Roast AFL Draft and Equalisation Polices collectively are an embarrassing disgrace.

[Obeanie1]

This is a long post so apologies in advance.

AFL House has brought in many draft policies across many years to fix different issues. Each on there own seem ok In isolation. Collectively they are an embarrassing disgrace.

Collectively they have destroyed the draft and have divided the competition. Fact.

Collectively AFL draft policies have split the competition into teams who can play in grand finals, win flags consistently and still receive draft assistance EVERY year and rort free agency.

Opposed to teams finished last / bottom 3 year after year and get scraps or nothing then ridiculed for needing / asking for assistance.

Let's just have a look at right now and Brisbane for the perfect example.

Hit rock bottom a while back and the AFL decided to assist. TV rights deals and expansion to Northern market were the real reason, let's be honest.

So Greg Swann came in and they rebuilt. Northern academies created to help grow the game and the Lions to improve, and they did.

So now fast forward to 2025. Lions have been playing in multiple finals series, grand finals and currently are reigning premiers.

Mission accomplished.

Do they need continued draft assistance and priority access now? No they do not. But poor AFL policies allow it to continue.

This FA trade period and draft the assistance the Lion's look likely to continue receiving includes:

1. Priority access and discounts on father sons. Of which recently they picked up 2 x Ashcroft brothers and Fletcher. No limits.

2. Priority access and discounts on ALL it's academy zones. Not just NGA's.

3. Unlimited access to free agents. This FA period look like getting Oscar Allen

12

Oscar Allen

Age

26

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.6

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

2.8

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.0

4star

G

1.2

4star

AND Sam Drapper off two teams struggling to rebuild.

And to really take the mickey the Lion's have a free agent in Starcevich linked to the Eagles. In order to keep any compensation pick for losing their captain Oscar Allen

12

Oscar Allen

Age

26

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.6

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

2.8

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.0

4star

G

1.2

4star

the Eagles under current AFL policies will need to TRADE picks for a free agent. (Just stop and think about that.

The team finishing 18th will need to TRADE with the premiers for a free agent or they LOSE / reduce the compensation pick for their captain.) Yep that's the rule ATM.

Why doesn't the AFL limit assistance? Fair question. They tried to.

Now the AFL has in place limitations on how many academy kids finalists can access. The brains trust at AFL House could foresee the academy access blowing out of control, so they put a bogus limit on it.

However there are NO controls NO limits stopping the premier landing discounted academy kids PLUS discounted father sons PLUS access to as many free agents it can purchase.

PLUS if they are smart they trade their own free agents to clubs losing free agents forcing a trade.

In the mean time a club like North or the Eagles or Essendon struggling to rebuild will need to formally ask for assistance.

Well done AFL. Your poorly devised policies have left so many loop holes the current premiers will access more draft assistance, YET AGAIN, than other teams consistently finishing last.

And the new AFL boss, yep ex Lion's boss Greg Swann, comes in and says. "Just do what the Lions have done."

What a joke of a competition.

Teams that don't need draft help access it every year via loopholes in poorly devised policies.

Why?

 

[Longmembrey]

This is a long post so apologies in advance.

AFL House has brought in many draft policies across many years to fix different issues. Each on there own seem ok In isolation. Collectively they are an embarrassing disgrace.

Collectively they have destroyed the draft and have divided the competition. Fact.

Collectively AFL draft policies have split the competition into teams who can play in grand finals, win flags consistently and still receive draft assistance EVERY year and rort free agency.

Opposed to teams finished last / bottom 3 year after year and get scraps or nothing then ridiculed for needing / asking for assistance.

Let's just have a look at right now and Brisbane for the perfect example.

Hit rock bottom a while back and the AFL decided to assist. TV rights deals and expansion to Northern market were the real reason, let's be honest.

So Greg Swann came in and they rebuilt. Northern academies created to help grow the game and the Lions to improve, and they did.

So now fast forward to 2025. Lions have been playing in multiple finals series, grand finals and currently are reigning premiers.

Mission accomplished.

Do they need continued draft assistance and priority access now? No they do not. But poor AFL policies allow it to continue.

This FA trade period and draft the assistance the Lion's look likely to continue receiving includes:

1. Priority access and discounts on father sons. Of which recently they picked up 2 x Ashcroft brothers and Fletcher. No limits.

