Saints looking at country leagues for mature rookies?

[The Dr]

Interesting article in our local rag up here re: the Saints possibly looking at Ovens and Murray league players as possible mature-aged recruits.

I realise the O and M is a very strong country league, but surely it's unlikely AFL sides will draft from country competitions.....

http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/l...ilda-targets-country-footballers/1832507.aspx

 

[goodie23]

Talent is talent, no matter where you find it. There may be a late bloomer or two worth picking up in there.

 

[StFly]

Gwilt was picked up where Noble Park? He's worked out well thus far, you scout talent where they are and you make sure you make the right call on if they're viable for what you want, country Vic or country wide comps merely are untapped potential in that regard.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

You could make a new reality show.

"So you think you can be an AFL player"
Players from the normal TAC channels not eligible.


Winner(s) get to go on the Saints list, and the club get some revenue from the show.
Quick get onto it before Eddy Maguire steals the idea.

 

[Plugger35]

I think most clubs will start looking at recruiting more mature age rookies from country and state leagues with GC and GWS coming in and taking most of the best early draft picks.

The success of mature age players like Barlow shows there are quality players around outside the draft. The WAFL has plenty of decent mature age players too that often get overlooked because they are thought to be too old. Clint Jones was one of them, Greg Broughton for Freo is another, both were overlooked by AFL clubs for years but are now quality AFL players. The other advantage is that these players are ready made for AFL and don't take years to develop like kids that are 17 or 18.

If we finish top 4 the next couple of years our chances of picking up talented young kids in the draft will be greatly reduced so going for mature age rookies might be the best way to go.

 

[karmafree]

Don't forget Gary Abblet senior came in from the bush after being shafted by the Hawks

 

[Falchoon]

Andrew Thompson was recruited from Old Melburnians as a 24 year old. He went on to play 200+ games and won a B&F.

 

[Swampfox]

Talent is talent, no matter where you find it. There may be a late bloomer or two worth picking up in there.

No doubt

Some of the greatest players to play the game in fact came from country victoria

 

[Get Him]

Plenty of mature talent in country leagues but the reason 99% of them are still playing in country leagues are as follows:

1. Don't want to leave home
2. Have no training/work ethic
3. Would rather drink piss and bang ****s than train

To play AFL you pretty much have to dedicate yourself to full time training.

Jarryn Geary was the worst of his brothers (skill wise) but they were all piss pots - he had some discipline.

 

[ChrisFooty]

Plenty of mature talent in country leagues but the reason 99% of them are still playing in country leagues are as follows:

1. Don't want to leave home
2. Have no training/work ethic
3. Would rather drink piss and bang ****s than train

To play AFL you pretty much have to dedicate yourself to full time training.

Jarryn Geary was the worst of his brothers (skill wise) but they were all piss pots - he had some discipline.

I'm not sure I would agree 100% with all of those statements.

Recruiting another Barlow or a forward that can mark inside 50m would be nice.

 

[Get Him]

I'm not sure I would agree 100% with all of those statements.

Recruiting another Barlow or a forward that can mark inside 50m would be nice.

Barlow is the 1% and was not exactly in a country league princess.

 

[sainter]

Barlow is the 1% and was not exactly in a country league princess.

And Barlow was recruited from Werribee via where?

 

[bob2]

Plenty of mature talent in country leagues but the reason 99% of them are still playing in country leagues are as follows:

1. Don't want to leave home
2. Have no training/work ethic
3. Would rather drink piss and bang ****s than train

To play AFL you pretty much have to dedicate yourself to full time training.

Jarryn Geary was the worst of his brothers (skill wise) but they were all piss pots - he had some discipline.

not sure you have this right mate do u know the family, most of them dont actually drink or dont drink that much,

the youngest one missed out cos he needs to prove him self one the other missed probs because he wasnt dedicated enough and the other wasnt good enough to play afl but did try other the TAC cup.

 

[Junk Time]

And Barlow was recruited from Werribee via where?

He played in the Country the year before (Shepparton, I think??)

Also, he did a pre-season with St Kilda, so you had him, and let him go!

 

[Junk Time]

Also Silvagni played for you guys too, yeah?

 

[superstar13]

Also Silvagni played for you guys too, yeah?

silvagni played at casey not st kilda was an affilate

 

[Junk Time]

But they would have seen a fair deal of him in the VFL week-in, week-out though? I mean if they are going up the the O&M to find mature talent, they must have been beaten by Freo for his services? I would have thought he would fit in nicely with the Saints backline?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

But they would have seen a fair deal of him in the VFL week-in, week-out though? I mean if they are going up the the O&M to find mature talent, they must have been beaten by Freo for his services? I would have thought he would fit in nicely with the Saints backline?

A few of us wondered about him a couple of years back, and I'm sure the Saints looked at him. ( At least one year before Freo did, so I dont think there was any beating involved ).
The stocks of backmen aren't too bad at StKilda though, and I dont think any mature age rookies are likely to be for this area.

Its always a punt going by VFL form.
Michael Rix was fantastic at VFL. Andrew McQualter and Raphael Clarke but are short of spectacular in the AFL.
Shane Birss was another.
James Gwilt took a long time coming after recruitment from outside the system. Jones has made the best of his opportunity though.

 

[dg102]

Your right about Silvagni, we did see alot of him and I always thought he would be a good AFL player. I was happy when he got picked up by Freo. I think the problem with picking up too many mature rookies is that you miss out on quality youth. Its ok for the clubs with alot of younger players like Fre, North, Richmond. Mind you Balantyne and Barlow are only 23. But if ageing teams like us stock up on 24-25yo's for a couple years, it could criple us in 5-7 years time.

 

[MCG-Unit]

He played in the Country the year before...........

Also, he did a pre-season with St Kilda, so you had him, and let him go!

Yes Barlow did pre-season with the Saints a couple of years ago - I just wish they had seen enough to at least Rookie list him

May have been the same year Rohan Bail joined pre-season as well

 

[sainter]

He played in the Country the year before (Shepparton, I think??)

Also, he did a pre-season with St Kilda, so you had him, and let him go!

He trained with St Kilda and Essendon I believe but EVERY CLUB other than Freo overlooked him.

Why would you be stupid enough to even point the finger at St Kilda for missing out on a guy that was passed over by clubs for 3-4 years before finally getting a chance?

 

[StFly]

He trained with St Kilda and Essendon I believe but EVERY CLUB other than Freo overlooked him.

Why would you be stupid enough to even point the finger at St Kilda for missing out on a guy that was passed over by clubs for 3-4 years before finally getting a chance?

It's kocher, hindsight being the wonderful thing that it is for people tot hen claim that at the time clubs should have known, should have moved, should have...

It's amazing that in this age of cliche's and word plays that a week could be a long time in football yet 3-4 years is tantamount to yesterday.

 

[muttonchops]

He played in the Country the year before (Shepparton, I think??)

Also, he did a pre-season with St Kilda, so you had him, and let him go!

They also let go Ball and Maguire for nothing.