Geelong Advertiser | COULD a full-strength St Joseph’s be competitive in the VFL?
It was a question asked about the mighty South Barwon sides of recent years and can now be applied to the youthful, emerging Joeys side of 2015.
St Joseph’s has 12 players on a VFL list this year, including eight on Geelong’s VFL list — the most any local club has ever had down at the Cats in one season.
Joeys also have a number of players who have been through the VFL system and are now happy to ply their trade at a local level, such as Daniel Lovick, Paul Carson, Dale Carson, Ben Capra and Joe Macula.
The jump between GFL and VFL footy is no doubt a sizeable one, especially when you start coming up against AFL-listed players and hardened state league players who are exposed to full-time coaches and training environments shaped by sports science.
But it’s a hypothetical at least worth considering, especially when the majority of the club’s best 22 has experienced some form of higher-level football.
South Barwon was in a similar position a couple of years ago when the Cats’ VFL list swelled with players like Mark Corrigan, Ben Raidme, Casey Tutungi, Tom Maas, Mitch Herbison, Mitch Fisher and Isaac Baker. St Joseph’s want to see their players make the grade at VFL level. Coach Heath Jamieson not only supports it, he actively encourages it.
“We don’t talk them away from having a crack at VFL footy, we talk them into it,” he said.
“The byproduct is the people who do want to have a crack at VFL footy might find Joeys an attractive club to play at.”
Joeys don’t expect to see much of Ryan Williams this season. Williams has returned from a successful stint in the SANFL at Central Districts, where he won three premierships.
He’s now part of the VFL leadership group at the Cats, with Joeys teammates Cameron Tudor, Daniel Measures, Tom Atkins, Daniel Gibbs, Kieren Paliouras, Brenton Rees and Brant Haintz making up a third of Geelong’s VFL list.
Down the road at Collingwood, Ben Moloney is also part of a VFL leadership group and Lachlan Howe shoulders a load in the ruck.
Alex Hickey, a former Geelong Falcons captain, is across town at Essendon and Jordan Keras is at the Bulldogs.
“We’re always pushing our guys to be better footballers and better people and to do that you need to test yourself at a higher level,” Jamieson said.
“One thing we make sure we do is we make everyone aware of where they’re at, and if we think we’re going to be getting a few guys back. There’s communication among the group, so that when they come back it’s not talked about in a bad light. It’s talked about in a good light.”
It’s also worth noting that Geelong’s VFL side is coached by St Joseph’s legend Paul Hood and Footscray’s VFL side is coached by Ash Hansen, who played at Joeys last year.
Jamieson proudly points out that many of the VFL players have been cultivated out of the Joeys’ program.
So how does he think a full-strength Joeys side would go in the VFL? “I don’t think it would be competitive against an AFL-aligned side,” Jamieson said. “If we were to play a Bendigo last year, maybe we would be able to compete, if we had all of those players in.”
JOEYS IN HIGHER PLACES
GEELONG VFL: Ryan Williams, Cameron Tudor, Daniel Measures, Tom Atkins, Daniel Gibbs, Kieren Paliouras, Brenton Rees and Brant Haintz
COLLINGWOOD VFL: Ben Moloney and Lachlan Howe
ESSENDON VFL: Alex Hickey
FOOTSCRAY VFL: Jordan Keras
PREVIOUS ACHIEVERS
FORMER VFL: Daniel Lovick, Paul Carson, Dale Carson, Ben Capra, Hayden Foss and Joe Macula
LEADERS IN THEIR FIELD
Geelong VFL coach Paul Hood and Footscray VFL coach Ash Hansen
