Recruiting a player outside a club's zone??

[GWW]

Reading the Sunday Mail article on Ryan Darling today, it was mentioned how he was recruited from the Eagles zone.

I dont have a problem with that, but was wondering what the procedure is with a club recruiting someone from outside their zone. Is it some type of clearance fee or do clubs have to negotiate some type of player swap?

[Wedgie]

Reading the Sunday Mail article on Ryan Darling today, it was mentioned how he was recruited from the Eagles zone.

I dont have a problem with that, but was wondering what the procedure is with a club recruiting someone from outside their zone. Is it some type of clearance fee or do clubs have to negotiate some type of player swap?

Yeah, I think its a grand or two (maybe as high as 5), its been mentioned on here before.
Im already saving up for my son's transfer to North.

[am Bays]

I'll stand corrected (someone like BPBRB would have a better idea) but it is my understanding once a player reaches a certain age or has been taken off a clubs list another club can recruit them....in other words their zoned clun has had an opportunity to recruit them but declined it....

We got Ben Thompson that way in 1996 straight out of Souths zone becasue he was 22-23 (IIRC) not on Souths senior list and no longer eligible for juniors...

[Dutchy]

Any Westie fans out there with boys under 5 that live in the Bays zone Im happy to swap addresses for registration purposes of our Lads so they can play for our clubs!!!

I actually know of a couple of arrangements like this!

[Spiritof64]

Reading the Sunday Mail article on Ryan Darling today, it was mentioned how he was recruited from the Eagles zone.

I dont have a problem with that, but was wondering what the procedure is with a club recruiting someone from outside their zone. Is it some type of clearance fee or do clubs have to negotiate some type of player swap?

Glenelg usually do it by getting the SNAFL to change the zones.

[wal65]

5 grand and we don't get a cent for 12 years work. All we get from the bloody Eagles is a raffle book and a letter asking us to raise more money for them. We also had 2 junior players go to Centrals and the Eagles got 2 grand for each of them.

$9000 for sitting on your arse doing nothing!!!!! THIS IS THE BIGGEST SCAM IN THE SANFL!!!!! At least we see something when they play AFL. It isn't much because the SANFL clubs take a fair slice of that too.

[BPBRB]

5 grand and we don't get a cent for 12 years work. All we get from the bloody Eagles is a raffle book and a letter asking us to raise more money for them. We also had 2 junior players go to Centrals and the Eagles got 2 grand for each of them.

$9000 for sitting on your arse doing nothing!!!!! THIS IS THE BIGGEST SCAM IN THE SANFL!!!!! At least we see something when they play AFL. It isn't much because the SANFL clubs take a fair slice of that too.

Okay we will disband the SANFL (and the AFL if you like ) so "your clubs" can hang onto your good players so "your league" can be the highest level they might achieve! Are you serious????

Get a reality check! Most players who come to SANFL clubs as juniors have to have all the bad habits trained out of them and then basically retrained from scratch due to the so called development and "coaching" given to them at their original clubs. Don't tell me that the SANFL clubs have no hand in how these players go or develop. There are the odd naturally talented exceptions e.g your Barrie Robrans and Russell Eberts but how often do they come along in comparison to the majority?

[sturt1]

Reading the Sunday Mail article on Ryan Darling today, it was mentioned how he was recruited from the Eagles zone.

I dont have a problem with that, but was wondering what the procedure is with a club recruiting someone from outside their zone. Is it some type of clearance fee or do clubs have to negotiate some type of player swap?

It was a swap for Adam Klun.

[wal65]

Okay we will disband the SANFL (and the AFL if you like ) so "your clubs" can hang onto your good players so "your league" can be the highest level they might achieve! Are you serious???

What are you on about!!!!! We want every player in our club, if they are good enough, to play at the highest level. We currently have 5 former players running around in different grades of SANFL (ironically none at the Eagles). Ryan Darling had 2 pre-seasons at the Eagles. Each time he was told he wasn't good enough. Now he has decided he wants to have a go at Sturt, and the Eagles say "Even though he never played for us, give us $5000". Blyth/Snowtown Football Club WILL NOT see one cent of that. Yes, they are the rules but the rules are wrong. Surely, any grassroots football club that can produce an AFL or SANFL player from their junior ranks should get some reward. I would think 10% would be a reasonable figure.

Get a reality check! Most players who come to SANFL clubs as juniors have to have all the bad habits trained out of them and then basically retrained from scratch due to the so called development and "coaching" given to them at their original clubs.

If that is the case, why are there players running around in the AFL who supporters would never want to kick a ball. Ask a crows fan what they think of Ian Perrie's kicking. As a Geelong supporter, I know Mark Blake will never polish his boots all year. He never kicks it. These players all came through state league like the SANFL and it looks like they did a real good job of getting rid of bad habits .