2. Priority access and discounts on ALL it's academy zones. Not just NGA's.

3. Unlimited access to free agents. This FA period look like getting Oscar Allen AND Sam Drapper off two teams struggling to rebuild.

And to really take the micthey Lion's have a free agent in Starcevich linked to the Eagles. In order to keep any compensation pick for losing their captain Oscar Allen the Eagles under current AFL policies will need to TRADE picks for a free agent. (Just stop and think about that. The team finishing 18th will need to trade with the premiers for a free agent or they lose the compensation pick for their captain.) Yep that's the rule ATM.

Why doesn't the AFL limit assistance? Fair question. They tried to.

Now the AFL has in place limitations on how many academy kids finalists can access. The brains trust at AFL House could foresee the academy access blowing out of control, so they put a bogus limit on it.

However there are NO controls NO limits stopping the premier landing discounted academy kids PLUS discounted father sons PLUS access to as many free agents it can purchase.

PLUS if they are smart they trade their own free agents to clubs losing free agents forcing a trade.

In the mean time a club like North or the Eagles or Essendon struggling to rebuild will need to formally ask for assistance.

Well done AFL. Your poorly devised policies have left so many loop holes the current premiers will access more draft assistance, YET AGAIN, than other teams consistently finishing last.

And the new AFL boss, yep ex Lion's boss Greg Swann, comes in and says. "Just do what the Lions have done."

What a joke of a competition.

Teams that don't need draft help access it every year via loopholes in poorly devised policies.

Why?

Agree. It is a disgrace. Absolute amateur competition

 

[archereleven]

The game is a parody of yesteryear and in a constant state of contrivance.

If the AFL ceased to exist tomorrow, id just shrug my shoulders, have a little chuckle and go about my day.

You've hit on a couple of AFL engineered 'anomalies' now add in umpiring, rules of the game, fixtures, grounds, media, MRO/tribunal, illicit drugs etc etc and you have the world's most unprofessional professional organisation...

Its compromised, spurious and orchestrated in just about every way and I'm finding other ways, more frequently to spend my time.

 

[Obeanie1]

The game is a parody of yesteryear and in a constant state of contrivance.

If the AFL ceased to exist tomorrow, id just shrug my shoulders, have a little chuckle and go about my day.

You've hit on a couple of AFL engineered 'anomalies' now add in umpiring, rules of the game, fixtures, grounds, media, MRO/tribunal, illicit drugs etc etc and you have the world's most unprofessional professional organisation...

Its compromised, spurious and orchestrated in just about every way and I'm finding other ways, more frequently to spend my time.

Agreed.

But what did Swann the incoming CEO say?

"The game has never been better."

They sound like politicians.

 

[archereleven]

Agreed.

But what did Swann the incoming CEO say?

"The game has never been better."

They sound like politicians.

Of course. AFL house cares only for revenue. They will act ONLY when this part of the game declines.

Imo, there will be a reckoning in the next decade. Half the fan base(the perennial bottom 8) will be disillusioned and vote with their feet.

No more FTA games, crowds of 12-18k, average weekly margins of 60+, ever worsening umpiring with threadbare talent across 20 teams...

 

[Dangerousfield]

Belatedly fixed the points value scale, a scale that was exposed as deeply flawed within the first couple of years. Should have been fixed to it's current much lower level as soon as clubs started trading picks at a completely different value to the draft value index.

In the real world of clubs you couldn't get pick 6 by trading for it using picks 21 & 22 yet that's what the old scale valued them at.

This basic amateur hour wrong scale led to clubs accumulating a bag of junk picks other clubs weren't going to use and using junk picks to pay for Nick Daicos, Sam Darcy, JUH, Ashcrofts x2, GC x 4 etc, etc.

We saw it happening but the AFL just let it go on for several years doing nothing to stop the rorting of the system.

NGA's, what the farce they are when sons of former players are eligible as NGAs. As if they're not going to be in the AFL junior system!

