News Josh Lai - Line breaking Victorian speedster has medical and trains with Power with a view to SSP spot

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"
Port Adelaide AFL recruiters Geoff Parker and Brett Anderson went to the Southern league Division 1 game between Cheltenham and Bentleigh this year not to scout, but to take in a day of local football.
Anderson is a Cheltenham life member and his family has strong ties to the club.
As he and Parker watched the match, their eyes were often drawn to the Chelt player in the No. 41 jumper on the wing, the strongly-built Lai."
 
Enviable Tradition said:

"
Port Adelaide AFL recruiters Geoff Parker and Brett Anderson went to the Southern league Division 1 game between Cheltenham and Bentleigh this year not to scout, but to take in a day of local football.
Anderson is a Cheltenham life member and his family has strong ties to the club.
As he and Parker watched the match, their eyes were often drawn to the Chelt player in the No. 41 jumper on the wing, the strongly-built Lai."
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That's a fascinating story.

The Lai brothers were born in Singapore, raised in Beijing and came to Australia in 2012.

I even learned Brett Anderson is a former editor of Inside Football and now one of our recruiters (others might have known that, but I didn't)

And when they went to watch him in the grand final they brought Robbie Gray with them.
 

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Ford Fairlane said:
That's a fascinating story.

The Lai brothers were born in Singapore, raised in Beijing and came to Australia in 2012.

I even learned Brett Anderson is a former editor of Inside Football and now one of our recruiters (others might have known that, but I didn't)

And when they went to watch him in the grand final they brought Robbie Gray with them.
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Could have been part of our China strategy if playing in China was still a thing.

Yes Brett Anderson was the main author of the annual Draft Review special edition Inside Football put out at the start of November until about 2018, when the club drafted him into our Victorian recruiting team. The draft review grew year by year and the last one I have is 16 pages. I used to take quotes from coaches and footy ops guys at the players' clubs in that review and put them into the threads of the new players we had just drafted.
 
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Ever since this thread was started, I see Victorian speedster and think what about Queenslander speedster Gout Gout, and can he kick a footy? He is a line breaker!
 
I remember thinking Johann Wagner was quick unfortunately all he ever did was quickly run away from the ball and contact.
 
Nice that Josh could join Jack, Jack, Jack, Jacob. Joe, Joe and Jez in coming to the club this year. But this of course will only be possible if Jack is overlooked for the SSP spot and he like Jez tries his luck in the SANFL side.
 
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Powerade 08 said:
Wade Thompson replacement
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Does anybody have any details on the Fertiliser article about this secret scouting mission. I'm in Melbourne and don't get the paper
 

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Power freak 2008 said:
Does anybody have any details on the Fertiliser article about this secret scouting mission. I'm in Melbourne and don't get the paper
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Power freak 2008 said:
Does anybody have any details on the Fertiliser article about this secret scouting mission. I'm in Melbourne and don't get the paper
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Anderson and Parker went to the Southern league to watch a match just for enjoyment. They spotted the young player who had 30 touches and by halfway through the match realised they were watching a very special player. The match
they watched was not filmed so there is no footage. They kept their interest quiet as did his coach.
They started tracking him and along with Robbie went to watch him in the GF.
Richmond also showed some interest.
 
RussellEbertHandball said:
Not sure what you mean by left field, but Geelong are good at picking 23 year old types from state leagues or strong local leagues who are smart solid footballers.

Blicavs is the only real "gamble" they have taken on a non footballer. As I wrote in the Moss thread recently, he was taken in 2011 and if he was taken in 2012, he would have been taken as a category B. Since 2012 introduction to category B, I reckon only the Irish guys and Mason Cox have succeeded as Cat B rookies.

Plenty of good NGA players have been taken via the draft and matching bids, but I can't think of an NGA kid taken as a Cat B who has come on and been a very good player ie plays 15 to 20 games a year, year in year out.

So looking at their history post their 2011 flag and the introduction of Category B in 2012 these are some of their gets.

Sam Menagola was taken as a 23 year old from the WAFL and so was 23 year old Tim Kelly. Tom Stewart was taken as a 23 year old from a strong Geelong league. Tom Atkins 23 year old from Geelong's VFL side. Brad Close 21 was picked up from Glenelg.

Then the one that stands out like dog's balls at the moment, because he towelled us up in the QF is 26 year old Shaun Mannagh but he has only played 12 games so far. Lawson Humphries was 20 and picked up from WAFL and he had a brilliant first half against us in the QF and pretty decent PF but he is only 11 games into his career.

They took Darcy Fort as a 25 year old from Centrals, he didn't work out for them but he did for Brisbane and has a Premiership medal. But he did play for the Geelong Falcons U/18 team so they would have studied him closely as a junior.

They have had their failures as well. Probably more mature aged picks have failed than have have succeeded. Their drafting has been solid, but their trading has been outstanding.
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All of Stewart, Kelly & Blicavs were outstanding selections. Picking up Stengle for a bag of chips was a masterstroke as well.

Can’t stand the Cats, but hard not to like what they have achieved in the AFL area.
 
Sewer de Lance said:
All of Stewart, Kelly & Blicavs were outstanding selections. Picking up Stengle for a bag of chips was a masterstroke as well.

Can’t stand the Cats, but hard not to like what they have achieved in the AFL area.
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Stephen Wells quit playing footy at 24 and joined their recruiting team at end of 1984 in a part time role, and became head recruiter in 1995. So you have had one guy driving things for 30 years and been doing recruiting for 40 years. That means you have a very consistent philosophy on who to recruit, and where to look for the bargains.
 
Portwon said:
Interesting. Open tryouts next or we wait for the next Wayne Johnson (I think it was?) to walk in off the street and ask for a kick.

Don't mind it as an abstract concept. Although most in the non higher leagues do so for a variety of reasons (talent, time attitude) have always thought there might be hidden gems out there that a great eye would spot that just need the right environment, push or chance to shine.

Will see how it works in practice.

Good luck to the flash.
Click to expand...
Paul Meldrum

On SM-G965F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

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News Josh Lai - Line breaking Victorian speedster has medical and trains with Power with a view to SSP spot

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