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Beasley Hutton wrote: Well said GWS.

In my time following WAFL footy I have seen many a 18yo or younger play League footy especially at Swans who have always had the philosophy of if your good enough you are old enough.
It didnt seem to affect the likes of Narkle, Sartori, Hutton, Penny, Cummings, Kelly, Taylor, Embley, Hunter, Simpson, Naitanui, Notte, Yarran, Walters, Garlett, Newman, Jetta, Coniglio, Rance et al have all had long and reasonable WAFL or VFL careers then you can throw in the likes of Magro, LeCras, Hendricks, Campbell, Cousins, Kennedy, Ryder, Wells, Jakovich, P.Krakouer, Malaxos, Headland et al from the other WAFL clubs one could actually mount the case playing against men at 17 helped their careers rather than hindered them!

Agree whole heartedly with the proviso that their earnings are kept in trust til they are 18 so that the money is not an issue, I know it is not much but a little cash in the wrong hands goes a long way!

Greatwhiteshark wrote: It is only a guess that John Todd suffered career ending injuries because he started so early, it sounds like a good story but in the end it is just a guess.
How come in this era 18 year olds are not men now?
Women are developing earlier so why are men not?
If you are good enough to play men's football at 17 then you should be,
The Amateur comp made colts under 21 and it has been a massive fail, imagine playing colts for 4-5 years. Not just that because officially they can the players themselves just want to stay and play with their mates and refuse to play seniors. Some clubs made their own rules to give the players no option.
If the parents are so worried about their little baby 18 year olds tell them to tell their baby not to accept being drafted until they play league football.
I just don't get why everything is made so complicated these days. I played league footy in Bunbury and 1st grade pennant cricket in Perth before I was 17. Was exciting as hell but not an issue to my parents or anyone else. Why is it an issue now?

Spot on GWS

Our players would be better off and learn more playing with us than in the Teal cup

JD62 wrote:

swan42 wrote:

JD62 wrote: I think this is a great rule for the physical and mental development of the young kids.

Let them play at their own age level to start the year, if they are good enough they can move up mid season. If their senior teams don't make the finals then they are still qualified to rejoin their juniors in a finals campaign.

Ever heard of John Todd JD62?

Very good example swan42. Highlights just what is at risk by playing a junior too early and not safeguarding their future.

Toddy played at a very young age and suffered very bad injuries because he was playing against opposition that was bigger than he was before his body had fully developed.

WA football fans were robbed of seeing the true career of one of the greats because of the ego and hubris shown by some of his team officials and supporters.

It is my understanding that he WAS 18 when a pack of players fell on his leg and damaged his knee. A knee reconstruction, if available then, would have fixed his problem. One can hardly suggest that his age had anything to do with his injury.

It is a joke and again demonstrates the gutless WAFC. I have heard, amongst others, P Roos complaining about the lack of development of the players when they are drafted, and this decision is just another reason why that would be the case.

Greatwhiteshark wrote: . I played league footy in Bunbury and 1st grade pennant cricket in Perth before I was 17. Was exciting as hell but not an issue to my parents or anyone else. Why is it an issue now?

out of interest GWS, how long did you play 1st grade and SW league footy for?.....

Beasley Hutton wrote: Well said GWS.

In my time following WAFL footy I have seen many a 18yo or younger play League footy especially at Swans who have always had the philosophy of if your good enough you are old enough.
It didnt seem to affect the likes of Narkle, Sartori, Hutton, Penny, Cummings, Kelly, Taylor, Embley, Hunter, Simpson, Naitanui, Notte, Yarran, Walters, Garlett, Newman, Jetta, Coniglio, Rance et al have all had long and reasonable WAFL or VFL careers then you can throw in the likes of Magro, LeCras, Hendricks, Campbell, Cousins, Kennedy, Ryder, Wells, Jakovich, P.Krakouer, Malaxos, Headland et al from the other WAFL clubs one could actually mount the case playing against men at 17 helped their careers rather than hindered them!

Think David Swallow was 16 when he debuted for EF.....he definitely was playing VFL when he was 17 for GC VFL side

Freezin wrote:

Greatwhiteshark wrote: . I played league footy in Bunbury and 1st grade pennant cricket in Perth before I was 17. Was exciting as hell but not an issue to my parents or anyone else. Why is it an issue now?

out of interest GWS, how long did you play 1st grade and SW league footy for?.....

Only played one year of league footy mate as cricket took over my life, played about 14 years penant cricket and played higher than that also. But I was a quick bowler and wa had many good quicks that era so I was always a back up only. Had a great time though and 5 years of county cricket was brilliant.
Cricket chose me though and I loved footy more. Played couple of years colts at West Perth which was fantastic but ultimately couldn't play both at that level and ended up playing footy when I could at an amateur club which I went on to coach as well and to this day I am still involved with.

Greatwhiteshark wrote:

Freezin wrote:

Greatwhiteshark wrote: . I played league footy in Bunbury and 1st grade pennant cricket in Perth before I was 17. Was exciting as hell but not an issue to my parents or anyone else. Why is it an issue now?

out of interest GWS, how long did you play 1st grade and SW league footy for?.....

Only played one year of league footy mate as cricket took over my life, played about 14 years penant cricket and played higher than that also. But I was a quick bowler and wa had many good quicks that era so I was always a back up only. Had a great time though and 5 years of county cricket was brilliant.
Cricket chose me though and I loved footy more. Played couple of years colts at West Perth which was fantastic but ultimately couldn't play both at that level and ended up playing footy when I could at an amateur club which I went on to coach as well and to this day I am still involved with.

We would have locked horns on a few occasions GWS, I played 1st grade Pennant cricket for 15-16 years as an opening bat

Greatwhiteshark wrote:

Freezin wrote:

Greatwhiteshark wrote: . I played league footy in Bunbury and 1st grade pennant cricket in Perth before I was 17. Was exciting as hell but not an issue to my parents or anyone else. Why is it an issue now?

out of interest GWS, how long did you play 1st grade and SW league footy for?.....

Only played one year of league footy mate as cricket took over my life, played about 14 years penant cricket and played higher than that also. But I was a quick bowler and wa had many good quicks that era so I was always a back up only. Had a great time though and 5 years of county cricket was brilliant.
Cricket chose me though and I loved footy more. Played couple of years colts at West Perth which was fantastic but ultimately couldn't play both at that level and ended up playing footy when I could at an amateur club which I went on to coach as well and to this day I am still involved with.

WP seem t have a few of your ilk and level over the past years, DelBorrelo (Anthony not the other muppet) and Hinchliffe. Not sure what Hinchliffe is doing but it was the rumour that if not drafted cricket would be his game

Grassy wrote: 4 Players in the Forwardline?

To be in line with the TAC up or Teal Cup?

FMD,do you lot at the WAFC seriously believe in this Shit?And if you do,why not ask the AFL to enforce this system in the AFL Competition?

Be I daresay,you wouldn't bloody dare.

Grassy my contempt for the WAFC is best demonstrated by stating UNEQUIVOCALLY and UNAMBIGUOUSLY I would be them lower than the Liberal Party. The WAFC's commitment to the integrity of the WAFL wsa clearly demonstrated by G Walton's unwillingness for his opinions to be available to users of this site. A jellyfish could be construed to have more backbone than the WAFC.