News AFL overhauls Academy and FS bid matching, discussing draft lockout

[Makeshift Park]

We've had 1 first round academy kid in 10 years.

You can blame Sydney for making theirs too successful.
Heeney, Gulden, Mills, Blakey, Wicks, Campbell...
And we have Swans fans jumping up and down in the NM PP thread about the injustice of us getting Sanders.

 

[FrogDude]

At best, North should get access to Sanders inside the top 40. With a lack of picks, it'll actually force them to be creative and do their job rather than getting the AFL to do it for them

 

[briztoon]

Danihers deal was dodgy AF,soon as he signed they tore up the deal and changed it because what he was getting offered wouldnt have give Essendon adequate compo and they wouldve matched the deal.so corrupt!

lol you listened Footy Classified and believed their b.s. Daniher's contract didn't get torn up. The AFL wouldn't allow that, as that's actually part of free agent contract rules (free agent contracts can not be changed, and must be paid out as per the original offer, even if the player retires) thanks to the Buddy Franklin fiasco.

What Brisbane did do was sign Daniher to a 3 year, $850k contract that netted Essendon a first round compo pick. Then early in the second season, we extended Daniher for a 4th and 5th season, at $500k a year.

This is Daniher's 3rd season, he's earning $850k this year. Next year, he'll be earning $500k.

Back when Brisbane first acknowledged that Daniher was linked to us, David Noble (our then Football Manager) said in an interview that we would work closely with the AFL to ensure Essendon receive compensation they were happy with. If that didn't raise a collective eyebrow from the industry, then all the other clubs were asleep.

 

[I Love Lamb]

You can blame Sydney for making theirs too successful.
Heeney, Gulden, Mills, Blakey, Wicks, Campbell...
And we have Swans fans jumping up and down in the NM PP thread about the injustice of us getting Sanders.

To be fair Sydney didn’t deliberately avoid matching RFA’s making them less competitive to get those players.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

lol you listened Footy Classified and believed their b.s. Daniher's contract didn't get torn up. The AFL wouldn't allow that, as that's actually part of free agent contract rules (free agent contracts can not be changed, and must be paid out as per the original offer, even if the player retires) thanks to the Buddy Franklin fiasco.

What Brisbane did do was sign Daniher to a 3 year, $850k contract that netted Essendon a first round compo pick. Then early in the second season, we extended Daniher for a 4th and 5th season, at $500k a year.

This is Daniher's 3rd season, he's earning $850k this year. Next year, he'll be earning $500k.

Back when Brisbane first acknowledged that Daniher was linked to us, David Noble (our then Football Manager) said in an interview that we would work closely with the AFL to ensure Essendon receive compensation they were happy with. If that didn't raise a collective eyebrow from the industry, then all the other clubs were asleep.

What happens after a player joins a club should be nobodies business. As long as the initial FA contract is honoured i.e Daniher 3 years @ $850k then who cares. This is smart cap management and something all clubs can do.

 

[Makeshift Park]

To be fair Sydney didn’t deliberately avoid matching RFA’s making them less competitive to get those players.

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt - perhaps you haven’t seen how much McKay struggles with zone defence, perhaps you haven’t considered that Curtin + a bridging KPD from the depth of another club (say Joel Smith) will actually make us significantly more competitive under Clarko’s defensive plan than McKay could have over the next four years.

 

[briztoon]

You can blame Sydney for making theirs too successful.
Heeney, Gulden, Mills, Blakey, Wicks, Campbell...
And we have Swans fans jumping up and down in the NM PP thread about the injustice of us getting Sanders.

Not blaming Sydney for anything.

The northern academy clubs are supposed to be successful. That was the AFL's original intent. The problem is, that they other 3 academies haven't really caught up to Sydney yet.

Gold Coast look like they're getting there.

Still waiting for Brisbane's academy to start producing elite, first round kids.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Not blaming Sydney for anything.

The northern academy clubs are supposed to be successful. That was the AFL's original intent. The problem is, that they other 3 academies haven't really caught up to Sydney yet.

Gold Coast look like they're getting there.

Still waiting for Brisbane's academy to start producing elite, first round kids.

Sorry mate, you either believe in draft integrity or you don’t.

 

[I Love Lamb]

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt - perhaps you haven’t seen how much McKay struggles with zone defence, perhaps you haven’t considered that Curtin + a bridging KPD from the depth of another club (say Joel Smith) will actually make us significantly more competitive under Clarko’s defensive plan than McKay could have over the next four years.

