Opinion It's Time For The Whole Draft System To Be Reviewed & Repaired

[Johnny Bananas]

The lack of major cities compared to America, the barassi line, the quantity of melbournian teams and victorian drafted players. Not to mention the drafted players are high school kids susceptible to homesickness

But without a draft, wouldn't all the Victorian kids just sign with Victorian clubs? We'd just go back to the days where the Sydney Swans were a basket case because the best talent wouldn't willingly go there.

 

[GC2015]

You don't seem to be quite so dogmatic about the father/son rule? Wonder why?

You think it's got anything to do with Carlton having a F/S prospect that's predicted to be the no.2 pick in next year's draft? Surely not considering the OP was advocating so heavily for the draft to be less compromised...

 

[JPetro83]

The reset button for the AFL needs to be pressed. its a huge mess from top to the bottom. from the rule book, Umpiring, the game, the draft.

 

[Cleric]

The lack of major cities compared to America, the barassi line, the quantity of melbournian teams and victorian drafted players. Not to mention the drafted players are high school kids susceptible to homesickness

The other issue is that in the US a first year draftee in the NBA or NFL is getting contracts in the multiple millions a year minimum, while in AFL they get 100k. It's alot easier to move interstate if you are a millionaire.

 

[Atomboy]

How about this. If you want an even competition, then move the grand final away from the MCG and travel interstate every 2 weeks. If not, piss off. You have your rort, we have ours.

There’s only 6 interstate teams, how are Vic clubs meant to travel every second week ?. That only takes us to Round 12 !.

Saints travel 5 times in the first 12 rounds fwiw.

 

[Joffaboy]

I've been saying for awhile that the WA & SA clubs should have first dibs on local talent it's not 1985 with loaded talent pools anymore, and seriously things like Victorian clubs being able to take metro indigenous lads from their academies while not allowing it for SA & WA clubs is absurd.

This is a fact. We took Lance Collard from WCE NGA. Should not let it happen.
WA and SA should have first choice on their talent.
Victoria can also be zoned by location. Happy for Saints to have bayside and Sandy Dragons.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Have said it before but state-based drafting is the way to go.

Let the clubs / state bodies control their academies and development and they reap the rewards.

First pick from the state goes to the lower ranked club and then they take turns.

Vic has 10 clubs but produces half the draftees anyway.

3 picks each club (30 in Vic, 6 in each of WA, SA, NSW/ACT and Qld/NT).

Anybody after those 54 players goes into an all-in rookie draft to go to any club nationally.

 

[Bostonian]

The NGA is a joke of a system.

Like Geelong have an NGA prospect that both parents are Australian but because the kid was born overseas they qualify as NGA.

Bloody ridiculous.

 

[Sheepey]

I have never understood why academies are run by AFL clubs and not the AFL governing body responsible for that region like AFL Queensland and AFL NSW/ACT. Why is the responsibility of an AFL club to boost participation in Australian Rules Football, and not the custodians of the game itself? Sure, the responsible regional governing body could collaborate with the AFL clubs to enable young talent to participate in AFL training sessions and access AFL-level facilities, but it makes no sense for me for it be solely run by the clubs themselves.

 

[Saints43]

MSN

I think most people would agree with this article, the academy rort has gone way to far now.

Time to strip it back and make it as even as possible for all clubs in the southern states.

And Bartel is right in that academies are necessary for the time being in QLD & NSW whilst the code grows and expands.

Go back and have a look at your take on Andrew Bassats speech around the draft compromises at the time.

Crapping on about Saints players having daughters. Simpleton.

Glad Bartel could explain it for you eight months later.

 

[GenericUsername202]

I have never understood why academies are run by AFL clubs and not the AFL governing body responsible for that region like AFL Queensland and AFL NSW/ACT. Why is the responsibility of an AFL club to boost participation in Australian Rules Football, and not the custodians of the game itself? Sure, the responsible regional governing body could collaborate with the AFL clubs to enable young talent to participate in AFL training sessions and access AFL-level facilities, but it makes no sense for me for it be solely run by the clubs themselves.

Because the AFL are run by idiots who would only screw it up if they ran the academies up here. btw, another top 5 draft pick coming our way this season. Hopefully on draft night, the camera pans to victorian clubs when we trade pick 48,51,52,55,61,63,64 for a pick 3 in the draft. Especially on the Saints. I know they seethe more than most other clubs do over our academies.

 

[giantsully]

I have never understood why academies are run by AFL clubs and not the AFL governing body responsible for that region like AFL Queensland and AFL NSW/ACT. Why is the responsibility of an AFL club to boost participation in Australian Rules Football, and not the custodians of the game itself? Sure, the responsible regional governing body could collaborate with the AFL clubs to enable young talent to participate in AFL training sessions and access AFL-level facilities, but it makes no sense for me for it be solely run by the clubs themselves.

You've never understood because you've never bothered to do the minimal research required to find out what happened when the AFL ran these academies in the past.

 

[iameviljez]

There's no reason for a national draft, even disregarding academies and father-sons. It's an american concept which doesn't translate at all to australia due to completely different demographics.

The reason for a national draft is the experience of what happens when you don't have a national draft in a professional game.

 

[iameviljez]

The lack of major cities compared to America, the barassi line, the quantity of melbournian teams and victorian drafted players. Not to mention the drafted players are high school kids susceptible to homesickness

The lack of major cities - 73% of Australia lives in a city (it's closer to 80% in the USA). It's not worlds apart.

Everything else is a really good reason to have a draft IMO - without it, the Northern clubs (and Tassie) would be screwed.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Have said it before but state-based drafting is the way to go.

