Opinion Should the team ask for a Priority Pick 2025 edition.

[ziad]

This is an interesting point that I think some in the biz already recognise.
I remember hearing Hutchinson mentioning that there is basically no more money in broadcast rights that the AFL can squeeze. And that they shouldn't expect the same amounts that come in as a given going forward.
They will need to find other sources of revenue, which with the money from the broadcast deals basically bankrolling the league, will be hard to account for.
Or they need to seriously strip back. See AFLW.

Its a real issue. Fox Sports new UK owners have a business model that focuses on Global product. They didnt bid on the IPL as it was for UK only broadcasting. They may offer the AFL a world audience for what that is worth for a domestic only product, but the reality is the NRL is far better placed to benefit.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

The thing that confuses me is the ‘you won a flag seven years ago’ argument, which seems to imply that we need to be patient before we’re successful again.

And what exactly is the cut-off for a flag being recent vs not?
Carlton haven't won a flag in 30 years, but its more recent than St Kilda's last flag 60 years ago.

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

And what exactly is the cut-off for a flag being recent vs not?
Carlton haven't won a flag in 30 years, but its more recent than St Kilda's last flag 60 years ago.

Well Brisbane got assistance 13 years after a threepeat (12 after playing in a gf) so you'd think we should already be past any hypothetical cut off.

 

[Broken_Chairs]

Seeing as they are all in on the draft not being compromised, only complicated

I really like that between Pyke & Mini our messaging that the draft is compromised is so consistent.

The media is saying it, the club is saying it - everyone sees it. It's quite a combative approach on an AFL position and I'm not used to seeing it from us, but I love it.

Might as well stand up for ourselves. The AFL wouldn't give us shite left to their own devices.

 

[Boohemian]

The rhetoric on this is frustrating. I heard Glen Quartermain on Sports Talk say that we shouldn't receive a priority pick because the draft is already compromised enough as it is. A priority pick for a team as historically shithouse as we have been over a four year period carries far more merit than the freebies the Northern Academies receive, and the F/s as well.

If we're talking about equity - help the shit clubs, don't give the reigning access to one of the best midfielders in this crop. The hysteria around the PP is completely out of whack.

Why are we trying to pretend that this is an equitable competition - it's not. Why is it an issue when it comes to West Coast?

 

[ziad]

The rhetoric on this is frustrating. I heard Glen Quartermain on Sports Talk say that we shouldn't receive a priority pick because the draft is already compromised enough as it is. A priority pick for a team as historically shithouse as we have been over a four year period carries far more merit than the freebies the Northern Academies receive, and the F/s as well.

If we're talking about equity - help the shit clubs, don't give the reigning access to one of the best midfielders in this crop. The hysteria around the PP is completely out of whack.

Why are we trying to pretend that this is an equitable competition - it's not. Why is it an issue when it comes to West Coast?

The first mistake is listening to media morons

 

[Dark Sharks]

I realise we "Got ourselves into this mess..." By losing 4 players to concussion retirements.. with 2 of them being AA in their position and another being a first round draft pick.

Also it's hard to "get ourselves out of it..." When the draft is totally compromised and our second rounder ends up being 30+ this year.

Just like it was 2 years ago when we drafted Harley and didn't get to pick again until Archer Reid at pick 30 to kick-off the second round.



Something the casuals on social media, and even worse the actual Vic media enjoy ignoring as they claim we're being "rewarded". Righto, because the last 4 years has been so enjoyable for WCE supporters.

 

[ghostbat12]

discussion on priorities will die down over the next 3 weeks.

expect 100pt flogging by adelaide
70 point flogging by dogs (because they can't kick straight)
traditional 100pt flogging against swans. I know they are shite but heeney will not be stopped.

then it will be about how many priorities to get.

 

[Broken_Chairs]

The thing that confuses me is the ‘you won a flag seven years ago’ argument, which seems to imply that we need to be patient before we’re successful again.

But priority picks aren’t there to kickstart teams to their next flag; they are there to ensure the league is competitive and compelling.

There’s been so much discourse this year about the lopsided nature of the league, and we’ve been a problem for years. I haven’t run the numbers but I bet a team or two will make the finals this year simply because they got a chance to beat up on us twice.

The AFL should (will) be thinking about the ‘product’ privately whilst making us earn it publicly. I’m confident they will give us picks to trade for mature bodies.

Meanwhile, exactly 7 years before NM got their first PP assistance in 2022 they were playing back-to-back preliminary finals (2014 & 2015).

I get a prelim isn't a flag, but it's about as close as you can get and shows NM were successful.

Brisbane got a PP in 2016 13 years after they won THREE back-to-back flags & 12 years after they lost a GF. 13 years isn't 7 years, but 3 flags is sure as shit more than 1 flag.

So what's the issue with our eligibility really about?

 

[ghostbat12]

And what exactly is the cut-off for a flag being recent vs not?
Carlton haven't won a flag in 30 years, but its more recent than St Kilda's last flag 60 years ago.

Envy drives a lot of the rhetoric.

they link teams that had PP with flags and think automatically it achieves one. Id prefer to have an easier way of getting players out of contract. Make all Uncontracted players are restricted free agents from top 8 as unrestricted for bottom 2 teams.

idiots in media want to have it both ways. they want us to trade picks for players but then 5mins later criticise splitting and "just take them to draft".

envy. and hope if you say enough shite, some of it will make sense and stick

 

[Broken_Chairs]

Honestly, if we're going to have a PP mechanism, then the old PP system was better where it was automatically handed to teams after x years of poor performance.

