AFL BACKING INGLIS

[Longsufferingnomore 1,672]

I will be filthy if Inglis goes to Essendon under the auspices of the AFL. What is the difference between Ablett being used by Geelong in the Geelong area or Liam being used in the Central Australian area as a marketing "tool". Absolutely nothing. What about the draft. Does that no longer apply to Melbourne teams. What does anyone else think.

[Guest The Boss]

I think it's great!

Bringing Greg Inglis to the AFL will raise awareness of the sport in traditional NRL markets of QLD and NSW. And how can you compare Inglis to Ablett Jr? Ablett is by far the best player I have ever seen, and as far as I am aware Inglis has never played a senior AFL game at any level.

[Dinosaur Rover 197]

I will be filthy if Inglis goes to Essendon under the auspices of the AFL. What is the difference between Ablett being used by Geelong in the Geelong area or Liam being used in the Central Australian area as a marketing "tool". Absolutely nothing. What about the draft. Does that no longer apply to Melbourne teams. What does anyone else think.

Based on the Karmichael Hunt outing last weekend unless these guys can cut the mustard as players there will be limited mileage in pinching further for promotional purposes. Yes there was a bumper audience to see him play but I am not at all convinced the crowd would return for his next match - and he has played AFL in the distant past. There are AFL players who for 20 years have been reading the play and still dont get it quite right so to expect someone from another code - no matter how athletic is a big stretch. At 195 cm and 100 kg he is likely to be a key position player but I cant see him (Inglis) being competitive even if he can acquire the tank.

I just dont see many followers switching from League to AFL because of a few defections. I see the move as the AFL flexing its financial muscle and testing league at a time of vulnerability. I would be spending the money on junior development in Western Sydney - they probably are doing that as well.

If Essendon get an experimental AFL funded player I dont know that they are much advantaged and could even be disadvantaged by the distraction.

[Keyser Söze 0]

I think it'll be great for the sport and great to have Essendon wasting their time on trying to convert him to an AFL player.

I think any of the rugby converts, irrespective of their athleticism, will be mediocre AFL players at best.

They aren't as good athletes as Naitanui and look at him.

What they do bring to the sport is media exposure in new markets and that is invaluable at the moment.

[Redleg 42,052]

I will be filthy if Inglis goes to Essendon under the auspices of the AFL. What is the difference between Ablett being used by Geelong in the Geelong area or Liam being used in the Central Australian area as a marketing "tool". Absolutely nothing. What about the draft. Does that no longer apply to Melbourne teams. What does anyone else think.

This situation has been around for ages. You are allowed to recruit a player who has not played in any AFL sanctioned league and they can be named as your last pick in the draft. That is how canadian Pyke is with the Swans, the american is with the Pies, irish players are with clubs etc. Any club can go out and recruit a non-afl player if you are willing to put the time and effort in. Personally I don't think Hunt will make it in the AFL and neither will most others.

[jayceebee31 768]

We may bring out a 7ft or taller Chinese in a year or two whom has been a basketballer for whom we ask the AFL for a subsidy.

[H_T 3,049]

We may bring out a 7ft or taller Chinese in a year or two whom has been a basketballer for whom we ask the AFL for a subsidy.

In a year or two ? Whilst I won't dispute that it won't happen, I seriously doubt that JCB. But you get a gold star for initiative.

[Inner Demon 1]

We may bring out a 7ft or taller Chinese in a year or two whom has been a basketballer for whom we ask the AFL for a subsidy.

Huh??

Your obsession with China knows no bounds. Are you Steve Harris??

Do you think China is some kind of land of giants where Yao Ming is just an everyday guy of regular height??? We have 7ft tall people here too you know.

[Disco Demons 92]

forget the nrl players...we should draft a few good nrl cheer leaders...a few cheerleaders and pia miller would look great for the club

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

I will be filthy if Inglis goes to Essendon under the auspices of the AFL. What is the difference between Ablett being used by Geelong in the Geelong area or Liam being used in the Central Australian area as a marketing "tool". Absolutely nothing. What about the draft. Does that no longer apply to Melbourne teams. What does anyone else think.

I don't care. If Essendon wants to clog a space on their list then good on 'em. This whole thing is a PR gimmick and I doubt we will see twenty decent games from all the NRL defectors put together.

[beelzebub 23,390]

In a year or two ? Whilst I won't dispute that it won't happen, I seriously doubt that JCB. But you get a gold star for initiative.

This realy isnt as daft or unrealistic , other than time line, as many might think. The AFl landscpe will undergo a change of a kind unheralded in the coming years as International participation lifts and moves from novelty to legitimate. expect to see African and South American players.. so a biggish Chinese isnt so far fetched.

We have been clever cultivating our sino relationship and fully expect to see more and more attending traing camps etc furhering this connection. Yes it may be a long long time before AFL is played with anything other than a cameo in China but more and more clubs are looking to the athletic ability of a bloke first and then his potential to being turned into a footy player. why wouldnt you look at China.... theres a few of them there i hear

[Roost It 1,434]

Essendon are fast becoming a rabble and I love watching it.

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

I will be filthy ...

Calm down.

All he will do is take up one valuable spot on their list. Go Dons! Ha!

I wouldn't mind seeing him succeed, but it seems unlikely.

Having said that, the marketing value to Essendon will be a fraction of that for GC/GWS provided by Hunt/Folau, so I don't see why they (Ess) should get $500k from the AFL, or anything near it.