AFL allocates Zones to Victorian Teams

[FlowersByIrene]

It's like the AFL keeps thinking.. how else can we help Hawthorn out??

 

[RUNVS]

The video of the announcement seems to to an emphasis on "players from non-English speaking families". I would imagine that would rule out most of the ethnically diverse types like "Jobe Watson" and others from your list...

But Travis Cloke would be in.

 

[replicant]

What about an English passport? American? New Zealand?

Yeah, why not? Seems up to the usual AFL standard, so seems legit

 

[Hollow Knight]

If it is restricted to kids who are unquestionably "outside" the system i.e. exclusively playing club sports other than Aussie Rules (rugby, soccer, basketball, athletics) prior to trying out for an academy then I think it's a great initiative and fantastic for the game.

Otherwise it's a massive, massive rort.

 

[pazza]

Love this back to the future move.

 

[master bate]

"youngsters from diverse backgrounds and indigenous heritage"

edit - beaten to it

Pick 1 - Weitering, sounds German, not many German's in the AFL these days. A lot of post war migrants from those days. Better get him in the academy.
Pick 2 - Schache - another German name. Get him in das Academy
Pick 3 - Mills - Sydney Academy
Pick 4 - Clayton Oliver - guess you can draft him
Pick 5 - Darcy Parish. - him as well
Pick 6 - Francis - he can be drafted, but check his South Aussie background, could be German
Pick 7 - Jacob Hopper - GWS academy
Pick 8 - Ah Chee - Indigenous academy
Pick 9 - Weideman - yet another German!
Pick 10 - Harry McKay - draft him
Pick 11 - Milera - Indigenous academy
Pick 12 - Curnow - think he's Mauritian - academy
Pick 13 - Kennedy - GWS academy
Pick 14 - Hipwood - Brisbane academy
Pick 15 - Rioli - Indigenous academy
Pick 16 - Himmelberg - GWS academy
Pick 17 - Doedee - can't say it, can't spell it - academy
Pick 18 - Gresham - Indigenous academy
Pick 19 - Ryan Burton - draft him!

I've taken a bit of a liberty with all the big German fellows but watch and wait for something like this to happen.

 

[RUNVS]

If it is restricted to kids who are demonstrably "outside" the system i.e. exclusively playing club sports other than Aussie Rules (rugby, soccer, basketball, athletics) prior to trying out for an academy then I think it's a great initiative and fantastic for the game.

Otherwise it's a massive, massive rort.

But even that is subjective. Who determined what kids are "outside of the system"

 

[L_W_P]

I'm sure it will be abused.

My cousin is something like 1/128th aboriginal.

If he has kids and lives in the catchment area will they qualify for the Saints?

 

[WCE_phil]

Too easy. West coast will take all indigenous players north of the swan in WA and Freo can take everyone South of it.

 

[RUNVS]

Pick 4 - Clayton Oliver - guess you can draft him

Has red hair which is an even bigger minority than being Aboriginal.

 

[Hollow Knight]

But even that is subjective. Who determined what kids are "outside of the system"

I thought I answered that? :/

 

[master bate]

Has red hair which is an even bigger minority than being Aboriginal.

Too true. He's probably celtic, if that isn't a diverse background then what is? Get him in the academy.

 

[The 747]

Stephen Wells and staff furiously looking at the ethnic criteria and the Calder Cannons list.....

 

[master bate]

If it is restricted to kids who are unquestionably "outside" the system i.e. exclusively playing club sports other than Aussie Rules (rugby, soccer, basketball, athletics) prior to trying out for an academy then I think it's a great initiative and fantastic for the game.

Otherwise it's a massive, massive rort.

At what age though?

Clever dads might keep their kids out of Auskick and under 10's, have them play basketball and soccer in the mean time then have them available to an academy and AFL sponsored junior footy from the age of 12.

So you've got kids who never would play AFL footy like, I don't know, top 5 draft pick Scott Pendlebury and GWS selection Jeremy Cameron in the academy.

Probably a different story if it's at under 16's, but you're still giving a development advantage to certain groups who are doing the wrong thing. Surely we want as many kids getting the highest level of coaching from the youngest age.

 

[Hollow Knight]

At what age though?

Dunno, I didn't write the policy. It's up to the AFL to make this as rort proof as possible.

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

Pick 1 - Weitering, sounds German, not many German's in the AFL these days. A lot of post war migrants from those days. Better get him in the academy.
Pick 2 - Schache - another German name. Get him in das Academy
Pick 3 - Mills - Sydney Academy
Pick 4 - Clayton Oliver - guess you can draft him
Pick 5 - Darcy Parish. - him as well
Pick 6 - Francis - he can be drafted, but check his South Aussie background, could be German
Pick 7 - Jacob Hopper - GWS academy
Pick 8 - Ah Chee - Indigenous academy
Pick 9 - Weideman - yet another German!
Pick 10 - Harry McKay - draft him
Pick 11 - Milera - Indigenous academy
Pick 12 - Curnow - think he's Mauritian - academy
Pick 13 - Kennedy - GWS academy
Pick 14 - Hipwood - Brisbane academy
Pick 15 - Rioli - Indigenous academy
Pick 16 - Himmelberg - GWS academy
Pick 17 - Doedee - can't say it, can't spell it - academy
Pick 18 - Gresham - Indigenous academy
Pick 19 - Ryan Burton - draft him!

I've taken a bit of a liberty with all the big German fellows but watch and wait for something like this to happen.

SA boys go to Power + Crows thanks.

 

[POBT]

But even that is subjective. Who determined what kids are "outside of the system"

Fairly sure they already do that now with Cat B rookies.

 

[Hollow Knight]

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2016-02-03/afl-expands-search-for-talent

Bit more detail from Evans here, mentions a panel that assesses applications by clubs.

 

[Watsclarkosmob]

Can't find any better image of the Indigenous Australian population spread.

Here's a look at the migrant stats of Melbourne, can't locate one for all of Victoria.

 

[Seeds]

Is the AFL really going to determine whether a kid is multicultural enough to qualify? You couldn't make this shit up.

Non English speaking background?
Skin colour?
Funny surname?
Originating from a country we can't pronounce?
One parent or two?

Yep this is bizarre. What about grandparents. Do kids who are homeless count as disadvantaged?

 

[hairy biker]

Increasing participation/creating pathways, in Aussie Rules, for indigenous athletes/people from multi-cultural backgrounds and winning the 'battle' of sports should be an AFL organisational responsibility, rather than an individual club responsibility.

Unfortunately the program that the AFL had in place was run by Jason Mifsud.

Consequently we have the mishmash proposed today.

 

[Seeds]

Fairly sure they already do that now with Cat B rookies.

That's players who have not played a game for three years. Very simple. This will be very different.

 

[replicant]

Dunno, I didn't write the policy. It's up to the AFL to make this as rort proof as possible.

Well, as long as the AFL integrity unit is on the case, we can all sleep soundly

 

[Hollow Knight]

Yep this is bizarre. What about grandparents. Do kids who are homeless count as disadvantaged?

Have to be African, Asian or non-English speaking by the sounds of it. A panel will make assessments on the latter.

 

[sataris]

Have to be African, Asian or non-English speaking by the sounds of it.

Every AFL footballer in every interview ever?