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

[longdonkey]

Id love to know which clubs are fearful.

It will be us. Assuming the position to be screwed over for Dougie Cochrane.

 

[Elixuh]

I'll go for the lions this post-season but it's probably a few asterisks this year with Fletchers form and Levi's.

Thank you Danster.

I thought the dees looked promising last night. Especially Oliver looks to have turned the corner. Big things in 2026.

 

[Elixuh]

I’m yet to hear a solution to interstate clubs - especially those in NSW and Qld - not being able to draft best available talent most drafts (I’d say it’s every draft but I obviously don’t know that for certain) because prospects make it clear they don’t want to go interstate.

Part of the many reasons for the academies is to bridge that inequality.

 

[SKR]

I've got a radical idea, no priority access, no discount.

if he's a F/S, you can trade up/down and take him
if he's an Academy kid, you can trade up/down and select him
if he's in your NGA, you are free to trade up or down and select him

you get the kid at market value.............

fixes many of the issues, the Academies continue to invest in talent in non-traditional markets, NGA's do what they were meant to do
it limits how many can be taken by any club, if GCS had to trade to get their 3 kids last year, it would wipe them out of 2 drafts, as it should, win the premiership and want a kid at pick 2, it should be a costly exercise.
it purifies the draft back to how it was envisaged, by not allowing picks to be invented.

It fixes cost issues, quantity issues, and fairness issues
win win win all around

so so easy

I think you are on the right track, however, I would take it a bit further and add a tax on top of the full value of the bid essentially to move ahead of the draft order. The tax would be based on the pick that the team uses to match the bid (i.e. how far they are jumping in the draft order to match the bid).

For example, the tax may be deemed to be say 3% per pick you are jumping. If a bid comes at pick 5 and the team that is matching has pick 8, they must then provide the points equivalent of pick 5, plus 9% additional points in order to move from pick 8 to pick 5. Alternatively, if the team matching has pick 15, they must now provide the points equivalent of pick 5, plus 30% additional points (10 x 3%) to move up 10 positions from pick 15 to pick 5.

I think this would provide some form of equalization, as teams at the top of the ladder will have to pay a higher price for top talent than teams lower down. I also think it will stop some of the 'gaming' of the system, such as teams matching with a bunch of picks on the 30s and 40s, as the tax will become too expensive (i.e. if matching with pick 30, the tax in the example above becomes 75% to move from pick 30 to pick 5). It will also make it very expensive to match a second F/S or academy bid in the same draft (or else they will need to obtain a second high end pick). In reality, the only real gaming of the system I can see is teams trying to trade up the draft order as close to the expected bid range as possible in order to minimize the tax, in which case, they are essentially paying as close to fair value as possible.

Because bid matching is more expensive, I would make a certain portion of the points payable in the current draft, with the balance to be paid in the following draft.

 

[bzparkes]

I’m yet to hear a solution to interstate clubs - especially those in NSW and Qld - not being able to draft best available talent most drafts (I’d say it’s every draft but I obviously don’t know that for certain) because prospects make it clear they don’t want to go interstate.

Part of the many reasons for the academies is to bridge that inequality.

Come back to us when you have the entire Vic media campaigning for your best young talent to run back to Vic.

 

[Elixuh]

Come back to us when you have the entire Vic media campaigning for your best young talent to run back to Vic.

Its exactly my point. Harley Reid was by far the best available talent, WCE has taken a risk drafting him. Hopefully he re-signs but there is a world where he only stays 3 seasons, which falls into the category of flight risk.

At least for WCE he agreed to move interstate.

If we are running a legitimate national draft, how do we fix this? The VFL club supporters have no answer for this because it is a legitimate advantage and compromises the draft as much as mechanisms like FS.

 

[bzparkes]

Its exactly my point. Harley Reid was by far the best available talent, WCE has taken a risk drafting him. Hopefully he re-signs but there is a world where he only stays 3 seasons, which falls into the category of flight risk.

At least for WCE he agreed to move interstate.

If we are running a legitimate national draft, how do we fix this? The VFL club supporters have no answer for this because it is a legitimate advantage and compromises the draft as much as mechanisms like FS.

