Pyke not ruling out switch - again

So, Republican, if we put the bloke with less than ordinary form, who is destined to be a bench warmer, up against a #4 pick with 44 league games on him in a game with finals implications, how is he going to go ?

Mister Football Rubbish - You will be eating your words when the PI team win the Championship, or at least send some local teams packing, not through exceptional talent and skill but brute strength and height/size advantage. This will have the added effect of not only making a mockery of our game and the Championships but also stealing the thunder from those young Australian 15 year olds, who should be reaping the accolades of such a prestigious carnival. There is a growing sentiment that exists that our game is simply very easy to pick up, given the athletes from other codes lining up to have a go. This disparity will only prove to strengthen this negative slight on the game and to be honest, I am starting to think that perhaps this is so. This is indeed a farce and all to do with the cringing internationalist hard sell to make our great game appear to be something it is clearly not.

Republican they have to pit 18 and 19 year olds against 15 and 16 year olds because, well, to be frank, they're not up to it. Next year, or the year after, they might be able to reduce the age by a year. Maybe in ten years time, they might be able to all play on a level playing field - that would be the hope. Can it work? I don't know.

On Internationalizing the code - What a farce this NAB Under 16's is this year. I have just read a team list of both the Pacific and World teams playing our Australian state selections on World Footy News. The age of respective P.I / NZ and World sides ranges between 19 and 17yrs. These blokes will have a huge size advantage which is going to make them look far better than they really are I believe, since most of our lads are around 15yrs. I would not be surprised to see the P.I side take out Championship, given the calibre of their PNG content.. The age disparity makes a mockery of this contest and is more about creating an illusion of competitivness rather than offering any meanigful contest and should be seen in this context. The sooner they, the cringing advocates to internationalzing our code, bite the bullet and pit these contries against Australian line ups of at least the same age, the better for the code I believe. The code has been afforded more than enough time to do so especially given the oodles of support countries i.e. NZ derive from the likes of the AFL, Hawthorn and the like.

Mister Football Will Do.

My bemusement if you like is to do with having the Pykes of the world entertained as viable AFL players at all. I am NOT saying with time any of these could become worthwhile but even so this is a huge punt to take and how much time is money well spent when there is alot of young Australian Footy talent around this country that would be far better propositions than any Pyke, Falou or Hunt. So what pray tell is the AFL's true agenda if what I believe to be is so? Publicity to grow the game off shore is all it could be in my opinion and this includes the Swannies Pyke fiasco. I reckon the AFL simply have more money than sense and are cutting off their nose to spite their face in this respect.

Republican No, I haven't talked him up at all. Please re-read my post and you will see its true intent.

don't forget - - Pyke wasn't scouted off shore, he via his manager approached AFL managers who thought Sydney might be a good fit. He obviously has been cheap thus far - - but, moving forward, a 'tough' decision needs to be made. Is there any further up-side to him?? However, with his improved fitness and ball skills, he'd rip'em apart if he returned to RU which is a pretty sedate game by comparison. Ironic - - some folk like to claim he's a transitioning success story in the AFL,.......however, has yet to play more AFL games than RU TESTS (Internationals including WC matches). Success....hardly. Curiou more like. I'd like to see how he goes with another pre-season under his belt, most players need to hit the 30-50 game mark to really start showing their wares........this guy is only just hitting that mark in actual games of footy full stop, let alone 30-50 1st grade AFL matches.

Mister Football. Are we looking at the same athlete? Sorry mate but you are talking him up a bit don't you reckon? I have seen oodles of young tall's that would run rings around this bloke in the ACTAFL alone - believe me. I reckon this off shore scouting is a real furphy and more about trying to sell the game as an international code over time, as opposed to the code really 'yearning' athletes, but hey I may be totally off the ball in this respect. Cheers

It's a pity Pyke didn't come to the game as a 16 or 17 year old, he would have been a gun by now. He's a superb athlete, plenty of pace, stamina and agility for a tall bloke, wonderful build for a footballer, but has come a little too late to pick up the range of skills to become a good footballer (although in certain situations, he is an effective ruckman because of his good leap). This is Pyke's claim to fame: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQCy5gtnyY4 Note how he: 1. makes the opposition look rather silly 2. nonchalantly puts the ball down barely needing to draw breath (while the fat blokes chasing him are sucking in the big ones). If I were an AFL scout watching, for Pyke I would have written: capital P for Potential. For the blokes wearing the black jumpers, I would have written: too fat, too slow, too short, zero stamina, can't kick. For AFL footy, we yearn athletes. This is the sort of athleticism and kicking skill we look for in our game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wh0uRajy_4

Gallus Get with what? I have followed this blokes form and it is less than ordinary. He will simply see how much he can milk the AFL for before deciding whether or not to return to the game he is akin to, or be encouraged to stay by deriving a motsa as an an inflated bench warmer. As far as foriegners go - I have absolutely NO worries about players playing our game, whatever their geographical derivation, so long as they are valued according to their skill set of which many currently are clearly not. The Irish have made the transition effectively in the main, because they play a game that ours was based and it aint Union I assure you.

I seriously believe that Pyke could play in the second row for Hobart Harlequins in Tasmania's First Grade if he were prepared to train both Tuesday and Thursday at Rugby Park next week. We will need to teach him to catch the ball again and actually tackle people so they stop running but its doubtful this flirtation with AFL would have affected his skills to the point of no return. We have a carton of beer for the players after each win and have a great Club Song so Pikey you are welcome mate. We drink at the Crescent Hotel post game and are renowned for our scholling capacities. Come back Pykey. All is forgiven!

Maybe Wentworthville in the NSW cup or The Entrance in the 3rd teir state rugby league might pick him up.

I know the Irish didn't like "Garrison' games before the 1980s but I think Republican you should get with it - its all changed. The Irish no longer hate foreigners - you should get with it.

i believe he should return - he hasn't done much to impress me thus far.