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.
Cat
Roar Guru
"Are Sydney the most likely to recruit Heeney" Sydney will have first choice whether they want to draft Henney or not. Pretend he is a Father/Son rule pick, it works the same way. Under the current system Sydney at most will have to use its (likely) #18 first round to select him. Basically Sydney would be getting a top 5/10 whatever talent for a much lower draft pick. Sydney will also have to make a F/S choice on Abe Davis. If Sydney used their first round pick on Henny they'd not be obligated to use anymore than their second round pick on Abe Davis (providing another team bids for him, I have no idea what kind of talent Abe Davis has or where he could be expected to be drafted).
alicesprings
Guest
Correcto…their wisdom in signing those two remains to be see..could put them in a pretty ordinary position in 5yrs time as so much of their salary cap is taken up by two players. The remaining players are all going to except contracts way below market rate if the team is to stay together. It can be down however..Geelong is a good example. If the academy rules don't change get ready for this same conversation next year. Mills is supposed to be even better..and its quite possible he could be the best player in the draft next yr. Either way great to see NSW producing some quality players!
Michael huston
Guest
Haha wouldn't surprise me at all! For starters, top draft picks can be as much a hindrance as they are a benefit. Many top draft prospects have gone on to be inferior to lower-ranked players. I'm still a little confused though. Like I said, I try not to pay attention to what goes on off field. Are Sydney the most likely to recruit Heeney? I'm using my basic common sense to conclude that the controversy is around the fact that a top four side can acquire two million-dollar free agents plus a top draft pick in three consecutive years? Without any sarcasm or patronising, am I correct? Lol
alicesprings
Guest
There should be around 10 players from NSW playing in the Swans v Hawks game tomorrow night. When thats the case for every game played in the AFL then we can disband the academies.
alicesprings
Guest
Im over Eddie dictating everything..hopefully Gill will grow a pair quick smart and remind him who actually is running the competition.
alicesprings
Guest
YOu have to feel sorry for the guy..good luck naming any other potential draft picks going top10..all i hear about is Heeney!! The Vic media and eddie will have him as the next Gary Ablett before the week is out.
Balthazar
Guest
Sorry I was responding specifically to the idea that the Swans could get compensation. They do not spend anywhere as much on the development of young talent as th WA teams do.
Cat
Roar Guru
anyone the Swans don't bid on (just like the F/S rule) goes into the draft for any team to select.
Gregor
Guest
I think the academies are a fundamentally great idea, but there are a few questionss. Firstly, do the Swans have the capacity to select,observe,choose and nurture all the talented kids who are begging to be part of the the deal? What happens if they have a dozen kids in one year who are all good? Where do they put them?And,if they can't find a place,if for instance they had three ruck types,who gets the dibs? Would there some kind of draft out of the Academy for other sides?
TomC
Roar Guru
Missed the question about evidence on the difference between northern clubs and others. Refer here: http://thelionsroar.net/
TomC
Roar Guru
Bosk, the Tasmanian government pay the Hawks to play games there. I'm not familiar with Hawthorn's development setup in Tasmania. I strongly doubt they spend more than the Swans do on the academy, but even if they did, they're taking Tasmania's money and spending some of it on Tasmania! |It's a completely different arrangement. I'm amazed you thought it was worth bringing up. As for your last line, it is as daft as it is simplistic. Of course off-field issues have an effect on-field. What a nasty, pointless contribution to the discussion.
Davico
Guest
Wow you really don't understand how different the sporting landscape is do you! I am born and bred in NSW and never got the chance to play aussie rules. The private schools are dominated by Rugby and the public schools play League. Parents need to make an effort to get their kids into the game. Maybe they should not bohter
Bosk
Roar Rookie
It's an obvious double standard. Hawthorn for example have recently been investing more money developing football in Tasmania than the Swans have in NSW, Andrew Ireland recently stated that if the Academy system is altered so that Sydney no longer has an advantage when bidding for talent they will likely pull their funding, which to me plainly suggests the Swans' interest in the system is purely a self-centered one. I've no doubt Hawthorn would gladly pay several million per year to setup an Academy in Tassie if they too were to be given such an advantageous arrangement. So would West Coast in WA, and Adelaide in SA. Unfortunately these clubs do not have that option, thought the rumor circulating is that the AFL have granted the Hawks permission to setup a Tasmanian Academy... but only as a sweetener for doing the league's bidding by playing 8 home games in Tassie, or in other words voluntarily committing to relocation by stealth. I'll finish up by simply stating that if you aren't capable of understanding the difference between a club having an off-field advantage by virtue of its own success or popularity, and a club being given a direct on-field advantage by the AFL itself then you're either horribly biased (and likely a Swans fan) or paralyzingly stupid.
Davico
Guest
Read back what you wrote!
Balthazar
Guest
what???? when are you going to compensate Freo and WCE for Buddy and Jetta? Cos guess what it is money from those clubs, channelled through the WAFC, that developed those players and keeps the WAFL afloat. And that is money taken out of OUR profits that could be used to develop top shelf academies. A better answer is that academies should be looked at as part of a whole host of equalisation measures but I doubt the AFL has the stomach for it because it will involve taking on McGuire etc over access to MCG, participation in "blockbuster games" and other advantages they have as well
MomentbyMoment
Guest
I agree the Swan's Academy has been a huge success but other clubs are unhappy. So what alternative is there? If other clubs want equal access to players I think that is fair - they just have to pay an equal share of the running costs (including facilities, etc). If they do not want to contribute, then it is fair for the Swans to receive compensation. The key issue is developing the grass roots game in the northern states. That is in everybodies interest.
Kev
Guest
If the bigger Victorian clubs have an issue with interstate teams running academies, what's stopping them from going to the AFL and demanding the right to do the same? And I say this as a Victorian. Unlike some parochial ones here, I'm actually capable of seeing the benefits of stronger interstate teams. Of course there must be balance but the AFL isn't better off by having teams in QLD and NSW that are weak.
shezza
Guest
Maybe understand what we write before beimg a smart rse
shezza
Guest
That's what I said.
Kev
Guest
Whinging clubs like North Melbourne came up with Friday night football which has since been hijacked by teams with a larger fan base. How do you expect them to grow revenue when that sort of thing is occurring?