Graeme Leopards Leap

[impunity]

As I said, I'm not good at picking up the technical details.

 

Thanks again.

Edited July 5, 2016 by impunity

[impunity]

I had the best intentions of staying awake until midnight tonight but the wine has an entirely different agenda.

Edited July 16, 2016 by impunity

[Defiance19]

Today I opened an article about an AFL player who got catfished. He thought he was sending naked pics to a she, who was actually a he. accidentally uh huh. He is not happy nor is the AFL. I immediately thought Ha! That could totally happen to Ollie if he wasn't with Helena.. And he wouldn't care about the mix up either.. 

 

Just thought I'd share.. Working on catching up.. Loving all the good stuff so far.. 

[Graeme]

I know about the incident you're talking about. It was reported in the newspapers here earlier this week. The newspapers have declined to mention the name of the player or the club he players for, but he's described as a young up-and-coming player. The photos have been uploaded to an X-rated USA-based site, and the player has been named on that site (according to the newspaper articles). The AFL club in question is trying to get the photos taken down.

 

The incident is being used as a warning to the players, especially the younger ones, that once they join the AFL they need to pay careful attention to their social media. The AFL Players' Association has an induction camp each January for first-to-fourth year players, and one of the things they cover is social media issues. This player obviously wasn't paying enough attention... I hope he recovers. It must be an incredible and possibly frightening shock to find out those 'obscene' (according to the newspaper articles) photos have been made public.

[Graeme]

I thought people may be interested in a couple of news articles posted today:

 

AFL ready to embrace gay players

 

A comment from the AFL's football operations manager. It also mentions an article by Jason Akermanis. That article, along with the story of Jason Ball, were primary drivers in my decision to write this series. Jason Akermanis's article pointed out the problems that the first openly gay player would face (the article told any gay players to stay in the closet, which is why it was labelled homophobic, though I felt it showed more ignorance than homophobia). Jason Ball's story gave me a hint as to what could happen. A friend of mine then tracked down Jason Ball's email address, and I'm pleased to say that as a consequence I was at the first Pride Cup in 2014. Photos from that game can be found in my gallery.

 

AFL Pride Game scheduled for August 13

 

The AFL clubs are certainly showing their support for gay rights as well as a strong anti-homophobia stance. I've been aware of the Sydney Swans' stance against homophobia for a long time, ever since I saw an anti-homophobia poster with a couple of Sydney players in a gay bookshop (probably about 20 years ago). The Richmond president was in the 2014 IDAHO video against homophobia, I quoted the president of the Western Bulldogs early on in Leopards Leap, and now this article showing support from the St. Kilda Football Club.

 

Yes, the time is definitely ripe for an openly gay AFL footballer

[impunity]

In Utah this weekend, two hours behind, so will be able to read the whole chapter before I go to bed. Usually I can only manage half.

[Graeme]

Not that it's relevant to the story (at least not yet), but did you know that there's an AFL competition in Iceland?

[Timothy M.]

Not that it's relevant to the story (at least not yet), but did you know that there's an AFL competition in Iceland?

 

I didn't know, but it makes complete sense.

 

We'll have to ask Humon to make a football SATW comic about Iceland.

 

until then you'll have to make do with http://satwcomic.com/the-collection and http://satwcomic.com/too-hot-for-this-world - talk about locker room humor.

[Northern Dutch Guy]

Hi Graeme

 

Just read the last (14th) chapter of Leopards leap.

Love the story line and...  hmm recently read all from 1st chapter of book 1 till now. !

 

You do a good job writing about the insides of professional or semi professional clubs.

I know in Europe things are very different about transfers and being scouted.

But the professionalism and the training and the preparing for games are a very good description on how things can/do go inside a (semi) professional club.