SANFL clubs don't teach players basic skills. They only make them better. The Ryan Darling that is running around for Sturt now is still the same one who played all his football for us, only now he is fitter, stronger and uses the skills we taught him better. If Sturt can take take a top country footballer, totally pull his game apart and retrain him from scratch in the space of 6 months, then every footballer should go there. And if clubs like the Eagles give clubs in their zone a slice of players clearance fees, then perhaps we can make our coaches even more qualified than they are now. Sounds like you need a reality check!!!!

[doggies4eva]

I think Wal65 has got a point. Why shouldn't the clubs that develop players get some financial compensation when they lose a player to the SANFL?

The SANFL clubs are quick to complain when they lose a player to the AFL and they get paid (not enough though I agree)!

[smac]

Your attack on BPBRB is unfounded wal - come along to a league club and watch junior development training to see this.

Having been involved with development squads for the past 10 years, I can tell you that the players who have all the skills are very few and far between - 2% of all players we see at best. We spend many hours giving players one on one assistance with basic skills and teaching them the disciplines required to learn and adhere to a game plan, teaching them not to be selfish because they are no longer one of only a few good players in their team and deleting bad habits from their game.

Not denying the good work done by local clubs, but don't think these players get to league footy based purely on what they are taught before they get to a SANFL club.

[wal65]

I don't think its unfounded at all based on my experiences with my club and football league over the past 15-20 years. I don't have to go to a league club to see it. I dealt with them in that time. We had a young player invited to do pre-season. We thought he wasn't quite up to it but it would be good experience for him. 300km round trip twice a week. Got told after one trial game he wasn't good enough as we expected. He wants to try again next year but at a different club. Played underage football for us on the weekend. He's a lot fitter but still has a problem with his kicking. So much for 6 months intensive one on one assistance. The only ones that get that are ones that could go onto AFL so the SANFL club can help their cash flow or you are an AFL player with lots of time on your hands.
If your club is doing what you say they do smac, then you're one of the good ones and maybe we should send some players to you.

The thing I'm dirty on is the Eagles have benefitted financially by clearing a player to a rival SANFL club when he had never pulled an Eagles guernsey (It wasn't a trade. Ask his father). Congratulations to Sturt for getting Ryan to Adelaide to play. I hope he plays 100-200 games for them. In the end, why shouldn't us and every other local football club benefit in some way from these sort of deals. We do if they play AFL. Why not SANFL?? What's the difference?? Maybe we should get rid of zones. Most kids these days know that to play AFL you have to play with an SANFL club and they don't care who it is.

[smac]

I don't think its unfounded at all based on my experiences with my club and football league over the past 15-20 years. I don't have to go to a league club to see it. I dealt with them in that time. We had a young player invited to do pre-season. We thought he wasn't quite up to it but it would be good experience for him. 300km round trip twice a week. Got told after one trial game he wasn't good enough as we expected. He wants to try again next year but at a different club. Played underage football for us on the weekend. He's a lot fitter but still has a problem with his kicking. So much for 6 months intensive one on one assistance. The only ones that get that are ones that could go onto AFL so the SANFL club can help their cash flow or you are an AFL player with lots of time on your hands.
If your club is doing what you say they do smac, then you're one of the good ones and maybe we should send some players to you.

The thing I'm dirty on is the Eagles have benefitted financially by clearing a player to a rival SANFL club when he had never pulled an Eagles guernsey (It wasn't a trade. Ask his father). Congratulations to Sturt for getting Ryan to Adelaide to play. I hope he plays 100-200 games for them. In the end, why shouldn't us and every other local football club benefit in some way from these sort of deals. We do if they play AFL. Why not SANFL?? What's the difference?? Maybe we should get rid of zones. Most kids these days know that to play AFL you have to play with an SANFL club and they don't care who it is.

In short... you do need to go and look to make a proper judgement. Can't base everything on the experiences of a couple of players.

I was close to the running of a junior football club for many years, have been even closer to the involvement of the running of a junior development program at a league club for the last 10 - both do terrific work and live only because of the hard work of volunteers. League clubs appoint volunteers based on qualifications and experiences, local clubs take whoever is willing to help (general rule, perhaps some exceptions but I have never heard of any). This alone means league clubs will provide more quality assistance to a young footballer and deserve to reap the benefits of 'the system'.

And please, send all your good players to my club - we would be happy to have them (closest drive for them too!).

[enigma]

Wal65

Before we criticise the SANFL clubs that we are zoned to we should have the facts. In accordance with SANFL guidelines the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club did not receive any transfer fee for Ryan Darling. Once a player is ineligible to play Under 19 football (ie in the year that they turn 20) and has not signed with an SANFL club than they are free to go to which ever club they choose with out their zoned club receiving any transfer fees. In this instance, the Blyth-Snowtown Football Club will receive a transfer fee of $2500 from the Sturt Football Club if Ryan Darling plays 25 League games for Sturt and has played more than 20 games for the Blyth-Snowtown between the age of 15 and 19. In regard to AFL transfer fees, on drafting the SANFL club does get a portion of the fee, as does the junior club and the affiliated league from where the player originates as long as they have played the required games.

