What you’re talking about though is what I think should be avoided, kids who aren’t from disadvantaged backgrounds being funnelled into the system at the expense of the rest. I don’t know how to solve it, but I do think kids who are already on scholarships at private schools shouldn’t also be handpicked by clubs to fill up NGA systems just to get dibs on the best talent.
Clubs should be encouraged to actually invest in developing their NGA players over many years, and their reward for that is they get first pick of them in the draft. Not just swoop in at the last minute and claim some tenuous eligibility criteria in order to manipulate the system
Yeah but you’ll just end up with Anglo kids from poor neighborhoods taking the spots if that’s the case. The whole purpose of the nga system is to increase the number of multicultural (African and Asian) background kids into the afl, as well as more indigenous kids.
I’m happy with currently:
African and asian kids with a parent born overseas.
indigenous kids being included.
Not happy with:
It doesn’t include Polynesian kids (a lot of potential talent here. i even spoke to the manager of afl multicultural the other day Pauly V, he was telling me they’re seeing a lot more talent from Fijian backgrounds which suprised me, which makes their lack of eligibility even stranger).
the free for all on indigenous background kids with no limits set to it, like the other nga access kids.
no limit on how long a kid is in an academy to be eligible, it should be they need to at least start in the academy at 16 years old.
I think if they improve those last 3 points, the system will work very well.
Louis Emmett - more of a forward/ruck. Super competitor, has a bit of that alpha male energy out there, loves a contested mark. Pretty awkward kicking technique, but the rest is super exciting.
Cody Curtin - brother of Dan, but more of a prototype key tall. Much better overhead than Dan. Played more as a defender, but swung forward late in the colts season and kicked back to back bags of 6. Reckon he has a natural feel for forward craft, and really good below his knees.
Curtin is the forward I’d want, has a really strong build and can be the contested type while Caddy roams.
Also that ability to swing like Hooker is very valuable
Apparently, Scottish/Irish ancestry does, even when it’s 75%!
The point is when you have kids in an NGA who have a small-ish indigenous percentage in their ancestry, like Brand, Eyre and now this Greeves guy, it kind of makes a mockery of the whole idea. One of Brand/Eyre didn’t even know he had any indigenous ancestry until the year before his draft (can’t remember which). How is that increasing indigenous participation in a meaningful way? I think it’s taking the ■■■■.
After using both of our last 2 1st rnd picks on forwards. I can’t see our next 2 also being forwards. 1 maybe, and I’d get around any of a key forward, ruck/forward, or small forward. 2 out of our first 4 picks possibly.
There will also be a midfielder in there somewhere. I don’t think it is wise to go 3 consecutive drafts without spending a top pick on a midfielder of some description. Big potential for leaving a future list hole.
I disagree. Midfielders is the easiest position to fill, trade for and get in free agency. We’ve invested enough in midfielders over the last decade and need to finally invest into small/medium and big forwards.
GWS traded pick 24,30 and a future fourth for Collingwoods 2021 first that gave them Callaghan.(looking back at their trades - probably all part of Daicos points)
And got incredibly lucky. Collingwood had played in the last four (?) finals series, including a GF and a separate prelim, and played finals again in 2022 and won the premiership in 2023. GWS got the only time they missed finals in ~6 years AND they finished second last.
Yes and no, GWS have had a constant stream of first rounders because their clubs been a revolving door of footballers from Melbourne returning home after a couple of years in the system for a .
I’m sure Callaghan was on a lot of recruiters radars.
It’s not as if the two footballers taken before him are chumps either.
Arguably you would prefer both on your list.
Probably the big blue from that Draft was North not taking the best Victorian kid in the open pool(ie Callaghan)
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