If you have a talented kid who wants to play AFL leave SA.

[Jar Man Out]

"The Carlton Football Club is pleased to announce that it has won the race to sign Jake Pianta from Penrith as its first NSW Scholarship player in 2007. Jake was highly sought after by a number of AFL Clubs and his signing is a real coup for the Carlton Football Club.

Jake is 187cm and 69 kg centre half forward who played in the NSW/ ACT Rams successful V-Line series earlier this year. A member of the Starz Under 15 Representative side in Sydney, Jake had an outstanding Carnival at the NSW Camp held at St Ignatius Riverview in April, where he was observed by Wayne Hughes and Shane Rogers, Carlton's recently appointed assistant recruiting manager.

The AFL scholarship program is aimed at teenagers aged between 15–17 years. Under scholarship guidelines, AFL Clubs can recruit up to two teenagers from Greater Sydney and southern NSW in each year. Scholarships can range from 1-3 years duration with recipients receiving financial assistance towards their football and education. Jake joins Josh Fenaroli who was signed as a NSW Scholarship player in 2006.

Under the program Pianta will spend regular periods training with Carlton in Melbourne from 2008 and the club will have the option of priority listing him to their primary player list in the future."

So just to clarify. that is 32 school students from nsw/qld handed afl scholarships a year. once they have a scholarship they can be added to an afl list without even entering the national draft.

So the crows and power can give 4 scholarships out to junior footballers. Just not local boys. Makes alot of sense.

what options does a sa kid at that age have ??? none. infact if spoken to prior to draft banned from going to that club.

when i raised this with the head of sanfl juniors. As a parent if i had a kid who really wanted to play AFl. Why Would i not move to QLD/NSW where he doesnt even have to be drafted just show some talent as a school kid and you get access to an afl list.

head of sanfls response "it would be very expensive".

deep thinkers hired at the sanfl obviously.

also the head of sanfl junior funding kept saying ' it is for developing states " so i asked "do you the SANFL think its fair cos we are a traditional footballing state our juniors should be discriminated against". his reponse "umm well no umm but"

went onto to say 'infact if you dont stand up for them who will" I got no response.

Want my advice. take your kid to qld and nsw if you want to increase the chances of your kid playing afl.

[Ecky]

I can see the similarities between this and "coloured" cricketers in South Africa being given preferential treatment (although it is easier to move states than to change the colour of your skin )

[Jar Man Out]

It is a disgrace.

If our kids arent going to be given equal exposure in the afl system.

why are we in it ????

[The Riddler]

Outstanding thread! This is a disgrace that we get shafted just because we are a footballing state.
More QLD kids got drafted than SA kids last year...WTF??? how does this happen???

SANFL need to stand up and stop being a 'Yes' man!

[heater31]

Time to get rid of the draft me thinks or start a breakway national comp and watch those bastards squeal

[doggies4eva]

Let me get this straight. You lot want more SA young players to be pillaged from SANFL clubs?

[The Riddler]

Let me get this straight. You lot want more SA young players to be pillaged from SANFL clubs?

Find me a kid who doesn't strive to play at the highest level.
Majority of these young fellas are playing SANFL to get to the AFL and this sort of structure in place is disadvantaging them.

[doggies4eva]

Let me get this straight. You lot want more SA young players to be pillaged from SANFL clubs?

Find me a kid who doesn't strive to play at the highest level.
Majority of these young fellas are playing SANFL to get to the AFL and this sort of structure in place is disadvantaging them.

But not all aspiring young players make it to the AFL - including those that get a scholarship and go and play in Melbourne. While an SA player can graduate through the ranks of the SANFL and if he is good enough will be picked up in the draft. The young ones from Queensland and NSW are disadvantaged by the fact that there is no SANFL like structure to give them a good development opportunity.

[Aerie]

This is a disgrace that we get shafted just because we are a footballing state.

That is the whole point of this system. To help provide pathways and encourage the growth of the sport in the weaker football states of Queensland and NSW. If a kid in South Australia is good enough, there is plenty of support to get him through to the AFL.

[RoosterMarty]

The AFL clubs will always look for the better youngster and if they aren't from SA then so be it, the Crows also have a NSW-based player as part of their scholarship and he looks alright, kicked 6 the other week.

[The Riddler]

Let me get this straight. You lot want more SA young players to be pillaged from SANFL clubs?

Find me a kid who doesn't strive to play at the highest level.
Majority of these young fellas are playing SANFL to get to the AFL and this sort of structure in place is disadvantaging them.

