Its a quiet day on Demonland so thought I would put this in for discussion to keep us amused for a day or two:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-08-17/marcus-bontempelli-headlines-20-in-2020-all-star-team?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=RSS+feed%3A+AFL+Latest+News

Kevin Sheehan and Brenton Sanderson have picked their best team in 2020 from draftees in the last 4 drafts:

DEFENDERS: Nick Vlastuin (Rich), Jake Lever (Adel), Nathan Wilson (GWS), Callum Mills (Syd), Jacob Weitering (Carl), Jack Martin (GC)
MIDFIELDERS: Marcus Bontempelli (WB), Lachie Whitfield (GWS), Jaeger O'Meara (GC), Ollie Wines (PA), Jack Viney (Melb), Brodie Grundy (Coll)
FORWARDS: Jake Stinger (WB), Jeremy Cameron (GWS), Isaac Heeney (Syd), Josh Kelly (GWS), Jesse Hogan (Melb), Joe Daniher (Ess)
I/C: Darcy Parish (Ess), Stephen Coniglio (GWS)

Now that is guaranteed to be controversial!

Setting aside my Demon bias:

The doubtful inclusions for me are: Daniher, Parish, Grundy, maybe Vlastuin.

The glaring omissions for me are:  Darcy Moore (Wayne Carey's pick for the best of current young forwards), Christian Petracca, Lachie Neale (as small forward).  Don't know the non-Dees young ruckman and defenders well enough to make suggestions but is Grundy the best their is/will be?

 

 

Edited August 17, 20169 yr by Lucifer's Hero

 The article says the following: 

To mark the 20th intake of the AFL's national academy, the League has named the NAB AFL Academy's '20 in 2020' team, comprising draftees from the past four Academy intakes.

Not sure what that last sentence means, whether those players you've mentioned didn't go through the academy? 

 

 

I think its only kids from the NAB academy.  (Whatever that is).   Hence a spud like Vlaustin being in there.

Edited August 17, 20169 yr by Petraccattack

Only Academy players (It is made clear if you click on the "related news" link)

 

An independent list picked from all young players would be fascinating though

Edited August 17, 20169 yr by Diamond_Jim

Never heard of the NAB Academy... Is that a rebranded AIS academy??

In regards to the OP, taking my red and blue blinkers off, I would say that for a young player, required to play first ruck, Grundy's had a excellent start to his career.

It is the old AIS Academy as I understand it.

From the AFL site

The NAB AFL Academy aims to prepare the country's best young players for the step up into senior AFL football.

Launched in 1997, the Academy provides elite young players with a NAB AFL Academy scholarship, as an opportunity to develop their football and personal skills in an accelerated AFL program over 12 months.

The level one squad of 25 players is selected following the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships, and the level two squad includes the best 35 under-18 players in the country. These players are eligible for the upcoming NAB AFL Draft.

In 2015 there were 203 graduates of the NAB AFL Academy on AFL lists, including nine of the then-captains.

Best "Old Team"!

59 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

It is the old AIS Academy as I understand it.

From the AFL site

The NAB AFL Academy aims to prepare the country's best young players for the step up into senior AFL football.

Launched in 1997, the Academy provides elite young players with a NAB AFL Academy scholarship, as an opportunity to develop their football and personal skills in an accelerated AFL program over 12 months.

The level one squad of 25 players is selected following the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships, and the level two squad includes the best 35 under-18 players in the country. These players are eligible for the upcoming NAB AFL Draft.

In 2015 there were 203 graduates of the NAB AFL Academy on AFL lists, including nine of the then-captains.

Thanks D_J.

In that case the 20 in 2020 is fairly meaningless as it excludes about 75% of players drafted.  Are Sanderson and Sheehan just pumping up their own tyres as they are associated with that Academy? 

It would be more meaningful if they at least included the NAB draft combine players.  Or better still the whole draft!!

It would help if they better explained the basis of selection as I imagine most people would react as I did and think: what about X and what about Y.  Like, how confusing misleading is the first line of the article: "Rising Western Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli headlines an all-star team made up of young players picked in recent drafts".  

Edited August 17, 20169 yr by Lucifer's Hero

Academies are the new Zones.

As usual it will assist the interstate clubs.

If we are going to continue with the NT experiment we may as well lobby hard to "own" the NT academy. We wont succeed but we may get some crumbs.

Haha was gonna say that list is way off the mark - no Oliver for a start!

Daniher, Grundy, Vlastuin puh-lease!!!!

No disrespect to Parish, but Oliver is a far more influential footballer.  Brayshaw will also have him covered.  I can't believe they also left out Petracca. 

No bias. 

36 minutes ago, ProDee said:

No disrespect to Parish, but Oliver is a far more influential footballer.  Brayshaw will also have him covered.  I can't believe they also left out Petracca. 

No bias. 

Agree - perhaps not academicians? Particularly Oliver.

Think they will regret not having Angus Brayshaw in that list. By 2020 he will be a star. Could possibly have a brownlow to his name by then.

How about an anti-list to play against them? Featuring the 3 Amigos, Moore, Cripps, Weitering, OMac, Nakia Cockatoo, Alir, 2 meter Peter, Wilson...... Less injuries and harder at it. 

Vlaustin.. LOL