Larry the Liquidator takes aim at the Bulldogs...

[Pseudo]

Gotta give this Larry bloke some credit. His blatant troll post was good enough to sucker people in on a completely different forum from where it was posted.

[Dogwatcher]

Sadly Pseudo, I don't think it's a troll past. I think he genuinely believes it.

[sjt]

You're right Psuedo. His drivel infuriated me enough to join the site to respond with some actual facts. Now I'm starting to feel a little bit bad, as I just realised school holidays have started so it's giving him something to do.

[westies sarge]

it is crap how can south,port and central have no 1 drafted and we have 3 up and comers get drafted once again westies get dicked.... we always have been and always will be even if we had kept half the players we have had drafted in the last 10years we would be the powerhouse atm......

[Dogwatcher]

How're you getting dicked by having players drafted?
Your junior teams have been amongst the strongest in the league in past years, why hasn't that translated to quality locals playing league for you?

[wycbloods]

it is crap how can south,port and central have no 1 drafted and we have 3 up and comers get drafted once again westies get dicked.... we always have been and always will be even if we had kept half the players we have had drafted in the last 10years we would be the powerhouse atm......

That is the way the system works Sarge.

Yes sure if we had kept some of the players who originated from westies and are currently on AFL lists we would be a much stronger club but that is why we are the second best league in the country and some of those players are good enough to play in the best league so that is of course where they will go. Our problem has been for some time now turning those good junior players who don't make the AFL into good SANFL players. Unless we improve that area of our clubs development then we will remain where we are for a long time. Relying purely on players that we are recruiting from other leagues will not turn our club into a strong for any length of time. They can make a good side a great one but they alone will not help us get our way off the foot of the ladder IMHO.

[redandblack]

How're you getting dicked by having players drafted?
Your junior teams have been amongst the strongest in the league in past years, why hasn't that translated to quality locals playing league for you?

Errr, perhaps because they've all been drafted

[dash61]

How're you getting dicked by having players drafted?
Your junior teams have been amongst the strongest in the league in past years, why hasn't that translated to quality locals playing league for you?

Dogwatcher

The year under Rehn when all the players were drafted it picked all the good kids out of our club

From that Rehn made a bad call in thinking we had the juniors to see us go forward and not recruit replacemnts at the time, this was bad call call in hind sight that sent us into a tailspin to the bottom of the table.

After that we as a club made some poor judgement calls in some of the recruits the club chose, from that mistake and the other mistakes it had us firmly placed on the bottom of the ladder for four long years now

When you hit rock bottom like our club has, Sturt did and Souths have it makes recruiting talented players a very hard job, who would you chose as your club of choice, Centrals a powerhouse or West Adelaide a cellar dwellar, this was the choice that confronted players like Callinan etc, we all chase these players and at the end of the day you cant blame players going to a top 5 club or a club showing potential.

As said before, a lot of us West Adelaide supporters, coaching staff etc HAVE OVER-RATED a lot of our juniors and playing stocks.

Hopefully Andy Collins can get us off the bottom as its not as easy as picking 6 topline players and expect them to just come to our club and the rest just happens.

Finally Dogwatcher, some of our juniors might start to shine with talented players around them, remember Charles Slattery was trier for us who under the circumstances did well but with a good side behind him like Centrals lifted to greater heights last year

[Wedgie]

How're you getting dicked by having players drafted?
Your junior teams have been amongst the strongest in the league in past years, why hasn't that translated to quality locals playing league for you?

Errr, perhaps because they've all been drafted

All 80 of them every year for the last 20 years?
Crikey, no wonder you lot are grumpy, that is unlucky!

In all seriousness I think the fact that an area where Westies get a lot of their quality kids from don't feel they have any affinity to West Adelaide or its surrounding areas. That's what the kids down here tell me anyway.
I think Dogwatcher's question is valid if you take it seriously, why do young kids not good enough for the AFL WANT to play for Central but similarly aged kids from say Aberfoyle Park not give a rats about Westies, therein lies the problem and Im not sure there is an answer with the current demographics of Adelaide.
Twas a bit different when I was a lad growing up at Camden Park Primary as we had a real affinity with West Adelaide, unfortunately for Westies my school and others similar to it have since been demolished.