Just draft them anyway?

Now that first rounders are 3 year contracts, just take them regardless.

They want to go home early? Hold 'em to ransom.

The fact clubs dodge around this so much is the reason players keep doing it.

 

[Elixuh]

Just draft them anyway?

Now that first rounders are 3 year contracts, just take them regardless.

They want to go home early? Hold 'em to ransom.

The fact clubs dodge around this so much is the reason players keep doing it.

Cool, that's how you get into a perpetual rebuild. Constantly hemorrhaging talent every few years for draft picks.

 

[sydney_gws]

I think it would happen, or else they’d go play NRL.

I think most afl players ( mids etc) aren't that thickly set, would be better at soccer than NRL.

 

[bindi27]

scrap it or put an asterisk on the premiership cup for teams like Dogs, Pies and Lions that wouldn't have won it without it. Simple.

Melbourne too - they had Jack Viney

 

[mpal6]

Just draft them anyway?

Now that first rounders are 3 year contracts, just take them regardless.

They want to go home early? Hold 'em to ransom.

The fact clubs dodge around this so much is the reason players keep doing it.

No one would willingly play roulette with a first round pick, especially a rebuilding club.

One of the main reasons why you decided to drop down in 2022 to grab Ginbey and Hewett rather than take Sheezel, Wardlaw, Tsatas etc. You want players, especially top picks to stay and rebuild rather than up n leave in a year or two.

 

[danster168]

Melbourne too - they had Jack Viney

1 good father/son in 20 years. well under the afl avg. the least advantaged club in this respect. nice try though

 

[Elixuh]

1 good father/son in 20 years. well under the afl avg. the least advantaged club in this respect. nice try though

Helped you win a flag and is potentially the best father son of all time. Just my opinion.

 

[danster168]

Helped you win a flag and is potentially the best father son of all time. Just my opinion.

wow. high praise. didn't realise he was better than Ablett and Daicos

 

[longdonkey]

Come back to us when you have the entire Vic media campaigning for your best young talent to run back to Vic.

But of course its the greatest day for AFL football when Wanganeen-Milera re-signs for the Stains.

 

[Lore]

Cool, that's how you get into a perpetual rebuild. Constantly hemorrhaging talent every few years for draft picks.

Don't have to be based north of the Murray to end up in a perpetual rebuild I speak from experience

 

[mpal6]

I’m yet to hear a solution to interstate clubs - especially those in NSW and Qld - not being able to draft best available talent most drafts (I’d say it’s every draft but I obviously don’t know that for certain) because prospects make it clear they don’t want to go interstate.

Part of the many reasons for the academies is to bridge that inequality.

It's an inequality that doesn't count as it's not a vic centric problem. Interstate clubs are losing players and Vic teams are gaining them - that's good isn't it. Strong vic clubs are good for footy is the line that gets trotted out whenever there is a benefit that needs to be swept under the carpet.

But but but this whole jumping the draft position to get players, omg sky's falling. Once you solve this problem there'll be world peace and AFL will become perfect for everyone.

 

[Puregold]

Not going to pretend that I have read the whole of this thread so I don’t know if what I say will be repetitive

I rate the nga and father son as part of our game. Would love to see the nga just be used to develop international or Indigenous pathways though. The idea should be to get the numbers of participants with these backgrounds up. For this to happen clubs need to be able to ensure that they are getting a reward for their investment.

I wonder if the following idea could work: players can either nominate as they normally would and their club picks them up or clubs get the ability to trade away their rights to an nga player. Can only happen with the players approval, original club club still gets something back and new club still has to bid. Eg if the dockers consider Wes walley a player they want, they could go to him, his management and the eagles and declare that interest. Eagles could trade their rights for a 3rd rounder and then in the draft the dockers match the bids for him if they want to.

 

[Elixuh]

Don't have to be based north of the Murray to end up in a perpetual rebuild I speak from experience

Yeah but you get to do those cool premiership cup things with Carlton in the centre square before games!

