GWS Giants should retain access to young guns despite plan to slash vast academy zone
GREATER Western Sydney should retain priority access to two top-five players next year, even if the AFL swiftly shrinks the club’s vast academy zone.
But the Herald Sun confirmed the AFL had not decided to cut Albury and the Murray River from the Giants’ recruiting area.
League sources said they were yet to strip the Giants of picks 15 and 37 ahead of next Friday’s draft as a result of the Lachie Whitfield saga.
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The Giants are fighting hard to keep their selections and the league is not working to a deadline.
Wentworth’s Jarrod Brander and Canberra’s Jack Powell live outside the geographical areas the AFL Commission was reportedly set to remove.
As of Wednesday night, the rich GWS academy was safe.
But all 17 rivals have long campaigned the AFL to reduce the Giants’ zone, believing it was giftwrapping the burgeoning club hot prospects from footy fertile areas.
Key forward Brander is an early contender to go No.1 next season, while Powell has drawn comparisons to Sydney star Isaac Heeney.
The Giants would also keep Griffith’s Nathan Richards, who is considered valuable because of a dearth of draftable ruckmen.
But Charlie Spargo and Alex Paech would be forced into the open draft if changes were brought into effect for 2017.
Spargo won admirers this year and averaged 17 disposals in two NEAFL games for the GWS reserves.
Spargo, the son of former North Melbourne and Brisbane Bear Paul Spargo, was yesterday described as a “pure footballer”.
“He’s a jet, but only 171cm,” one recruiter said.
“He dominated the under-16 championships and won 28 disposals in April against the Kiwis. He’ll move to Melbourne Grammar.”
Clubs believed that GWS would be satisfied if it were able to secure Powell and Brander at a discount.
But the AFL has already questioned whether Brander qualifies for the academy, because his parents own a house in Mildura, outside the GWS net.
The Giants have been aiding Brander’s development for about five years, but he is now playing at Geelong Grammar and Bendigo Pioneers and is rated as highly as No.1 pick Paddy McCartin was at the same age.
The Giants are hoping to land academy guns Will Setterfield, Harry Perryman and Isaac Cumming at next Friday’s draft.
They will also activate the No.2 pick, but appear unlikely to take goalkicking midfielder Hugh McCluggage.
Champion Data believes the Giants will secure three of the best eight talents next week to continue a dominant trend.
Essendon met Setterfield last week but is instead closing in on explosive star Andy McGrath as its first ever No.1 pick.
Originally published as Zone cut won’t hurt Giants’ talent factory