An 18 year old who isn’t even a permanent backman and never played a AFL game and a medium sized swing man who is injured 80% of the time?

Jesus North will get ripped to pieces, imagine those 2 up against Curnow/McKay, or Hawkins/Cameron or even Tex Walker and Fogarty

If Clarko was as good as we think he is surely he could get more out of McKay than that. Piss weak / borderline embarrassing excuse from the coaches to offload McKay to say he struggles with zone defence.

To go down that path for a potential pick 19 (end of first round) is comical.

 

[Makeshift Park]

An 18 year old who isn’t even a permanent backman and never played a game and a medium sized swing man who is injured 80% of the time?

Jesus North will get ripped to pieces, imagine those 2 up against Curnow/McKay, or Hawkins/Cameron or even Tex Walker and Fogarty

Joel Smith was just an example of a depth KPD, I’m not saying he’s necessarily the right choice.

By the way, those two wins we got earlier this year?

Neither had McKay in them.

He was injured.

Have you wondered why McKay, a 25 year old, has only played 66 games?

In large part it’s because he gets injured nearly as much as Smith does.

 

[I Love Lamb]

Joel Smith was just an example of a depth KPD, I’m not saying he’s necessarily the right choice.

By the way, those two wins we got earlier this year?

Neither had McKay in them.

He was injured.

Have you wondered why McKay, a 25 year old, has only played 66 games?

In large part it’s because he gets injured nearly as much as Smith does.

You guys had a fit Logue in those games didn’t you?

Joel smith has played 30 (probably about 10 as a back man against a 3rd tall with May/Lever/Petty beside him) matches in 7 years, as sub a handful as well. he is 27 years old and only weighs 88kg.

Mark my words he would get torn apart. I doubt he can even run out games.

It would be akin to making Ollie Henry your general down back.

Why would you do that when you can match the offer and keep McKay? It begs belief.

 

[Makeshift Park]

You guys had a fit Logue in those games didn’t you?

Joel smith has played 30 (probably about 10 as a back man against a 3rd tall with May/Lever/Petty beside him) matches in 7 years, he is 27 years old and only weighs 88kg.

It was a name I pulled out of a hat because I was talking to a dees supporter.

If you were a suns supporter, I could have raised Caleb Graham, if you were a swans fan I could have suggested Lewis melican.

The point is that anyone watching our games this year knows that McKay has only looked good 1v1 and intercepting, and clearly the Clarko defensive plan requires a little more footy iq than that.

 

[briztoon]

Sorry mate, you either believe in draft integrity or you don’t.

Oh I believe in draft integrity. No academies or father sons.

I don't believe in compensation picks either.

Or Priority Picks.

But I also believe in longer contracts for draftees. Minimum of 4 years, with clubs having the right to extend contracts out to 8 years, if they want to keep a player.

None of this homesickness b.s. or I don't want to leave my State cr@p. It's a national game.

If we're to have an uncompromised sport then there needs to be lots of changes.

Fixture equality. Vic teams have to travel interstate to play an equal amount of proper away games as no Vic teams.

The Grand Final shouldn't be locked in to one State for the next 50 years b.s. Share the Grand Final round on an even basis.


Right now, the sport heavily favours teams in one State, Victoria.

While that continues, I hope my club uses every means and rort possible to extend it's advantage over other clubs.

 

[FB19]

Is it possible that we avoid using fanciful words in sentences like draft and integrity? Given the compromised nature and obvious corruption at AFL house, the only people who should be screaming about the compromised draft are the people North Melbourne select.

 

[Wild Bill]

Still amazes me that clubs get rewarded for s**t decsions,its not the other 17 clubs fault that your recruiters cant spot talent and continually pick players that are either no good or hire development coaches that are any good at their jobs. paying Polec 750k a year is just one example. Do what richmond and melbourne have done draft elite kids with top picks and then sign free agents instead of relying on handouts

Elite kids like priority pick Deledio and Rance?

 

[.Shotties.]

You can blame Sydney for making theirs too successful.
Heeney, Gulden, Mills, Blakey, Wicks, Campbell...
And we have Swans fans jumping up and down in the NM PP thread about the injustice of us getting Sanders.

Yeah, that's a result of setting up and financing the only elite talent pathway in the rich Australian football territory of...checks notes East and North Sydney, The Hunter, Illawarra, and Tweed Heads.

Would have been good to prelist them without bidding, but it is what it is.

When was the last time that happened to you?

