The AFL preaches equality but practices inequality

[molo80]

Inequality would be more like a club having 23 first round picks in seven years, salary cap allowances and millions poured into them upon their inception. Can't blame the AFL for your club's mismanagement with all that help. GC supporters crying poor are hilarious.

Not to mention these draft concessions robbed struggling clubs like Richmond (at the time) of high picks. Not usually one to stick up for the Tigers but come on, surely I'm not the only one who sees the irony in this?

 

[kreglze]

The AFL isn't equal, people and the AFL themselves just needs to accept it and move on. Can't be equal when there are academies, more than half of the league are based in one city where the media for that particular sport are based out of, endorsement opportunities, media opportunities, father-sons etc. There is always going to be haves and have nots.

 

[smasha]

That’s how it works. You’ll get your compo, and the AFL will ensure it’s handsome, but no matter what system we use, player movement will always result in the best players wanting to go to the best clubs. The salary cap does a great job of stopping this becoming ridiculous.
Plus, since we had to rebuild through compromised drafts because of GC, we’ve bloody well earnt something back.

Richmond were down and out when the AFL brought in the new teams but we fought out of it.

Everyone laughed at Benny Gale’s 3-0-75 plan,even the media,look at Richmond now.

 

[Rob]

Having equalisation measures in place doesn't mean s**t if the league isn't going to police them.

Just how many resources do the AFL allocate to ensuring the salary cap is being complied with by all clubs?

How would the AFL find out if a hypothetical player is being paid on the side by a hypothetical club's sponsor outside the cap?

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

FA is cumming to a club near you next year mate!

I believe it's came to yours?

 

[Bald]

Are we just going to pretend like Ablett didn't play at the Gold Coast?

The reason Gold Coast keep losing players is because they couldn't manage a root in a brothel.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Inequality would be more like a club having 23 first round picks in seven years, salary cap allowances and millions poured into them upon their inception. Can't blame the AFL for your club's mismanagement with all that help. GC supporters crying poor are hilarious.

Not to mention these draft concessions robbed struggling clubs like Richmond (at the time) of high picks. Not usually one to stick up for the Tigers but come on, surely I'm not the only one who sees the irony in this?

So in your mind Richmond should have received start up concessions?

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

FA is dooming some clubs to perpetual cellar dwelling, Gold Coast have almost no hope, ever!

Free agency wasn't brought in this year. It's been around since 2012. In 2012:

• Richmond were a joke who had made the finals twice in the previous 30 years. They've since played 5 finals series and won a flag.
  
• Melbourne were a joke who finished 16th on 4 wins. They just broke a 12 year finals drought.
  
• GWS finished last with 2 wins. They're playing finals for the 3rd year in a row.
  
• Collingwood had played finals 7 years in a row, 5 prelims, 2 GF's and flag. They haven't won a final since.
• The Bulldogs finished 15th with 5 wins. They won a flag 4 years later.

It's pretty funny seeing people crying about how unfair it is that a powerhouse like Richmond can recruit gun players when this time last year they were viewed as a joke that couldn't win finals and couldn't land a big fish.

Clubs will find a way to improve. One player doesn't make a huge difference in an 18 man a side game.

 

[Bald]

How many free agents have won flags?

I'll wait..

(Edit: Yes, I'm well aware there is one.. Sort of the point..)

 

[TripleJay]

Equality can mean different things.
If you mean as an ideal: Then correct, the afl is not equal in regards to free agency.
If you mean as a policy: Then incorrect, the afl is equal in regards to free agency.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

How many free agents have won flags?

I'll wait..

(Edit: Yes, I'm well aware there is one.. Sort of the point..)

At their new clubs? Only Frawley, Simpkin and Hamling.

Simpkin and Hamling were delisted free agents.

 

[Power Raid]

Have a reverse salary cap where the best team has the smallest salary cap

That’ll even up FA

 

[footyfan1978]

The captain (and probably the best player) from the team placed 17th on the ladder is going to join the team that finished this season 1st on the ladder and are the reigning premiers.

How can the league spruik the idea of equalisation when the system currently allows the second worst team in the league to lose their most valuable asset and the best team in the league gains said asset without having to give anything back. I just don't get it...

It is called Free Agency and been around for years now. The AFL have openly said it is not part of their equalisation policy if you paid any attention at all. It is players that have forced AFL to accept it. The AFL reluctantly have it but it is a compromise they would rather have not had.

 

[The_Reaper]

How about the 4 ex-Carlton All Australian players who all moved home to SA or WA, Eddie Betts, Sam Jacobs, Bryce Gibbs and Josh Kennedy??? Nothing like getting facts in the way of a good story!!

Kennedy didn't want to leave Carlton. Your team pushed him out because you wanted a better player.

 

[footyfan1978]

Am I right in saying Rockliff and Motlop all went to SA clubs as free agents in previous off season?

