2 hours ago, Ollie fan said:

I don't understand the academy system. Can someone explain why he is in it?

It's a very good question. The original purpose of the Northern Academies in NSW and Qld was to get a greater pool of players for the expanding competition who otherwise wouldn't be playing AFL. To make that happen they incentivised the teams in those states to make an investment in finding junior players and developing them in return for getting to have the rights to them.

Isaac Heeney is the ultimate poster boy for this strategy. He was I think 11 years old and playing Rugby League in country NSW and went along to a Swans Academy recruiting camp I believe inspired by the lots of freebies they were giving out and an interest in trying something completely different. Nick Blakey on the other hand like Kalani was a son of an elite AFL champion who was always going to play AFL but because he lived in the Swans area was able to train at their Academy and therefore be eligible to be picked by them even though that was not the intention of the set up of the Academies but it's probably too hard to differentiate those junior players. Kalani grew up in the Suns Academy area and has trained with them from a young age. That's why he can go there if he and they want him to.

Edited May 8May 8 by Its Time for Another

34 minutes ago, Its Time for Another said:

It's a very good question. The original purpose of the Northern Academies in NSW and Qld was to get a greater pool of players for the expanding competition who otherwise wouldn't be playing AFL. To make that happen they incentivised the teams in those states to make an investment in finding junior players and developing them in return for getting to have the rights to them.

Isaac Heeney is the ultimate poster boy for this strategy. He was I think 11 years old and playing Rugby League in country NSW and went along to a Swans Academy recruiting camp I believe inspired by the lots of freebies they were giving out and an interest in trying something completely different. Nick Blakey on the other hand like Kalani was a son of an elite AFL champion who was always going to play AFL but because he lived in the Swans area was able to train at their Academy and therefore be eligible to be picked by them even though that was not the intention of the set up of the Academies but it's probably too hard to differentiate those junior players. Kalani grew up in the Suns Academy area and has trained with them from a young age. That's why he can go there if he and they want him to.

And Blakeys dad worked for the Swans. He was born with a footy in his cot so it was utterly ridiculous he got to play for the swans. Same goes for Kalani.

2 minutes ago, Bay Riffin said:

And Blakeys dad worked for the Swans. He was born with a footy in his cot so it was utterly ridiculous he got to play for the swans. Same goes for Kalani.

Jack Buckley is another. His father Ben played for Nth. Not of the calibre of Blakey or White but Jack consequently played AFL right from the beginning of Juniors. He played at my son's junior club and was a member of the Swans Academy but for some bizarre reason GWS were able to pick him up as a Rookie B player even though he was playing AFL the season he was recruited and even won a rising star nomination.

Callum Mills played club footy right from juniors and also taken in the Swans Academy. To be fair there's only a handful of NSW comp players who've ever made it. The McVeighs were others. Mark McClure was an outlier back in the '70's. Rampe was a NSW player picked up as a non Academy player after being rejected in multiple drafts and even going down to Melb and playing for Williamstown at the suggestion of the Bulldogs who said they were interested until they weren't. He only got picked up by the Swans because he was playing in a local team in Sydney with Paul Roos's son and Roosy spotted him.

4 hours ago, 58er said:

And there is a very decent chance that your opinion is totally wrong.

What do you base your negativity on Kalani on? His height and thin frame?

Only need to see his progress and form in junior levels and his footy upbringing by his father and teams and coaches do far.

A Club would be foolish to not give Kalani on opportunity at AFL level.

Of course there's a chance I'm wrong. It's an opinion after all. He certainly has a nice athletic package that gives him an opportunity to get him onto an AFL list. He may get his opportunity late in the draft or picked up as a rookie similar to Kynan Brown. I hope he makes it.

5 hours ago, Its Time for Another said:

It's a very good question. The original purpose of the Northern Academies in NSW and Qld was to get a greater pool of players for the expanding competition who otherwise wouldn't be playing AFL. To make that happen they incentivised the teams in those states to make an investment in finding junior players and developing them in return for getting to have the rights to them.