Free Agency is heavily weighted in favour of the big clubs. Players don't sign up to go to struggling clubs. The rich just get richer, get players for free and keep all their draft picks. The salary cap is not the balancing equaliser here as big clubs lure players on lesser salaries but make up for that with significant off field and often off book bonuses, like post playing days opportunities, or farms or can't fail property developments ;-)

Everything is done to maximise crowds and revenue as those are the KPA's of AFL execs. It's in their interest to have the big Melbourne clubs competing every year, Vicbias is alive and well. You don't get growth in North and St.Kilda but you do get growth in the northern states, it's a battle against the NRL.

This is what we live with. If you're a Pies supporter absolutely everything is in your favour. If you're a North supporter expect less in life, a lot less, because you are right now 19th on the list of importance to the AFL, even Tasmania is a strong growth area.

So the thread title is spot on.

 

[Rail King]

Belatedly fixed the points value scale, a scale that was exposed as deeply flawed within the first couple of years. Should have been fixed to it's current much lower level as soon as clubs started trading picks at a completely different value to the draft value index.

In the real world of clubs you couldn't get pick 6 by trading for it using picks 21 & 22 yet that's what the old scale valued them at.

This basic amateur hour wrong scale led to clubs accumulating a bag of junk picks other clubs weren't going to use and using junk picks to pay for Nick Daicos, Sam Darcy, JUH, Ashcrofts x2, GC x 4 etc, etc.

We saw it happening but the AFL just let it go on for several years doing nothing to stop the rorting of the system.

NGA's, what the farce they are when sons of former players are eligible as NGAs. As if they're not going to be in the AFL junior system!

Free Agency is heavily weighted in favour of the big clubs. Players don't sign up to go to struggling clubs. The rich just get richer, get players for free and keep all their draft picks. The salary cap is not the balancing equaliser here as big clubs lure players on lesser salaries but make up for that with significant off field and often off book bonuses, like post playing days opportunities, or farms or can't fail property developments ;-)

Everything is done to maximise crowds and revenue as those are the KPA's of AFL execs. It's in their interest to have the big Melbourne clubs competing every year, Vicbias is alive and well. You don't get growth in North and St.Kilda but you do get growth in the northern states, it's a battle against the NRL.

This is what we live with. If you're a Pies supporter absolutely everything is in your favour. If you're a North supporter expect less in life, a lot less, because you are right now 19th on the list of importance to the AFL, even Tasmania is a strong growth area.

So the thread title is spot on.

Yeah, it's all Collingwoods fault.

 

[Obeanie1]

Yeah, it's all Collingwoods fault.

Collingwood are just another piece on the "chess board" AFL House uses to make $$$$$.

The AFL make the rules.

 

[Orfullrules]

Sports administration has gone overboard. AFL the prime example. Creating problems to garner more work.

 

[Orfullrules]

Collingwood are just another piece on the "chess board" AFL House uses to make $$$$$.

The AFL make the rules.

Swans are the AFLs ultimate favs though. Priority pics if they miss finals 2 years in a row.

 

[mad_eagle]

But but…it’s not compromised, it’s just complex!!

 

[Teen Wolf]

There are limits to father-son picks, otherwise Brisbane would have drafted 300-gamer Marc Murphy back in the day.

There are also limits impacting a club's ability to recruit free agents, such as this thing called a salary cap.

 

[Erakor]

‘Secret herb and spices’ on F/A compensation.... umpires having a direct line to a third umpire, AFL decided it was needed to publicaly say this was occurring.


Just those two facts makes it pretty obvious the AFL contrieves outcomes.

 

[doppleganger]

.3. Unlimited access to free agents. This FA period look like getting Oscar Allen AND Sam Drapper off two teams struggling to rebuild.

And to really take the mickey the Lion's have a free agent in Starcevich linked to the Eagles. In order to keep any compensation pick for losing their captain Oscar Allen the Eagles under current AFL policies will need to TRADE picks for a free agent. (Just stop and think about that.

The team finishing 18th will need to TRADE with the premiers for a free agent or they LOSE / reduce the compensation pick for their captain.) Yep that's the rule ATM.

Some of your rant makes sense, but the FA bit is way off the mark IMHO.

Brisbane and Essendon are in the same boat, of trying to work out how to best work the compensation....instead of just trading between clubs.

Just for illustration purposes - Let's say Draper, Starcevic and Allen are all Band 1 compo players.

Starcevic happy to go WC or Dons
Draper off to Lions
Allen off to Lions

WC want to lose Allen via FA, as Band 1 for them is pick 2, nobody is trading pick 2 for Allen.

