Draft mechanisms under review

[Swanssince91]

The current argument is about favourable recruiting conditions for Vic teams helping them win flags. Tomahawk would have been pick 1 but he wasn't a factor in 2007 and 2009 flags. In 2011 he was a fringe player who had a good GF against an injured opponent with a big limp. He did play a massive role in 2022 though.

Nathan Ablett barely played any junior footy at a decent level - he wouldn't have been drafted if he wasn't son of God. Gary probably would have been, but not early.

I still thing clubs would've taken a punt on Ablett early

 

[Caligo]

Nathan Ablett barely played any junior footy at a decent level - he wouldn't have been drafted if he wasn't son of God. Gary probably would have been, but not early.

He played a heap of juniors and was widely believed to be one of the best talls seen in years. He just skipped TAC. He was a top 3 pick at least if you had faith he actually wanted to play, and the only way to know that would have been actually interviewing him.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Hawkins only real contribution to those flags was a ripping GF in 2011

But this is looking at it the wrong way. It's the availability of Selwood, not Hawkins that was the difference maker. The pick 7 used to draft Selwood would have been swallowed up in either the bidding or the points system for Hawkins - that's the advantage gained here.

 

[Caligo]

But this is looking at it the wrong way. It's the availability of Selwood, not Hawkins that was the difference maker. The pick 7 used to draft Selwood would have been swallowed up in either the bidding or the points system for Hawkins - that's the advantage gained here.

It is also a massive underestimating of Hawkins

 

[Tas]

I agree Geelong has a bigger benefit as players like Hawkins and Dangerfield have been paid unders for years and they get a lot of Geelong Falcon's players returning to Geelong.

But I think the reason all of Geelong, Hawthorn and Richmond were able to win those three premierships instead of just one or two is because they were able to top up far more easily than non-Victorian clubs can, either with trades or free agency.

There is a reason Lynch picked Richmond, and it was because they were from Victoria and they were a team likely to win a premiership.

Richmond weren't exactly star pulling outside their successful period. To a certain extent, certain types of players chase success, it doesn't alway pan out, ie Buckley to Collingwood.

I am of the opinion it is easier to make finals as a non-Victorian team, harder to make the GF/win flag as you most likely will need to finish top 2 to have a good crack at it.

With 10 home games with an advantage, 2 semi-neutral and 10 on the road it is just much easier to sneak into the bottom half of the top 8, most sides aren't good enough to overcome the home ground advantage and you just have to beat up on a few cellar dwellers on the road and you are playing finals.

To secure enough wins to have a shot at a home PF you have to consistently be good on the road and that means the ability to beat good teams on the road when you are at a disadvantage. That is a lot harder to achieve.

Geelong has an advantage because it is a mechaa for regional players, I think the rest just comes down to probability. If you are a Victorian who was drafted interstate and want to return home, who are you going to head to? A side that is struggling or one that looks like it could be successful or successful again. You don't really have the same luxury when you have two options. If you are from SA and a ruckman and Port already have a good ruckman then your options are Crows oro the SANFL, so to a certain extent the non-Victorian football heartland states might not have as many players in the system as Victoria, but when one wants to go home you only have to be a better option than one other club.

 

[sr36]

But this is looking at it the wrong way. It's the availability of Selwood, not Hawkins that was the difference maker. The pick 7 used to draft Selwood would have been swallowed up in either the bidding or the points system for Hawkins - that's the advantage gained here.

That's the Vic club complaint. "It's not fair, Cats got Hawkins too cheaply." The SA and WA complaint is that "It's not fair, they get father sons and we never do."
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