Gold Coast Suns coach Damien Hardwick has defended the importance of the northern academies, declaring they are “incredibly important” to the growth of the game nationally.
The Suns’ record haul of four first-round picks out of their Academy in last week’s national draft – Jed Walter (pick 3), Ethan Read (9), Jake Rogers (15) and Will Graham (26) sparked concerns from rival clubs about their ability to attain the quartet.
The main complaint came from the 14 non-Queensland and NSW clubs, who could not access their Next Generation Academy players unless they received a bid outside the top 40, whereas the Suns were able to acquire over a dozen picks and match all four bids for their prospects.
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Few if any critics have suggested scrapping the academies entirely, just tweaking the rules for access to ensure greater fairness.
But Hardwick believes the academies for clubs like his, in a region that is not traditionally known for its Aussie rules talent or fans, are the way to swing the momentum towards the AFL over the NRL.
“These four kids might not be in the AFL system without the Academy,” Hardwick said.
“The investment is incredible, the amount of time and effort put into it.
“To be honest, it caught me by surprise how much work goes into it.”
The triple premiership coach pointed to the importance of having local players at the Suns, which should help reduce the go-home factor which has plagued the expansion club since its inception.
While at the Tigers, Hardwick poached several Gold Coast players including Tom Lynch and Dion Prestia.
“To have four kids that have primarily grown up here to play our great game is incredibly important to the success of the AFL in general,” Hardwick said.
“I know there’ll always be people that try to bring it down, but for the greater good of the game it’s an incredibly important part of the game moving forward.
“If we want this sport, which it is in my opinion to be the greatest sport within Australia, we’ve got to continue to grow it in the northern markets, no question.”
The ex-Tigers boss also praised the efforts of his new charges on their first day back for the pre-season, believing a finals debut in 2024 is “attainable”.
“I was really happy with what I saw today,” he said.
“Their endeavour is certainly there. The understanding and execution will come.
“It always happens when a new system comes in, they probably overthink at the start.
“Once they understand the concepts and how they link together, they’re going to become a lot more fluent as the season wears on.
“I think we’re always in a hurry to make progress. Our aim is to make finals and challenge for premierships.
“With the side we’ve got, we certainly think that’s attainable.”
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