.

"It's a beast". 8 teams under 8 at Broadbeach.



That sounds superb if true, but two things, do they even play under 8's footy, isn't it just auskick at that age?

Also, how could you have 8 teams, how do the kids all get to play, as I'd imagine at that age there are only one or two divisions, if at all?
 
That sounds superb if true, but two things, do they even play under 8's footy, isn't it just auskick at that age?

Also, how could you have 8 teams, how do the kids all get to play, as I'd imagine at that age there are only one or two divisions, if at all?
So the local U8s competition is broken into three divisions - GC North, GC Central and GC South. Broadbeach has multiple teams in all of those divisions. Geographically possible for them given they are based in the central suburbs.

As for the number of players, I think they have less players and play on a smaller field at that age. Possibly even 9 v 9 (AFL 9s).
 

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Academy: Gold Coast SUNS Gun Factory

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