Isaac Heeney is the ultimate poster boy for this strategy. He was I think 11 years old and playing Rugby League in country NSW and went along to a Swans Academy recruiting camp I believe inspired by the lots of freebies they were giving out and an interest in trying something completely different. Nick Blakey on the other hand like Kalani was a son of an elite AFL champion who was always going to play AFL but because he lived in the Swans area was able to train at their Academy and therefore be eligible to be picked by them even though that was not the intention of the set up of the Academies but it's probably too hard to differentiate those junior players. Kalani grew up in the Suns Academy area and has trained with them from a young age. That's why he can go there if he and they want him to.

I think it is quite reasonable that some of the father sons and others already in the footy system end up in the accademey system. To a certain extent having more elite players together enhances their development through feeding off each other.

It does in alot of ways make you wounder why have the elite U18 competition (whatever they call it these day) and the undermining of the draft and equalisation measures is highly regrettable, although when we are talking father/sons generally, that’s somewhat of a non issue - except that in Kalani's case, it gives another club the opportunity to poach them off us at a discounted draft price which they wouldn't otherwise have access to. The constant changing of the rules is also disgraceful ...Mac Andrew 🤬🤬

Edited May 8May 8 by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Fox Sports

Top prospects, latest whispers in mega mid-year state of...

Why cross-code prospect has AFL rivals excited; 1.9m beast on radar of mutliple clubs — Draft Watch

There’s just a snippet about Kalani in the article:

Emerging tall Kalani White also featured in that clash and one scout was blown away by his athleticism, especially when rucking. “I think he’ll get there. The competitiveness is there… he just needs a bit of refining,” the scout told foxfooty.com.au.

Just now, ChaserJ said:

There’s just a snippet about Kalani in the article:

Emerging tall Kalani White also featured in that clash and one scout was blown away by his athleticism, especially when rucking. “I think he’ll get there. The competitiveness is there… he just needs a bit of refining,” the scout told foxfooty.com.au.

Thats most talls tho. reminds me of jackson

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJgE0L-hzc9/?igsh=bjhsZDNta2x4NTZ0

Colour doesn’t suit him 🤢

Edited May 11May 11 by Heart Beats True

On 08/05/2025 at 12:01, Its Time for Another said:

Jack Buckley is another. His father Ben played for Nth. Not of the calibre of Blakey or White but Jack consequently played AFL right from the beginning of Juniors. He played at my son's junior club and was a member of the Swans Academy but for some bizarre reason GWS were able to pick him up as a Rookie B player even though he was playing AFL the season he was recruited and even won a rising star nomination.

Callum Mills played club footy lright from juniors and also taken in the Swans Academy. To be fair there's only a handful of NSW comp players who've ever made it. The McVeighs were others. Mark McClure was an outlier back in the '70's. Rampe was a NSW player picked up as a non Academy player after being rejected in multiple drafts and even going down to Melb and playing for Williamstown at the suggestion of the Bulldogs who said they were interested until they weren't. He only got picked up by the Swans because he was playing in a local team in Sydney with Paul Roos's son and Roosy spotted him.

Maclure also played some junior footy at Riverton inWA

3 hours ago, Heart Beats True said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJgE0L-hzc9/?igsh=bjhsZDNta2x4NTZ0

Colour doesn’t suit him 🤢

Look at Jeff White's instagram post 'just a couple of father sons going head-to-head today ❤️💙'

Done deal he's heading to the Dees!

howd he play?

So long as the write-ups keep mentioning his competitiveness I think everyone on Demonland will feel positive about his future with us.

"Bring me competitive talls, I will take them all and at any price"

On 08/05/2025 at 16:31, Random Task said:

Of course there's a chance I'm wrong. It's an opinion after all. He certainly has a nice athletic package that gives him an opportunity to get him onto an AFL list. He may get his opportunity late in the draft or picked up as a rookie similar to Kynan Brown. I hope he makes it.

