Look Good In Leather wrote:I think there is a bigger picture here rather than just holding kids back from transferring to lower clubs. A number of the kids seeking clearances I am led to believe were previously in the underage teams at South Adelaide.
All of our clubs encourage our most promising youngsters to have a crack at the next level, we actively encourage kids to go to the local league clubs to further their careers and maximise their potential. Sadly it seems it is a one way street. There does not seem to be any diplomatic effort from the league clubs to encourage players to return to their home clubs. They expect us to recommend them kids to take from us but give very little back - we may get a coaching clinic once a year if we are lucky.
We encourage our kids to go out to the league clubs in good faith, and receive very little in return - all that happens is the kids that don't make it to the AFL, particularly those who reach reserves level, end up in a culture where they are effectively put on show and advertised to the highest bidder, whilst in the meantime have been prised away from the ties built up with their home club. The usual argument given is that it is up to the clubs to maintain a relationship with the player to ensure they return, my answer is it would be much easier to retain a relationship if they never went there in the first place and were surrounded by your club culture.
I am still for encouraging kids to better themselves at the next level, unfortunately I can see the potential where clubs will in the future discourage, either actively or by stealth, players from going out to the league clubs. Our clubs do not exist merely to supply South Adelaide, West Adelaide and Glenelg with players, as much as the AFL want you to believe that is our purpose (regularly using derogatory terms such as "Grassroots" and the like), our clubs value winning an A-Grade Premiership as much as the league clubs value winning a league premiership and as much as AFL clubs value winning an AFL Premiership. Why should our clubs sacrifice their chances of success by giving up their best talent to league clubs with more money and get nothing in return. Just because we are smaller does not mean we are irrelevant.
I fully support Reynella, Port Noarlunga, Noarlunga, Happy Valley and Cove in their efforts to retain their best talent, each of those clubs have had good junior programs with very hardworking people putting in effort in order to secure their future. Clubs should not be penalised for doing the right thing. I am sympathetic to Hackham's situation but I am sure there are many kids in Reynella, Noarlunga, Valley & Coves second teams which are currently stuck in a Sunday team played in front of three men, a dog and a couple of trees which would not be welded on.
FFS What Fecking world do you live in 'Looks good in Leather (Chaps)???
Hackham have fought like f*#k to keep there juniors alive, teams have raped & pillaged them for years,
They supplied your club some U18's a few years ago when they could not field a team, one of them was a young lad called Jordan Mack..
I think we swapped him for Daniel Lee...... lol
They have a core group of players that have been there since Hackham East Primary...
I hope they ruffle some feckin feathers this year...