Recruiting zones

[LostDoggy]

A couple of discussions in different threads recently got me thinking about where most of our best recruits have come from. Most of us have a fair idea of what they would be, but I wanted to look up some facts. Thought I'd share them.

For the purposes of the exercise, I'm counting anyone who plays 200 games as an unqualified success (that's basically 10 full seasons, allowing for the odd injury/suspension, as a first team player - no mean feat).

Over our history 25 players have achieved this, they are;

- Brad Johnson (Williamstown),
- Chris Grant (Daylesford),
- Doug Hawkins (Braybrook),
- Scott West (Strathmore/Essendon Grammar),
- Ted Whitten (Braybrook),
- Rohan Smith (Kingsville),
- Robert Murphy (Warragul/Gippsland Power),
- Tony Liberatore (Brunswick City/North Melbourne),
- Arthur Olliver (Footscray Tech Old Boys),
- Daniel Giansiracusa (Williamstown),
- Stephen Wallis (Leongatha),
- Matthew Boyd (Frankson/Dandenong Stingrays),
- Scott Wynd (Jacana),
- Luke Darcy (South Adelaide, SA),
- Alby Morrison (Spotswood),
- Nathan Eagleton (Port Adelaide, SA),
- Adam Cooney (West Adelaide, SA),
- Daniel Cross (Albury, NSW/Murray Bushrangers),
- Gary Dempsey (Footscray Tech Old Boys),
- Dale Morris (Werribee),
- Lindsay Gilbee (Lilydale, Eastern Ranges),
- Wally Donald (Braybrook),
- Ryan Hargrave (Peth, WA),
- Ryan Griffen (Goolwa, SA),
- Norm Ware (Sale).

To break these down into regions, of the 25;

- 13 are local (52%),
- 6 are interstate (24%; 4 SA, 1 WA, 1 NSW)
- 3 are Gippsland (12%)
- 2 are Melbourne Metro Other (8%)
- 1 are Vic Country other (4%)

Observations;

- Our success rate with locals is astonishing, especially given many are from the modern era. I stand to be corrected, but no other Vic club (or maybe any club) would have anything like that % of locals. At the top end of the list, this is even more evident, with 8 of our top 10 all locals,
- Our other zones seem to be Gippsland and, in recent times, South Australia,
- Outside of Gippsland, our only rural Vic is from Daylesford, at a pinch we could almost claim him as a local also with our area now extending out to Ballarat (stretching I know),
- 2 of our interstate successes had strong links with the club, being sons of former players (Darcy & Hargrave), of the other 4, none were 1 club players (though Eagleton did finish at Dogs and Cross only went elsewhere after being let go),
- Of the locals, 11 of 13 finished their careers at the club; Dempsey left when the club was in disarray, chasing onfield success, and Hawkins finished his career at Fitzroy, only after we had let him go.

Discuss.

[Twodogs]

Braybrook is the really astonishing aspect of this story. When you sit down and work out the actual numbers and the sheer quality of the players from that one tiny suburb;

Just a taster of the 35+ (no other club has provided as amny players to the V/AFL) players Braybrook has provided to the club and the comp.

Ted Whitten 321 games Footscray (Captain AFL Team of the Century)
George Bissitt 9 games Footscray, 41 games Collingwood
Ray Walker 73 games Footscray
Brian Wilson 9 games, Footscray, 39 games Nth Melbourne, 154 games Melbourne, 7 games St Kilda (Brownlow Medallist)
Doug Hawkins 329 games Footscray, 21 games Fitzroy (Footscray record game holder)


From
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/club_info.cgi?c=1-25-8655-0-0

Look at those names! Whitten, Hawkins, a bloke who was robbed of a brownlow(Bissett) and another who did win one(Wilson) .

[Eastdog]

I believe our zone was the inner west not all as I think South Melbourne had a bit of Willy/Altona. Geelong I think had Melton.

Our country zone was East Gippsland

I think we also had a small patch in the outer eastern suburbs as well.

[Twodogs]

I believe our zone was the inner west not all as I think South Melbourne had a bit of Willy/Altona. Geelong I think had Melton.

Our country zone was East Gippsland

I think we also had a small patch in the outer eastern suburbs as well.

We had a few players from Coldstream. Is that the sort of area, or is it in the wrong place?

Spotswood was also in the South Melbourne recruiting zone. Ted WHitten lived in Altona and Ted Jr. was resendentially tied to South Melbourne. They even made a play for him before Footscray snapped him up.