Let the clubs / state bodies control their academies and development and they reap the rewards.

First pick from the state goes to the lower ranked club and then they take turns.

Vic has 10 clubs but produces half the draftees anyway.

3 picks each club (30 in Vic, 6 in each of WA, SA, NSW/ACT and Qld/NT).

Anybody after those 54 players goes into an all-in rookie draft to go to any club nationally.

Why even bother with a draft at that point? Just go to the NRL system where anyone can sign anyone, only limited by the salary cap. Some players have no desire to stay in their home state.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I have never understood why academies are run by AFL clubs and not the AFL governing body responsible for that region like AFL Queensland and AFL NSW/ACT. Why is the responsibility of an AFL club to boost participation in Australian Rules Football, and not the custodians of the game itself? Sure, the responsible regional governing body could collaborate with the AFL clubs to enable young talent to participate in AFL training sessions and access AFL-level facilities, but it makes no sense for me for it be solely run by the clubs themselves.

I agree. My club benefits from an academy but really they shouldn't be running it, they should be solely focused on winning premierships. The AFL refuses to get off their backsides and do it themselves, or through their regional offices, instead outsourcing it to the clubs. While this is in place, I'm happy for my club to profit from it, but none of it should be their responsibility.

 

[Saints43]

Because the AFL are run by idiots who would only screw it up if they ran the academies up here. btw, another top 5 draft pick coming our way this season. Hopefully on draft night, the camera pans to victorian clubs when we trade pick 48,51,52,55,61,63,64 for a pick 3 in the draft. Especially on the Saints. I know they seethe more than most other clubs do over our academies.

It's good that you can articulate what a joke of a system it is.
I think the St Kilda board are advocating for a league where opportunity is equalised as much as possible so that ladder position can be a meritocracy. It's probably not that crazy an idea.

 

[GenericUsername202]

It's good that you can articulate what a joke of a system it is.
I think the St Kilda board are advocating for a league where opportunity is equalised as much as possible so that ladder position can be a meritocracy. It's probably not that crazy an idea.

The whole AFL system is a joke. Big clubs have an advantage over smaller vic clubs. Interstate clubs have to travel a lot more. and Northern clubs have to do that as well as battle other issues. Yes, this is an advantage, but do you know how many advantages collingwood has? It's an unequal comp and it always will be

 

[Scotland]

But without a draft, wouldn't all the Victorian kids just sign with Victorian clubs?

Is that what happens in other sports? It's a uniquely AFL thing to take a census on every club's list.

I support WC but also other WA teams that aren't Freo. Western Force have 17 players that have played international rugby. Only one of them is from WA and the overall squad has 3 or 4 WA players. Perth Glory have half a dozen or so WA players. Perth Wildcats don't have a full roster as it is the off season but only have one WA player (who emigrated from Sudan as a kid).

If the AFL had proper player movement rules and a proper salary cap the landscape would be very different. Last year the LA Lakers had LeBron James and Anthony Davis, two of the top 15 players based on the selected All NBA teams. Now after an infamous trade they have LeBron James and Luka Doncic, two of the same top 15 players. But they don't have Anthony Davis. The rules don't allow you to just keep adding players who would like to go there.

We'd just go back to the days where the Sydney Swans were a basket case because the best talent wouldn't willingly go there.

The Sydney Swans were fine before they ever drafted Heeney and Mills. Sydney haven't been a basket case since the early to mid 90s. We're talking about an era with Fitzroy in the comp, no Freo/Port/GC/GWS, Hawthorn such a powerhouse they were trying to merge with Melbourne, games still played at the Western Oval, Princes Park, Victoria Park etc.

Sydney made B2B GFs 20 years ago with Jason Ball, Barry Hall, Paul Williams, Darren Jolly, Ted Richards. Stuart Maxfield unlucky after playing there so long. Then they made GFs in 2012, 2014, 2016 with Rhyce Shaw, Marty Mattner, Shane Mumford, Josh Kennedy, Kurt Tippett and some guy called Lance Franklin. That's a whole lot of players actively wanting to go play footy in Sydney for the Swans.

 

[kaiserchief13]

How about this. If you want an even competition, then move the grand final away from the MCG and travel interstate every 2 weeks. If not, piss off. You have your rort, we have ours.

Yeah because SA and WA clubs get the same thing right?

 

[LordLucifer]

Go back and have a look at your take on Andrew Bassats speech around the draft compromises at the time.

Crapping on about Saints players having daughters. Simpleton.

Glad Bartel could explain it for you eight months later.

Former GWS board member Jimmy Bartel believes academies are necessary in Sydney and Queensland to draw talent to the game.

This 'simpleton' can clearly understand that part, obviously you can't.

 

[Scotland]

Jimmy Bartel thinks the bidding system is 'almost there'.

 

[LordLucifer]

Jimmy Bartel thinks the bidding system is 'almost there'.

"I think we need academies because it's flushing out some really good talent, but I think we all agree it needs to be fair value for the player at the draft. We have to get the bidding system right. It's heading in the right direction," Bartel said.

 

[werdna78]

Yeah because SA and WA clubs get the same thing right?

IMO WA & SA should have academies too.

WA teams should have an extra home game to make up for all the flying they do.

Players should still be able to win the Brownlow even if they get suspended - missing games will hurt them anyway.

Part of what makes the AFL so interesting is the disparities between the clubs. There is always something to talk about.

 

[Scotland]

Sorry, "heading in the right direction".

Yep glad we have spent a decade of first round picks going to 4 clubs to iron out the bugs.