TOPIC:

And then there is this pot of gold from one J.Townsend
12.53pm 4/4/2017


The WA Football Commission has invented a problem that does not exist in order to be paid to fix it.

That is the rationale for their attempt to slice the colts competition away from the nine WAFL clubs.

As strange as it seems for a State league competition that is heavily subsidised and could not operate in its current format without the annual $5 million WAFC handout, the colts are the only arm of the business that has commercial value.

But to get the substantial cash on offer from the AFL - the fundamental driving force for the eagerness to accept the Boston review recommendation - the WAFC has to snatch the colts competition away from the clubs who have been responsible for its management.

It is a de facto expansion of the AFL empire by further centralising the game’s operations and marginalising the game’s tradition club heartland.

The rationale for the move is that WAFL clubs are not preparing players adequately for the draft.

This alleged problem is allegedly confirmed by the fact that the number of first round draft picks has been sliding in recent seasons.

That is risible on several fronts.

Notice who was the round one AFL rising star? Draft pick 18 Sam Powell-Pepper, of WAFL club East Perth.

Who also made a bright debut in round one? Draft pick 6 Sam Petrevski-Seton, of WAFL club Claremont.


Who could make his debut this week? Draft pick 8 Griffin Logue, of WAFL club Swan Districts.

Dig a bit deeper and have a look at some of the pillars of the AFL.

Who won two of the past three Brownlow medals? WAFL products Nat Fyfe and Matt Priddis.

Who are two of the best power forwards in the game? WAFL products Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin.

The best ruckmen? WAFL products Aaron Sandilands and Nic Naitanui.

The best defender? WAFL product Alex Rance.

Fremantle’s reluctance, for example, to draft WAFL players reduces the prospect of local colts being taken in the first round.
Seven of the most significant players in the game are products of a supposedly flawed system while dozens of others somehow manage to get a kick every weekend.

And the use of first round draft picks as a barometer for WAFL health is flawed.

This measure depends on the specific drafting actions of AFL clubs when it is clear that much recruiting is little more than a lottery.


Last year The West Australian published an analysis of Fremantle’s recent drafting which revealed they had overlooked talented local products Jeremy and Mitch McGovern, Brad Hill, Rory Lobb and Jason Johannisen.

Imagine how the WAFL first round production line would have looked had that group been included.

Would development of teenage footballers be better if there was more money and resources to help them develop? Of course.

The lure of more AFL cash is highly attractive to a WAFC that will be operating in a dramatically foreign landscape from next year but it is difficult to see how football would benefit from their attempt to replace clubs as the developers of talent.

Beasley Hutton wrote:

Beasley Hutton wrote: Seeing as Bazza & Tugga are such "experts" in the WAFL Colts & Development programs out of interest when was the last time or have they ever seen a WAFL Colts or 15/16s development game?

The last WAFL Colts game I saw was 3 days ago and if the quality of skill and flair was representative of WA football development and coaching then we are already in good hands!

Still no answer so I will assume it isn't recently maybe never!

So do folk have to attend a colts game/Under 16 games to have an opinion on it's future BH?....

Pretty sure most folk have an opinion on many things with out first hand knowledge....

Tell us what you want us folk to say BH about the colts/under 16 set up and we will agree with you mate... because obviously you are the expert mate.

the talent pathway at WAFL clubs is plainly to develop talent. Most WAFL clubs rely on this development to supply players to their Senior teams.
Clearly more resources will improve what is done in the talent pathway but, in my opinion, you need to look beyond Yr 8-10, 16s and colts when you resource the "pathway".

Freezin wrote:

Beasley Hutton wrote:

Beasley Hutton wrote: Seeing as Bazza & Tugga are such "experts" in the WAFL Colts & Development programs out of interest when was the last time or have they ever seen a WAFL Colts or 15/16s development game?

The last WAFL Colts game I saw was 3 days ago and if the quality of skill and flair was representative of WA football development and coaching then we are already in good hands!

Still no answer so I will assume it isn't recently maybe never!

So do folk have to attend a colts game/Under 16 games to have an opinion on it's future BH?....

Pretty sure most folk have an opinion on many things with out first hand knowledge....

Tell us what you want us folk to say BH about the colts/under 16 set up and we will agree with you mate... because obviously you are the expert mate.

