Swans' academy.

[clogged]

Luke Parker, Gary Rohan, Zak Jones, Sam Reid, Adam Goodes, Dan Hannebery, Harry Cunningham, Dean Towers all players that would have been left in the poll if the Swans only picked academy players.

Let's say they can draft who they like in the first three rounds. From round four onwards they can only draft from their academy.

That would really boost the quality of football in NSW, because Sydney's list would depend on a deep pool of NSW players.

 

[FuManchu]

The acadaeys will be the quid pro quo for the loss of COLA and the disadvantages of the North in the end.

They have an advantage no Vic side has, guaranteed existence. They keep bleating how its a national comp then set out to create exceptions to the 2 mechanisms designed to allow clubs to rise up the ladder. How is that 'national'?

 

[master bate]

I think it is a good idea for the game and a better idea for the 4 clubs. There are lots of thngs in that basket.

Well said.

 

[MarkT2]

So Brisbane have had this for the past decade?

No they lost it.

 

[Hawker55]

I'm sick of the fact that all this focus on NSW, where the game is doing ok, is deflecting from Queensland where the real issues are.

The biggest issue in what is supposed to be a national league isn't whether the Swans deserve COLA - it's what can be done to help the Brisbane Lions off the field. Both Sydney and GWS are doing ok - decent on field in both cases and strong administrations.

Gold Coast is doing well now and seem to have long term structures in place (although I haven't seen what their membership is like), but Brisbane have no money, no members and a dysfunctional Board.

If the Academies exist then they shouldn't be affiliated to a Club - make them truly state or region based, get the AFL to fund it and then put the players into the draft and see what happens. Effectively put them on the same basis as U18 teams in Victoria - you'll get more players drafted, and the extra money the AFL can put in will help develop the game in NSW and Qld.

 

[aussierulesrules]

If the northern states get to have an academy each, where they can grab the likes of Heeney and next year Mills (and then as a result Dunkley- who is also considered to be top 5 quality, like the other two) at bargain basement prices, then to be fair you'd have to also bring back the zones for the Victorian clubs and also something similar for the WA and SA clubs and let them have first dibs on anyone from their zone as well, otherwise it's just a complete crock in what is supposed to be an even competition, just as COLA was/is.

 

[FuManchu]

Which I am sure you and all others would be fine with if they were bottom of the ladder and had been for a while. But FFS they won 2 flags in the last 8 years and are top of the ladder and odds on to win. ITS A JOKE THAT they think they are on struggle street

I think there are times when the AFL have to prop up teams, be it The lions or whomever. But only when there is no light at the end of the tunnel. No-one wants to see a team remain in the cellar for extended periods. But it should be administrative help, it should be financial help and that's it. The AFL should assist in creating an environment at a club where players want to stay, but after that, the club should use the unfettered mechanisms to rise up the ladder as all other clubs have to use: the draft and the salary cap.

 

[JeffDunne]

Player development should not be at the mercy of clubs.

Haven't we learned that before?

 

[replicant]

If you have a draft academy there shouldn't be any other kinds of concessions. That is, salary cap, rental assistance, and arguably father-son (though I don't care much about the latter) should all be removed.

IMO the quid pro quo should be quarantining Sydney & GWS from drafting outside NSW past a certain round.

Yep, seems reasonable. I'd say no COLA for any NSW draftees, maybe some rental assistance for 1-3 year players from outside NSW, because Sydney rent is really a killer on Draftee/Rookie wages. Should go at their first contract re-negotiation though.

Only drafting NSW players after the second/third round would be fine. If there are enough good kids coming through, then they should be OK to only get NSW/QLD talent after the second, but for Lions right now, third is more realistic.
(Years ago Sydney actually proposed to the AFL to drop out of the draft entirely and get draft priviliges on NSW players... the AFL said no).

