They are at it again. GWS under the pump

[dimelb]

A thoughtful and constructive article from Emma Quayle on this issue:

Why there should be more shade in the Giants Academy debate

[barry]

The Riverina is in NSW, not Victoria. Picture the Riverina as an academy zone that has successfully worked. ie one day, Sydney East could be as advanced as the Riverina. Do zone's un-qualify for academies once they are successful ? What incentive is there to grow your academy if when its actually delivering it will be taken away.

Simply put, NSW clubs need to get NSW kids to avoid all the relocation problems they face. As implied above, if GWS lost the riverina they would be at a severe disadvantage compare to the other northern clubs and the rest of the AFL.

I would think the AFL's plan would to eventually let all clubs have home-state academy zones, but before that NSW / QLD zones need to be up to speed.

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The rules are in the AFL document AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE RULES May 2016. These can be accessed through the AFL site link AFL Policies - AFL.com.au


There a number of rules concerning eligibility:

Academy Eligibility

(a) Player Eligibility for Inclusion in Club Academy
(i) A Player is eligible to be included in a Club Academy only if the Player satisfies the age requirements under Rule 14.2(b) (subject to Rule 14.9) and, unless determined otherwise by the AFL, the Player is domiciled in that Club�s Academy Region.
(ii) Notwithstanding clause 14.2(a)(i), the AFL may direct a Club to include a Player in its Club Academy.
(b) Age Requirements
Subject to Rule 14.9, a Player must satisfy the following age requirements in order to be included in a Club�s Academy:
(i) A Player must have attained the age of 10 years or will attain the age of 10 years on or before 31 December in the Football Year that they are first included in the Club Academy.
(ii) A Player must be under the age of 18 years as at 31 December in the Football Year that they are included in a Club Academy.

Club Academy Player � Continuing Eligibility

Unless otherwise determined by the AFL, a Player included in a Club Academy must:
(a) remain domiciled in that Club�s Academy Region; and
(b) be registered and play in an Australian football competition located in the Academy Region; and
(c) if selected, represent either New South Wales or Queensland, as the case may be, at any underage national football championships; and
(d) attend Player screening/testing as directed by the AFL National Talent Manager.

Are the GWS TAC Cup players "be registered and play in an Australian football competition located in the Academy Region"?

I don't think that the Academy discount should be given for players whose development is not provided by the Academies. Fair enough, they can still be available to be selected by the clubs at the national draft but not at a discount.

This one is not fair: "be registered and play in an Australian football competition located in the Academy Region". So good players on academies have to rot in substandard local leagues rather than better themselves in higher quality leagues elsewhere.
Sounds like its written by a Victorian club president who knows that Victoria has high quality leagues.

[jono2707]

Probably the bigger question is still whether people will bother turning up to Giants matches once they've gotten all this success that's apparently coming their way?

[Meg]

I would think the AFL's plan would to eventually let all clubs have home-state academy zones, but before that NSW / QLD zones need to be up to speed.

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.

The AFL has already given every club its own academy zone through the New Generation Academies umbrella (multi-cultural & indigenous focused). If they were not to establish strengthened criteria for clubs' eligibility to players emerging from both the northern academies and these new academies, the structure would become a de facto recruitment zoning model. The Swans and other northern clubs would be disadvantaged by that.

[707]

Just read on the BF main board that when GWS beat Hawthorn last week they had 11 first round picks not playing. Now that is way too much talent on a list, talent they will keep trading off to other clubs for even more first round picks.

Apparently they have three top ten draft picks from the Riverina likely in this years draft and plenty of picks to take them, three first rounders and two seconds before they trade out any players like McCarthy etc.

That's way too much of a leg up. Get to work in western Sydney, that's what you were created for. I'm quickly getting over any good feelings towards GWS!

[dimelb]

Just read on the BF main board that when GWS beat Hawthorn last week they had 11 first round picks not playing. Now that is way too much talent on a list, talent they will keep trading off to other clubs for even more first round picks.

Apparently they have three top ten draft picks from the Riverina likely in this years draft and plenty of picks to take them, three first rounders and two seconds before they trade out any players like McCarthy etc.

That's way too much of a leg up. Get to work in western Sydney, that's what you were created for. I'm quickly getting over any good feelings towards GWS!

I assume the bit I've highlighted is still part of the start-up concessions. Does anyone know how much longer this bounty will last?

And again, won't the points GWS have to pay for such prospects limit the number they can pick, even with the percentage reduction?

