Academy Watch

[Nunez]

I’d argue Fletcher’s success has a lot more to do with his father’s training than what he received from the academy.

Very much a father son selection.

I don't disagree, but he was very engaged in the academy. Definitely helped fast track him to become a best 22 player in his first year.

 

[GC2015]

I'm sure the club still wants discounted access to great talent, they're just not doing what's necessary to make it happen like the Suns are. And Miller1971 and Thommo 42 have detailed many of the problems with how we do things.

Although...

The end of the academy system will come when they're producing so much good talent each year that the AFL finally agrees with the other 14 clubs that it's too big an advantage. 2-3 draftable prospects a season isn't going to trigger that. 8 will. Maybe that entered into the Lions' thinking on academy funding?

The problem with this theory is that even one northern club academy pumping out both quantity and quality of talent each year will be enough to kill it for all of them, and the Suns will reach that stage long before we're within cooee of it.

You're right. Too much success will definitely result in less access. Maybe what's happening right now isn't all that bad.

 

[Thommo 42]

Right now, the Lions don't really need it FOR THE LIONS.

However, the mandate of the academy is more than just producing draft picks for the Lions to get priority access, its to improve the standard of the local competition, and also to get more kids into the AFL system, whether playing at the Lions or not.

Samson Ryan Noah Cumberland, Oskar Baker

13

Oskar Baker

Age

26

Ht

184cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.8

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.7

4star

CL

1.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

16.0

4star

K

10.8

4star

HB

5.2

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

2.0

4star

CL

1.2

4star

, Will Martyn and a few others overlooked by the Lions have made their way into the system, but while the Lions are so strong right now, its a hard list to get onto and not much turnover either.

I question whether they are doing their bit to push the best QLD kids into the system elsewhere, and I wouldn't blame them if they weren't - its a competitive environment and why would they want competing clubs to get better players?

However, I reckon this year there will be several kids undrafted out of Lions academy, and possibly next year also - and all of them are good enough in my view - but they haven't had enough exposure, so if the Lions don't want them, they will be left at the altar. They were a very good u18 side this year, and out of the actual playing team, Gallop looks like he might be only one picked up.