2nds Official Swans Academy Thread (Player News and Discussion)

[Blood red]

There would be a dozen. And I'm not that stupid.

My understanding from families still in and those that have been cut are as confused as each other.
Seems some who get games are rated well below, other's who are highly rated missing games.
Maybe the academy should simply coach, and the NEAFL coach and talent identification team choose, rather then Smith, who doesn't coach them anyway!
Seems some of your ideas about a restructure have merit.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Not one Swans player to Combine.......

Thank you for your thoughts Cynic2019. They are tough to read. In recent months other posters close to junior footy in Sydney and/or the Academy have pretty much echoed your hard nosed observations.

 

[Tesla Tenet]

I feel for C2019, unfortunately I have had enough involvement and relationships with people who have had sons going through the academy and ultimately there is very little positive comments about the system.

Chris SMITH - Outright liar or Snake Oil Salesmen - A player was guaranteed 10-14 NEAFL games and got 3. Played anywhere but his role (Midfielder) and bypassed for others who pissed into Chris's pockets - Currently playing in another state league (reserves) and most possessions for the whole league. I am aware of several similar sad stories and I that I only knew a least then 2% of the players.

Indigenous Players - a possible positive agenda to recruit ONLY NSW indigenous players - e.g Bell. Also the GO Foundation attempted to assist several Northern Academy players but failed. Maybe why not just recruit the best available and keep hoping to develop our (NSW) players.

~10 years for the academy and no-one to the combine in 2019.

It is reasonable to believe that the Academy has totally failed but removing any flair, instinct, individualism, skills, confidence and, enjoyment and only instilling the SWANS way and then affects selection for NSW, Allies, combine invitation (40-50 drones each year). The ALLIES is a joke with the selection panel.

How about coaching/teaching skills, decision making, risk and reward kicking, and allow players to develop and then later teach game style/systems.
What are the SWANS going to do with GULDEN and CAMPBELL, dumb then down and sap all confidence from then (Hayward, Ronke)

Heeney (Freak) would make it in any sports he played.
Mills - Determination - Strong mind - Somewhere years ago I stated that Mills as a more complete (less explosive) Mid then Heeney - we will never know and even if they move him it might be too late.
Blakey - Skillful, speed, a footy player, more complete then both

Unfortunately the rest were lacking various skills to play AFL.

I think C2019 is just about right and it hurts.

I would be very happy for any player from the academy to be recruited by any team, even the Eddies, to show that you can be recruited.

At the moment its only the elite, very good or well above average players DO NOT get a look in and I have seen plenty who should be on lists but they aren't.

 

[Ralphyboy]

I guess that would be max lower eh.


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[Ralphyboy]

Also I don’t think jake brown or Sam Wicks would be called elite or are indigenous.


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Ralphyboy]

Also re James bell, there is no question he has enormous potential. The swans think so, as do Adelaide crows who tried to poach him. (They have another swans academy player in Ben Davis, who happens to be indigenous, and Did not get drafted by the swans). If you saw bells game on the weekend in the neafl you would realise he was recruited for his talent and hard work not the colour of his skin.


On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Cynic2019]

My understanding from families still in and those that have been cut are as confused as each other.
Seems some who get games are rated well below, other's who are highly rated missing games.
Maybe the academy should simply coach, and the NEAFL coach and talent identification team choose, rather then Smith, who doesn't coach them anyway!
Seems some of your ideas about a restructure have merit.

I feel for C2019, unfortunately I have had enough involvement and relationships with people who have had sons going through the academy and ultimately there is very little positive comments about the system.

Chris SMITH - Outright liar or Snake Oil Salesmen - A player was guaranteed 10-14 NEAFL games and got 3. Played anywhere but his role (Midfielder) and bypassed for others who pi**ed into Chris's pockets - Currently playing in another state league (reserves) and most possessions for the whole league. I am aware of several similar sad stories and I that I only knew a least then 2% of the players.

Indigenous Players - a possible positive agenda to recruit ONLY NSW indigenous players - e.g Bell. Also the GO Foundation attempted to assist several Northern Academy players but failed. Maybe why not just recruit the best available and keep hoping to develop our (NSW) players.

~10 years for the academy and no-one to the combine in 2019.

It is reasonable to believe that the Academy has totally failed but removing any flair, instinct, individualism, skills, confidence and, enjoyment and only instilling the SWANS way and then affects selection for NSW, Allies, combine invitation (40-50 drones each year). The ALLIES is a joke with the selection panel.

How about coaching/teaching skills, decision making, risk and reward kicking, and allow players to develop and then later teach game style/systems.
What are the SWANS going to do with GULDEN and CAMPBELL, dumb then down and sap all confidence from then (Hayward, Ronke)

Heeney (Freak) would make it in any sports he played.
Mills - Determination - Strong mind - Somewhere years ago I stated that Mills as a more complete (less explosive) Mid then Heeney - we will never know and even if they move him it might be too late.
Blakey - Skillful, speed, a footy player, more complete then both

Unfortunately the rest were lacking various skills to play AFL.

I think C2019 is just about right and it hurts.