 

We both (hmm my partner and I) love the story

 

Love, hugs and kisses,

Andy G

Edited July 24, 2016 by Northern Dutch Guy

[Graeme]

Thanks, Andy! It was easy for me to extrapolate what happens inside a semi-professional club because they're not that much different from district-level clubs (the third tier of Australian Rules football, with the AFL as the first tier, the state-based competitions such as the VFL as the second tier, and the local competitions as the third). The AFL, however, has a lot more money that the VFL or equivalent in other states. I posted a comparison in the one of the reviews for chapter 9 of Leopard Spots:

 

 

The AFL is fully professional, though all players are encouraged to plan for after their football careers are over. I've seen conflicting statistics, but the average football career in the AFL is 4-7 years.

The VFL, on the other hand, is only semi-professional. The players do not earn enough to survive if they only play football. This means that the players need to either have a job (fulltime or parttime) or they need someone to sponsor them.

To give an example of the difference (and please remember that the VFL is the tier immediately below the AFL(, I checked some real club financial figures recently:

VFL Club: Revenue around $800,000
AFL Club: Revenue around $57,000,000

There's a bit of a difference....

 

That amount of money changes the dynamics considerably. It's why I'm reluctant to get into too much detail of what happens inside an AFL club, except in small areas where I've done my research as to what goes on.

 

 

As for transfers and scouting, I know transfers only occur in a two week period after the end of the season (as is being described in the story). Scouting goes on all year, but the period where a club can get new players is very, very limited -- the two week trade period, followed by the draft. That's why they go to so much effort to evaluate the prospects -- they have to live with any decision they make for a generally a minimum of two years (the minimum new player contract period). Poor decisions in the draft can cripple a club for years to come.

[Timothy M.]

Tomorrow's Saturday. Time for our weekly dose of Leopards.

[impunity]

Tomorrow's Saturday. Time for our weekly dose of Leopards.

Tomorrow's Saturday in the story, too: the Leopards' award ceremony and Kevin's nondate with Ross.

Edited August 5, 2016 by impunity

[Timothy M.]

Awesome chapter, Graeme, although I would have liked more Leopard Award Night scenes. But that's just me being greedy for more time with all the guys we know and like.

 

I'm hoping we'll get Warwick's thoughts about Ross in the next chapter. Even if Ross isn't blond as well as being tall and a footballer.  I wonder what Warwick said to him.

 

 

I'm thinking along the lines of something simple. "Ross, would you consider going out on a date with me sometime?" cue in deer-in-headlights look on Ross

 

 

Edited August 6, 2016 by Timothy M.

[Timothy M.]

At the start of Leopard Skin Cover, Ollie was a midfielder. However, during the course of the story, they shifted him to a small forward position and moved Charlie to the midfield. That was after they had problems with one of the teams they played against because of that team's forwards was too fast for the defenders and they had trouble shutting him down. That suggested to them that a fast small forward was something they could use, and Ollie was the one nominated.

 

This suddenly gained new signifcance with the most recent chapter. Maybe Ollie is shining as a short forward because he loves the attention? I'm thinking of the photos and his gay fan club in Leopard Spots.  This could be the motivation he needs to work harder. Of course, an even better motivation might be talking to Helena about how to reward more enthusiasm and hard work in training and in games.

[Graeme]

A nice idea, but somehow I don't think Helena would be very good at motivating Ollie to try harder on the football field. In the bedroom, yes, on the field, no. Her focus isn't on football...

[Timothy M.]

I loved this pat of your review, Imp, and I totally agree.

 

I laughed so much at Kevin's earnest speeches to Ross to convince him that gay men are people, too, (and also not sexual predators). Fortunately, Warwick saw through Ross's questions and figured things out. Now I can't wait for their date! Of course, it'll be hard to keep things secret from Kevin if they end up hanging out with him sometime after the date, especially if the date goes well. But it's going to be really fun to watch!

Edited August 6, 2016 by Timothy M.

