SYDNEY Swans chairman Andrew Pridham has hit back at Eddie McGuire's latest rant, accusing the Collingwood president of some ironic commentary over the AFL Academies established in NSW and Queensland.
Earlier this week, McGuire lashed out at the academy system, which enables clubs in non-AFL states to develop and coach young footballers.
McGuire claims the system will impact on every club in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia as the interstaters "hide" players from the rest of the footballing world.
So Pridham felt the need to set McGuire straight in a statement on the Swans' website.
"I think it is important we clarify why the Academies were developed and how they operate in terms of access to talent," Pridham wrote.
"Players can only be selected via a bidding system – identical to that available for father-son selections.
"Players are not 'hidden away' as McGuire claims. All will play in the Under-18 National Championships for the whole football world to see.
"Despite his claims, McGuire and the entire football world seem to have a very good grasp on a number of talented players currently within our Academy system, as we would expect.
"The Academy system is doing a fantastic job, but there is a long way to go."
Pridham, who took over from Richard Colless late last year, then pointed out that McGuire had recently criticised expansion sides Gold Coast and GWS for reducing the talent level available to all clubs.
"If the AFL competition becomes flooded with talent from NSW and Queensland, it will be the best problem we have ever had," Pridham continued.
"It is ironic that just days after bemoaning the talent in the AFL system, McGuire would attack one of the most important initiatives in the development of football talent across Australia."
Pridham then used some statistics to clarify the numbers being generated by the Swans and Giants Academies.
Brandon Jack, Pridham explained, is the only player from the Swans' Academy to play in the AFL to date.
"In the past 10 years, only 17 NSW-based players have been selected in the National Draft," he said.
"Of these, seven were compulsory zone selections for the GWS Giants.
"Only six AFL clubs have been involved in drafting these 17 players over this 10-year period.
"In total these players have played 408 AFL games, at an average of 24 per player.
"This is a massive underdevelopment of potential talent given NSW represents 32 percent of the total Australian population.
"Clearly the most talented athletes in NSW were playing other sports.
"The Swans Academy has thus far produced 14 senior games from one player - Brandon Jack."
Pridham added that an AFL working group that included Derek Hine, then Collingwood's recruiting manager and now running its list management, had formulated and approved the academy system.
