VFL ROUND 3 APRIL 18-20, 2014 FFirstirst wwinin fforor WWerribeeerribee $3.00 WWerribeeerribee 224.13.1574.13.157 d BBendigoendigo 111.8.741.8.74 Werribee 24.13.157 d Bendigo 11.8.74 AFL VICTORIA CORPORATE PARTNERS NAMING RIGHTS PREMIER PARTNERS OFFICIAL PARTNERS APPROVED LICENSEES EDITORIAL The importance of providing Talent Pathways SAM Mitchell owns one of the truly great football stories in recent times. It is well known that Mitchell is a dual premiership player to reach their maximum potential. with Hawthorn and, in fact, captained the Hawks when Every player matures and they won the 2008 fl ag. develops at a different rate which is another reason why Mitchell is also a four-time best and fairest, dual All the Development League and the VFL Academy program Australian and is on the doorstep of 250 AFL games. for that matter are so important. What may not be as well-known is how the Mitchell story Not only does a club’s Development League team enhance began and the journey it’s travelled. the team environment, combined with specialised Sam’s story poignantly illustrates the role that the coaching, it allows players time to mature emotionally talented player pathway plays for all aspiring Victorian and physically as well as develop their football skills players and underscores some of the challenges that before making the step to the senior VFL team or an AFL some players face. club environment. Although Mitchell won two best and fairests at TAC Cup Mitchell is not the only current AFL player whose career club Eastern Ranges, he was overlooked in all forms of was ignited through the Development League. Western the AFL drafts. Bulldogs captain Matthew Boyd was drafted after playing Fortunately Mitchell was not dissuaded and decided to virtually exclusively with Frankston’s Development League pursue his dreams with the Box Hill Hawks. team. And, just last year Northern Blues’ Jacob Ballard Like so many players who exit the TAC Cup competition, was drafted by Fremantle after playing the bulk of the Mitchell found the jump from the Under 18 competition to season in the club’s Development League team. the Peter Jackson VFL a quantum one. While every player wants to play at the highest level And, as such, his initiation into the VFL included Mitchell possible, time spent playing in the Development spending some time in the Development League honing League can be benefi cial and serve to help a player’s his craft. development, to better prepare him for when the It certainly didn’t do him any harm as he was drafted by opportunity arises to play in the Peter Jackson VFL. Hawthorn at the end of that season and as he adjusted Certainly, the standard of the Development League to life on an AFL list, Mitchell won the JJ Liston Trophy, competition continues to improve with all games watched polling votes in all 11 games he played with Box Hill closely by AFL recruiting staff. Hawks. And, little wonder. They may be looking for the next Sam The rest, as they say, is history. Mitchell or Matthew Boyd. This story highlights why it is important to have a structured talent pathway that considers players beyond Grant Williams their 18th year, one that provides opportunities for players AFL Victoria General Manager Editor: Anthony Stanguts anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au Contributors: Adrian Dunn, Dave O’Neill, Kate Mitchell Design & Print: Cyan Press Photos: AFL Photo’s (unless otherwise credited) Visy Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Advertising: Ryan Webb (03) 8341 6062 GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 State League & Talent Manager: John Hook www.afl vic.com.au High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Leon Harris Talent Operations Coordinator: Rhy Gieschen Cover photo: Ben Speight from Round 2, Werribee v Bendigo Talent Operations Coordinator: Lauren Bunting www.vfl .com.au 1 MEDIA COVERAGE ABC TV Saturday April 19: Port Melbourne vs Werribee Tigers, 1pm Next Week: Essendon vs Collingwood VFL Radio Friday April 18: Bendigo vs Essendon, 2pm From 1:30pm Live on Digital Radio via Aussie, Red Time Sport and SEN I-Phone Apps, online via vfl .com.au or sen.com.au and on Vision Australia Radio on 1179AM Next game: Williamstown vs Port Melbourne 3WBC Saturday April 19: Geelong vs Box Hill Hawks, 5pm Listen to 94.1FM, online at www.3wbc.org.au or the Tune In Radio app Next game: Coburg vs Box Hill Hawks Casey Radio Sunday April 20: Frankston vs Casey Scorpions, 1pm Tune to 97.7fm in Melbourne, via the web at www.caseyradio.com.au, or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Next game: Casey Scorpions vs Sandringham SEN Thursday April 24 The Peter