The draft will become worthless when half of the players leave within 3 years of being drafted.
Always thought a 4 year draft contract might help...but then you have the AFLPA complaining that players' earning capacity is restricted. And clubs also get stuck with player for longer eating up precious cap space who might not work out.
Maybe they should institute a Cap Cash trade where the poaching team has to hand over some of it's cap space the next year to the club they're poaching from as a way to reimburse them for the lost of talent and development time.
This would only apply to clubs poaching players during their first 3 years, or when their first 3 year contract expires. They pay a penalty in their cap amounting to an average AFL wage for one season. And that cap space is handed over to the club losing its draft pick to use as they see fit the next year.
So in the Collingwood trade for Aish, they get Aish this year. But as the average AFL wage is set at $350k they then pay a $350k penalty in their cap for following season's draft (2016).
Brisbane, meanwhile, will have an extra $350k in their cap - which they can use to have a free shot at a FA or whatever next year.
Doesn't stop the go-home factor. But it makes it more painful for clubs to grab quality on the cheap, and it gives the 'losing' club a quick leg up to fill the hole. All this still means players get to the club they want.
Just a thought.