Academy Watch

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nWo said:
I’m flabbergasted at some of those over ages and staggered at the omission of some over ages
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I mean, it's very an imperfect science (or should that be "art") and the Academy staff probably need to tick off a broad range of criteria that people in club land or draft aficionados are probably never going to agree with entirely.

5-10 years ago the criticism was that they weren't casting their net wide enough. Well, that was one of my criticisms anyway. Now they're casting their net wider but still getting criticised.

They've been criticised for abandoning kids once they miss out in their draft year, now they're taking more kids into their overage year. Again, the criticism comes.

I think constructive criticism is warranted and useful, but I've always thought many of those in QAFL club land will take any opportunity to sink the boot in. And I think if you're willing to criticise them for who they're missing out, you should be willing to put your money where your mouth is and state who you think is getting a raw deal and why.

I will say, despite all that, I very much appreciate those who are more connected with local footy sharing what they do.
 
Miller1971 said:
Tanks is 18 next year, but there are a ton of over agers in that list.

60 kids is massive over kill, just wasting people's time and they will hold onto them until April and they lose connection with club footy.

Given the glaring omissions as well, will be hard to re-integrate into clubland when these young players through no fault of their own come back feeling superior to those that weren't in the academy, but are far superior players!

I'd almost guarantee the top place getters in the Colts B&F of say the top 3-4 Brisbane clubs won't have any representation in academy footy. Something is broken!
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Pretty hard to be critical of an organisation with both Premiership cups on the table.

Don't think there are any real glaring omissions, sure there are heaps of strange decisions, but the best ~30 are there and really the rest don't really matter that much.

If you've missed out, you've been saved 3+ months of misery, no feedback, mates looking after mates, training all over SEQ as much as 3 times a week only to be cut on the eve of club footy (when you've probably known you're getting cut for at least 2 of those months, but gone along anyway).

It truly is the mcdonalds special sauce and KFC mystery herbs and spices on how it's all done.

Clubs were asked for a list of names, those were submitted. Kids invited to a single one off training session and a single game, and then invites came from that.

You'd think a body of work over a season, rather than one game might be more important, but really don't know. We have boys from our u15s in there who couldn't get a kick in 17s, let alone QAFL Colts, and multiple Colts lads who had sensational seasons and absolutely dominated youth footy on the rare occasion they went back who missed out. Even more random that some of the ones that missed out did actually play well in the one off game so got overlooked.

However, no glaring omissions from what you'd suggest is the likely sort of top 30.

Two I think are very unlucky are Ben Morison from Morningside. A bottom age u17 player who played Senior QAFL footy this year, and was one of the best in the Colts GF, in fact I'd have him BOG to half time. Played pretty well in the 'trial game'.

Another lad Jarvis Warr from Sherwood, he played Colts and u17s this year. He was a level above u17s, had 30 and kicked 3+ every time he went back, and was a solid Colts player. Also played well in the 'trial' kicking 2 long bomb goals on the run from outside 50.

However neither of these lads I think would threaten the playing 22, but are better comfortably than 20 others that are there.

Think it's just the lack of respect for club footy and coaches, and the internal issues it can cause when kids not up to it come back expecting the red carpet, when there are 20 in clubland that have always been better, but were mysteriously dudded.

Like a 16 year old playing seniors in the QAFL, can obviously play, but let's grab the 16 year old dining around in the u15.5 comp instead ust to confused everyone....😅

If I'm being honest, I reckon my own kid is a bit stiff - but I suspect that's more to do do with me than him, and while he is down about it, I reckon a senior pre-season will be far more beneficial and if I was picking the final 25 I wouldn't have him in, so don't mind if he's in the top 50 or top 1000 as only the top 25 matter.
 
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Thommo 42 said:
Pretty hard to be critical of an organisation with both Premiership cups on the table.

Don't think there are any real glaring omissions, sure there are heaps of strange decisions, but the best ~30 are there and really the rest don't really matter that much.

If you've missed out, you've been saved 3+ months of misery, no feedback, mates looking after mates, training all over SEQ as much as 3 times a week only to be cut on the eve of club footy (when you've probably known you're getting cut for at least 2 of those months, but gone along anyway).

It truly is the mcdonalds special sauce and KFC mystery herbs and spices on how it's all done.

Clubs were asked for a list of names, those were submitted. Kids invited to a single one off training session and a single game, and then invites came from that.

You'd think a body of work over a season, rather than one game might be more important, but really don't know. We have boys from our u15s in there who couldn't get a kick in 17s, let alone QAFL Colts, and multiple Colts lads who had sensational seasons and absolutely dominated youth footy on the rare occasion they went back who missed out. Even more random that some of the ones that missed out did actually play well in the one off game so got overlooked.

However, no glaring omissions from what you'd suggest is the likely sort of top 30.

Two I think are very unlucky are Ben Morison from Morningside. A bottom age u17 player who played Senior QAFL footy this year, and was one of the best in the Colts GF, in fact I'd have him BOG to half time. Played pretty well in the 'trial game'.

