Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

[Mofra]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

Key position back is what we need. Interesting to see if we pick him up.

191cm last time I checked but he still has a bit of growing to do.
The "natural footballer" bit I like.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

191cm last time I checked but he still has a bit of growing to do.
The "natural footballer" bit I like.

I saw him at 192cm last year, neither here or there, the big kicker is that his birthday is in October, so other like JUH who is 194cm (April) have had an extra six months to get a couple of cm’s on him. Cody will likely claw those back (maybe and some) on his older peers. 192cm and 78kg at age 16 bodes well with his athleticism.

[Mofra]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

I saw him at 192cm last year, neither here or there, the big kicker is that his birthday is in October, so other like JUH who is 194cm (April) have had an extra six months to get a couple of cm’s on him. Cody will likely claw those back (maybe and some) on his older peers. 192cm and 78kg at age 16 bodes well with his athleticism.

Hurley is 193cm and we've chased him more than once if rumours are to be believed. Style of play can be more important than height.

Either way we get first dibs on him and if CV19 impacts on the junior season we get dibs on a player we've watched closely for a couple of years already.

[GVGjr]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

Hurley is 193cm and we've chased him more than once if rumours are to be believed. Style of play can be more important than height.

Either way we get first dibs on him and if CV19 impacts on the junior season we get dibs on a player we've watched closely for a couple of years already.

Some defenders can easily cover a few cms in height and some can't. I'd rather a 193cm player who can actually play than a 197cm one who is just a bit above average.
Hamling was I think 194cm and seemed to able to cope nicely on a mixture of key forwards.

[Axe Man]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

Some defenders can easily cover a few cms in height and some can't. I'd rather a 193cm player who can actually play than a 197cm one who is just a bit above average.
Hamling was I think 194cm and seemed to able to cope nicely on a mixture of key forwards.

Don't tell BAD we might recruit another "short" key defender, I don't think he will take the news well.

[comrade]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

Anyone else worried that this Coronavirus crisis opens the door to NGA eligibility/access getting stripped?

It might be cabin-fever induced paranoia, but losing Marra on top of everything would be a huge kick to the nuts.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

Anyone else worried that this Coronavirus crisis opens the door to NGA eligibility/access getting stripped?

It might be cabin-fever induced paranoia, but losing Marra on top of everything would be a huge kick to the nuts.

Yep. I was goung to post the same thought yesterday but time got the better of me.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

Anyone else worried that this Coronavirus crisis opens the door to NGA eligibility/access getting stripped?

It might be cabin-fever induced paranoia, but losing Marra on top of everything would be a huge kick to the nuts.

I think not. But as every recruiter in the country would want him, and a known entity, I think he’s going to cost top dollar and not slide down the order.

[azabob]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

Thanks Comrade another thing for me to worry about!

[GVGjr]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

Anyone else worried that this Coronavirus crisis opens the door to NGA eligibility/access getting stripped?

It might be cabin-fever induced paranoia, but losing Marra on top of everything would be a huge kick to the nuts.

The draft as we know it will be pushed back by 12 months so it does open the door for the review
We won't be on our own fighting this though

[Axe Man]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

It's all up in the air at the moment.

Smaller pool? Future picks? How will COVID shake up the draft?

THE NAB AFL Draft is usually held in late November following the conclusion of year 12 exams around Australia.

But there is genuine uncertainty around this year's draft format due to the coronavirus outbreak that has put the AFL – and world – on hold.

Over the weekend AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan told Fox Footy he was confident there would be a draft, but that recruiters may have to select players based on their form in 2019.

Scouts are hopeful there will be an under-18 championships in some form later this year, but do have the resources, vision and capabilities to use study older games once they are back on deck (recruiting and list management teams have been stood down across the AFL as a result of the financial fallout from COVID-19).

The AFL, clearly, has more pressing things on its mind than the draft, and the football landscape may shift significantly within two months let alone eight when the event is usually staged.

But here are some of the options available to the AFL for its draft plans.

A SMALLER DRAFT POOL
If list sizes are going to be cut across the competition, there will be less of a need to use picks at the draft. Under current rules, clubs must make at least three additions to their senior list via the draft every year (which can include upgraded rookies).

