Aerie wrote:Booney wrote:Magellan wrote:Aerie wrote:I know at the Eagles they seemed to rate the development of talent through to AFL on par at least with winning a senior premiership.
Wow. Really? Maybe that philosophy is in place at Prospect. Certainly explains why they've been rubbish over recent times.
Playing devil's advocate, I guess I can see why clubs might take that approach - you'll attract more youngsters into your zone if you're a club that reliably produces AFL talent, which is a positive for the club. But on the flip side, (a) I'm not sure clubs make their talent-producing achievements clear to the public, and (b) the AFL gives not much of a sh!t if you do produce talent. Do the clubs still receive a payment once they play an AFL game? The most publicity that you hear about a player's original club is a passing utterance during the TV commentary.
"The development of talent through to AFL" is an interesting phrase, though. Does this mean the Eagles are happy once a player gets drafted, plays an AFL game, or establishes themselves as a 'regular' AFL player? Plenty go into the system, but not a lot become properly established.
I can't buy that, not for a moment.
While WWT have an outstanding record of having players drafted to AFL level, I can't believe they would see that as anything close to winning the SANFL Premiership. Might have been a little different when SA based AFL talent was still aligned to their local clubs, teams like the Eagles had quite a few at Adelaide and Port and they would bring experience, work ethic etc to the club and I think set high standards.
On having talent come to your zone, there's no point taking kids just to develop them to the next level, they're gone by the time they're 18 ( the top end talent, anyway ) and you get no service from them at senior level.
Not sure about the draft and any monies paid, Magellan, I'll see if I can find out.
In terms of off-field, that was the impression I got. Yes, do everything to put in place the things to win a premiership at senior level, but just as important was the role of player development and being the best pathway possible for individuals in the Eagles zone to progress to AFL level. Obviously the football department at senior level would be more interested in a senior premiership - but the club as a whole seemed to place equal importance to both. I don't have a problem with that, but changes things if AFL clubs now develop the best junior players.
Just for Booney ( not picking on him) my understanding from reading online posts ex AFL player Redden has supposedly said no way would he go back to Port Adelaide on the rookie list . Guess that shows SANFL league is a better place than a redrafted player on a rookie list .
I think looking at the Eagles ( I've been behind this year ) it's a community family club . Hell it improved with Godden talking to fans members yes Fuller did but not to everyone he sat near me in the seconds never a word of get out the way or anything , I got more speech from AFL scouts lol .
Guess being a community family club is far better .
Interesting that port Adelaides area is know an Eagles zone .
Guess we saw online players taken from North to Port when they left Port went back to north . Cause north is more community based .
That community thing is what's missing in the AFL based teams
Ain't seen the huge crowds promised by Adelaide
And Port only nearly seen a huge crowd when the sponsor put a car after that nope .
Guess the Eagles ( I know of ) can be laughed at or criticised but those ex AFL players wanna come home .
Oh and those thrown out of port Adelaide come up port rd or the other clubs