- Jul 22, 2013
- 18,822
- 27,489
- AFL Club
- Carlton
tl;dr those '15 players no other sides were permitted to recruit' were the dregs of what was left of the WAFL after it was already pillaged by the Victorian clubs. West Coast got lucky in that talent identification and drafting was poor back in the 1980s and we were left with relatively unknown youngsters which happened to be quite a talented bunch.
How very West Australian revisionism.
Has there ever been another footy side, ever, with 10 State of Origin players in it? Half of them coming from "the dregs", and the other half brought back from Victorian clubs under a concession allowing one contracted ex-WAFL player per vic club to be pinched by WC.
And then we can add a five year ban on the rest of the league drafting (from memory the top 4?) WA low age players each year. Plus a generous "father son" fairy tale on top of that.
After year one normal access for WC to the national draft and trades.
Experienced stars from day one, plus the best youth for years after, plus access to top up role players from elsewhere. Who'd have thought that could ever work?