Dawson and Jones are two recent ones. Mitchell is arguably another one, as he mentioned in an interview he'd always wanted to play in Melbourne.* Dunkley is another one who didn't want to leave Victoria and only declared as a father-son on the proviso that a Victorian bid wasn't matched.

Bit more talent heading out than coming in.

*I know there's the bullshit about him not being valued by Sydney, but that isn't really borne out by a cursory look at the club bidding for him, extending him while he was stuck in the rehab room and him playing essentially every game he wasn't injured in his last two seasons at the club.

 

[BloodySwan]

If North get gifted Sanders and first round pick for McKay I expect none of their fans to complain about academies again.

 

[botts]

If North get gifted Sanders and first round pick for McKay I expect none of their fans to complain about academies again.

They are also one of the clubs that got a first round nga. They shouldn’t complain anyway

 

[TheGrizz]

Just arrived on Swans list one day. No draft, nothing.

Lolwut? Kieran Jack was drafted in the 2005 rookie draft...

 

[Makeshift Park]

Yeah, that's a result of setting up and financing the only elite talent pathway in the rich Australian football territory of...checks notes East and North Sydney, The Hunter, Illawarra, and Tweed Heads.

Would have been good to prelist them without bidding, but it is what it is.

Mate I live in the Illawarra, my kid does Auskick down here, and a man can hardly walk down the street around these parts without someone asking for his take about the 1996 grand final.

 

[Obeanie1]

Joel Smith was just an example of a depth KPD, I’m not saying he’s necessarily the right choice.

By the way, those two wins we got earlier this year?

Neither had McKay in them.

He was injured.

Have you wondered why McKay, a 25 year old, has only played 66 games?

In large part it’s because he gets injured nearly as much as Smith does

Joel Smith was just an example of a depth KPD, I’m not saying he’s necessarily the right choice.

By the way, those two wins we got earlier this year?

Neither had McKay in them.

He was injured.

Have you wondered why McKay, a 25 year old, has only played 66 games?

In large part it’s because he gets injured nearly as much as Smith does.

If he isnt much good and is injured alot how the hell is he going to get a $800k pa contract to land North pick 3?

Just kicked an own goal with this post. l

 

[Makeshift Park]

If he isnt much good and is injured alot how the hell is he going to get a $800k pa contract to land North pick 3?

Just kicked an own goal with this post. l

Mate I have not seen a single North poster claim he’s worth 800k.

 

[Obeanie1]

Mate I have not seen a single North poster claim he’s worth 800k.

Mate there are a couple about saying pick 3 is what North should get for compo. More than a couple.

And you need a $800k contract to land that.

 

[Obeanie1]

And by shafted, you mean treated the same as any non-academy based football club? (The academies are another irk of mine but that's another discussion).

I seriously can't fathom how there could have been any expectation for a significant win-loss improvement from last year and for this expectation to be used to justify a top 10 talent in Sanders being walked through the door and the NGA rules being made obsolete. Wardlaw and Sheezel have both demonstrated an ability to play AFL at a high level, along with a number of other recent draftees on your list.

There needs to be a degree of accountability when it comes to list management decisions - have some pride and have the North Melbourne Football Club build the playing list for the North Melbourne Football Club (refer to Adelaide's list build over recent years), don't just rattle the tin outside AFL house and say it's still not enough. The package you received last year to assist with trading seemed equitable and acted as a vehicle to assist more established AFL talent through the door, however to just remove a top 10 talent from the draft pool because there hasn't been an instant turnaround is ludicrous.

The following philosophy needs to be adopted when looking at any tampering with the first round of the draft, including a reassessment of the Northern Academies - The assistance package has been designed to make North Melbourne more competitive sooner whilst also not penalising other clubs' draft positions, with the League keen to protect the integrity of this year's draft order.

How much more improvement if Clarkson coached a normal season with no distractions?

Another win or two or three?

Wouldnt be having this discussion if they had another 3 wins.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Mate there are a couple about saying pick 3 is what North should get for compo. More than a cou0le.

And you need a $800k contract to land that.

Just like when the Dogs got JUH, just like when Sydney got Nick Blakey through its academy, just like when Gold Coast got Anderson and Rowell, just like when Daniher got band 1 and charitably extended his contract at 2/3s the rate... Enforcing integrity in the draft and trade season is pretty far down the AFL’s list of priorities.

In the absence of much integrity from the AFL commission on this, of course North supporters are going to point to precedence to argue what they think is fair within an unfair system.