 

[Lore]

It's an inequality that doesn't count as it's not a vic centric problem. Interstate clubs are losing players and Vic teams are gaining them - that's good isn't it. Strong vic clubs are good for footy is the line that gets trotted out whenever there is a benefit that needs to be swept under the carpet.

But but but this whole jumping the draft position to get players, omg sky's falling. Once you solve this problem there'll be world peace and AFL will become perfect for everyone.

Jumping draft position is a stupid argument anyway. They are using the picks they have in the open draft to match a bid on a player that no one else can take and would not have been available to any other club if not for the academy system, assuming that the criteria is working as it should, which is a separate conversation.

Free agency compensation materialises a pick out of thin air, which effectively replaces your last pick in the draft due to how list spots work, but free agency is a separate conversation from bid-matching on father-son and academy players. You don't fix FA compensation by fiddling with academies.

I have more beef with clubs taking home top 5 quality players on the regular without giving up anything meaningful to get them, but I think the changes that were made to the DVI that come into effect in about a month should account for that anyway, alongside the restrictions on number of draft picks based on open list spots, which came into effect a few years ago. Until we've seen the latest changes to the DVI fail in this respect, I don't see a good reason for making further changes.

As it stands under the new DVI that starts in 2025, clubs that finish outside the bottom 4 can't match pick 1 with their entire original draft hand. So for example, the original picks for Melbourne this year would be 5, 23 and 41 and that totals to 2668 draft points. You need 2700 points to match pick 1.

 

[JTTheKing]

Its exactly my point. Harley Reid was by far the best available talent, WCE has taken a risk drafting him. Hopefully he re-signs but there is a world where he only stays 3 seasons, which falls into the category of flight risk.

At least for WCE he agreed to move interstate.

If we are running a legitimate national draft, how do we fix this? The VFL club supporters have no answer for this because it is a legitimate advantage and compromises the draft as much as mechanisms like FS.

Clubs should show more balls and draft some of these sooks.

Some of them are mummy’s boys plain and simply that need a bit of a reality check and an interstate move might give them that.

if they’re an elite talent and a few years at the club isn’t enough to make them change their mind, at least you’ll get some sort of return for them (like North with JHF). If I was one of those clubs I’d prefer that to drafted a lesser talent.

They’ve already got managers advising them on all the dirty tricks to get where they want. I’d be willing to bet half the time it’s the manager helping them concoct a bullshit story.

 

[Elixuh]

Clubs should show more balls and draft some of these sooks.

Some of them are mummy’s boys plain and simply that need a bit of a reality check and an interstate move might give them that.

if they’re an elite talent and a few years at the club isn’t enough to make them change their mind, at least you’ll get some sort of return for them (like North with JHF). If I was one of those clubs I’d prefer that to drafted a lesser talent.

I don’t think that’s a solution. That’s just saying hey Brisbane take irresponsible risk and likely engage in a never ending rebuild - a revolving door of talent for draft picks.

 

[JTTheKing]

I don’t think that’s a solution. That’s just saying hey Brisbane take irresponsible risk and likely engage in a never ending rebuild - a revolving door of talent for draft picks.

Well I’m not sure what else you propose.

Managers and their dirty tricks won’t go away.

They’ve been empowered far too much.

I’d be willing to guess half the players wouldn’t just pack up and leave at the first opportunity.

It’s a completely different reality when you get drafted and actually have to go there versus throwaway lines in interviews with clubs about how you won’t cope with moving.

It will never be perfect but nothing about the draft is. Teams are always missing on picks for all sorts of reasons.

Not every club drafting high is stuck in a perpetual cycle of going nowhere and so dependent on one pick being the be all and end all.

 

[hammer180]

Ryan Daniels came up with an interesting point regarding northern academies, let them take as many as they want but they can't go into the first 2 rounds of the open draft. Not sure i agree with it but different idea.

 

[TradeDraft]

It’s actually amazing in the afl how the squealing minorities constantly seem to drive change they want, while the majority are ignored.

Not sure I can name others sporting league run like that

Shows what a Joke they are

Said roughly this time last year that gone back to Match a Bid anytime and now looking like changing there Mind because of Freo and St Kilda having a Sook