Essendon are similar as FA Band 1 for them is pick 5, good luck getting pick 5 for Draper.

Brisbane, not as keen as FA Band 1 as compo is actually getting closer to fair value for Starcevic at what pick 16....which will drift.

Old world, starting point is straight trade between clubs - Draper for Brisbane's first rounder (Pretty fair I reckon). But Essendon probably want more, Lions throw in a 2nd or 3rd rounder to grease the wheels and get it done.

If Brisbane had to trade for Allen, (I rate Oscar) they would give Starcevic and their first rounder (already gone to Essendon) as starting point...perhaps want something coming back. WC would haggle, but reckon that gets it done.

However, FA compo exists, so clubs don't need to trade with each other. Brisbane doesn't need to find another first rounder. Essendon and WC want to work the system so they will get the generous compensation that the AFL creates out of thin air. Brisbane just want to get their FAs in the door, if they can get something for Starcevic leaving it is a bonus.

Starcevic decides on WC when they give more $$$

So WC propose a post FA trade, they will give the 2nd round pick (formerly Hawks) currently pick 32 to Brisbane for Starcevic...large unders.

By going the trade and FA compo it means

Essendon are happy
IN FA compo (pick 5)
OUT Draper

Brisbane are happy
IN pick 32, Draper & Allen
OUT Starcevic

WC are happy
IN FA compo (pick 2) and Starcevic
OUT Allen and pick 32

All teams involved are better off as a result of FA at the expense of ALL the other clubs, they lose out as they are all shifted down the draft order.

 

[Obeanie1]

Sports administration has gone overboard. AFL the prime example. Creating problems to garner more work.

More jobs for the "boys".

Let's form a committee and make the game even more complicated.

And pay each other fat salaries and bonuses.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

And at the same time cut the guts out of clubs soft caps so hands on assistant coaches get let go and the remainder get paid peanuts.

And we wonder why the quality of the players and the game is falling.

Too many chiefs.......

Exactly like the trades and industry. Less trades and technical people on rhe tools......more middle management making policy and wondering why productivity is falling.

 

[Obeanie1]

Some of your rant makes sense, but the FA bit is way off the mark IMHO.

Brisbane and Essendon are in the same boat, of trying to work out how to best work the compensation....instead of just trading between clubs.

Just for illustration purposes - Let's say Draper, Starcevic and Allen are all Band 1 compo players.

Starcevic happy to go WC or Dons
Draper off to Lions
Allen off to Lions

WC want to lose Allen via FA, as Band 1 for them is pick 2, nobody is trading pick 2 for Allen.

Essendon are similar as FA Band 1 for them is pick 5, good luck getting pick 5 for Draper.

Brisbane, not as keen as FA Band 1 as compo is actually getting closer to fair value for Starcevic at what pick 16....which will drift.

Old world, starting point is straight trade between clubs - Draper for Brisbane's first rounder (Pretty fair I reckon). But Essendon probably want more, Lions throw in a 2nd or 3rd rounder to grease the wheels and get it done.

If Brisbane had to trade for Allen, (I rate Oscar) they would give Starcevic and their first rounder (already gone to Essendon) as starting point...perhaps want something coming back. WC would haggle, but reckon that gets it done.

However, FA compo exists, so clubs don't need to trade with each other. Brisbane doesn't need to find another first rounder. Essendon and WC want to work the system so they will get the generous compensation that the AFL creates out of thin air. Brisbane just want to get their FAs in the door, if they can get something for Starcevic leaving it is a bonus.

Starcevic decides on WC when they give more $$$

So WC propose a post FA trade, they will give the 2nd round pick (formerly Hawks) currently pick 32 to Brisbane for Starcevic...large unders.

By going the trade and FA compo it means

Essendon are happy
IN FA compo (pick 5)
OUT Draper

Brisbane are happy
IN pick 32, Draper & Allen
OUT Starcevic

WC are happy
IN FA compo (pick 2) and Starcevic
OUT Allen and pick 32

All teams involved are better off as a result of FA at the expense of ALL the other clubs, they lose out as they are all shifted down the draft order.

The current premiers aren't happy with that.

They are dead set dancing in the streets ecstatic about that result.