[impunity]

So, random question about the draft: Do you know how clubs with committed draft picks determine which picks they'll use to honor those commitments? It seems a bit haphazard. For example, in the 2014 list, the Swans committed their #18 spot to an academy pick, #37 was open, #38 was an academy pick, #57 was open, #70 was an academy pick, and #79 was open. Ok, so (now that I've written it out) maybe there is a pattern of alternating commitments and open picks. Are they not allowed to stack all their commitments in the late picks? The Wikipedia entry on rookies that you posted suggested players selected outside the draft are usually recorded as late picks. 

 

 

I have to say, the AFL's rules (for the draft and generally) are incredible intricate. Kudos (again) to you for trying to figure them out and make them a key feature of the story.    

Edited August 6, 2016 by impunity

[Graeme]

Do you know how clubs with committed draft picks determine which picks they'll use to honor those commitments?

The rules have changed since 2014. Indeed, a large factor in the rules being changed was the uproar with the Sydney Swans getting Isaac Heeney so cheaply. However, the rules in 2014 were roughly as follows:

• A club would nominate who they wanted to give a committed pick to (either an academy player from one of the academies run by the northern states, or a player under the father/son rule that encourages clubs to pick the sons of former players).
• If there were no challenges, the club would use whatever pick they wanted (in practise their last pick).
• If another club challenged and said that they would commit one of their picks for that player, the nominating club would need to decide if they'll match it with their next pick after the one specified by the challenging club. For example, Melbourne said that they would use their number-2 pick for Isaac Heeney, which Sydney matched with their next pick after that one -- pick 18. One of the other Sydney Swans nominations was also challenged, which they matched, but the third wasn't, so they picked him up with their last pick. Similarly for Collingwood and their father/son nomination of Darcy Moore. Because another club challenged and said they wanted him, Collingwood had to use their first-round pick to ensure they would get him. Otherwise, the other club would be the one with the committed pick.

[impunity]

Thanks, that was helpful. And way more complicated than I was expecting.

[impunity]

Carlton are certainly in a prime spot with the draft order to pick up the brat, but you never know... Other clubs have been known to draft someone without speaking to them first. Indeed, that happened in the actual 2014 draft with one of the first round picks. The club that drafted him hadn't spoken to him all year!

You're right! I just figured out another club knows about him.

 

 

And picks before Carlton.

 

 

(Well of course, you're right. You're the author, after all.)

Edited August 6, 2016 by impunity

[impunity]

It's nearly Tuesday in Lilydale. That means selection of a head coach and Ross's date with Warwick. Can't wait!

[Timothy M.]

Huge leap forward in time ! You're such a tease, Grame.

 

 

 

My prediction about who got the coach job came true... no, wait...

 

 

 

I'll hold back on the review to let other readers go first on this one. But I'm more certain than ever that Ross needs to stay a Leopard. Please make it happen.

[Graeme]

Huge leap forward in time ! You're such a tease, Grame.

I needed to do a time jump at some stage or you'd be subjected to a group of students doing exams. Not exactly exciting reading....

 

 

He got a coaching job. Isn't that what you predicted?

 

 

 

I'll hold back on the review to let other readers go first on this one. But I'm more certain than ever that Ross needs to stay a Leopard. Please make it happen.

I finished the first draft of the last chapter and epilogue yesterday. Unless my beta-readers object when they read it, Ross's future has been decided I've still got work to do before it'll be ready to post, but the bulk of the work has been done. Unless something changes, the story will finish with chapter 26, followed by a short epilogue.

[Timothy M.]

I needed to do a time jump at some stage or you'd be subjected to a group of students doing exams. Not exactly exciting reading....

 

But we missed Warwick and Ross' first date.

Kevin's good-bye party made up for it a bit.

[impunity]

But we missed Warwick and Ross' first date.

Kevin's good-bye party made up for it a bit.

I was a little bummed about the first date, too.

 

I also really wanted to see the selection of the head (senior?) coach. I think that would have been a fun scene in real time. Good outcome, though.

Edited August 13, 2016 by impunity