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afl.com.au wrote:"LEADING player manager Ricky Nixon believes at least three of the five AFL clubs involved in next week's two-day draft camp in Ireland could have something to show for it next season.
Nixon and officials from the Brisbane Lions, Geelong, North Melbourne, Richmond and St Kilda flew out to Dublin on Friday afternoon.
After their arrival they will watch an All-Ireland second semi-final before heading west to Castlebar for a two-day simulated draft camp featuring more than 20 of the country's best young Gaelic footballers.
There, Nixon thinks AFL clubs on the cusp of finals action are more likely to go hard in the pursuit of international talent.
Ricky Nixon wrote:"At this stage I think that St Kilda, Richmond and possibly Brisbane – who have already got a couple of Irish players – but certainly Richmond and St Kilda will probably take one or two players at this time," Nixon said.
It looks like we are almost certain to have one or two Irish players on our list next year.
So what are peoples thoughts of us getting an Irish Player or two ?
Thanks for that. I believe it is really important. Note another irish kid, Pearce Hanley, making his debut this weekend for the Lions. Interested to see how he goes. meant to be a good athlete.
With 18 teams in the comp and most kids going to the GC and Sydney in the next few years I think we need to look for talent in Ireland and even further afield. Anyone see the Canadian Rugby player on Sydneys Rookie list?
Last edited by Con Gorozidis on Fri 22 Aug 2008 7:42pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks for that, it's a good article.
I love the idea of getting a couple of irish kids in to see what they can offer. My worry is why are we sending Archie Fraser?? Other clubs are sending recruiting managers and list managers and we are sending our CEO? Correct me if i'm wrong but I wouldn't think Archie is best qualified to identify talented youngsters.
gosaints wrote:Thanks for that, it's a good article.
I love the idea of getting a couple of irish kids in to see what they can offer. My worry is why are we sending Archie Fraser?? Other clubs are sending recruiting managers and list managers and we are sending our CEO? Correct me if i'm wrong but I wouldn't think Archie is best qualified to identify talented youngsters.
I am VERY disappointed with that. I hope AF is not treating it as a junket. recruitment should be taken VERY seriously by the club in the current environment. In fact it should always be taken VERY seriously.
Who'll be in Ireland?
Brisbane Lions – football manager Graeme Allan
Geelong – recruiter Luke Williams
North Melbourne – recruiter Cameron Joyce
Richmond – strategy and list manager Craig Cameron
St Kilda – chief executive Archie Fraser
st_Trav_ofWA wrote:archie would only be there in an offical capacity the club would already have a good idea on who they are going over to look at
so who is doing the looking? official capacity? what do u mean? is someone going to look at players ? if so it shouldnt be him.
if they have already got someone in mind and he is going to sign him up - then how did we make the decision in the first place?
they have gone to the trouble to organise a camp and testing and everything. are you telling me the saints dont need to see the testing or we have some prescient ability to know who we want already? Im really not following the logic here St Trav.
plugger66 wrote:I reckon we dhould try and get the recruiting right in our own backyard before we worry about Ireland is it a way of Archie getting a free trip home.
last time we actually really did look in our own backyard and we found fergus watts.
im happy to do both. get it right here. and if we can get a kid from ireland (or NSW). we take him.
Archie has no doubt seen the skill deficiencies amongst the saints list and
probably decided he could do as good a job as our recruiters , or better.
How do they screen potential recruits,do they hand them a football and ask them to kick a drop punt,with either foot,not sure Archie could show them the finer points of drop punt kicking.....
Six debutants for the Saints so far in Season 2024.
st_Trav_ofWA wrote:archie would only be there in an offical capacity the club would already have a good idea on who they are going over to look at
Then why send the CEO?
Unless there is additional business besides the rookies it would seem very odd to have the CEO wasting all that travel time.
Or
1/ maybe he will be appointing a local recruiter/agent?
2/ maybe they have already identified the player/s that they most want in which case what may count is having the business skills to out-negotiate the other clubs chasing that players services (as it is not a draft, but rather that you can rookie aplayer that HAS agreed to join you) including the ability to re-assure their mum and dad that you will do the best for their son.
Indeed given the distance from Aus, this last factor could well be the most important in securing a player, and that the parents may well be impressed and re-assured to know that they are actually dealing direct with the CEO.
Last edited by saintsRrising on Sat 23 Aug 2008 1:10pm, edited 1 time in total.
Flying the World in comfort thanks to FF Points....
JeffDunne wrote:Our CEO is not going to be at one of the most important home games the club has had in it's history and he's going to a recruiting camp in Ireland?
Ok, what's the punchline?
Why is the Essendon game that important?
I would have regarded the Crows game as important, but the CEO is attending the game and flying out afterwards.
I am not sure if he gets back in time for the Dons game.
Flying the World in comfort thanks to FF Points....
st_Trav_ofWA wrote:archie would only be there in an offical capacity the club would already have a good idea on who they are going over to look at
Then why send the CEO?
Unless there is additional business besides the rookies it would seem very odd to have the CEO wasting all that travel time.
Or
1/ maybe he will be appointing a local recruiter/agent?
2/ maybe they have already identified the player/s that they most want in which case what may count is having the business skills to out-negotiate the other clubs chasing that players services (as it is not a draft, but rather that you can rookie aplayer that HAS agreed to join you) including the ability to re-assure their mum and dad that you will do the best for their son.
Indeed given the distance from Aus, this last factor could well be the most important in securing a player, and that the parents may well be impressed and re-assured to know that they are actually dealing direct with the CEO.
I agree. But if we already have someone in mind - how did we choose them? And why are they bothering with a camp and testing?
Im very suss on this. JUNKET. This is why saints are shite. This attitude is typical saints. look at the expenditure on recruiting over the last decade compared with other clubs. I am pretty sure we are in the lowest quarter.
JeffDunne wrote:Our CEO is not going to be at one of the most important home games the club has had in it's history and he's going to a recruiting camp in Ireland?
Ok, what's the punchline?
Why is the Essendon game that important?
I would have regarded the Crows game as important, but the CEO is attending the game and flying out afterwards.
I am not sure if he gets back in time for the Dons game.
Sorry, I thought the article said they flew out yesterday.
My bad.
Still can't understand why he's going other than maybe the recruitment staff feel it's far more important to be here this time of year. I guess if he's got a good reason like some other purpose then I could understand but it hardly seems appropriate for a "footy first" administration to be sending out the CEO to recruit talent.
Brisbane Lions – football manager Graeme Allan
Geelong – recruiter Luke Williams
North Melbourne – recruiter Cameron Joyce
Richmond – strategy and list manager Craig Cameron St Kilda – chief executive Archie Fraser
Am going to think outside the square on this one. Perhaps our recruiters are better off looking at the Australian talent. Fraser may be on a juncket but he might also be there to promote the clubs to the potential playera and their families especially given he is from the UK.
Ricky Nixon is a ST Kilda supporter and might have already identified who he thinks is the best and the person running the Ireland sie of things is none other than Dermott McNicholl our former Irish player, so one would think he would also be looking after us. The other thing to consider is that there is apparently hours of video footage of these players that the recruiters have seen according to Nixon so perhaps we have already identified who we plan to target and Fraser is supposed to close the deal.
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