SimonH wrote:kickinit wrote:Do you really think he won't get drafted because he is only playing reserve football? if the scouts know he can't play league unless there is injuries do you really think they wouldn't draft just because were he plays? I let you in on a little secret it's not were you play it's how you play. If a player has increased his size, is quicker and has improved his skills then he will have a better chance of getting drafted.
Yes, I do think that. Because that's what the history of the draft tells us. It wouldn't be much of a stretch for me to name 20 mature aged players (meaning players who've been overlooked in at least one AFL draft period, 19yo or older) drafted or rookied in the last half-dozen or so years, based on their performance at SANFL league level.
Name me one mature aged player, drafted or rookied based on his performance at SANFL reserves level. I can't think of one.
You seems to assume that despite the fact that our kid missed draft selection as an 18yo, clubs are closely monitoring his fitness, performance and improvement—no matter what comp he plays in—for any sign that he might have potential as an AFL footballer. They're not. They don't care. Unless a player pushes themselves back into prominence, after the age of 18 they're yesterday's news to an AFL club. There are dozens (in SA) and hundreds (nationwide) of fresh talented 18yos pushing through every year, and they remain the main game for talent scouts and club recruiters. Then the clubs also take a look at some players burning up the SANFL league comp (e.g. in 2013 Nathan Gordon), and a little bit at role-players who've performed their role so well in the SANFL league comp that clubs consider whether they could do it in the AFL too (e.g. in 2013 Joel Tippett). If you're not in one of those categories, you're off the radar. If you're a 19yo playing SANFL reserves footy week-in, week-out, you're not even in the game. AFL clubs couldn't care that you're getting in the best players list most weeks, any more than they could care less who's kicking the most goals and accumulating the most possessions in the Eyre Peninsula league. The Diesel Williams of Tumby Bay also probably believes that 'it's not where you play, it's how you play'. But based on their draft decisions, AFL clubs don't believe it.
kickinit wrote:You do realise playing in that academy side, he will have access to everything the AFL players have. coaches, trainers, facilities and not to mention training with AFL players.
kickinit wrote:Working with Darren Burgess and his team would do wonders for a 18 year old, which they won't be able to do at any other sanfl club. The fact is the training and advice he will receive at port is going to be far greater then what any sanfl club can offer him.
No, that's an assertion. A 'fact' is the quality of the SANFL reserves footballers that you will actually play once the zones are taken from you and the junior teams' tap is turned off. I doubt that it will bring the kids flocking. As for the suggestion that it's all going to be handball drills with Chad Wingard, and Burgo monitoring your progress against his personally-devised fitness plan for you, it's a shame that
your CEO doesn't seem to agree:We will have a clear delineation between our Magpies operation and the AFL program...
So, being a 'Power academy' SANFL reserves player in 2015, what have you got? Sounds like you're based at Alberton, you train there, you get to use the gym facilities when the 2 higher-priority groups aren't using them, you have a dedicated SANFL reserves coach, and if you're lucky have some minor involvement with the SANFL league team coach and/or the junior coaches of the AFL team. Sounds pretty similar to being a Magpies reserves player in 2012/13, only with the word 'academy' thrown in for window-dressing. There aren't too many mature-aged AFL picks flying out of that group.
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2014 9:54 am