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Now that the ‘Buddy will destroy the Swans culture’ and COLA debates are nearing exhaustion, the focus is squarely back on the Swans Academy and its supposed advantages.
Not surprisingly, the charge is being led by the Caped Crusader from Collingwood, Eddie McGuire, the chest-beating, self-proclaimed saviour of the game.
By sheer coincidence, Eddie’s magnanimous fight on behalf of all Victorian clubs comes at a time when Collingwood are under increasing scrutiny and their finals hopes look somewhat shaky. Sleight of hand was always one of his strong points.
Putting aside the countless advantages the Pies have enjoyed over the years, and the vast amounts they spend on recruiting, let’s try to take a look at how this ongoing debate may pan out.
All the northern clubs have academies. All AFL clubs had input to their formation and all of them whole-heartedly agreed upon the concept and rules surrounding them. The primary driver to develop the talent pool of AFL players in markets that were traditionally dominated by other sports, and had historically produced a low number of players in the AFL.
Now, just as these academies are starting to achieve their goals, some want the rules changed, with ownership removed from the clubs and given to the AFL, or even scrapped altogether.
A couple of reasons appear to have driven this outrage. Firstly, Eddie declared that the Swans were somehow “hiding” players away, despite them playing at the Under-18 National Championships where they will are assessed by recruiters from all clubs.
The Swans take particular umbrage at this allegation, as it labels them as cheats to a degree, a serious enough accusation for chairman Andrew Pridham to make a public statement rebuffing McGuire’s claims.
The second has been the publicity surrounding Isaac Heeney, who the Swans look likely to take with their first round pick at this year’s draft. Only a few months ago he was regarded as perhaps a first round pick. Then he was talked up as a top 10 prospect. Now he’s suddenly been elevated to this year’s draft number one pick that the Swans will get on the cheap.
Somewhat coincidentally, this hype started at the same time as Eddie launched his attack, and is now taken as Gospel by many who know nothing about Heeney, and have never seen the kid play, but are still prepared to listen to the baseless rhetoric put forward by the plethora of media experts on radio and TV.
If the Swans do take him, of course it will be through the existing bidding process that applies to father and son selections, a legitimate practice that has existed and greatly benefited many clubs in the past. But this is not enough for some, who now insist the Swans should be paying more.
If the bidding process is changed and the northern clubs are forced to pay a king’s ransom for these picks, then there will be a disincentive to run the academies and the development of players and the game may suffer.
One solution offered to make things fair is for the AFL to take over the cost of the academies. Supporters of the NSW and Queensland teams would have no problem with this whatsoever, even though the Swans Academy is currently primarily funded by donations and corporate support, not by the AFL handing over a pot of money.
But the AFL have shown no inclination to take on such a burden and are highly unlikely to do so, especially as the academies are finally beginning to bear the fruits of success to be shared by the whole competition.
So if the AFL won’t do it, then why not let the other clubs have their own academies?
This week, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said that as part of the equalisation process, he’d love the opportunity for the Hawks to start their own NSW academy. Guess what, Alastair? You can. But for years it suited your club not to do so.
That was until it appeared the Swans were getting a bargain. And on the flip side of the same coin, can you imagine the outcry if the Swans announced they were opening a Victorian academy?
Speak to any coach, recruiter, volunteer or parent at any of the academies and they’ll tell you they’re about growing the game and giving kids opportunities, as opposed to providing a mechanism for the northern clubs to snare a draft bargain.
The game, and all clubs, will benefit from the academies. But no, let’s panic over the Swans getting a potentially good player and start white-anting all the good work that’s been done.
For years the Swans were rightly regarded as being the best in the business at developing young or recycled players. On the eve of this Saturday’s blockbuster, it’s worth remembering that the Swans had three first round draft picks in the 2012 grand final, the Hawks had 12.
Rather than moaning about the unfairness of the Swans Academy, let them carry on doing what they do best. And guess what, your club may just benefit from it in the future.
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