Youth Policy in the NT

[Whispering_Jack 29,769]

Magpies pick teens

The Palmerston Magpies in the Northern Territory Football League have selected three 15 year olds to play Tiwi Bombers today.

The move has echoed the senior debuts of 14-year-old Magpies Mathew Stokes and Aaron and Alwyn Davey a decade ago.

Coach Dean Rioli will hand Jordan Jeffrey a debut game alongside Ezekiel Frank (1 game) and McKenzie Lawrence (4) ...

The Davey brothers are playing for Palmerston over the summer season and are having an interesting game.

Palmerston lead at 3/4 - 9.10 (64) to 6.4 (40). During the third term, Aaron Davey conceded a goal after giving away a double 50m penalty and then immediately after evened up with a goal of his own.

No sign in the Tiwi team of Liam Jurrah who starred in a few games prior to Christmas and before his latest altercations with the law.

Interesting that the Davey boys started playing senior footy as 14 year olds.

These days it's rare to see young kids starting out together and certainly not at AFL level. It will be interesting to see how these young blokes in Darwin develop, especially as the Northern Territory is an area of interest for the Melbourne Football Club.

And while on the subject, here's a story about another young bloke from Central Australia who has ambitions of making the grade - Errin upbeat for 2014

[Deestroy All 14,262]

A lot easier for 14 year olds to play in the seniors in NT considering the way most indigenous players play the game.

[Little Goffy 14,443]

A lot easier for 14 year olds to play in the seniors in NT considering the way most indigenous players play the game.

I assume you mean because the style of game in the NT often emphasizes quickness, agility and creative play, such that young players with great talent who have grown up with football all around them might be able to show up even the more experienced players?

[Deestroy All 14,262]

I assume you mean because the style of game in the NT often emphasizes quickness, agility and creative play, such that young players with great talent who have grown up with football all around them might be able to show up even the more experienced players?

Yeah, pretty much. It's how most indigenous players play the game, obviously.

A speedy 14 year old, or in this instance, 3 of them, have a chance in that style of game.

It would never happen at VFL level for example, they would be smashed from pilar to post.

[Little Goffy 14,443]

Yeah, pretty much. It's how most indigenous players play the game, obviously.

A speedy 14 year old, or in this instance, 3 of them, have a chance in that style of game.

It would never happen at VFL level for example, they would be smashed from pilar to post.

I met a guy once (friend of friend) who started playing as a ruck in Darwin about the time that both Daveys and a couple of Motlops were running around up there in the same midfield, before they got drafted, obviously.

Described it as hardly worth his while winning a tap. Sharked. Gone.

I bet there are ruckmen who have nightmares about being surrounded by speedy little guys who evaporate when you try to grab them.