Cross-codes Trading

[Sanctorum]

With Paddy McCartin facing the possibility that he will never play senior AFL football again it set me thinking.....maybe instead of playing footy and given his previous record of getting knocked out, he should really consider taking up a different elite sport, one that minimises head contact.

As a tall athlete the obvious choice for someone like Paddy would be basketball, a sport incidentally from which quite a few athletes have transferred with considerable success to the AFL.

So I reckon the AFL PLayers Association together with the AFL should sit down with the NBL and develop a programme where players can move between the 2 codes, to the mutual benefits of both players and clubs. Indeed an AFL team could seek to partner with an NBL team to "trade" players.

OK, this sounds a bit far fetched, but for the likes of concussion prone players like Paddy McCartin, this could well help him to resume playing sport at the elite level, something that he has indicated is very close to his heart.

[CQ SAINT]

With Paddy McCartin facing the possibility that he will never play senior AFL football again it set me thinking.....maybe instead of playing footy and given his previous record of getting knocked out, he should really consider taking up a different elite sport, one that minimises head contact.

As a tall athlete the obvious choice for someone like Paddy would be basketball, a sport incidentally from which quite a few athletes have transferred with considerable success to the AFL.

So I reckon the AFL PLayers Association together with the AFL should sit down with the NBL and develop a programme where players can move between the 2 codes, to the mutual benefits of both players and clubs. Indeed an AFL team could seek to partner with an NBL team to "trade" players.

OK, this sounds a bit far fetched, but for the likes of concussion prone players like Paddy McCartin, this could well help him to resume playing sport at the elite level, something that he has indicated is very close to his heart.

My wife was a state league basketballer in Queensland and played WNBL. I travelled with her a bit towards the end of her career and watched a lot of basketball. For a non contact sport, awkward falls, collisions and head knocks are very common in basketball and when you hit the hard court, it hurts.

[skeptic]

Said very well CQ...

For a ‘non-contact’ sport basketball and even netball for that matter are a hell of a lot tougher than people think.

One would also consider that speed, agility, awareness and finesse are essential in basketball. Not exactly Paddy’s bag

[Secret Kiel]

The sentiment is a good one, help an employee transition back into the workforce by finding another career where the current skill set is transferable.

[Jacks Back]

What about the sport of lawn bowls?

[BackFromUSA]

How about tennis? Ash Barty is doing ok whilst looking like she lacks elite fitness and looking much more like a local club tennis player.

[Bernard Shakey]

How about tennis? Ash Barty is doing ok whilst looking like she lacks elite fitness and looking much more like a local club tennis player.

You've clearly never watched her play!

[BackFromUSA]

How about tennis? Ash Barty is doing ok whilst looking like she lacks elite fitness and looking much more like a local club tennis player.

You've clearly never watched her play!

I have. She’s great. Love her. Proof that looks can be deceiving. You have missed the subtle reference in my post.

[Scollop]

That Belgium girl we used to call 'Aussie Kim' (when Lleyton Hewitt was her boyfriend) was also podgy looking, but she was elite at her sport and she won multiple grand slams

She got married and had kids and the also made a comeback and won the US open iirc.

I don't think Kim Clijters or Ash Barty are seen as slow by their opponents or having any perceived weaknesses with agility or fitness.

And what about the podgiest, and stodgiest of all in ladies tennis. Serena Williams seems to have done ok in her career. In my opinion, there'll always be question marks in my mind with the controversies surrounding her drug testing, but that's another story

[B.M]

Clijsters was known to be the fittest female player on tour at her best

Serena, huge arse, which gives her enormous power, she’s an incredible athlete.

Barty also works extremely hard, very fit, very talented.

Being skinny doesn’t always equal being fit

[BackFromUSA]

Ash Barty and Paddy McCartin born less than a week apart.

Both super talented.

Both have always LOOKED unfit. Both were developing players. Their first 2 or 3 years in senior company were below expectations.

Both got fit and started to show signs of their talent.

Ash has avoided injury.

Paddy has had multiple injuries including the day he kicked 2 goals early on Rance.

Ash had to have a break from tennis to reach her full potential.

Let’s hope Paddy is the same.

Club WILL re list him and hopes other clubs will let them do so without drafting or listing him prior.

[freely]

Ash Barty and Paddy McCartin born less than a week apart.

Both super talented.

Both have always LOOKED unfit. Both were developing players. Their first 2 or 3 years in senior company were below expectations.

Both got fit and started to show signs of their talent.

Ash has avoided injury.

Paddy has had multiple injuries including the day he kicked 2 goals early on Rance.

Ash had to have a break from tennis to reach her full potential.

Let’s hope Paddy is the same.

Club WILL re list him and hopes other clubs will let them do so without drafting or listing him prior.

Mm. But Ash Barty played cricket at an elite level during her break. Paddy's barely able to push a shopping cart round Woollies.

[Secret Kiel]

Ash Barty and Paddy McCartin born less than a week apart.

Both super talented.

Both have always LOOKED unfit. Both were developing players. Their first 2 or 3 years in senior company were below expectations.

Both got fit and started to show signs of their talent.

Ash has avoided injury.

Paddy has had multiple injuries including the day he kicked 2 goals early on Rance.

Ash had to have a break from tennis to reach her full potential.

Let’s hope Paddy is the same.

Club WILL re list him and hopes other clubs will let them do so without drafting or listing him prior.

Mm. But Ash Barty played cricket at an elite level during her break. Paddy's barely able to push a shopping cart round Woollies.

Gee Paddy must spend a bit of time at Woolies, another poster claimed Paddy was concussed pushing a trolly in Woolies.

[freely]

Ash had to have a break from tennis to reach her full potential.

Let’s hope Paddy is the same.

Club WILL re list him and hopes other clubs will let them do so without drafting or listing him prior.

Mm. But Ash Barty played cricket at an elite level during her break. Paddy's barely able to push a shopping cart round Woollies.

Gee Paddy must spend a bit of time at Woolies, another poster claimed Paddy was concussed pushing a trolly in Woolies.

I was referring to Paddy's own comment from the radio broadcast: "I can't do stuff — I can't go to the supermarket when it's busy..."

[happy feet]

I love the sentiment of the o.p. But basketball is not the game for Paddy. He is just simply not athletic enough to run, jump and change direction on a small court. I played both basketball and AUSSIE rules and had way more injuries from basketball. My ankles and knees are stuffed thanks to basketball, but I love the game. Oh and I did get a nasty concussion too courtesy of an elbow to the temple, it was friendly fire as well!

[Sanctorum]

Thanks for all the feedback, guess that all games played with a hard leather ball are going to risk head injuries, presumably that's why rugby players brought in touch football.

Still, I get the feeling the AFL and AFLPA could do a lot more to "case manage" chronically injured players, especially while they are young and have not fully established their impending careers.

As a #1 draft pick the pressure on Paddy to perform has been even greater than most, so the challenge to keep him in a positive state of mind, knowing that at some point he could be advised that for the sake of his long term health he should abandon the dream, is enormous. Clubs really need to encourage all of their players, irrespective of talent, to select alternative field of interest outside of football, such as tertiary study or technical trades from the day they are recruited, because not many of them will go on to celebrated long term careers in the AFL.

[Enrico_Misso]

Sam Kerr could be a sneaky forward?