 

[Shane Heard]

The captain (and probably the best player) from the team placed 17th on the ladder is going to join the team that finished this season 1st on the ladder and are the reigning premiers.

How can the league spruik the idea of equalisation when the system currently allows the second worst team in the league to lose their most valuable asset and the best team in the league gains said asset without having to give anything back. I just don't get it...

Mate..I understand you’re pain and disappointment. I remember crying in my pillow for weeks every night after Wanganeen ####ed off to port and his McDonalds store.

But that’s life. That’s footy.

And sorry to be the bearer of the cold, harsh, brutal truth about your club.
But no one....just no one...cares about the GCFC.

If they folded the joint up tomorrow most of us wouldn’t batter an eyelid.

We’d be more concern about a stupid bye coming about in the fixture again and turning our attention to see what pickings we could salvage for your club as all clubs would swoop in over the carcass like a pack of wild hyenas.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Inequality would be more like a club having 23 first round picks in seven years, salary cap allowances and millions poured into them upon their inception. Can't blame the AFL for your club's mismanagement with all that help. GC supporters crying poor are hilarious.

Not to mention these draft concessions robbed struggling clubs like Richmond (at the time) of high picks. Not usually one to stick up for the Tigers but come on, surely I'm not the only one who sees the irony in this?

Mate. bring the lube first before going in

 

[JackFlash]

IMO it will bugger Richmond up, for they know not what they do....DR Jekyll doesn't transform into Mr Hyde because he mixed some ingredients wrong on his homemade cough mixture; he transforms because he created that potion intentionally for the express purpose of being a shithead. You have to get that mix just right or things turn to crap real quick. They're messing with the formula and this move will spell trouble for the Tigers.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Mate..I understand you’re pain and disappointment. I remember crying in my pillow for weeks every night after Wanganeen ####ed off to port and his McDonalds store.

But that’s life. That’s footy.

And sorry to be the bearer of the cold, harsh, brutal truth about your club.
But no one....just no one...cares about the GCFC.

If they folded the joint up tomorrow most of us wouldn’t batter an eyelid.

We’d be more concern about a stupid bye coming about in the fixture again and turning our attention to see what pickings we could salvage for our own club as all clubs would swoop in over the carcass.

Don’t have to worry about a bye if GC fold, tassie devils would take care of that.

 

[Spacedog]

You can’t force a player to stay at a certain club. Getting a compensation pick is a pretty fair means of equalization. There is some inequality in the league but its not due to player movement.

 

[Spacedog]

IMO it will bugger Richmond up, for they know not what they do....DR Jekyll doesn't transform into Mr Hyde because he mixed some ingredients wrong on his homemade cough mixture; he transforms because he created that potion intentionally for the express purpose of being a shithead. You have to get that mix just right or things turn to crap real quick. They're messing with the formula and this move will spell trouble for the Tigers.

Just like it did for hawthorn when they added Gibson and Frawley... adding more talented players only helps. Changing nothing can mean a team falls behind.

 

[Shane Heard]

IMO it will bugger Richmond up, for they know not what they do....DR Jekyll doesn't transform into Mr Hyde because he mixed some ingredients wrong on his homemade cough mixture; he transforms because he created that potion intentionally for the express purpose of being a shithead. You have to get that mix just right or things turn to crap real quick. They're messing with the formula and this move will spell trouble for the Tigers.

Adding a big, powerful gun forward is trouble? Seriously..turn it up.

Have you ever played footy yourself?

Like in a club environment?

 

[telsor]

To those complaining....

What is your suggested alternative?

Remember, it needs to be something the AFLPA would sign off on.

 

[Rimmer]

This would have sounded more sincere if i didn't follow the club who will benefit from this but it boils down to the introduction of free agency which was pushed not by the AFL (who definitely don't like it) but by the players association who felt players should have the right at some point in their career to move from the club who drafted them to their employer (club) of choice.

Fairness was never and could never be a consideration where players rather than the AFL were driving the bus. The AFL through compensation picks is pretty much doing the best that it can in an untenable situation in which it has no control.

This one probably raises eyebrows more than any in the past because in this case GC ends up with the most compensation by letting him go to Richmond for free. Richmond cannot hope to cobble together any sort of trade arrangement close to pick 3. (Take pick 3 in a super draft or stand on principle and end up with maybe pick 20 this year and somewhere in the teens next year from Richmond as their first rounders or nothing at all if he re enters the draft.)

The only thing you can hope for is that the high cost of recruiting star players from other clubs will mean salary cap limitations will assure battling clubs are not entirely ravaged.

GC has the biggest challenge being a party city with a limited 'come home' factor.

 

[beema limapep]

At their new clubs? Only Frawley, Simpkin and Hamling.

Simpkin and Hamling were delisted free agents.

Lake?