But not all aspiring young players make it to the AFL - including those that get a scholarship and go and play in Melbourne. While an SA player can graduate through the ranks of the SANFL and if he is good enough will be picked up in the draft. The young ones from Queensland and NSW are disadvantaged by the fact that there is no SANFL like structure to give them a good development opportunity.

nothing stopping the kid coming back at 19 when not drafted to rejoin sanfl system.

why work hard here on a chance you make the Sa U18 team and then hope to be drafted when at 15 you can move to nsw/qld impress at junior level and have a scholarhsip granted and save 3 years of hard work and worry.

I also ask why is it not possible for an sa kid to achieve an afl scholarship?

[Iron Fist]

riddler i do believe that youg SA kids can get footy scholarships,
they arent with AFL clubs but with the AIS in Canberra
part of that i believe is going there and also you get a grant of money
a tiddy little sum for a teenager i believe.
alot of the kids that get these are looked at by AFL teams very closely
dont hold me to this word for word as i may not be completely right!!!
A mate of mine has got one though!!

[Jar Man Out]

AIS scholarships are for people all over australia.

If AFL scholarships were the same. we wouldnt be complaining.

Even if Sydney and brisbane had scholarships to give to the juniors in their states they think have future would not be that bad. Only If Power and crows could do the same ofcourse.

but to limit all afl scholasrhips to states that dont traditionally play football is simply discriminatory.

when brought up to the head of junior football in the sanfl about the existence of a huge advantage to take your kids to nsw to get drafted. They never said that is incorrect.

They replied "it would be very expensive to move". Brilliant objection BTW. Not .

If the head of junior football in Sa accepts this discrimination towards our juniors. Is he really doing the best thing for kids in this state.????



This can and should not be tolerated.

[Iron Fist]

fair enough ducker
i do agree it is unfair that they have a better opportunity
moving to nsw/qld is just irrational to me.
But i have never been in the position as i have no kids and aint that good.

is it maybe the responsibilty of our AFL clubs to invite so many players to train once a month with them if they have potential.
Or maybe clubs to set up programs like sacred heart have were they do a lesson at school invloving only footy and train under mark williams every so often.
surely being watched and recieveing feedback on a regular basis from an AFL coach would do worlds of good for young footballers.

[Jar Man Out]

fair enough ducker
i do agree it is unfair that they have a better opportunity
moving to nsw/qld is just irrational to me.

simply you would be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

and now that small pond gets free entry into the afl stream 2 years before any other.

other thing that scared me. HEad of junior football for the SANFL denied NSW and SA did not compete against each other at the national championships.

when i asked "so to clarify they play against each other do they ???"

he responded " well no"

accompanied with the "very expensive to move interstate " logic. I am very concerned.

[doggies4eva]

AIS scholarships are for people all over australia.

If AFL scholarships were the same. we wouldnt be complaining.

Even if Sydney and brisbane had scholarships to give to the juniors in their states they think have future would not be that bad. Only If Power and crows could do the same ofcourse.

but to limit all afl scholasrhips to states that dont traditionally play football is simply discriminatory.

when brought up to the head of junior football in the sanfl about the existence of a huge advantage to take your kids to nsw to get drafted. They never said that is incorrect.

They replied "it would be very expensive to move". Brilliant objection BTW. Not .

If the head of junior football in Sa accepts this discrimination towards our juniors. Is he really doing the best thing for kids in this state.????



This can and should not be tolerated.

Just because 1 official put on the spot didn't come up with a convincing argument doesnt prove that the system is stuffed

[Jar Man Out]

Really doggies4eva, i thought it did.

Seeing as your such a good reader can you show me where someone claims the whole system is stuffed ???? Try and keep up.

[doggies4eva]

Really doggies4eva, i thought it did.

Seeing as your such a good reader can you show me where someone claims the whole system is stuffed ???? Try and keep up.

Oh, did I miss something? I thought that the issue was that kids from NSW and Queensland can get scholarships to play in Victoria and SA WA and Vicorian kids can't. The point that I has tried to make was that SA, WA and Vic have greater overall opportunities for a young player to advance through the ranks so we are not really disadvantaged by this. What did I miss?

[Ian]

why work hard here on a chance you make the Sa U18 team and then hope to be drafted when at 15 you can move to nsw/qld impress at junior level and have a scholarhsip granted and save 3 years of hard work and worry.

I agree that kids from ALL states should be given equal opportunity, and access to the scholarship, but that 3 years hard work might just be what helps you to really make it at the highest level.....no pain, no gain.

[am Bays]

What did I miss?

You missed the point that you are "debating" the great all knowing purveyor of football develpoment knowledge that is the great Mark Ducker/Trev Hill...

Do what I did start typing a response (based along you line of argument) and then thought F*ck it, he has demonstrated no idea of the development challenges facing kids from outside WA, SA & VIC that all I'm doing is wasting kilobytes of webspace...