VFL Stand alones !!

[Eastern]

With Collingwood following Geelong and fielding their own side in the VFL, we need to look closely at what they are doing and how they are going about it.

Collingwood have said that they will have approx 10 spots on their VFL list for young hopefuls. They have approx 40-50 guys, mainly ex TAC Cup players training their guts out trying to get one of these spots. Collingwood have not promised any of them anything, yet want a FULL committment from all of them right through Christmas before they start culling them during Jan & Feb.

This is not as bad as the racket going on in South Australia. Both Adelaide & Port invited plenty of guys over for a 3 day assessment (AFL approval not required for this), only to have these guys on display for the SANFL Clubs. SANFL Clubs then offer $500 per senior game or $100 per reserves game to these guys straight out of TAC Cup footy. THey pledge to assist with employment and accomodation but no promises.

To me, both of these systems are nothing more than a meat market with ABSOLUTELY NO COMMITTMENT from VFL or SANFL Clubs. Surely, there has to be a better pathway for those who just missed out on the Draft/Rookie Draft !!

[GrumpyOne]

The whole system is nothing more than a meat-market Eastern. Such is the nature of the beast.

Unless we return to all-amateur footy, it will always remain so.

[Eastern]

The whole system is nothing more than a meat-market Eastern. Such is the nature of the beast.

Unless we return to all-amateur footy, it will always remain so.

I agree Grumpy !!

It is just that all of these kids ARE amatuer and are being exploited by these mobs, just because they didn't quite make it into the AFL !!

[Ghost Like]

Ultimately though it is up to the kids and how badly they want to play AFL. No one is holding a gun to their heads, they can go and play Ammos with their mates or play for a local side for a few dollars.

Good work by those clubs that get a ring side seat in seeing who the next best are or what the next best are lacking in their development. It would be great if our financial position allowed us to adopt a similar model.

This is all up to the kids and how badly they want it, it's an opportunity, nothing more, nothing less. Much like a junior golfer turning pro, no promises of money until you make a cut.

[awesome_days]

I see nothng wrong with it. If you are a school leaver you probably dont have a full-time commitment yet with uni going back in Feb.

You want to make AFL badly, your best chance is to get into one clubs system where if you play well you will be garunteed a rookie or drafting.

A club won't fully commit financially to an unproven player who is not good enough to be drafted or rookied if they are willing to be treated like that.

[Iceman234]

Generally I would think these kids who are training with the clubs are the ones who come from strong backgrounds where parents have had to raise them either trusting them with other parental supervision or running them around to various locations themselves. I've known some kids who have come through the system and I know the huge efforts parents go to and the sacrifices made. I would like to think 90% are from very strong family environments.

With this in mind, it would follow that the parents and close friend network associated with these youngsters will be guiding them and not just dropping them like hot scones because they have turned 18 or haven't made the draft cut.

There must be a huge bonus also in their physical and mental attitudes, working alongside their heroes for a few days, weeks or months, even if they never get the chance again.

It's the little bits and pieces they will pick up with regards to professionalism that they will take back to their clubs/friends/education/employment/family and hopefully make them better people.

But yeah, bring on a Saints Reserves again please.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

The whole system is nothing more than a meat-market Eastern. Such is the nature of the beast.

Unless we return to all-amateur footy, it will always remain so.

I agree Grumpy !!

It is just that all of these kids ARE amatuer and are being exploited by these mobs, just because they didn't quite make it into the AFL !!

Well, these kids used to be amateur, but they're going through this because they want to turn pro, and couldn't make the fasttrack.

If you can make $500 bucks a week playing SANFL while you put yourself through Uni, that's not bad at all. It may be a bit rough having your future hinge on a 3 day camp, but they've always got the option of sticking to amateur local footy... there are a lot more players who'd like to play pro than there are list positions.