 

[MarkT2]

A dysfunctional board is the real issue - as it was for Melbourne. That is where the AFL can help most as they did with Melbourne. Port helped themselves as did Collingwood and Hawthorn a decade or so ago. Carlton are yet to get there.

 

[Spook]

Player development should not be at the mercy of clubs.

Haven't we learned that before?

Yes you are spot on. We learned that to the extent it's actually against the rules for a Vic, as or wa club to do just that.

 

[FuManchu]

So Brisbane have had this for the past decade?

Not only did they lose it, they proved they didn't need it, when they rose to the finals in 2009 after falling down the ladder after the 3 flags. It was poor decision making that put Brisbane where they are today.

They have wasted the opportunity to gain market penetration in Brisbane from winning 3 flags in a row. It had nothing to do with losing any allowance, it was just mismanagement.

 

[Spook]

Yep, seems reasonable. I'd say no COLA for any NSW draftees, maybe some rental assistance for 1-3 year players from outside NSW, because Sydney rent is really a killer on Draftee/Rookie wages. Should go at their first contract re-negotiation though.

Only drafting NSW players after the second/third round would be fine. If there are enough good kids coming through, then they should be OK to only get NSW/QLD talent after the second, but for Lions right now, third is more realistic.
(Years ago Sydney actually proposed to the AFL to drop out of the draft entirely and get draft priviliges on NSW players... the AFL said no).

for a rookie Sydney rent is hardly different. Just like all other young blokes doing a trade or at uni you share with a mate or 2 and find a rental you can afford. I am sure at that end of the market it is not that much difference between Perth, Melbourne or Sydney

 

[clogged]

Yep, seems reasonable. I'd say no COLA for any NSW draftees, maybe some rental assistance for 1-3 year players from outside NSW, because Sydney rent is really a killer on Draftee/Rookie wages. Should go at their first contract re-negotiation though.

Only drafting NSW players after the second/third round would be fine. If there are enough good kids coming through, then they should be OK to only get NSW/QLD talent after the second, but for Lions right now, third is more realistic.
(Years ago Sydney actually proposed to the AFL to drop out of the draft entirely and get draft priviliges on NSW players... the AFL said no).

It would seem that would be the most equitable compromise. The elite NSW talent is up for grabs in the first few rounds with Sydney and GWS having first dibs. Sydney and GWS are only allowed to draft from their academies in later rounds (and rookie drafts). No academy kids can be drafted in the later rounds by the non-NSW clubs.

 

[Hawker55]

I thought players were falling over themselves to experience Bloods culture?

 

[FuManchu]

for a rookie Sydney rent is hardly different. Just like all other young blokes doing a trade or at uni you share with a mate or 2 and find a rental you can afford. I am sure at that end of the market it is not that much difference between Perth, Melbourne or Sydney

It makes you wonder how people on $40K a year afford to live there. But many do funnily enough.

 

[Colonial]

If the northern states get to have an academy each, where they can grab the likes of Heeney and next year Mills (and then as a result Dunkley- who is also considered to be top 5 quality, like the other two) at bargain basement prices, then to be fair you'd have to also bring back the zones for the Victorian clubs and also something similar for the WA and SA clubs and let them have first dibs on anyone from their zone as well, otherwise it's just a complete crock in what is supposed to be an even competition.

And we should get rid of f/s to

 

[MilhouseVsEvil]

Hypocritical flogs at it again. Nobody cared when the academy was churning out KPF Jack Shite. All of a sudden the program has chanced on some players with talent and the easily led whinge brigade hear Eddie's rally call. So predictable.
Harry Cunningham was part of the Giants Academy and 17 other clubs could have drafted him before Sydney did at #93 but I guess he was hidden away...

 

[TedDougChris]

Hell, West Coast and Fremantle provide all the cash for WA draftees and the draft after we won the spoon we had to see Swallow, Bennell and Matera go off to the Gold Coast.

I'm proposing that all players above 190cm spend some time at the Whitten Oval in the next year, that way no-one else can draft them.. Sounds fair, right...