Another lad Jarvis Warr from Sherwood, he played Colts and u17s this year. He was a level above u17s, had 30 and kicked 3+ every time he went back, and was a solid Colts player. Also played well in the 'trial' kicking 2 long bomb goals on the run from outside 50.

However neither of these lads I think would threaten the playing 22, but are better comfortably than 20 others that are there.

Think it's just the lack of respect for club footy and coaches, and the internal issues it can cause when kids not up to it come back expecting the red carpet, when there are 20 in clubland that have always been better, but were mysteriously dudded.

Like a 16 year old playing seniors in the QAFL, can obviously play, but let's grab the 16 year old dining around in the u15.5 comp instead ust to confused everyone....😅

If I'm being honest, I reckon my own kid is a bit stiff - but I suspect that's more to do do with me than him, and while he is down about it, I reckon a senior pre-season will be far more beneficial and if I was picking the final 25 I wouldn't have him in, so don't mind if he's in the top 50 or top 1000 as only the top 25 matter.
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My grandson played with Ben Morrison and was coached by my son at Yeronga Devils a couple of seasons ago, Ben looked like a man against boys in that Div 1 competition for the most part.

To my eye he had heaps of potential but lacked the fitness required and nuance by foot, (lovely long kick on him but just thumped it long most of the time) to jump up to elite junior/potential AFL draftable level... has he improved in those areas?
 

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Thommo 42 said:
Clubs were asked for a list of names, those were submitted. Kids invited to a single one off training session and a single game, and then invites came from that.

You'd think a body of work over a season, rather than one game might be more important, but really don't know. We have boys from our u15s in there who couldn't get a kick in 17s, let alone QAFL Colts, and multiple Colts lads who had sensational seasons and absolutely dominated youth footy on the rare occasion they went back who missed out. Even more random that some of the ones that missed out did actually play well in the one off game so got overlooked.
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The line from Luke Curran used to be "you don't know what we're looking for". I honestly don't know what they're looking for as I've had family members overlloked also. They would have been borderline too but definitely had some dratable traits. Would it be the worst thing to at the least let the clubs know what those criteria are, or would that invite more quierying and campaigning than they probably already get?
 
Easy line to give, but really only relevant to the top 10 or so.

One of the biggest issues is that 60 kids now think they're getting drafted, when 3-4 max will be and the other 50+ are witches hats.

If you are going to bring witches hats, at least make it performance/merit based, especially considering they have now hijacked all representative footy, so if you ever want to wear the QLD jumper outside the school stuff or be rewarded for performance, there is only one place that can happen.

Above poster about young Morrison from Yeronga/Moringside is spot on, he does have some limitations. But based on merit and performance, he should be there. Isn't it a development program? Isn't fitness the easiest thing to work on? I watched that kid in the Colts GF and his kicking is perfectly fine, on both side of the body.

If you're 16, and playing Senior footy for the QAFL Premiership side - then you're going ok. Meanwhile kids playing u15s getting picked ahead of you. As tommo said, how disrespectful can you be towards club footy?

If you want a list of kids who should be there, I have a few for you.

Jake Howson - 10 x Colts games for 27 goals and 3 x QAFL Seniro games for Aspley for 4 goals. Seriously good player, overlooked again. (Aspley need someone to push for him like they had to for Harris Andrews...) - for me, I disagree with the above, this kid is undoubtedly in the mix for best 22, more like Best 10.

Ethan Myers - 10 x QAFL Senior games for Aspley, still an u17 eligible player.

Tom Levi - bottom ager, alleged to have a bad attitude, so black balled for life..? Amazing talent, elite ball user.

Harry Caspers - bottom ager from Noosa, I watched the trial game live. He would have had 30+ disposals, why invite him and then ignore how he goes?

Cooper Mataia - Grange ruck/forward. Low footy IQ, but as far as potential goes, he is right up there if in the roght program

Hayden Hall - Grange - think he won the QAFL colts goalkicking, great contested mark and hits the scoreboard.

Cooper Stone - hard running mid small forward from Sherwood, also played senior footy in 2024 as an u17 eligible player

Harry Thompson - only 15 year old in the QAFL Colts competition (17 games) is as tough as they come, tackles like a machine, uses it well and would be the quickest kid in the program

Jervis War - I'd never seen this kid in my life, but as above - he kicked 2 of the most elite long left foot running goals from well beyond 50m in the 'trial' game that even if he didn't touch it again, you would pick him from those alone!

Tyan Prindable - been somewhat out of site as a elite inside mid playing seniors for Coorparoo, will be the surprise packet of the QAFL next year, dominates around stoppage. Do yourself a favour and watch the live stream of the 2 x school cup finals from the weekend, he was the best player at the carnival other than Murray from Palm Beach

Thomas Waters - son of former Bear Matt Waters - and plays like his old man, tough and skilful. u17 eligible kid playing Colts at Grange all year and one of their best.

Ben Morrison - as discussed above


From the above, I would say Howson, Myers, Caspers, Hall, Stone and Prindable would be pushing the best 22 without a shadow of a doubt. The others unlucky, but only because they have name so many.

I don't know how old some of these kids are either, but you can generally work it out from their playing history. Doesn't seem to matter either when you look at the squad!
 

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