The premiers get stronger at the expense of teams struggling to rebuild.

Call it a rant all you like. It's the facts.

 

[Kappa]

The game is a parody of yesteryear and in a constant state of contrivance.

If the AFL ceased to exist tomorrow, id just shrug my shoulders, have a little chuckle and go about my day.

You've hit on a couple of AFL engineered 'anomalies' now add in umpiring, rules of the game, fixtures, grounds, media, MRO/tribunal, illicit drugs etc etc and you have the world's most unprofessional professional organisation...

Its compromised, spurious and orchestrated in just about every way and I'm finding other ways, more frequently to spend my time.

The funny thing is that A League and NRL look at the AFL as an example of a much better run organization...

 

[doppleganger]

The current premiers aren't happy with that.

They are dead set dancing in the streets ecstatic about that result.

The premiers get stronger at the expense of teams struggling to rebuild.

Brisbane, Essendon and WC are all laughing.

Imagine getting pick 2 for a constantly injured 26 year old who has only once kicked more than 30 goals in a season!! Dead set daylight robbery that is

AFL are taking the piss by giving them pick 2. Tis like Frawley to the Hawks all over again...

Call it a rant all you like. It's the facts.

More rant.

But yes if Brisbane have managed their salary cap such that they can add two senior players without losing anybody they are doing something well...

Lions probably not paying Ashcroft $2m per year in 2026

Collectively AFL draft policies have split the competition into teams who can play in grand finals, win flags consistently and still receive draft assistance EVERY year and rort free agency.

Give us your split - list which teams are in group A (teams playing GFs and winning flags consistently) and group B the rest.

To help you, I will give you a few teams records from the 2011-20 decade.

WC - made finals 8 season, multiple GFs, 1 flag and 0 bottom 4 finishes

Rich - made finals 7 season, multiple GFs, 3 flag and 0 bottom 4 finishes

BL - made finals in 2 seasons, 0 GFs, 0 flag and 6 bottom 4 finishes.

GC - made finals in 0 seasons, 0 GFs, 0 flag and 7 bottom 4 finishes.

Give us your split, group A v group B teams.

 

[Cyclops]

It's stupidly complex.

I don't begrudge Brisbane making this work, I don't think the AFL planned foit this outcome. They made it work around 2000 and again under Fagan.

I think Sydney and GWS are being force fed picks but the AFL cant stop fiddling with them so it's hard to make use of them.

Big clubs like Colingwood Adelaide and WCE have resources to make these rules work, and smart clubs like Brisbane and Geelong manage to wring out some value too: f/s
medical teams and great coaches help.

The talent is spread so thin: Essendon, Carlton and Melbourne don't have enough AFL standard players to play meaningful footy. Having the capacity to scout talent, and the resources and resourcefulness to get them in seems to be the minimum needed to compete.

The AFL has expanded to league past the supply capacity if our country, and made access to that supply incredibly skewed to 2 NSW clubs. A few of the remainder have the clout and resources to overcome the hurdles, but look how St Kilda cannot get anyone to join them.

 

[RonnieRaven]

At least eagles have got priority picks and won flags in the last 20 years.
Freo have got none of this been massively disadvantaged by this and lost a team worth of players on top of this.
Yet here we are.
the suns have never played finals
I’m sure they will give you their handouts for eagles premierships.
These threads are all the same
Pies dominate bias threads on the defence
Northern clubs defending their hand outs and eagles who have witnessed priority picks a flag more priority picks a flag
Whinging about a compromised draft.
Those priority picks that eagles got compromised the draft for the rest of us.

 

[MF]

Swans are the AFLs ultimate favs though. Priority pics if they miss finals 2 years in a row.

What are you talking about?

 

[Obeanie1]

Brisbane, Essendon and WC are all laughing.

Imagine getting pick 2 for a constantly injured 26 year old who has only once kicked more than 30 goals in a season!! Dead set daylight robbery that is

AFL are taking the piss by giving them pick 2. Tis like Frawley to the Hawks all over again...

More rant.

But yes if Brisbane have managed their salary cap such that they can add two senior players without losing anybody they are doing something well...

Lions probably not paying Ashcroft $2m per year in 2026

Give us your split - list which teams are in group A (teams playing GFs and winning flags consistently) and group B the rest.