[wycbloods]

How're you getting dicked by having players drafted?
Your junior teams have been amongst the strongest in the league in past years, why hasn't that translated to quality locals playing league for you?

Dogwatcher

The year under Rehn when all the players were drafted it picked all the good kids out of our club

From that Rehn made a bad call in thinking we had the juniors to see us go forward and not recruit replacemnts at the time, this was bad call call in hind sight that sent us into a tailspin to the bottom of the table.

After that we as a club made some poor judgement calls in some of the recruits the club chose, from that mistake and the other mistakes it had us firmly placed on the bottom of the ladder for four long years now

When you hit rock bottom like our club has, Sturt did and Souths have it makes recruiting talented players a very hard job, who would you chose as your club of choice, Centrals a powerhouse or West Adelaide a cellar dwellar, this was the choice that confronted players like Callinan etc, we all chase these players and at the end of the day you cant blame players going to a top 5 club or a club showing potential.

As said before, a lot of us West Adelaide supporters, coaching staff etc HAVE OVER-RATED a lot of our juniors and playing stocks.

Hopefully Andy Collins can get us off the bottom as its not as easy as picking 6 topline players and expect them to just come to our club and the rest just happens.

Finally Dogwatcher, some of our juniors might start to shine with talented players around them, remember Charles Slattery was trier for us who under the circumstances did well but with a good side behind him like Centrals lifted to greater heights last year

The 2003 draft caused Rehn some problems as players like Sam Fisher and Shane Tuck got drafted which wasn't expected and then inturn we didn't try and recruit to cover the loss as it was far too late to do that. I think the biggest problem has been our inability to keep the good recruits we have had such as Darren Bradshaw. The loss of players at the end of 2003 is something as a club we haven't recovered from for various reasons.

Also as you point out Dash the coaching staff and supporters have severely over-rated some of the juniors that have come through the ranks but with that if they had, like Charles Slattery, had the chance to play in a better performing team they may have made good contributions as the 15-21 type players but too many have been expected to perform as a 6-14 type player which they haven't been able to do.

[nickname]

All 80 of them every year for the last 20 years?
Crikey, no wonder you lot are grumpy, that is unlucky!

In all seriousness I think the fact that an area where Westies get a lot of their quality kids from don't feel they have any affinity to West Adelaide or its surrounding areas. That's what the kids down here tell me anyway.
I think Dogwatcher's question is valid if you take it seriously, why do young kids not good enough for the AFL WANT to play for Central but similarly aged kids from say Aberfoyle Park not give a rats about Westies, therein lies the problem and Im not sure there is an answer with the current demographics of Adelaide.
Twas a bit different when I was a lad growing up at Camden Park Primary as we had a real affinity with West Adelaide, unfortunately for Westies my school and others similar to it have since been demolished.

We haven't had quality junior teams every year for the last 20 years.

A lack of affinity with West would only be an issue if there were good quality League footballers in that area not playing for us because of that lack of affinity. If these footballers were out there and didn't want to play for us, why aren't we seeing them play SANFL for other clubs?

[Wedgie]

We haven't had quality junior teams every year for the last 20 years.

A lack of affinity with West would only be an issue if there were good quality League footballers in that area not playing for us because of that lack of affinity. If these footballers were out there and didn't want to play for us, why aren't we seeing them play SANFL for other clubs?

Various reasons, some get lost to football, some get lazy and are happy playing at lower levels.

[nickname]

Then I'd suggest they don't have the commitment to play SANFL at any club.

[Wedgie]

Then I'd suggest they don't have the commitment to play SANFL at any club.

Disagreed, if they had more of an affinity with their SANFL club or even the SANFL at all theyd find some extra commitment.
Evn though there is a huge gap between the SANFL league and amateurs/SFL their isnt that big a gap between the players ability wise which has been proven quite a bit over the years.
Im sympathetic and supportive of clubs like Westies as short of moving theres nothing they can do.
Im less sympathetic of clubs like North who have strong historic affinity to their local clubs but dont use that to their advantage as well as a club like Central.

[redandblack]

It's difficult to support an argument that players who drop out becuae of a lack of 'affinity' with their local club would have made it at league level if they had that affinity.