I would have thought it would help to see firsthand what is actually taking place currently in WA football development before one makes a so called informed comment that it is stuffed and needs to be changed wouldn't you Freeze?
But you do see things differently to most as you have been the "full bottle" sight unseen on Swans for 15 years or so now!

Southerner wrote: And then there is this pot of gold from one J.Townsend
12.53pm 4/4/2017


The WA Football Commission has invented a problem that does not exist in order to be paid to fix it.

That is the rationale for their attempt to slice the colts competition away from the nine WAFL clubs.

As strange as it seems for a State league competition that is heavily subsidised and could not operate in its current format without the annual $5 million WAFC handout, the colts are the only arm of the business that has commercial value.

But to get the substantial cash on offer from the AFL - the fundamental driving force for the eagerness to accept the Boston review recommendation - the WAFC has to snatch the colts competition away from the clubs who have been responsible for its management.

It is a de facto expansion of the AFL empire by further centralising the game’s operations and marginalising the game’s tradition club heartland.

The rationale for the move is that WAFL clubs are not preparing players adequately for the draft.

This alleged problem is allegedly confirmed by the fact that the number of first round draft picks has been sliding in recent seasons.

That is risible on several fronts.

Notice who was the round one AFL rising star? Draft pick 18 Sam Powell-Pepper, of WAFL club East Perth.

Who also made a bright debut in round one? Draft pick 6 Sam Petrevski-Seton, of WAFL club Claremont.


Who could make his debut this week? Draft pick 8 Griffin Logue, of WAFL club Swan Districts.

Dig a bit deeper and have a look at some of the pillars of the AFL.

Who won two of the past three Brownlow medals? WAFL products Nat Fyfe and Matt Priddis.

Who are two of the best power forwards in the game? WAFL products Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin.

The best ruckmen? WAFL products Aaron Sandilands and Nic Naitanui.

The best defender? WAFL product Alex Rance.

Fremantle’s reluctance, for example, to draft WAFL players reduces the prospect of local colts being taken in the first round.
Seven of the most significant players in the game are products of a supposedly flawed system while dozens of others somehow manage to get a kick every weekend.

And the use of first round draft picks as a barometer for WAFL health is flawed.

This measure depends on the specific drafting actions of AFL clubs when it is clear that much recruiting is little more than a lottery.


Last year The West Australian published an analysis of Fremantle’s recent drafting which revealed they had overlooked talented local products Jeremy and Mitch McGovern, Brad Hill, Rory Lobb and Jason Johannisen.

Imagine how the WAFL first round production line would have looked had that group been included.

Would development of teenage footballers be better if there was more money and resources to help them develop? Of course.

The lure of more AFL cash is highly attractive to a WAFC that will be operating in a dramatically foreign landscape from next year but it is difficult to see how football would benefit from their attempt to replace clubs as the developers of talent.

Let me congratulate JT on his comments. He may not be Swans supporters' favourite journalism he has certainly articulated what the BCG report is all about: power grab and empire building.

Has JT pinched my comments from earlier back in this topic on current WA players in the AFL 42?

ahhh..42. you've finally finished celebrating the election result...what happened? run out of cooking sherry?

swan42 wrote:

Southerner wrote: And then there is this pot of gold from one J.Townsend
12.53pm 4/4/2017


The WA Football Commission has invented a problem that does not exist in order to be paid to fix it.

That is the rationale for their attempt to slice the colts competition away from the nine WAFL clubs.

Let me congratulate JT on his comments. He may not be Swans supporters' favourite journalism he has certainly articulated what the BCG report is all about: power grab and empire building.

Swan my long-time & respected friend - I am going to suggest to you that Mr Gloede's earholes have been burnt to a deep carbon black over this past week

BC wrote: ahhh..42. you've finally finished celebrating the election result...what happened? run out of cooking sherry?

BC I am continuing my self-imposed exile on this site save this very important subject that I would have though was of the utmost import for all those invested in ensuring the WAFL remains in substance and not just in name.

As for your pathetic and puerile comments such as "run out of cooking sherry" I am well and truly over them. If it amuses you to continue with them, that is a sad reflection on your character. Your time would be better served in trying to join forces with those who oppose the BCG report and recommendations. As a little incentive remember that your club can't continue to win WAFL flags if there is no WAFL.

geez 42...I was just having a bit of fun...I thought you'd come back with a bit of a dig on the election result...based on your response the sooner you pi$$ off back to your self imposed exile the better as far as I'm concerned.