Surely it is only the uninformed posters here who were not aware of these provisions etc that made or makes him unavailable as some priority selection. 
 

Those in management MUST have been aware of these rules.   And any likely hood of changes .  If not they are not doing their job. 

Let's sue the AFL!

Well this is frustrating, interesting he's in the program but not eligible. 

I am sure the club were aware of this. 

 

Should be removed from the program ASAP.

Just now, Deestinga2 said:

Should be removed from the program ASAP.

Why? Whilst its disappointing he is not part of the NGA, the club can assist this young man in his career/footy development. Good on the club for doing so, I say 

This system is an absolute farce, what a joke.

24 minutes ago, Demonsterative said:

Why? Whilst its disappointing he is not part of the NGA, the club can assist this young man in his career/footy development. Good on the club for doing so, I say 

Fair point, but why should we not put our efforts into player we may actually be able to get with a freebie?

7 hours ago, Skuit said:

I have no idea about Ah-Mu's personal background other than reportedly being of 'Samoan descent', but there is a distinction in the classification of a directly 'Qualified' NGA player and a 'CaLD' NGA player. 

For those not Indigenous or themselves born overseas in a culturally and linguistically diverse country (that is, classified by the ABS as not a 'main English-speaking' country), a 'Qualified NGA' player requires one of their parents to have been born in Africa or Asia. For a CaLD NGA player to be Qualified, both parents need to have been born overseas in a culturally and linguistically diverse country.  

 

15.8 Qualified NGA Players

(a) For the purposes of this Rule 15, a Qualified NGA Player means a NGA Player who:

(i) was born in Africa or Asia; or (ii) has a biological parent who was born in Africa or Asia; or (iii) is an Indigenous Person; or

(iv) is a CALD NGA Player

 

Seems they changed or narrowed the rules from parent born overseas to parent born in Africa or Asia. 

Very much a missed opportunity by the AFL to not include Polynesia given the quality of athletes and the fact most of them play rugby codes rather than footy despite many being well suited. They're giving up the chance of several Dusty Martin type players (in style more than quality of course).

I assume the club has checked that his parents weren't both born in Samoa and have tried to argue that if they speak Samoan and have strong culture that he should fit as a CALD player.

24 minutes ago, Little Richard said:

This system is an absolute farce, what a joke.

Yep, has been since its inception.  You have this then next sentence Stuart Cochrane trying to get his sons eligible for port NGA as he try's to prove his indigenous background.  How far back up the family tree are you allowed to go for indigenous players?

14 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

15.8 Qualified NGA Players

(a) For the purposes of this Rule 15, a Qualified NGA Player means a NGA Player who:

(i) was born in Africa or Asia; or (ii) has a biological parent who was born in Africa or Asia; or (iii) is an Indigenous Person; or

(iv) is a CALD NGA Player

 

Seems they changed or narrowed the rules from parent born overseas to parent born in Africa or Asia. 

Very much a missed opportunity by the AFL to not include Polynesia given the quality of athletes and the fact most of them play rugby codes rather than footy despite many being well suited. They're giving up the chance of several Dusty Martin type players (in style more than quality of course).

I assume the club has checked that his parents weren't both born in Samoa and have tried to argue that if they speak Samoan and have strong culture that he should fit as a CALD player.

you just KNOW that polynesia will be included in 2026 and beyond

He looks too heavy and slow anyway ;-)

I feel like the only logical solution here is to lobby the Chinese government to create maps that clearly show Polynesia as part of Asia.

Everyone will be too terrified to disagree, and we’ll get Tairon.

4 hours ago, Ungarieboy said:

As to the Northern Academy's, if they didn't exist then talented players don't get to train and play with/against enough good players to improve (at the same rate as AFL states).

E.g In Melbourne there could be hundreds of kids (majority of a team) who can kick a ball properly on the run at the age of 13/ 14, providing greater opportunity to enhance their marking skills (can't practice marking the ball, if it doesn't get to you). This means these Victorian's are getting exposed to more complicated and better training drills far earlier than their Northern Counterparts (without the academies). 

Even at the 18s Victorian's train and play at the Coates league level for the entire season, while the Nortern Academy's get a handful of games in April/May. Then back to uncompetitive club football.

What a lot of people don't understand is without the Northern Academy's, these players won't get the necessary development to be drafted, or at best be drafted late or as rookies. Consequently the 4  Northern clubs would have to pick more of the best Victorian, SA and WA kids - diluting the pool further for the other clubs.

i think the problem with the northern academy and the father son draft concessions is that they are too generous.

they actually get 3 distinct benefits not available to others. 

1.  the overide priority (bid matching)
2.  the 25% points discount,
3. the ability to aggregate low picks to reach the discounted point value

a good argument can be made that the 25% points discount is excessive benefit, especially as they can also use a collection of draft points.

I'd abolish the discount or at the very least reduce it.

