Connolly wants F/S Rule scrapped

[DBAH0]

Interesting timing after yesterday's debacle;

MELBOURNE football manager Chris Connolly has called for the father-son rule to be scrapped as it "compromises" the drafting system.

The rule allows clubs to nominate ahead of time a player to be selected in the draft whose father played a certain number games for the club or affiliated clubs in the SANFL and WAFL.

"The draft system was brought (in) to not be compromised and it is," Connolly told Channel Seven yesterday.

"Here we have Geelong. They have got (Matthew) Scarlett and (Tom) Hawkins, they have (Gary) Ablett on the ball, (Mark) Blake knocking it down to him. Nathan Ablett will come back, hopefully for footy.

"I've been looking for someone to support me for 10 years. I haven't found anyone yet but I'm still searching."

Connolly said that he didn't know of any young players who would soon be eligible for the Demons under the rule.

In 2003, Chris Johnson was recruited by Melbourne as the son of ex-Demon Alan Johnson, with pick No. 36.

It was the Demons who, in 1951, successfully lobbied the then VFL to institute the father-son rule so that it could select Ron Barassi in 1952. Barassi would have otherwise been allocated to Carlton under the old zoning rules.

Barassi's father, Ron Snr, played 58 games with the Demons before he was killed in World War II.

In 2006, former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas said the rule should be scrapped as it wouldn't last more than 20 years.

"I understand the philosophy behind it, trying to retain the romance of sons playing where fathers played," Thomas said at the time.

"But football has become far too competitive and it needs to be far more transparent in relation to recruiting, and eliminate all the anomalies."

 

[Underdog]

Despite receiving some guns from it like McIntosh and Cousins, I would have no issue with it being scrapped

 

[HFF]

Sounds like sour grapes somewhat because he hasn't come across a live father/son selection.

The system has already been changed and modified to even out any 'compromises' it may have had.

I think it works quite well with a bidding system- we need to maintain links and connections with club greats/servants so I disagree with the scrapping of the F/S rule.

 

[Zvim]

What a whining gasbag, the new system is fine. North were interested in a player last year that was going to go cheap via the F/S and they had to use a more appropriate pick, it is a better system. Geelong wont be able to get the likes of Hawkins with a third round pick any longer.

 

[sedders]

yeah get rid of it or force clubs to use their first pick

 

[Robbie]

If Melbourne weren't so rubbish in the 70s and 80s they'd have more F/S players coming through and wouldn't be against the rule.

 

[PUSSIES_07_FLAG]

Connolly can suck my <censored>

He'll be whining one day if the rule is scarped and a big son of a gun is missed by his club.

 

[Underdog]

If Melbourne weren't so rubbish in the 70s and 80s they'd have more F/S players coming through and wouldn't be against the rule.

we miss out too. The stupidity of finishing our qualification period at the year we entered means we essentially miss out on minimum 5 years of possible father sons.

nevermind

 

[huggy_b]

Do people actually listen to Connolly? Well you learn something new everyday.......

 

[And_ROOS]

Funny he fails to mention the failed F/S picks we have, gee Callan did well in the GF didnt he

Also, all the F/S picks he mentions we taken over a long period of years. Its not like we got them all in the one draft and stole the premiership.


Enjoy the spoon, asshat.

 

[lamaros]

""Here we have Geelong. They have got (Matthew) Scarlett and (Tom) Hawkins, they have (Gary) Ablett on the ball, (Mark) Blake knocking it down to him. Nathan Ablett will come back, hopefully for giving my complaint a longer list."

Is it just me, or was everyone else thinking that too? (No offence to all the completely unbiased Geelong fans who think that Nathan Ablett is some kind of potential decent player.)

 

[Underdog]

Funny he fails to mention the failed F/S picks we have, gee Callan did well in the GF didnt he

Irrelevant. Third round players are low percentage regardless

 

[budge11]

If I could be bothered i'd tear you to shreds over: 'Third round players are low percentage'... there have been SO many quality 3rd round picks

 

[Underdog]

If I could be bothered i'd tear you to shreds over: 'Third round players are low percentage'... there have been SO many quality 3rd round picks

sure there have. Same with rookie list.

Doesn't change the fact more of them fail then 1st or 2nd round picks

 

[Shane Hird]

Chris 'I fancy myself as a Sheedy type thinker who comes up with valid and interesting ideas that could improve the game' Connolly, should just concentrate on his new club and try to improve that instead...

 

[Conan Troutman]

sure there have. Same with rookie list.

Doesn't change the fact more of them fail then 1st or 2nd round picks

but father/sons aren't as high percentage as it perhaps seems either. here's all Geelong's father/son draft picks with the number of games played (bold still playing)...

1995 - S.Fletcher - 55
1997 - Scarlett - 184
1997 - Woolnough - 6
1998 - D.Clarke - 89
2001 - G.Ablett - 125
2002 - Callan - 15
2003 - Blake - 33
2004 - N.Ablett - 32
2006 - Hawkins - 9

plus there's Donohue who is yet to play, picked under the new system.

so that's 2 very good players playing, hopefully 3-4 with Hawkins and Blake, out of 9, and who knows with Donohue.

 

[JeffDunne]

I agree it should be scrapped.

It's a stupid rule that belongs in another time.

I can bet if Collingwood hadn't benefited from this rule Eddie would have been whinging as long and hard as he has on cap concessions.

 

[MacMum]

You would be happy to see the sons of the likes of Harvey, Bourke, Winmar, Reiwoldt, Loewe etc. play for another club???

 

[JeffDunne]

Wouldn't concern me at all.

 

[Duskfire]

Its just... tradition. I know that word is used alot but its true. Could you imagine the son of Hird playing for anyone other then Essendon, or the son of Richardson playing for Collingwood instead of Richmond? Its also good for the game. I remember how awesome it was to have Jnr playing around in the reserves just knowing one day he will be a Cat.

The thing is, F/S rarely makes all that much difference. Geelong were lucky that they have a few under their belt (although really onlt two of them could be considered actual stars in their own right.)

 

[giantroo]

Wouldn't concern me at all.

What a load of shit.

 

[JeffDunne]

What a load of shit.

Thanks for telling me what I think.

 

[Bomba Sheldon]

I would love to see it stay and would be diappointed to see it go. The sons of past players playing at the same club their dad did is great and a unique drafting methdo to Aussie Rules and should be kept.

 

[giantroo]

Thanks for telling me what I think.

No problems.

 

[JeffDunne]

I would love to see it stay and would be diappointed to see it go. The sons of past players playing at the same club their dad did is great and a unique drafting methdo to Aussie Rules and should be kept.

I understand why people like it but if we are using that as the justification why not allow brothers to play together? Why limit it to games played? Some of the greatest players to have played the game wouldn't qualify because they wouldn't meet the games criteria.

Kids these days aren't developed by the clubs. That's why we have a draft. Why should some clubs get benefical treatment even if it's luck that determines which clubs get that benefit? (if you look at the numbers of players that qualify as 'fathers' it's probaby not even luck)

In the past 3 seasons, 2 of the #1 picks could have gone F/S if they had chose to or the AFL's criteria was marginally different. That's potentially a massive compromise to the drafting process. Some would include Hawkins in that mix too.

If you believe in what the draft is designed to achieve then you must accept the F/S is a rule that undermines it. I agree the changes have reduced its impact but it still comprmises the drafting process.