AFL Players have too much power

[Football Tragic]

The balance is wrong: the players now have all the power.

1) Preseason - we now have the shortest preseason for decades, not allowing coaches the time to instill games plans, strengthen players endurance/core etc and build up a culture.

2) Trades/Contracts - Players now have all the power to break contracts and choose the clubs they want to go to. Clubs have no power to just trade players unless the players agree. Its all about the player and what they want.

3) Illicit drug policy - the three strike policy is a farce. It means players can hide their drug use, clubs can't help them until they are multiple offenders and they lie to supporters about their 'illnesses.'

I think its time the balance is readjusted once again between players and clubs.

 

[Clark G]

The AFLPA probably does not agree with you.

 

[RUNVS]

The AFLPA probably does not agree with you.

Well it is their job to give the AFL players as much power as they can.

Unfortunately they have a big advantage too, because they know if they challenge the draft in court it they will win and the last thing the AFL wants is the draft challenged in court.

 

[Football Tragic]

Well it is their job to give the AFL players as much power as they can.

Unfortunately they have a big advantage too, because they know if they challenge the draft in court it they will win and the last thing the AFL wants is the draft challenged in court.

If that's the case, how come there is still a draft for the NBA?

 

[RUNVS]

If that's the case, how come there is still a draft for the NBA?

Australia has much stronger employee protection laws than the US does.

 

[Football Tragic]

Australia has much stronger employee protection laws than the US does.

So, just to get things straight, the players have complete power because they are using the draft to blackmail the AFL into compliance? Surely this is not right?! Surely, the AFL need to call their bluff so they can gain control back? If the players went down that path, the AFL could make it very nasty for them.....

 

[RUNVS]

So, just to get things straight, the players have complete power because they are using the draft to blackmail the AFL into compliance? Surely this is not right?! Surely, the AFL need to call their bluff so they can gain control back? If the players went down that path, the AFL could make it very nasty for them.....

Yes, it was Adamson vs New South Walse Rugby League in 1991. The draft was determined to be an unreasonable restraint on trade and it forced the NSWRL (now NRL) to abandon the plan to introduce a draft.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

2) Trades/Contracts - Players now have all the power to break contracts and choose the clubs they want to go to. Clubs have no power to just trade players unless the players agree. Its all about the player and what they want.

Not sure Zac Merrett would agree.

 

[Football Tragic]

Not sure Zac Merrett would agree.

I think Merrit was literally the only high profile player who DIDN'T get their desired trade - 34 players were traded including Curnow, Silvani, Petracca, Jamarra, Ainsworth, Young etc etc

 

[iameviljez]

Trades/Contracts - Players now have all the power to break contracts and choose the clubs they want to go to. Clubs have no power to just trade players unless the players agree. Its all about the player and what they want

Zach Merrett, Rowan Marshall, Buku Khamis and Leek Aleer all could not get trades done this year despite wanting out.

Last year, Petracca, Curnow and Oliver all wanted out and all of them had to stay. I'm pretty sure that their preferred destinations would have been Collingwood, Geelong, and Geelong respectively, too - but they didn't get to even stay in their home state.

Meanwhile, Sydney pushed out two players on long-term contracts would probably wanted to stay.

This "players have too much power" agenda keeps getting pushed by Cornes and the like. All it takes is for clubs to just say "no".

 

[iameviljez]

Preseason - we now have the shortest preseason for decades, not allowing coaches the time to instill games plans, strengthen players endurance/core etc and build up a culture.

This isn't an AFLPA thing, it's the fact that people stopped giving even half a shit about the preseason comp. It was basically half-dead from the moment that Grant Thomas and Lenny Hayes stood stony-faced receiving the Who Cares Cup in 2004.

 

[fpm84]

I think Merrit was literally the only high profile player who DIDN'T get their desired trade - 34 players were traded including Curnow, Silvani, Petracca, Jamarra, Ainsworth, Young etc etc

Rowan Marshall was in the exact same boat as Merrett.

 

[iameviljez]

Rowan Marshall was in the exact same boat as Merrett.

And Melbourne and Carlton both made out like bandits with their hauls

 

[Golumless]

The balance is wrong: the players now have all the power.

1) Preseason - we now have the shortest preseason for decades, not allowing coaches the time to instill games plans, strengthen players endurance/core etc and build up a culture.

2) Trades/Contracts - Players now have all the power to break contracts and choose the clubs they want to go to. Clubs have no power to just trade players unless the players agree. Its all about the player and what they want.

3) Illicit drug policy - the three strike policy is a farce. It means players can hide their drug use, clubs can't help them until they are multiple offenders and they lie to supporters about their 'illnesses.'

I think its time the balance is readjusted once again between players and clubs.

1) More complicated sports instill game plans in shorter time frames then AFL, build up a culture and strengthen endurance/cord. It's a nothing burger of a complaint.

2) Yup, a problem in all sports. That said, arguably it's better off that players get more of the pie seeing it's their body that gets wrecked so them treating it as a business is probably not a bad thing.

3) Supporters have no business knowing about drug use.

 

[Football Tragic]

Zach Merrett, Rowan Marshall, Buku Khamis and Leek Aleer all could not get trades done this year despite wanting out.

