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Southerner wrote: Which has now seen unprecedented explosion of Soccer numbers mate - the whole caper stinks
The AFL is only interested in elite kids & all the little tyros just get flicked - eerily similar to what happens to the delisted players in the end
The whole system is just rotten

Spot on, soccer numbers continue to grow, especially in NSW and Victoria.

Perhaps apposite to this discussion is the article in today's West about the Under 18's state team results. The impression I got from reading the article was that more money would be removed from the WAFL system and a more selective, i.e. elitest, development programme would be put in place. It also seemed to suggets that the colts competition would be threatened in the pursuit of ostensibly better results for the 18s team. All of which would further strengthen the perception that is if you are not elite at 14-16 then there is no point.

Interestingly if WA had beaten Vic Metro would there need to be an inquiry as to what is wrong with the Vic Metro junior development?

If one is to try to increas rather than decrease the numbers playing in that age bracket it is important to give the impression of inclusiveness rather than one of exclusiveness which seems to be what is the trend at the moment.

The Vic system is vastly more funded than ours mate & at all levels too - simply no comparison

Look at how many AFL club scouts turn up at games that will tell you the level of funding available to them

Couple of opinions from where I sit.

We have an average of 40 to 50 boys coming to training Mondays and Tuesdays, thursdays it is the squad for saturday and the rest go back to their community teams or ammo's depending on age.

In our district I would suspect that the attraction to Aussie rules is being eroded away by a number of things, other sports, other interests and having to work to pay HECs for those who don't have parents who can afford to pay for them.

I think our development process has improved but the nett effect of that is not in growing numbers and that is the issue for the EP district.

Before anyone jumps on the alignment, most if not all the boys in colts don't care about that and won't until they get to ressies and we tell this group they will be the bedrock of the club when the align,ment moves away (that of course is predecated on the club continuing to exist).

In my opinion I think we need to move away from the WAFL clubs based development process from 16's on and go into a similar one to the Vic's where is is regional. It would mean that perhaps swans, ep and perth combine and they manage a tired system of 16's, 17's and a colts level teams with them playing against claremont subiaco and wp with ef, sf and peel providing a group of teams.

It is just a suggestion. I also think that we have to be realistic about the numbers and that we are going to face ever increasing reductions in funding and exposure. We also need to understand that a lot of the boys think that if they don't make the 18's they won't get drafted and so whyplay on, a thought often shared by parents.

I believe half the issue has already been pointing out in the replies to this article. In this day and age every single one of us are quick to foot the blame or make an excuse for an issue or deflect the problem elsewhere! Maybe as parents we need to role modelling correct behavior and just cop the fact that our sons/daughters dont want to play football because they find better things to do or are too lazy to show any form of commitment to anything. Kids of today are all about here and now and struggle to look long term (vast majority). As parents we need to try to remould this culture/way of thinking!!

Kids arent enjoying football or playing as they get older, why?
Is that a result of crap experiences in the past? Maybe
Is it a result of crap coaches in the past? Maybe
Is that a result of being let down by development squads in the past? Maybe
Is it because soccer coaches are more enthusiastic and knowledgeable than most junior footy coaches? Maybe
Is it because they are taught that failing is not possible through our school system where the majority of high schools are at 95-100% graduation? Maybe

There are a hell of a lot of eeasonings behind it. At the end of the day the buck lies with the self esteem, self confidence and resilience of each individual kid. And who can change that?? PARENTS/FAMILY

My thoughts on the issue is senior Waafl clubs are playing more young kids in their sides, ammo colts is under 20s and develolment squads and wafl colts squads have that big of a squad that 'everybody is a winner'
Let the kids learn it is ok to lose/not succeed but get back up and go again.

Once most young people get to 16 their focus changes to study and work, there is huge pressure in year 12 now to get decent spots at uni, and there is a very tough job market out there now. Study takes up a huge amount of time and most also work, if you go onto uni then work on the weekends is pretty much standard now, also most students these days like to travel especially in the long mid year uni break which take about 2 months out of the football season.

Southerner wrote: Which has now seen unprecedented explosion of Soccer numbers mate - the whole caper stinks
The AFL is only interested in elite kids & all the little tyros just get flicked - eerily similar to what happens to the delisted players in the end
The whole system is just rotten

Spot on. I had 5 grandsons playing football. The eldest woke up quickly when team mates knocked him over just to win the ball in AusKick. He was OK but a team player who helped team mates. He now plays only BASKETBALL ( winter & summer ). Is good but enjoys it more as it relies on team play. Hasn't been flattened. Next eldest re entered Football after a couple of seasons away & last week was sling tackled after marking 10 metres out. Couldn't take his kick OR receive a 50 m penalty as he went straight to hospital. Now in plaster & could give it away again. Next played cricket, football & basketball, now plays only Basketball. Second youngest plays basketball & football. Burrows in like a ferret. Wil get hurt & then only Basketball. Youngest is six and plays Auskick. As he is big he becomes a ruck type. The fun in junior football is GONE. That's the problem, the lose the enjoyment of playing.

In this day and age, there is also the problem of Australia's demographics. I have noticed quite a few lads from the ethnic minorities coming through the ranks of the clubs, which is great. This is important, because ethnic minority families tend to have more kids in an environment where births have declined anyway from decades ago. We need to bear in mind that some cultural groups will simply not play contact sports. There are virtually no professional soccer players in the UK whom are of South Asian origin; there are plenty of cricketers from that group.

ArkRoyal wrote: In this day and age, there is also the problem of Australia's demographics. I have noticed quite a few lads from the ethnic minorities coming through the ranks of the clubs, which is great. This is important, because ethnic minority families tend to have more kids in an environment where births have declined anyway from decades ago. We need to bear in mind that some cultural groups will simply not play contact sports. There are virtually no professional soccer players in the UK whom are of South Asian origin; there are plenty of cricketers from that group.

Very good point, I recently caught a train from Perth to Armadale and back right through Perth FCs heartland, it is not hard to see whey Perth is struggling, I was the only non Chinese non Indian person on the entire journey besides some pissed and abusive Nungars from Queens Park.

I have always thought that for years the draft age is too low, all the kids know it's 18 or bust, the AFL is pushed so hard most of the young kids wouldn't know there local wafl club at all unless they are picked in a development squad, all the kids know if they don't get picked in the development squad at 15 or 16 they have no chance of being drafted to the AFL, so they give footy away, they are programmed now to want to play for the AFL clubs so if they miss out on that they don't give a toss about the wafl because it isn't something that they have been bought up with as being important enough to strive for.........