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Date Posted: 23:05 08/09/24 Sun
Author: Two-Bob Man
Author Host/IP: NoHost / 110.144.28.91
Subject: They don't so much "find" talent as they "draw" talent
In reply to: Thommo 's message, "The Swans have an unnatural advantage, while the Cats" on 21:37 08/09/24 Sun

Look at the players who originate from Geelong and the general Western Victoria area and you can see how there is pretty significant "go home" factor that provides a level of advantage for Geelong.

Apart from the players who turned down big money in other areas to stay at Geelong on lesser coin, a great number of their trade-ins are probably the result of a two-way street...Geelong targeting the better of these to "come home" and/or the player managers speaking to Geelong about their clients looking to move back to the west coast of Victoria.

Here's their player trade-ins over the last few years since 2015 when the got Dangerfield:
Ollie Henry (Coll) - Drafted from St Mary's Geelong/St Josephs College, Geelong
Jack Bowes (GC) - from QLD - good acquisition via a "salary dump" at great timing by the Cats to have the dollar space available
Tanner Bruhn (GWS) - From Newtown & Chilwell; Geelong Grammar; Geelong U18s
Jonathon Ceglar (Haw) - Good trade-in of a ruck, albeit one on the AFL merry-go-round
Jeremy Cameron (GWS) - From Dartmoor, Nth Ballarat
Shaun Higgins (NM) - From Geelong at St Josephs College; Geelong Falcons
Josh Jenkins (Ade) - from QLD, so not a Geelong prospect - and a bit of an AFL 'merry-go-round' player
Isaac Smith (Haw) - drafted from North Ballarat
Jack Steven (StK) - Originally from Lorne Football Club and the Geelong Falcons
Gary Rohan (Syd) - From Cobden; Geelong U18
Gary Ablett Jnr (GC) - From Geelong of course
Zach Tuohy (Car) - Good trade-in from Carlton in 2017
Zac Smith (GC) - from QLD, spent 4 years at Geelong (2016-2019) before going back to Gold Coast
Lachie Henderson (Car) - from Birregurra and schooled at The Geelong College and playing TAC Cup for Geelong Falcons
Patrick Dangerfield (Ade) - From Anglesea; Geelong U18s

Looking at that list and there is a statistically significant percentage of players that Geelong targeted who actually came from the Geelong area. No doubt, their families and friends are there and they are probably the sort of people who might like to live in that environment when their AFL careers are over.

No doubt Geelong DOES put the work in to entice them back there, but it is not a level playing field.

We have also seen situations where Geelong has had to let go players who didn't want to be there:
Ratugolea - PA; Clark - Freo; Fort - Bri; Kreuger - Coll; Kelly - WCE; Caddy - Rich amongst these.

If a player want to "go home" to Melbourne, they've got a fair few sides that would fit that bill, so the competition is a lot hotter and therefore more costly.

But, certainly, the likes of Dangerfield, Cameron, Henry, Bruhn and Rohan had a big say in where they wanted to play their AFL football, and I'd say the draw of location and/or "home" was a significant factor in their decision-making.

TBM

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