Ron Fuller on Junior Development
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:24 am"Just a thought
Wednesday 17th March - By Ronny's Blog
Hello,
I spent Sunday afternoon watching our underage players trial against Port at Alberton and it got me thinking about the rule regarding those that are eligible to play under 18's.
As it stands any player who is in this category cannot play higher, unless he has already played league football or 5 reserves games, until about the beginning of June.
This is when the under 18 championships start and effectively about half way through the home and away season.
As the players are under 17 or less the year before when they would need to qualify, the reality of it happening, unless it is deliberately manufactured, is at high odds.
To manufacture this would certainly compromise the value of league football.
One of the advantages of underage boys playing higher was that they competed against men who aided their development and we could see how they stood up at the higher level.
Prospective Championship players would also benefit from playing at the higher level against men in preparation for their state campaigns.
The rule now means that often players are competing at reserves level who are not up to it because better underage footballers are not allowed to.
This can then compromise the value of reserves football.
What would happen when the players are available then, is that all the good performers will play higher if a club has decided that they are better than those that have been playing reserves or league.
The remainder of the under 18 competition would then become compromised.
In fact a team that was top at the half way mark of the season may fall away and miss the finals completely if a club chooses to promote its best players and bring its best under 16’s up in to their under 18 team.
I am beginning to think there needs to be a better way.
We have a situation in the under 18 competition where up to 6 overage players are allowed to play down at any one time.
Perhaps a good compromise may be that up to a certain number of under 18 players are able to play up at any one time too.
This would be for the full season and avoid any confusion which would benefit all involved as against the present rule which benefits only a few.
It would also make all grades competitive for the whole season and compromise none.
Just a thought.
Ron Fuller"
Hi Ron,
Trust you are well.
I realise that you are now a full time SANFL coach and therefore have a lot of spare time up your sleeve which you have to occupy by doing things such as writing pholisophical football articles particularly, it would seem, in relation to junior development.
I think this is fantastic because you may be able to follow up the following:
Your club applied for special dispensation this round to play the best, and some would argue only decent, South Adelaide U18 player in the Reserves this week and permission was granted by the SANFL.
Your Reserves coach then chose to play him for about 15-20 minutes for the entire game time. Can you please commend said coach, whom I believe initials are Tony Burgess, and encourage him to keep up the good work.
Well done Ron, sounds like it is all going well keep up the good work and continue with the hypoctrical articles that fill up your spare time because your league team is gong gang-busters so your spare time is best spent in your office in front of your computer.
Signed,
Confused.
Wednesday 17th March - By Ronny's Blog
Hello,
I spent Sunday afternoon watching our underage players trial against Port at Alberton and it got me thinking about the rule regarding those that are eligible to play under 18's.
As it stands any player who is in this category cannot play higher, unless he has already played league football or 5 reserves games, until about the beginning of June.
This is when the under 18 championships start and effectively about half way through the home and away season.
As the players are under 17 or less the year before when they would need to qualify, the reality of it happening, unless it is deliberately manufactured, is at high odds.
To manufacture this would certainly compromise the value of league football.
One of the advantages of underage boys playing higher was that they competed against men who aided their development and we could see how they stood up at the higher level.
Prospective Championship players would also benefit from playing at the higher level against men in preparation for their state campaigns.
The rule now means that often players are competing at reserves level who are not up to it because better underage footballers are not allowed to.
This can then compromise the value of reserves football.
What would happen when the players are available then, is that all the good performers will play higher if a club has decided that they are better than those that have been playing reserves or league.
The remainder of the under 18 competition would then become compromised.
In fact a team that was top at the half way mark of the season may fall away and miss the finals completely if a club chooses to promote its best players and bring its best under 16’s up in to their under 18 team.
I am beginning to think there needs to be a better way.
We have a situation in the under 18 competition where up to 6 overage players are allowed to play down at any one time.
Perhaps a good compromise may be that up to a certain number of under 18 players are able to play up at any one time too.
This would be for the full season and avoid any confusion which would benefit all involved as against the present rule which benefits only a few.
It would also make all grades competitive for the whole season and compromise none.
Just a thought.
Ron Fuller"
Hi Ron,
Trust you are well.
I realise that you are now a full time SANFL coach and therefore have a lot of spare time up your sleeve which you have to occupy by doing things such as writing pholisophical football articles particularly, it would seem, in relation to junior development.
I think this is fantastic because you may be able to follow up the following:
Your club applied for special dispensation this round to play the best, and some would argue only decent, South Adelaide U18 player in the Reserves this week and permission was granted by the SANFL.
Your Reserves coach then chose to play him for about 15-20 minutes for the entire game time. Can you please commend said coach, whom I believe initials are Tony Burgess, and encourage him to keep up the good work.
Well done Ron, sounds like it is all going well keep up the good work and continue with the hypoctrical articles that fill up your spare time because your league team is gong gang-busters so your spare time is best spent in your office in front of your computer.
Signed,
Confused.