In is interesting that you say that the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club has done nothing for your Club. Every SANFL club, with support from the SANFL, spends hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting the game in both their country and metropolitan zones. They support the country leagues financially and with resources, they run coaching courses, assist with the Auskick program and provide opportunities for players to participate in talented player and promotional programs. Has any footballer from the Blyth-Snowtown Football Club participated in mini-league or little games at Woodville Oval or AAMI Stadium? Have they been a member of the Eagles Football Academy or participated in a Year 7 sports camp? Wasn’t Ryan Darling able to participate in the U/15 championships and the Country Youth Championship to play at a higher level courtesy of the Eagles?

Opportunities such as these are not unique to the Eagles zone. Every SANFL club does a tremendous job with limited resources, they may not always get it right but at least they are trying.

[BPBRB]

Wal65

Before we criticise the SANFL clubs that we are zoned to we should have the facts. In accordance with SANFL guidelines the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club did not receive any transfer fee for Ryan Darling. Once a player is ineligible to play Under 19 football (ie in the year that they turn 20) and has not signed with an SANFL club than they are free to go to which ever club they choose with out their zoned club receiving any transfer fees. In this instance, the Blyth-Snowtown Football Club will receive a transfer fee of $2500 from the Sturt Football Club if Ryan Darling plays 25 League games for Sturt and has played more than 20 games for the Blyth-Snowtown between the age of 15 and 19. In regard to AFL transfer fees, on drafting the SANFL club does get a portion of the fee, as does the junior club and the affiliated league from where the player originates as long as they have played the required games.

In is interesting that you say that the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club has done nothing for your Club. Every SANFL club, with support from the SANFL, spends hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting the game in both their country and metropolitan zones. They support the country leagues financially and with resources, they run coaching courses, assist with the Auskick program and provide opportunities for players to participate in talented player and promotional programs. Has any footballer from the Blyth-Snowtown Football Club participated in mini-league or little games at Woodville Oval or AAMI Stadium? Have they been a member of the Eagles Football Academy or participated in a Year 7 sports camp? Wasn’t Ryan Darling able to participate in the U/15 championships and the Country Youth Championship to play at a higher level courtesy of the Eagles?

Opportunities such as these are not unique to the Eagles zone. Every SANFL club does a tremendous job with limited resources, they may not always get it right but at least they are trying.

Great post and spot on - many of the more financial clubs are spending very good amounts in their Country Zones - especially North, Centrals, Port and the Eagles.

[am Bays]

Don't forget Glenelg BPBRB I know we spend a lot of time down there. In fact it has led to a relatiely high turnover of development managers in the past at glenelg the amount of travelling involved particularly with our South East academy...

All clubs put a geat deal of importance on their country zones and try very hard to meet the expectation of their country clubs.

[heater31]

Port Adelaide have learnt the hard way about neglecting their country zone. can think of at least 4 players that played for the opposing side yesterday in either league or ressies that were from Port's country zone originally.

[wal65]

Thanks for the posts. Its made it an interesting topic. You bought up something I didn't know, Enigma but in Ryan's case he was a signed up eagles player. A transfer fee was paid. As I said in my previous post "ask his father". I'm certainly not going to call him a liar. Maybe we should advise our junior footballers not to sign a contract tying you to an SANFL club until you know exactly what you intend doing and if that club actually wants you.

As far as my comment about the Eagles doing nothing is concerned, there is a belief throughout the eagles zone that they seem more intent on doing things from Adelaide at the moment rather than getting out and being seen. I appreciate a lot of time and money is spent on junior development but you wonder where it goes because you don't hear or see anything. When we first joined the Eagles zone, they were excellent and that was when Ryan went through the system. We would see an eagles rep nearly every 2-3 weeks. They would pop into the rooms after the game and give out towels, socks, footballs and other stuff. But in the past few years it has dropped away. We had eagles reps come up and hold coaching clinics at schools and clubs. They dont do it now. Its up to us to do it. They used have pick an U15's country squad and train them for 6 weeks. Now it's a sausage sizzle with a kick and catch. Walking around the ovals last year, I bumped into reps from centrals, north, port, west and sturt looking for recruits. The only time we saw the eagles was on grand final day. Maybe they were there during the year in a car with a dark windscreen but they didn't make themselves known to anyone. I notice they are advertising for a new T&D officer so hopefully things can get back to where they once were. A bit of communication would be a good start. Perhaps the SANFL should look at their zones more often to stop clubs getting lazy with them.