[Eastdog]

We had a few players from Coldstream. Is that the sort of area, or is it in the wrong place?

Spotswood was also in the South Melbourne recruiting zone. Ted WHitten lived in Altona and Ted Jr. was resendentially tied to South Melbourne. They even made a play for him before Footscray snapped him up.

Yes I believe around the Coldstream area possibly. Terry Wheeler originally from there.

[Twodogs]

A better list of players from Braybrook from their Team Of The. Century with a couple of additions from me. Four 200 gamers, eight 100 gamers.


Ted Whitten Snr 321 VFL games plus 29 Interstate, Doug Hawkins 329 &16, Wally Donald 205 & 3, brian Wilson 209 games Gary Merrington 174, George Bisset 166 & 1, Dennis Collins 100 (plus more with Carlton), Richard Wearmouth 100 games Robert Groenewegan 79, Ray Walker 72, Michael Kelly 57,Ivan Marsh 76

[LostDoggy]

We had a few players from Coldstream. Is that the sort of area, or is it in the wrong place?

Spotswood was also in the South Melbourne recruiting zone. Ted WHitten lived in Altona and Ted Jr. was resendentially tied to South Melbourne. They even made a play for him before Footscray snapped him up.

Can confirm that Spotswood/Yarraville was South Melbourne zone back in the day (staggeringly). I went to Spotswood Primary School in the late 70s, every year we got Mark Browning/Colin Hounsell/Barry Round/Tony Morwood out for some training/promotion at the school. Was quite exciting, but would've much preferred Kelvin Templeton/Douggie Hawkins/Mocca Dunstan/Geoff Jennings.

[Twodogs]

Can confirm that Spotswood/Yarraville was South Melbourne zone back in the day (staggeringly). I went to Spotswood Primary School in the late 70s, every year we got Mark Browning/Colin Hounsell/Barry Round/Tony Morwood out for some training/promotion at the school. Was quite exciting, but would've much preferred Kelvin Templeton/Douggie Hawkins/Mocca Dunstan/Geoff Jennings.


Yep. I Went to Footscray High (which bizarrely was in Spotswood) and quite a few of the kids there were tied to South despite 99% of us barracking for Footscray. Most of the kids who were good enough just refused to go to South and played with clubs inside Footscray's recruiting zones to get around it.

[Eastdog]

So we certainly did not have all of the western suburbs. How about places like Sunshine and Werribee. We wouldn't have had much of the north west i'm guessing.

[Remi Moses]

Latrobe Valley was a massive hit for us

[Bulldog4life]

Yep. I Went to Footscray High (which bizarrely was in Spotswood) and quite a few of the kids there were tied to South despite 99% of us barracking for Footscray. Most of the kids who were good enough just refused to go to South and played with clubs inside Footscray's recruiting zones to get around it.

Peter Welsh went to Footscray High. There was a story that he couldn't make the school team then the next year he was at Footscray. Not sure if it is 100% correct.

[Twodogs]

Peter Welsh went to Footscray High. There was a story that he couldn't make the school team then the next year he was at Footscray. Not sure if it is 100% correct.

It maybe true. The school had a bit of a golden period with guys like Jack Dinatale and a few other VFL standard players playing in the team. It was back in the '60/'70s. A bit before my time anyway. My year at school we had 4 guys who went on to professional soccer careers here and OS but no footballers of note.

[Bulldog4life]

It maybe true. The school had a bit of a golden period with guys like Jack Dinatale and a few other VFL standard players playing in the team. It was back in the '60/'70s. A bit before my time anyway. My year at school we had 4 guys who went on to professional soccer careers here and OS but no footballers of note.

I have an idea that Welshy played his first game with the doggies as a 16 year old. Not 100% without looking it up. So he most likely had a growth spurt in the past 12 mths prior to that which could have stopped him getting into the school team as a 15 year old. He was a big bugger.

[bornadog]

I have an idea that Welshy played his first game with the doggies as a 16 year old. Not 100% without looking it up. So he most likely had a growth spurt in the past 12 mths prior to that which could have stopped him getting into the school team as a 15 year old. He was a big bugger.

Debut:16 years 359days

[Twodogs]

He sounds like a classic Dal pick doesn't he? Big growth spurt in his final junior year.

We won't see 16 yo kids debut anymore. I don't think most would be physically able to anymore anyway the game has become so fast and they hit and tackle so fiercely. The game has evolved from a skills based contest to a battle of strategy, fitness and strength.