[Nico]

Just read on the BF main board that when GWS beat Hawthorn last week they had 11 first round picks not playing. Now that is way too much talent on a list, talent they will keep trading off to other clubs for even more first round picks.

Apparently they have three top ten draft picks from the Riverina likely in this years draft and plenty of picks to take them, three first rounders and two seconds before they trade out any players like McCarthy etc.

That's way too much of a leg up. Get to work in western Sydney, that's what you were created for. I'm quickly getting over any good feelings towards GWS!

If they traded for picks then how is that an unfair leg up. IIRC Collingwood traded a future first round pick for Treloar. Again locking the gate after the horse has bolted. Gold Coast was going to be the power club but injuries have cruelled them. All sorts of reasons were given why it was going to happen at the detriment of clubs; didn't happen. Just because they have a lot of 1st round picks doesn't mean they will all be stars. They were set up and the rules voted on by all the clubs; full bloody stop.Never forget that South Melbourne was sent to Sydney, Fitzroy to Brisbane and both were left to wither on the vine. The AFL wasn't going to let that happen again. Call TD what you like but he got GC and GWS right.

[KTigers]

Michael Hartley & Jarrod Witts went to Collingwood under the old scholarship scheme. Both spent a year or so at Sydney Uni before heading south. Hartley was cut by Collingwood before going to Essendon. Davis, Foote & Hiscox all went thru the Swans Academy after being very good, but not exceptional junior players. Lloyd Perris was the standout player from that age group IMO but was cut by the Swans at the end of last season. His injury proneness probably didn't help. AFL at a junior level in the eastern and northern suburbs and the inner west of Sydney has expanded tenfold in terms of actual numbers playing since 2000, but the numbers making it to an AFL list and staying there are still quite low. The Academies are basically an opportunity for these kids to have additional training and get noticed that never existed before. Though not every talented kid in Sydney is falling over themselves trying to get in an Academy and having an AFL career. Some of them were just as interested in hanging out with their mates and riding their skateboards, and even, lo and behold, doing well at the HSC!

I don't know how true or false it is. There has been and there is talent in the GWS Sydney zone. Michael Hartley who played for Essendon last week is from Penrith. I am fairly sure a number of West Sydney players were picked up under the old scholarship scheme. A number of junior clubs in Sydney were moved out from the Swans academy zone to the GWS academy zone.

GWS also have Canberra and southern NSW. Tex Walker is from Broken Hill which is part of the GWS zone.

[Velour&Ruffles]

Is there anyone at the AFL who can think through and write a business plan that might stand the test of time, without having to constantly make changes?

No.

[stellation]

I assume the bit I've highlighted is still part of the start-up concessions. Does anyone know how much longer this bounty will last?

No, it's not part of any start-up concessions- with the introduction of the ability to trade future draft picks GWS were one of the clubs were looked to utilise it, picking up a future first rounder from Collingwood and one from Geelong (and a second rounder, as well).

I feel like the conversation is muddied a little by general confusion, with media beat ups like those coming from Eddie obviously making things worse; there's a lot of talk that they're in their current position because of concessions, that's a large part of it but they've also simply been very, very clever with how they've managed their list.

[AnnieH]

Just read on the BF main board that when GWS beat Hawthorn last week they had 11 first round picks not playing. Now that is way too much talent on a list, talent they will keep trading off to other clubs for even more first round picks.

Apparently they have three top ten draft picks from the Riverina likely in this years draft and plenty of picks to take them, three first rounders and two seconds before they trade out any players like McCarthy etc.

That's way too much of a leg up. Get to work in western Sydney, that's what you were created for. I'm quickly getting over any good feelings towards GWS!

You had good feelings towards GWS?
Mmmmmmmmmmm.

[dimelb]

No, it's not part of any start-up concessions- with the introduction of the ability to trade future draft picks GWS were one of the clubs were looked to utilise it, picking up a future first rounder from Collingwood and one from Geelong (and a second rounder, as well).

I feel like the conversation is muddied a little by general confusion, with media beat ups like those coming from Eddie obviously making things worse; there's a lot of talk that they're in their current position because of concessions, that's a large part of it but they've also simply been very, very clever with how they've managed their list.

Thanks for clarifying that stella. To pick up my other question, are any concessions still in place, or are they now on a more-or-less level field with the other clubs?

And I'm sure you're right about the general confusion, and that GWS have made the most of their opportunities so that some parts of the level field are less elevated than others.