He's an athletic 200cm player that has played footy his whole life (as opposed to tall coming from another sport), will be much more interest in him than a player like Kynan

I’m not even certain Gold Coast could take him if they wanted / they have two players in their academy who will go top 10 well ahead of Kalani so I’m not sure how they could afford them all…

About time for another messiah

58 minutes ago, adonski said:

About time for another messiah

We've got Langford, Lindsay, Windsor, Bowey, Chandler, JVR, Petty, Pickett, Rivers, Spargo, Turner and Tholstrup as our future. We're doing ok. Happy for Kalani to play like the Messiah but he's got a few to top first.

1 hour ago, The Jackson FIX said:

I’m not even certain Gold Coast could take him if they wanted / they have two players in their academy who will go top 10 well ahead of Kalani so I’m not sure how they could afford them all…

They have three expected to go first round (at least two of them top 10): Zeke Uwland, Dylan Patterson and Beau Addinsal (might have the spelling wrong).

White will be well down their priority list.

4 minutes ago, adonski said:

I have seen enough. He has it.

3 minutes ago, Wizard of Koz said:

I have seen enough. He has it.

For a guy who hasn't been all that highly rated over the past 12-24 months he certainly passes the eye test

8 minutes ago, adonski said:

For a guy who hasn't been all that highly rated over the past 12-24 months he certainly passes the eye test

his second grabs look effortless, good hands get him in asap

On 08/05/2025 at 16:31, Random Task said:

Of course there's a chance I'm wrong. It's an opinion after all. He certainly has a nice athletic package that gives him an opportunity to get him onto an AFL list. He may get his opportunity late in the draft or picked up as a rookie similar to Kynan Brown. I hope he makes it.

You didn’t answer m y question why you don’t rate Kalani ?

I am saying again that he will go far earlier Than your repeated underrated options.

A player that could well be another Sam Darcy won’t be left until Kynan was. That’s allowing for some very odd late players under the NGA rules drafting occasionally.

1 hour ago, 58er said:

You didn’t answer m y question why you don’t rate Kalani ?

I am saying again that he will go far earlier Than your repeated underrated options.

A player that could well be another Sam Darcy won’t be left until Kynan was. That’s allowing for some very odd late players under the NGA rules drafting occasionally.

It's not about rating him or not. He's got deficiencies in his game, as all u18s do. Good news for him is that the season is still young and he has athletic ability most players would kill for.

But there's a reason he's not mentioned as a first or even second round prospect at this stage.

I've watched him live numerous times and have questions marks on parts of his game that his athleticism somewhat masks.

He doesn't dominate the air like he should for his size and athleticism, his intercept marks aren't a big feature of his game, he doesn't have sticky hands and double grabs a lot. He lacks a degree of competitiveness, his running patterns, defensice iq and body work isnt great and his work rate requires improvement. He has a gap between his best and worst footy, lacking consistency in performance. And at u18 and representive level he hasn't featured in the best players.

Don't mean to get a downer. He's still a prospect, but a project player is what he will be in my view.

Others will see it differently, that's just my opinion.

9 minutes ago, Random Task said:

It's not about rating him or not. He's got deficiencies in his game, as all u18s do. Good news for him is that the season is still young and he has athletic ability most players would kill for.

But there's a reason he's not mentioned as a first or even second round prospect at this stage.

I've watched him live numerous times and have questions marks on parts of his game that his athleticism somewhat masks.

He doesn't dominate the air like he should for his size and athleticism, his intercept marks aren't a big feature of his game, he doesn't have sticky hands and double grabs a lot. He lacks a degree of competitiveness, his running patterns, defensice iq and body work isnt great and his work rate requires improvement. He has a gap between his best and worst footy, lacking consistency in performance. And at u18 and representive level he hasn't featured in the best players.

Don't mean to get a downer. He's still a prospect, but a project player is what he will be in my view.

Others will see it differently, that's just my opinion.

Thanks RT for the update and value your advice that you have witnessed him play in under age Comp/ state teams.

Interesting watch no doubt.