But with a reduction in list spots looming, a smaller draft pool could be on the League's agenda. For instance, if there was only two rounds of the draft (a total of 36 picks) that would serve several purposes: ensure the top talents that are ready to play in 2021 get to clubs, give teams a chance to replenish their lists, but also not overload them with a stack of new faces while also reducing overall list numbers.

RAISE THE DRAFT AGE
Former Melbourne and Sydney coach Paul Roos and ex-North Melbourne coach Brad Scott have been vocal supporters of lifting the draft age to 19. Some will see this as an opening for that to happen, particularly with Scott now at the AFL in a game evolution role.

The AFL has long discussed a change in the draft age with some believing prospects have too much on their plate as they finish schooling to also have the pressure of being drafted thrown on top. The theory behind it this time is so all prospects can have the chance to shine fairly against each other next year, and to skip this year's draft.

But after McLachlan's comments, and the fact the AFL commissioned a research paper into lifting the draft age several years ago that didn't recommend changing the status quo, such a move would appear radical.

ACCESS TO ACADEMY AND FATHER-SONS
Some clubs have noted that with a high proportion of this year's draft class already tied to clubs as Next Generation Academy, northern Academy and father-son prospects, clubs will be in a better position to select those players given they would have seen them through their own programs in the past few years.

One idea thrown up by a list manager was to allow clubs two picks each and then on top of that have access to at least one – or a variation – NGA, Academy or father-son selection per club to allow them to head to the clubs that have spent time and resources developing the prospects.

UNDER-19s COMPETITION IN 2021
If a smaller amount of picks looms this season, then the AFL would likely consider opening up the under-18 competitions around the country to be under-19 leagues.

It would deny bottom-aged players much of a chance to shine ahead of their draft season, but would give opportunities to prospects who could have been taken in a normal draft but missed out if a limit is placed on how many selections can be taken.

… AND WHAT ABOUT THE DRAFT ORDER?
It has been a question we've heard over the past two weeks and it has merit: in the worst case scenario and there is little football this season, how does the AFL approach its draft order?

The lottery system, like the NBA runs for its draft, has been floated many times in regards to the AFL draft, and nobody would begrudge the League for looking at novel ways to try things this season given the circumstances. Here's an idea if a satisfactory level of games is not reached – use the 2019 ladder and allocate a certain number of balls to the bottom four sides, and then less to the sides in the next four positions and so forth.

The Grand finalists would get the least number of balls in the lottery to decide the order. As for future traded picks that were swapped last year, well, we'll leave that one to the AFL.

[GVGjr]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

The AFL has been looking at a reason to lift the draft age and Covid 19 challenges opens that door for them

We also can't bring in players from the NAB level into the AFL senior level potentially without a VFL side without playing any footy this year or having access to the training they need.

I suspect the 2020 draft pool is a strong chance to be pushed back to 2021. Not sure how that impacts us with JUH

The AFL now has the chance to introduce things like shorter quarters, expanded finals series, wild card rounds and a lift in the draft age and will take their opportunities to implement them. Clubs won't argue too hard either

[ledge]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

I think all players on their last year contracts will be given next year so that means you could only replace retired players.
So then it makes it an unfair draft.
I just think it should become a year that didn’t exist as the best way to handle it.

[Axe Man]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

I think all players on their last year contracts will be given next year so that means you could only replace retired players.
So then it makes it an unfair draft.
I just think it should become a year that didn’t exist as the best way to handle it.

Given that list numbers are quite likely to be reduced this can't happen.

[comrade]

Re: Future Priority Access Thread (Inc. Father/Son, Academy Players)

https://www.afl.com.au/news/390425/possible-no-1-pick-blitzes-testing-to-enhance-standing

Article from AFL.com.au highlighting Jamarra's recent testing results:

- He won the running vertical jump test overall with his 93cm leap in the elite category
- But Ugle-Hagan was then the quickest player recorded over the five-metre sprint (0.997 seconds) as he ran his 20 metres in a sharp 2.945 seconds
- He then capped off his athletic profile with a 21.3 Yo-Yo test result – a strong indication of his speed and endurance combination which increases his potential on-field versatility

As a comparison, Matt Rowell completed the Yo-Yo at the same level 21.3 at the 2019 Combine.