I would be very happy for any player from the academy to be recruited by any team, even the Eddies, to show that you can be recruited.

At the moment its only the elite, very good or well above average players DO NOT get a look in and I have seen plenty who should be on lists but they aren't.

I try to be reasonable in my assessment, I'm also reasonably, close to the action, which can be construed, as then being emotional. Fair enough, I know how much work and sacrifice has gone into these kids. So yes I'm emotional. There is some exceptionally good players in that group.
A couple have natural raw ability, great football bodies, but lack football smarts. They deserve time. They need hours of kicking the football. I know which ones haven't done that work.
Then you have some really natural players, who get played out of position, and get drip feed opportunity. You know they don't make mistakes, they just need a go. There would be half a dozen of those. But they don't suck up to Smith.
A couple who looked on the up, but got sidelined because they went to schoollies last year. You can never prove that, but those kids got moved from the influential positions they played the year previous.
Then there are the certain few that got a rails run and came up short, time and time again. Having watched a 1000 years of football , I can only guess the pressure got to them. That is easily fixed.
Then you know instinctively, the ones that just don't have it. They should be back at club land. That's a 1/3 of the group.
The most evident thing to observe, is the selfishness the group played with. I can't get past this. How it wasnt drummed into them, team play, team play, team play. The fact that the didn't realise they all look better. Crouch should have been slapped senseless for allowing this to fester.
These boys, if they seriously want to chase the dream, need to go to Melbourne. Being top ups for NEAFL has proved nothing more than pizza, a beer and a photo thankyou in the boardroom.
As for Gulden and Campbell, if anyone can stuff them up Crouch can.

 

[SGBeach]

From my understanding, the Academy is hugely important to Swans footy team. It seems extra hard to draft players and keep them due to the go home factor and the extra income opportunities Melbourne can offer. The Swans Footy Club is also a well respected club, not just amongst the AFL but all sporting clubs in Australia. This Club seems to be very professional, intelligent and Loyal.
How can our Academy be in such a state? Surely the club would be making every effort to guarantee its success!
Is there any info on changes that may take place in the future?

 

[Cynic2019]

From my understanding, the Academy is hugely important to Swans footy team. It seems extra hard to draft players and keep them due to the go home factor and the extra income opportunities Melbourne can offer. The Swans Footy Club is also a well respected club, not just amongst the AFL but all sporting clubs in Australia. This Club seems to be very professional, intelligent and Loyal.
How can our Academy be in such a state? Surely the club would be making every effort to guarantee its success!
Is there any info on changes that may take place in the future?

It's not important to the club. It's their version of community service. It's also a refuge to ex-players who may want to get into a coaching gig down the track.
It casts a broad net to grab co-ordinated kids. Builds there skills and gets things moving towards higher standards.
The down side is, kids get hugely inflated egos and parents who have zero idea, thinking little Johnny is the next Buddy.
It's no way near, elite enough and let's too many in. Groups need to promote and relegate regularly. But that would require interaction with club coaches. That's far too lowbrow for the likes of Smith.
We all know kids development, proceeds at different speeds. But if you don't do the work, it's very evident. And it's usually the kids whos fathers are past players and spend endless hours kicking the football that move ahead. The rest are lead along to make up the numbers for training purposes. It's a false economy.
This scenario wrecks junior clubs. Are they are the kids that bring other school mates in. Sydney is a hard market to get kids to play Footy.
The whole of Sydney footy needs root and branch reform.

 

[Ralphyboy]

When my son went through the academy there were also some very very frustrated parents. However I would always think; imagine if young players in melbourne, adelaide or perth could get the sort of access our kids in the academy get. Kids down south are staggered that if you have a bit of talent in sydney you can get training, and access to professional swans people. The fact you can do a senior preseason as an nds is considered incredible down south.

 

[Cynic2019]

When my son went through the academy there were also some very very frustrated parents. However I would always think; imagine if young players in melbourne, adelaide or perth could get the sort of access our kids in the academy get. Kids down south are staggered that if you have a bit of talent in sydney you can get training, and access to professional swans people. The fact you can do a senior preseason as an nds is considered incredible down south.

A kid, I had a lot to do with. Was in the academy and the family left Sydney for Vic. I've no doubt this kid would probably have been cut at benchmark. He's now considered a top 25 pick and is at Combine.
If the group was 40 players. He would have been ranked , between 30-40.
It's that serious !!!!!

 

[Cynic2019]

A kid, I had a lot to do with. Was in the academy and the family left Sydney for Vic. I've no doubt this kid would probably have been cut at benchmark. He's now considered a top 25 pick and is at Combine.
If the group was 40 players. He would have been ranked , between 30-40.
It's that serious !!!!!

BTW, I hope that kid goes on and plays 200 AFL games. He was a great kid, from a great family and I wish him every success.

 

[robbieando]

As per my weekly wrap, no Sydney Academy players among the combine invites. Doesn't mean Sydney don't have their eye on any, it's more a case of there aren't five or more clubs putting up their hand and saying they want to see the testing of anyone specific from Sydney's Academy (past or present).

