JON

[Danog]

West Coast Eagle learns to fly

    * Jay Clark
    * From: Herald Sun
    * March 17, 2010

RICHMOND'S dumped former first-round draft pick Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls is thriving at West Coast after the Eagles discovered he had profound learning difficulties that were holding him back on the field.

The maligned former Tiger has received intensive literacy and comprehension tutoring under a league-first program led by West Coast's indigenous liaison officer Phil Narkle.

West Coast is the first club to appoint a full-time staff member to work with Aboriginal players.

The Eagles were unaware of the literacy problem when they drafted the 22-year-old, but have since watched the utility flourish in recent months.

Narkle said Oakley-Nicholls, who played 13 games during four unproductive years at Punt Rd, was feeling comfortable and enjoying his footy again and is in line for promotion to the senior list this season.

The Eagles stunned many when they took a punt on Oakley-Nicholls with their final selection in last year's rookie draft.

"I sensed that Jarrad was not right when he first came to the club," Narkle said.

"With academic problems some people, and not just indigenous people, can close up shop and not put their hand up and explain what issues they may have.

"It's an embarrassment for them and there's a shame factor involved. The fact is that some kids, indigenous and non-indigenous, need help with literacy and numeracy skills sometimes.

"But he's on top of it and I'm explaining to coaches within our program that sometimes when you show young players graphs and game styles or whatever, it might mean nothing to them. You might have to draw what you are trying to explain."

Narkle said Oakley-Nicholls was "tense" upon arriving at the Eagles.

But the skilful flanker, drafted to Richmond with pick No. 8 in 2005, has since relished the move back home to WA.

The childhood West Coast fan is a nephew of dual-premiership player Chris Lewis.

The 186cm speedster finished up his time at Richmond in disappointing fashion playing VFL and was criticised for his on-field demeanour.

"One of the things I said was that you need to loosen up a bit brother, smile a little bit," Narkle said. "And he is."

Oakley-Nicholls also had a plate removed from his arm pre-Christmas which is said to have caused him serious aggravation at Richmond.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/west-coast-eagle-learns-to-fly/story-e6frf7jo-1225841587962

 

[WA Tiger]

Crap, it did not stop him making the same stupid decisions and getting cleaned up big time more than once in his first game for the Eagles. If that is so true then how have previous Indiginous players cope. ???

[Owl]

Crap, it did not stop him making the same stupid decisions and getting cleaned up big time more than once in his first game for the Eagles. If that is so true then how have previous Indiginous players cope. ???

It isn't saying all 'indiginous' players have learning difficulties it is saying some 'people' have learning difficulties.  My brother had the same thing.  You have to use a different approach to explaining things to them, (show, don't tell).  He may not of been understanding the game plans and been too embarrassed to speak up for looking a fool.  It was pretty sharp of the Eagles to pick this up.  I hope he kicks on, it was a shame we didn't figure it out because we may very well of given away a gifted player.  Granted, we are a football club and these are not normally things one would expect a club to be looking out for.

[Mr Magic]

If he in the unlikely event he flourishes we can put it down as another black mark against Wallet's inability to develop young players.

[wayne]

I think most players would have needed to be Rhodes Scholars to understand Wallace's whiteboard.

[Mr Magic]

I think most players would have needed to be Rhodes Scholars to understand Wallace's whiteboard.

Nah that implies that he had a clue.

[WA Tiger]

Crap, it did not stop him making the same stupid decisions and getting cleaned up big time more than once in his first game for the Eagles. If that is so true then how have previous Indiginous players cope. ???

It isn't saying all 'indiginous' players have learning difficulties it is saying some 'people' have learning difficulties.  My brother had the same thing.  You have to use a different approach to explaining things to them, (show, don't tell).  He may not of been understanding the game plans and been too embarrassed to speak up for looking a fool.  It was pretty sharp of the Eagles to pick this up.  I hope he kicks on, it was a shame we didn't figure it out because we may very well of given away a gifted player.  Granted, we are a football club and these are not normally things one would expect a club to be looking out for.

Trust me on this Owl, your brother may have had it, but I also worked with people with it for 25 yeras including training them so I know what it is. Regardless, what I was saying is I still don't believe he has got the skills and if they are going to use this excuse then time will tell. You dont have learning dificulties when you get smashed off the ball or kick over your players head to the opposition....... continually.

[Owl]

Wat, I was responding to your, "If that is so true then how have previous Indiginous players cope." .  I am assuming you don't don't really believe that all indiginous people have serious learning disabilities.  I will also point out that the frustration and embarrassment that people experience when they are dealing with this can lead to a lot of other negative behavior and low self esteem.  It is a vicious cycle.  The fact of the matter is, once my brother found his niche he proved to be quite the achiever, he corrected his inability to read and hasn't looked back.  I hope Jon does too, because noone deserves to be shitcanned for something beyond their control.

[jackstar is back again]

A mate who watches both Freo and West Coast train , says that he is flying .
I said turn it up, he cant play.
He begs to differ, we will see.

[Infamy]

I hope he makes it and shuts up the doubters

[WA Tiger]

Wat, I was responding to your, "If that is so true then how have previous Indiginous players cope." .  I am assuming you don't don't really believe that all indiginous people have serious learning disabilities.  I will also point out that the frustration and embarrassment that people experience when they are dealing with this can lead to a lot of other negative behavior and low self esteem.  It is a vicious cycle.  The fact of the matter is, once my brother found his niche he proved to be quite the achiever, he corrected his inability to read and hasn't looked back.  I hope Jon does too, because noone deserves to be poocanned for something beyond their control.

Yeah i know what you were saying and doing Owl and I wasnt poocanning him.. . I also was not saying all or any indiginous people are like that. I was just mearly saying that reagrdless of what he may have or not have I still don't think he is AFL level due to a number of reasons other that the mentioned one.

[WA Tiger]

I hope he makes it and shuts up the doubters

Did you want him to stay at the club Infamy and if so based on what, btw, isn't he the one that said he never did the best he could at the RFC but now he is back with his family it will change. Gee did he give us a good go then??

[Tigermonk]

Gone & FORGOTTEN  Move on Next

[Infamy]

I hope he makes it and shuts up the doubters

Did you want him to stay at the club Infamy and if so based on what, btw, isn't he the one that said he never did the best he could at the RFC but now he is back with his family it will change. Gee did he give us a good go then??

No, it was the right decision to let him go, should never have been picked in the first place to be honest.
However given the way some of our supporters have acted towards him, I'd be more than happy for him to become successful and stick it up them.
Doing so would clearly highlight the failure of our club to develop him as a player, but we knew we were crap at that anyway

[WA Tiger]

I hope he makes it and shuts up the doubters

Did you want him to stay at the club Infamy and if so based on what, btw, isn't he the one that said he never did the best he could at the RFC but now he is back with his family it will change. Gee did he give us a good go then??

No, it was the right decision to let him go, should never have been picked in the first place to be honest.
However given the way some of our supporters have acted towards him, I'd be more than happy for him to become successful and stick it up them.
Doing so would clearly highlight the failure of our club to develop him as a player, but we knew we were crap at that anyway

Fair enough..