Jackson VFL Show 8:30pm – 9pm VFL Online Keep up to date with the Peter Jackson VFL via the following methods: Website: www.vfl .com.au @VFLnews #PJVFL www.facebook.com/vfl footy 2 www.afl vic.com.au HEAD TO HEAD WITH GRANT WILLIAMS Head to head with AFL Victoria General Manager Grant Williams Each year as the season commences, the VFL Record catches up with AFL Victoria General Manager Grant Williams to discuss the state of play in the Peter Jackson VFL. VFL RECORD: What are you most looking forward to Certainly, the season opener at the Whitten Oval proved in season 2014? a resounding success with a healthy, enthusiastic GRANT WILLIAMS: It will be interesting to see how the crowd of about three to four thousand people there. new stand-alone VFL clubs (Coburg and Williamstown) It demonstrated the strong community passion for the perform and what they bring to the competition now that game and club that the people of Footscray have, and they are operating under their own identity. The interest there were plenty of Richmond colours there as well. will be not only in how they perform on fi eld, but how The Western Bulldogs aligned the game so supporters they go about connecting to their local community, as were able to watch the VFL match and then head to well as the model they develop as they strive to ensure Etihad Stadium for their AFL match against Richmond. their ongoing viability and sustainability. In a similar way, If that is a demonstration of what these two traditional it will also be interesting to see how the two stand-alone clubs can bring to their community venues it will prove a AFL clubs Footscray and Richmond fare. tremendous boost for the community game and the VFL competition. VFLR: Taking VFL games back to Punt Road and VFLR: What is the most appealing aspect of a Whitten Oval adds an exciting and attractive 16-team competition? dimension to the season. GW: The additional opportunities for aspiring Victorian GW: Yes, there’s a romantic element to these two footballers to play at state league completion level where traditional clubs going back to their roots and playing there is a healthy mix of AFL listed and VFL players, and games for premiership points at their spiritual homes. where the standard of football is the next best that is available outside the AFL. On average, each VFL round presents about 220 VFL listed players with the chance to play the best standard of football they can. They test themselves against quality opposition and, in some cases, enhance their prospects of impressing talent scouts to possibly be drafted by an AFL club. This means under the 16-team structure we have this year, there are about 40 more opportunities for VFL players than last season and that’s the charter of the VFL in the Victorian football talent pathway – to provide opportunities. VFLR: How challenging will it be for the traditional stand-alone VFL teams to be competitive on and off the fi eld? GW: The environment for all VFL clubs has been pretty challenging in the past fi ve to ten years. Clubs have had to adapt to that environment and many have emerged as stronger clubs because of that challenge. The sporting landscape continues to throw up challenges and how clubs deal with that determines how they will progress into the future. Already, there is evidence of local communities ‘buying into’ stand-alone clubs who they can identify with as ‘their’ club and consequently those clubs are seen as more relevant. As the community connection of clubs continues to strengthen more people www.vfl .com.au 3 HEAD TO HEAD WITH GRANT WILLIAMS will become involved and attracted to their club. This because we feel the VFL better refl ects the current, interest can be reinvested back into the clubs and the contemporary competition. competition. But, like everything, clubs will have to be VFLR: Is it a concern that Sunday, traditionally seen vigilant and work hard to build and maintain their identity as the VFL’s day, now regularly hosts less games and their relevance in a bid to achieve ultimate success than on a Saturday? on and off the fi eld. GW: We take input from the clubs as to what they would VFLR: Is there an ideal number of clubs you like incorporated, if possible, in their fi xture each year. would like to see in the competition given the We then provide the clubs with the season draw that Sandringham/St Kilda alliance is expected to end identifi es the weekends of their home games and who after the 2015 season? they are playing. The clubs then determine with input GW: There is not really an “ideal” number of clubs that from their stakeholders when during that weekend they we would like to see play in the VFL.