Making league football is not easy. If you're not committed, you've got no hope unless you're a super talent. If you drop out for reasons such as a lack of affinity, you were never going to make it.

Apart from that, I doubt that there's any more lack of affinity in Westies area than anywhere else. Our junior teams have had a good record for many years now and we keep producing good players. We've played more local products in recent years than any other club by a long way, partly out of necessity, but they've been given every chance.

As for being 'grumpy', I think West supporters have been much more patient than most and kept a pretty good attitude about it.

[Wedgie]

So you think kids growing up in Aberfoyle Park have as much affinity with West as Elizabeth or Smithfield kids have with Central?
You're dreaming mate and you're a bit harsh on West and Ill continue to back West up on this topic as IMHO there's not a lot they can do about it, its just a logistics issue that will continue to exist while the Western suburbs are a static area flooded with SANFL clubs.
Ive spent many times in the last 13 years chatting to kids in my area and they will push themselves as hard as they can to get an AFL gig but if they cant make it are mainly resigned to play locally with their mates, thats just the way it is.
A club like Central have not only their metro areas near them but their great country area near them also which is a huge advantage IMHO and good on them.
Throw in their success and appeal to so many youngsters in their area and theyre on to a real winner.
For Larry to suggest its due to imports only is ridiculous.

If you want to discuss affinity see how many youngsters from their area are at Elizabeth games, theres heaps yet I doubt many kids from the Happy Valley area come down to Richmond to watch games.

[redandblack]

None of that answers my point about commitment.

In any year, only between none and four from that area will be good enough to be drafted. If all the others then decide they'll just play locally, they were never going to make it at SANFL level.

You could say the same about any of the other teams if you just want to compare to central.

As for affinity with West, we've played more players from our local area than the majority of the other clubs.

Not sure where it comes from, but I think it's also the first time I've ever been accused of being 'harsh on Westies'

[Dutchy]

Agree with Wedgie, being in Westies area down South we actually here more about South Adelaide than Westies, personally Id rather our area be aligned with South.

The only thinkg Ive seen Westies do to date is every Auskick kid in the area got a West Adelaide football in their pack this year, I guess thats a small step.

PLay more junior games in the area would be a great start (I think they played one at Happy Valley recently?)

[nickname]

So you think kids growing up in Aberfoyle Park have as much affinity with West as Elizabeth or Smithfield kids have with Central?
You're dreaming mate and you're a bit harsh on West and Ill continue to back West up on this topic as IMHO there's not a lot they can do about it, its just a logistics issue that will continue to exist while the Western suburbs are a static area flooded with SANFL clubs.
Ive spent many times in the last 13 years chatting to kids in my area and they will push themselves as hard as they can to get an AFL gig but if they cant make it are mainly resigned to play locally with their mates, thats just the way it is.
A club like Central have not only their metro areas near them but their great country area near them also which is a huge advantage IMHO and good on them.
Throw in their success and appeal to so many youngsters in their area and theyre on to a real winner.
For Larry to suggest its due to imports only is ridiculous.

If you want to discuss affinity see how many youngsters from their area are at Elizabeth games, theres heaps yet I doubt many kids from the Happy Valley area come down to Richmond to watch games.

That's a good argument in terms of following clubs but not in terms of playing League footy. If someone is good enough and wants to play SANFL enough he will find a club. As r&b said, if they don't bother because of a lack of affinity, they don't have what's required to make it at SANFL level.

[Wedgie]

If someone is good enough and wants to play SANFL enough he will find a club. As r&b said, if they don't bother because of a lack of affinity, they don't have what's required to make it at SANFL level.

That's completely wrong mate, Ive seen dozens of players playing at local levels who with a bit more affinity with their SANFL club and the SANFL in general would be playing regular league footy. I know several in my local area who I have no doubt whatsoever would be playing league footy if brought up in a different area.
South have got a chance of turning it around because at least theyre based down here. As I said before Ill back Westies to the hilt on this one as I dont think theres anything they can do on a practical level.
If they could wave a magic wand and move the valley to Richmond and vice versa theyd be onto a winner, Id be confident of that having lived in or near both Wests inner and outer areas all of my life.
Its a fact faced by all clubs to different degrees which will never be a fully fair playground and nothing can ever really change that.
I think its worse for the western city clubs purely because of location and nothing else.