 

[legend166]

Seriously this thread. You people lack any critical thinking skills. Too many dumb teenagers in this place who have no intellectual capacity for thinking outside their tiny little existence. Talk about missing the forest for the trees.

"Wah wah wah if the Swans get an academy why can't we?!"

Newsflash people - if a Victorian club wants to do nothing but draft Victorian players, they can do that and basically (assuming they pick well) be no worse off. Same with the WA clubs (which is what West Coast have basically been doing) and the SA clubs. The talent is there and it's there in abundance. That is already a MASSIVE advantage that you have been enjoying since the draft was implemented.

If a NSW side wants to do the same, they cannot. If a QLD side wants to do the same, they cannot. The talent is not there.

 

[Colonial]

Seriously this thread. You people lack any critical thinking skills. Too many dumb teenagers in this place who have no intellectual capacity for thinking outside their tiny little existence. Talk about missing the forest for the trees.

"Wah wah wah if the Swans get an academy why can't we?!"

Newsflash people - if a Victorian club wants to do nothing but draft Victorian players, they can do that and basically (assuming they pick well) be no worse off. Same with the WA clubs (which is what West Coast have basically been doing) and the SA clubs. The talent is there and it's there in abundance. That is already a MASSIVE advantage that you have been enjoying since the draft was implemented.

If a NSW side wants to do the same, they cannot. If a QLD side wants to do the same, they cannot. The talent is not there.

Yet

 

[TedDougChris]

It makes you wonder how people on $40K a year afford to live there. But many do funnily enough.

I'm not quite sure why a player that selected Sydney above all others clubs interested in him should be eligible for COLA in any shape or form.... For draftees who don't get a choice and kids on the minimum wage and no guarantees of making it - perhaps. For Lance Franklin to get an extra million on his salary over the course of his time there - not so much.

 

[FuManchu]

Seriously this thread. You people lack any critical thinking skills. Too many dumb teenagers in this place who have no intellectual capacity for thinking outside their tiny little existence. Talk about missing the forest for the trees.

"Wah wah wah if the Swans get an academy why can't we?!"

Newsflash people - if a Victorian club wants to do nothing but draft Victorian players, they can do that and basically (assuming they pick well) be no worse off. Same with the WA clubs (which is what West Coast have basically been doing) and the SA clubs. The talent is there and it's there in abundance. That is already a MASSIVE advantage that you have been enjoying since the draft was implemented.

If a NSW side wants to do the same, they cannot. If a QLD side wants to do the same, they cannot. The talent is not there.

NEWSFLASH: You have access to all that interstate talent.

 

[legend166]

Not only did they lose it, they proved they didn't need it, when they rose to the finals in 2009 after falling down the ladder after the 3 flags. It was poor decision making that put Brisbane where they are today.

They have wasted the opportunity to gain market penetration in Brisbane from winning 3 flags in a row. It had nothing to do with losing any allowance, it was just mismanagement.

The player exodus Brisbane faced (and still faces) has so much more to do with their location than it does with their crappy administration. Melbourne, Richmond and Carlton have been under just as poor administration for just as long (if not longer) and have not faced anywhere near the same problems Brisbane did retaining talent.

How hard is it to recognise this? It's immensely harder for NSW and QLD sides to retain their talent when they are in a down period compared to that of traditional sides. Thanks to our club administration drafting and player development we haven't been in a down period for years, but player rentention was a huge issue during our horrible period in the early 90s, just like it is for Brisbane now.

 

[FuManchu]

I'm not quite sure why a player that selected Sydney above all others clubs interested in him should be eligible for COLA in any shape or form.... For draftees who don't get a choice and kids on the minimum wage and no guarantees of making it - perhaps. For Lance Franklin to get an extra million on his salary over the course of his time there - not so much.

I'm happy for some players below the average AFL salary of $260K to get some assistance. They probably wouldnt starve without it, but hey........ lets give them something to stop whinging about.