Last year, Petracca, Curnow and Oliver all wanted out and all of them had to stay. I'm pretty sure that their preferred destinations would have been Collingwood, Geelong, and Geelong respectively, too - but they didn't get to even stay in their home state.

Meanwhile, Sydney pushed out two players on long-term contracts would probably wanted to stay.

This "players have too much power" agenda keeps getting pushed by Cornes and the like. All it takes is for clubs to just say "no".

But the fact that they could break their contracts at all gives them much more control than they should have. We should be adding into the players contracts stipulations including no trade policy etc to balance out the power. Players can get more on their contract if they are open to be traded or less if they want more control over where they play.

In the end, thiose players you mentioned still got their way. Just took longer than they hoped. This was not an easy option even a decade ago.

 

[Cyclops]

No game without the players.

Leagues and even clubs can get stuffed, I've played games of footy and basketball and cricket and I am part of no club.

If someone wants to pay the players, great, makes it nicer to watch if they are fitter and have matching outfits, and its beaut to have a team to cheer for, but sport is an activity performed by sports women and men, the rest comes later.

 

[Football Tragic]

This isn't an AFLPA thing, it's the fact that people stopped giving even half a shit about the preseason comp. It was basically half-dead from the moment that Grant Thomas and Lenny Hayes stood stony-faced receiving the Who Cares Cup in 2004.

I'm not talking about Preseason Competition. I'm talking about the length of the preseason that allows clubs to better manage their squads over health and fitness plus monitor individuals programs. It enables coaches to instill new game plans and culture, it reduces long term injury. At the moment, players are getting too much time off.

 

[Football Tragic]

1) More complicated sports instill game plans in shorter time frames then AFL, build up a culture and strengthen endurance/cord. It's a nothing burger of a complaint.

2) Yup, a problem in all sports. That said, arguably it's better off that players get more of the pie seeing it's their body that gets wrecked so them treating it as a business is probably not a bad thing.

3) Supporters have no business knowing about drug use.

1)I can not thing of another sport where you need the endurance, strength, flexibility and skills as is demanded as an elite AFL player. No other sport is 'physically more complicated'.

2)Its the players body but they get paid exceedingly well to do their job. There are any other occupations that are more dangerous, require greater hours and are more taxing on the body than an AFL player, but are only getting paid a fraction of their wages.

3) Clubs do.

 

[Football Tragic]

No game without the players.

Leagues and even clubs can get stuffed, I've played games of footy and basketball and cricket and I am part of no club.

If someone wants to pay the players, great, makes it nicer to watch if they are fitter and have matching outfits, and its beaut to have a team to cheer for, but sport is an activity performed by sports women and men, the rest comes later.

The players are part time custodians of the great sport we love. They come and they go. Now days you can't even expect a player to stay at your club long term. The clubs and supporters are the real heart and soul of the sport.

 

[Underdog]

But the fact that they could break their contracts at all gives them much more control than they should have.

Breaking a contract to facilitate a trade can only be done by mutual agreement between the player and the club. The player has no more control than the club.

Of course, generally clubs will action these requests, but that is their choice

 

[Underdog]

1) Preseason - we now have the shortest preseason for decades, not allowing coaches the time to instill games plans, strengthen players endurance/core etc and build up a culture.

Pre-season is roughly 4 months, yeah? Some Eagles players are back training and season starts early March. That amount of time should be more than adequate.

I'd suggest a greater impact would be the cap on football department spending.

 

[iameviljez]

But the fact that they could break their contracts at all gives them much more control than they should have. We should be adding into the players contracts stipulations including no trade policy etc to balance out the power. Players can get more on their contract if they are open to be traded or less if they want more control over where they play.

In the end, thiose players you mentioned still got their way. Just took longer than they hoped. This was not an easy option even a decade ago.

They didn’t get their way at all, having not made it to their favoured club - and in two of the three cases, the selling club made out like absolute bandits.

As for not being able to trade at all - what??? If the club is happy to trade and the player wants to go, why should the player be made to stay?!?

 

[iameviljez]

The players are part time custodians of the great sport we love. They come and they go. Now days you can't even expect a player to stay at your club long term. The clubs and supporters are the real heart and soul of the sport.

Most players who break into the first team stay at the clubs where they were first drafted.

 

[iameviljez]

I'm not talking about Preseason Competition. I'm talking about the length of the preseason that allows clubs to better manage their squads over health and fitness plus monitor individuals programs. It enables coaches to instill new game plans and culture, it reduces long term injury. At the moment, players are getting too much time off.

The preseason is about four months. It’s fine.

 

[Cyclops]

The players are part time custodians of the great sport we love. They come and they go. Now days you can't even expect a player to stay at your club long term. The clubs and supporters are the real heart and soul of the sport.

Look youre entitled to your view, but I never saw a club kick a ball or take a mark.

As for the fans, well I go to watch the players, they don't play for me.

Outgrowths like umpires, leagues, clubs and fans are great but the sport is people playing, the rest is secondary in my view.

There's a lot of rhetoric about "the fans" but its mostly advertising guff. Take away any one element from footy, and there is still footy....except the players.