3 hours ago, 640MD said:

Surely it is only the uninformed posters here who were not aware of these provisions etc that made or makes him unavailable as some priority selection. 
 

Those in management MUST have been aware of these rules.   And any likely hood of changes .  If not they are not doing their job. 

Agree. Why have him in our NGA academy if he didn’t fit the rules.  Dees management is odd. 
 

The NGA was brought in to promote participation and development of non traditional player pathways and origins.  

Why wouldn’t a Samoan multicultural background be included ??! It’s another bizarre AFL rule. 

example … Cam McKenzie was in Saints NGA as under South African heritage. His dad Rob being born in South Africa meant Mackenzie was eligible to join St Kilda's Next Generation Academy.  He was top 10 quality so the Saints missed out and he was picked by the hawks.  

Dees should seek a change !! Now !!!! The AFL already flipped to change the rules to have Mac Andrew go the Suns and deny the demons.  Now the bombers get access to Kako who is top 15 in this years draft under new rules.  Dees must fight this and ask for a rule change.   Put up some kahunas Mr Pert or get out !!! 
 

1 minute ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Agree. Why have him in our NGA academy if he didn’t fit the rules.  Dees management is odd. 
 

The NGA was brought in to promote participation and development of non traditional player pathways and origins.  

Why wouldn’t a Samoan multicultural background be included ??! It’s another bizarre AFL rule. 

example … Cam McKenzie was in Saints NGA as under South African heritage. His dad Rob being born in South Africa meant Mackenzie was eligible to join St Kilda's Next Generation Academy.  He was top 10 quality so the Saints missed out and he was picked by the hawks.  

Dees should seek a change !! Now !!!! The AFL already flipped to change the rules to have Mac Andrew go the Suns and deny the demons.  Now the bombers get access to Kako who is top 15 in this years draft under new rules.  Dees must fight this and ask for a rule change.   Put up some kahunas Mr Pert or get out !!! 
 

Surely the AFL should just issue us an IOU Voucher

The hits keep coming. Meanwhile, I look forward to seeing Geelong slapped in the face with a wet lettuce regarding Bailey Smith's connection with Cotton On. 

1 minute ago, Return to Glory said:

The hits keep coming. Meanwhile, I look forward to seeing Geelong slapped in the face with a wet lettuce regarding Bailey Smith's connection with Cotton On. 

nothing to see

move on

34 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

He looks too heavy and slow anyway ;-)

Are you related to Zali Steggall by chance? 

3 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

nothing to see

move on

Heard a very interesting story today of how Marc Murphy was drafted to Carlton in 2005 rather than picked up as a father and son. Funnily enough, it involves Visy

41 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

He looks too heavy and slow anyway ;-)

Look at his record. Doesn’t seem too slow. 
another idi..ic and typical comment without any sense from yourself.

Why  contribute and not support the Dees. 

15 hours ago, demonglory said:

MELBOURNE will not have access to tall forward prospect Tairon Ah-Mu under Next Generation Academy rules when the 17-year-old hits his draft season next year (afl.com.au)

Ah-Mu is a member of the Demons' NGA program but under the AFL's eligibility criteria, he does not qualify for the club to have any priority access over him as a draftee.

Ah-Mu kicked three goals for the Dandenong Stingrays on Saturday against the Gippsland Power, taking the straight-kicking key forward's tally to 21.5 from 10 games this season.

Does anyone know why?
 

Time to scrap any form of investment we have in the NGA. Spend the time and energy elsewhere. At best, get an aspiring volunteer clubman down there assisting with perhaps a couple check-ins with senior staff per year to show some form of investment from the club and brand awareness if it's ever appreciated.

Why aren’t rule changes like this one grandfathered? Eg where significant investments are made over time they come in to place in 5yrs.

Club could have also clarified this at the start of the program as well.

Actually plays like Tom Hawkins.  Big but smart forward craft already. 

Edited September 12, 2024Sep 12 by spirit of norm smith
K

3 hours ago, 58er said:

Look at his record. Doesn’t seem too slow. 
another idi..ic and typical comment without any sense from yourself.

Why  contribute and not support the Dees. 

The wink at the end of Fat Tony's post would tell 99.9% of posters that he's having a lend.

5 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

15.8 Qualified NGA Players

(a) For the purposes of this Rule 15, a Qualified NGA Player means a NGA Player who:

(i) was born in Africa or Asia; or (ii) has a biological parent who was born in Africa or Asia; or (iii) is an Indigenous Person; or

(iv) is a CALD NGA Player

 

Seems they changed or narrowed the rules from parent born overseas to parent born in Africa or Asia. 

Very much a missed opportunity by the AFL to not include Polynesia given the quality of athletes and the fact most of them play rugby codes rather than footy despite many being well suited. They're giving up the chance of several Dusty Martin type players (in style more than quality of course).

I assume the club has checked that his parents weren't both born in Samoa and have tried to argue that if they speak Samoan and have strong culture that he should fit as a CALD player.

Nothing we can do unfortunately.