To help you, I will give you a few teams records from the 2011-20 decade.

WC - made finals 8 season, multiple GFs, 1 flag and 0 bottom 4 finishes

Rich - made finals 7 season, multiple GFs, 3 flag and 0 bottom 4 finishes

BL - made finals in 2 seasons, 0 GFs, 0 flag and 6 bottom 4 finishes.

GC - made finals in 0 seasons, 0 GFs, 0 flag and 7 bottom 4 finishes.

Give us your split, group A v group B teams.

So much wrong with this one eyed post.

The example is comparing the premiers versus the team finishing last. IT DOESNT MATTER WHO THE TEAMS ARE.

Just quit the tribal one eyed BS and forget about the colour of the gurnsey FFS.

The team finishing last has its captain poached by the premiers who pay nothing in picks to land a gun full forward.

Pick 2 has no guarantee of being as good, especially when several top 2 ranked players aren't available to be selected due to AFL draft policies. Some going to....yep you guessed it....the current premiers.

Then a free agent from the premiers moving to the 18th side will need the team finishing last to send a pick to the premiers or will lose the other compo pick.

In what universe is the team finishing last happy about that.

These policies are fundamentally flawed. The strong get stronger and the teams finishing bottom get weaker.

If you can see that then .........

Don't bother with another convoluted one eyed rant. If your team was getting shafted this way you would be singing a different tune. Admit it.

I really hope Brisbane beat Collingwood in next year's grand final loaded with AFL gifted free hits. I guarantee you will be ranting a different tune. It's already happened when the Lions flogged the Pies in two grand finals with COLA assistance Collingwood didn't have. Eddie melted hard and the"COLA removed. FACT.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

The financial equalisation policies are even dumber

Brisbane received 12 mill extra in a year that they had 30 mill+ in cash reserves at that time then North. They currently have 14 mill in cash reserves and 80 mill+ in non current assets . North meanwhile have 2.5 mill in cash and 30 mill in non current assets

In 2024 the year which Brisbane received a extra 4.2 mill then North, Brisbanes cash reserves went from 8.7 mill to 14.9 mill.... so basically AFL literally gave Brisbane 4.2 mill and they literally just put it in the bank... didnt spend it. Meanwhile North need to sell home games to W.A for 2.5 mill. The exact result of which is Brisbane have 14.9 mill in the bank instead of 12.4 mill

Its insane

 

[PhatBoy]

It is not perfect and no system is but YOU GET HELP BY FINISHING LAST!!! That’s the bottom line. So it’s already an imperfect system even before you get to the NGA’s, father sons etc. the draft in itself is imperfect because it gives teams a leg up because they’re rubbish.

Look at the other major code in Australia and you get nothing for it. 8 years ago Penrith had nothing going for them but a big junior base. And all other clubs - 15 of them at that stage - had access to that junior base with their chequebooks. They could - and still can - sign them as they wished. Penrith got their act together, established academies west of the blue mountains to bring in more players from the country, focused on using the resources readily available, brought in a new coach, relied exclusively on local talent, and have built the greatest dynasty in rugby league since St George won 11 titles 60 years ago.

The Bulldogs were hopeless not so long ago. They’ve gone a different route but picked up a few stars FROM that Penrith side and combined them with cast-offs from other clubs and a couple of young players with big wraps. They’re suddenly at the top.

The Warriors have built from the ground up.

Other teams - the roosters are the obvious one over the years - bring in stars to try and fill out their team though we seem to be learning that getting young players in through junior programs and talent development is a good balance.

The best equaliser is the salary cap IMO even though it gets ‘worked around’ in a multitude of ways. The draft has now got so many caveats and compromises. The bottom line is that it is an equaliser that rewards teams for being poor. In itself that’s a bad system. Wouldn’t a better system be to encourage teams to develop and scout players?

 

[SSSSSS]

Hawks and Crows have managed to rebuild into finals contenders (Crows arguably Premiership contenders this season) in the space for 4-5 seasons without any access to top end NGA/F&S.

Neither team got a freebie from losing an average player for a top pick.

Both teams had to watch their first rounders get pushed further and further out as teams benefited from FA compo picks/F&S/NGA.

Despite all this both teams are looking to play finals (one side looking to play finals in back to back seasons).

Skill issue.