 

[Blood red]

Also I don’t think jake brown or Sam Wicks would be called elite or are indigenous.


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But both those players came through a class that didn't go too deep.
Well deserved, but no comparison.
This years crew goes 10 to 12 deep.
If only 2 end up on lists, it is not a true indicator or the talent.
8 to 10 should be being considered at different clubs.

 

[Kummerspeck]

Is it a sign of the academy maturing that we're now getting the 'the whole system is corrupt / nepotistic / incompetent / destroying a love of the game' that have been in TAC cup teams for ages?

 

[SGBeach]

Is it a sign of the academy maturing that we're now getting the 'the whole system is corrupt / nepotistic / incompetent / destroying a love of the game' that have been in TAC cup teams for ages?

haha.. hope so.. if its not a sign then maybe the fact that the list goes 10-12 deep is?

 

[Cynic2019]

haha.. hope so.. if its not a sign then maybe the fact that the list goes 10-12 deep is?

Great call. Suppose the fact, that it's near impossible to climb the mountain as it is. Carrying the burden of coming from a non football state is a haversack filled with bricks.

 

[Blood red]

Also re James bell, there is no question he has enormous potential. The swans think so, as do Adelaide crows who tried to poach him. (They have another swans academy player in Ben Davis, who happens to be indigenous, and Did not get drafted by the swans). If you saw bells game on the weekend in the neafl you would realise he was recruited for his talent and hard work not the colour of his skin.


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I totally agree.
He was top of his academy group in skill and work ethic!

 

[Ralphyboy]

Without holding anyone to anything, and accepting it is just personal opinion give us your top 8-10 prospects from this years group in priority order.

 

[Blood red]

Without holding anyone to anything, and accepting it is just personal opinion give us your top 8-10 prospects from this years group in priority order.

I believe that trying to order them isn't helpful.
I believe, for what it's worth, they need to be viewed as positional/player types to make it worthwhile.
With the number of small rebounding defenders and small type mids/fwds they already have, makes it a little more interesting.
I think that Luke Parkes and Sam Thorne would be seen as the 2 who will prob be rookied or picked up late.
Other highly talented:
Fwd..
Ellem/Barling/
Mids.. big inside
Barling/McGrath
Mids.. small outside
Thorne/Swaney
Backs.
Parkes/Rayner/Gedes/Martin
Ruck..
Gaden

I would assume that Ellem may have interest elsewhere too.
But the rest will probably be offered nds spots.

Word on the street is that some may just say no thanks.

 

[SwansProudly]

I believe that trying to order them isn't helpful.
I believe, for what it's worth, they need to be viewed as positional/player types to make it worthwhile.
With the number of small rebounding defenders and small type mids/fwds they already have, makes it a little more interesting.
I think that Luke Parkes and Sam Thorne would be seen as the 2 who will prob be rookied or picked up late.
Other highly talented:
Fwd..
Ellem/Barling/
Mids.. big inside
Barling/McGrath
Mids.. small outside
Thorne/Swaney
Backs.
Parkes/Rayner/Gedes/Martin
Ruck..
At a loss for his name..played an Allies game.

I would assume that Ellem may have interest elsewhere too.
But the rest will probably be offered nds spots.

Word on the street is that some may just say no thanks.

Hearing about the Academy in these posts has made me so sad.
The club is better than this

 

[Nool Carpenna]

Forgive my ignorance Blood red ... what is the “nds”?

 

[Blood red]

Forgive my ignorance Blood red ... what is the “nds”?

The 19s. They are the neafl top ups

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

The 19s. They are the neafl top ups

... like Kilpatrick this year.

 

[Ralphyboy]

Forgive my ignorance Blood red ... what is the “nds”?

The neafl rules allow the four afl clubs to add up to 9 non drafted 19 year olds to their list. They then provide the main top ups. The club can also use cat b and academy rights to draft them if they wish. I think sam wicks was the first to be drafted from the nds, although jake brown might have as well.

I think the rules for kids prior to their draft year training with the club are quite strict, whereas post draft year they can. As a consequence the nds will do a pre season with the seniors.

Is it good to do the nds? There are pros and cons. It can be pretty crap being a top up depending on the nature of the listed players. I think this year there are quite a few first year swans players and so the nds guys have been well included. Of course what happens on tour stays on tour but I think they all had a great time in darwin!

In past years the neafl has had a lot of older players who were fighting for senior spots and their careers and so being an nds wasn't much fun. About 2 years ago some of the listed players were horrible to the top ups. Fortunately they got delisted.

Now the squad is a combo of young guys, and some awesome people like kieran jack. Being able to play with someone like kieran jack is something some of the nds guys will treasure.

The downside of the nds like anything is where a player starts to realise they probably will not get drafted by the swans. That tends to happen about now where some nds don't get picked for neafl and under 17s and 18s start to get a run. This happened last weekend and I saw kinnear beatson at the neafl to check the younger ones out.

I always feel very sad for the young men who have devoted so much time to their passion only to see it not reaching fruition. However if they are really dedicated don't give up. Go to the sanfl like lower, go to the vfl. Fortunately there are multiple pathways.