Talking Footy

Kiwi kids' bid to impress club scouts
Callum Twomey
April 20, 2016 3:13 PM

AFL 2013 Media - AIS AFL Academy v New Zealand Hawks
Shem Tatupu marks for the New Zealand Hawks before being listed by Hawthorn
MORE THAN 30 athletes from around New Zealand will take part in an International Combine on Thursday in a bid to impress AFL clubs.

The attending group will be put through a full range of tests also undertaken at the NAB AFL Draft Combine, with sprint, agility, endurance, jumping and skills tests on the agenda.

Recruiters from at least 16 AFL clubs will be in attendance for the screening at the Trusts Arena in Auckland, where the level one NAB AFL Academy is holding its camp over the next five days.

Kurt Heatherley and Shem Tatupu (Hawthorn), Joe Baker-Thomas (St Kilda) and Maia Westrupp (Melbourne) are among the players to have graduated to AFL lists from New Zealand in recent years as the League continues to dig for talent in new markets.

The group of New Zealand athletes at the talent combine will be aged between 13 and 18, and come from a variety of backgrounds including soccer, rugby, volleyball and athletics.

The AFL's national and international talent manager Kevin Sheehan said the trip to New Zealand – the Academy departs on Thursday and returns on Monday – was important for the locals as well as the AFL draft hopefuls, who will be eligible to clubs in 2017.

"It's a pathway for the New Zealanders to play football and have a connection to our game. There's boys coming from all different parts of New Zealand to the combine, and there's significant uptake of the game across the country with more than 25,000 playing our game there," Sheehan said.

"The clubs will come across to that session and about five of the kids testing will also play against the national academy on Sunday, in what will predominantly be an open-age side with a few younger guys in it.

"And the game certainly gives us a very good hit-out. We love the fact New Zealanders are very parochial about their footy and they love to play for their country. The contests have been terrific in the past few years."

This will be the fifth time the Academy has played in New Zealand around the Anzac Day period, with the first game in 2012 when Jack Billings, Josh Kelly and Billy Hartung featured for the Academy.

In recent seasons the Academy's game has been played at the 'Caketin' Westpac Stadium in Wellington, but the camp has this year been moved to Auckland for the first time with no AFL game being played in the region this weekend.

AFLcrap1 wrote:

Lol An AFL media release .
Let the propaganda begin

So
30 athletes who are too skinny/wimpy etc to play other sports are hoping to get a go at a sport where they know that skill is not a huge requirement .
Wow 30 .
& lol at the combine .
Isn't that what the Aflol was crowing about with American sport rejects .

How'd that go?
Lol

How you fumble fans lap up every bit of propaganda is mind boggling .
Just look at the AFL game in NZ
The wankfest over how great & big it was gunna be & how there'll be a team there for sure was absolutely hysterical .
How'd that one go ?

When AFL media release some propaganda ..rational thought goes out the window

AFLcrap1 wrote:

Here we go again .
Show me where I said that


I can show you where I laughed at 30k registered players .
I loled long & hard .
But I posted ...real number about 1800

So once again you post an outright lie .
Get some fucking help .
You have serious issues .

If you have to resort to 100% bullshit when having a debate . You've lost
& you're an expert at it .

AFLcrap1 wrote:

Lol so now I inferred .
After you claimed
I was the one who said . NO ONE IN NZ WOULD PLAY THIS SPORT .

As usual you fucking lied & can't produce anything to back up your pile of shit ..


Here's my proof that what you claimed is just another in a long line of lies

from the thread you started


Re: AFL women's comp in the Hunter on the rise!!!!
Postby AFLcrap1 » Sun Mar 27, 2016 11:21 am

NZ
Registered players 30k
Real number 1800.


So me posting that 1800 play fumbles in NZ is according to you stating that
NO ONE IN NZ WOULD PLAY .

Once again I've shown definitive proof that you're full of shit .
You & the truth are a universe apart .

AFLcrap1 wrote:

How is it deflecting .
I just proved what you posted was another in a very long list of lies you post .

You want to fucking Debate .
Easy fixed .
Don't fucking bullshit .
You continiously say. I said this or I said that to make some strawman argument .
But you can't show any proof of me ver saying what you claimed .
Try posting something factual

This is why threads get derailed .
& you're on a roll at the moment .


If you accuse me of saying something it's wise to have some proof .
You can't seem to show any when asked .
Why is that .




Cause you're a fucking compulsive liar .
You want yo debate sport .
Stick to some facts .

eelofwest wrote:

AFL Tried NZ in wellington and failed, now it wants to go back for round 2 because just maybe the Kiwis didnt notice the game was being played.

Now the AFL is going into China Round 2, lets see how this train wreck works out.. :_<>

Swans4ever wrote:

eelofwest wrote:

AFL Tried NZ in wellington and failed, now it wants to go back for round 2 because just maybe the Kiwis didnt notice the game was being played.

Now the AFL is going into China Round 2, lets see how this train wreck works out.. :_<>

So what exactly is your point - I don't claim NZ people will take to AFL en-mass rather that contrary to what your inferring some WILL try the game. What has this got to do with the AFL failing in Wellington it has more to do with RL posters making absurd statements - you know like RL is the 3rd most popular code in the world!!

Swans4ever wrote:

AFLcrap1 wrote:

How is it deflecting .
I just proved what you posted was another in a very long list of lies you post .

You want to fucking Debate .
Easy fixed .
Don't fucking bullshit .
You continiously say. I said this or I said that to make some strawman argument .
But you can't show any proof of me ver saying what you claimed .
Try posting something factual

This is why threads get derailed .
& you're on a roll at the moment .


If you accuse me of saying something it's wise to have some proof .
You can't seem to show any when asked .
Why is that .




Cause you're a fucking compulsive liar .
You want yo debate sport .
Stick to some facts .

Yep deflecting again couldn't answer a straight question if you tried - conveniently forgot a lot don't you crapper you are the worst poster here - endless posts contradicting any post AF make - never concedes even the smallest point and continually hypocritical!