No one remembers or cares about the PPs handed out under that system, loads of clubs benefited. If "tanking" for PPs was an actual issue, then extend the timeframe for eligibility out. No one wants to be dogshit for 3+ years, no one wants to be in our position.

This requirement for clubs apply and the AFL consider at their discretion, using some secret herbs and spices mix relying heavily on "the vibe" is ridiculous.

 

[oak79]

The rhetoric on this is frustrating. I heard Glen Quartermain on Sports Talk say that we shouldn't receive a priority pick because the draft is already compromised enough as it is. A priority pick for a team as historically shithouse as we have been over a four year period carries far more merit than the freebies the Northern Academies receive, and the F/s as well.

If we're talking about equity - help the shit clubs, don't give the reigning access to one of the best midfielders in this crop. The hysteria around the PP is completely out of whack.

Why are we trying to pretend that this is an equitable competition - it's not. Why is it an issue when it comes to West Coast?

This makes me so angry

The compromised draft is EXACTLY why crap teams need PPs !

It's currently compromised resulting in high finishing teams often getting the best players in the draft - which pushes the crap teams back, and makes rebuilding from draft even harder.

I'm actually anti-PPs - but only if the draft was fair - which it's not. So PPs are unfortunately required to make up for it.

If you want to do away with PP then:
1. Scrap FA compo
2. FS / NA picks require an 1st round pick (bid before drafts, use next available pick)
3. Round 2 then guaranteed to start at pick 19
4*. No PPs

Also scrap / lift soft cap.

 

[Broken_Chairs]

This makes me so angry

The compromised draft is EXACTLY why crap teams need PPs !

It's currently compromised resulting in high finishing teams often getting the best players in the draft - which pushes the crap teams back, and makes rebuilding from draft even harder.

I'm actually anti-PPs - but only if the draft was fair - which it's not. So PPs are unfortunately required to make up for it.

If you want to do away with PP then:
1. Scrap FA compo
2. FS / NA picks require an 1st round pick (bid before drafts, use next available pick)
3. Round 2 then guaranteed to start at pick 19
4*. No PPs

Also scrap / lift soft cap.

Agree - hate PPs, and i get why everyone else hates PPs. It just ****s with their teams drafting.

I don't think the AFL will want to touch the Northern Academies. They are doing a great job at expanding and growing the game in NRL heartland states. The fact we have such talent coming out of NSW & QLD is amazing.

But it's been at the expense of talent development in other states - WA & SA in particular. To grow the game and quality talent, the AFL should establish and run these academies in every state and allow all clubs equal access to the talent it generates via the draft (not linked to any one club)

 

[twce13]

Better yet get rid of FS and NGA completely , FS is just a romantic amateurish rule. If your gonna base list equalisation on the draft then don’t compromise it at all

 

[Donkers]

The AFL can simply provide priority picks and say from this moment forward no team will receive an assistance package until they have won a maximum of 11 wins over 4 seasons.

Now for almost any other club it would kill them to be that bad for that period.

 

[whatis]

Agree - hate PPs, and i get why everyone else hates PPs. It just ****s with their teams drafting.

I don't think the AFL will want to touch the Northern Academies. They are doing a great job at expanding and growing the game in NRL heartland states. The fact we have such talent coming out of NSW & QLD is amazing.

But it's been at the expense of talent development in other states - WA & SA in particular. To grow the game and quality talent, the AFL should establish and run these academies in every state and allow all clubs equal access to the talent it generates via the draft (not linked to any one club)

I don't think it's that amazing. Step 1: Guarantee the clubs priority reward for their investment. Step 2: With access to a population that is almost double, triple the size of WA? Can't be hard to find a few athletes every year.

How many consecutive years now have there been academy prospects rated in the top 10-20? It's only going to happen more. They are essentially buying players outside the draft, outside the salary cap. It's a production line.

 

[Broken_Chairs]

I don't think it's that amazing. Step 1: Guarantee the clubs priority reward for their investment. Step 2: With access to a population that is almost double, triple the size of WA? Can't be hard to find a few athletes every year.

How many consecutive years now have there been academy prospects rated in the top 10-20? It's only going to happen more. They are essentially buying players outside the draft, outside the salary cap. It's a production line.

Oh agree - It's not amazing for us or for clubs that don't get access to those players. But I can see why the AFL values it from a "growing the sport" perspective in those regions.

And I think what we're seeing from the focus on development in those regions is that WA is being left behind. Let's not forget about heartland AFL states and build similar academies here.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

I don't think the AFL will want to touch the Northern Academies. They are doing a great job at expanding and growing the game in NRL heartland states. The fact we have such talent coming out of NSW & QLD is amazing.

The problem is that this talent coming out of NSW and QLD is available exclusively for the NSW and QLD teams. These teams then also have access to the open pool of players developed elsewhere.

Imagine GC trades for our 2nd pick, as some on here want. They would effectively get to draft 3 top 5 picks all the while pushing for a top 4 H&A finish.

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

Taking the stance of "we can't give you an assistance package because the draft is compromised already" is exactly as head****ed as you expect from the media. It's like telling a bloke who's been stabbed that you won't give him any bandages because he's bleeding and will get them dirty. Like yes campaigner I know I'm bleeding, that's why I ****ing need them!

 

[southcoast]

That team is probably Freo (making the 8).

Crows will lock in top 2 due to belting us twice.

Add GWS to the discussion - they and Freo are the mid-table sides, still working out final placings in the 8 who doubled up against us.

GWS belted us both times and Freo 'easily' so the lopsided draw does impact the season.

Crows healthy percentage (likely to get boosted this weekend) may also be critical in final placings.

Melbourne and Tigers the others.

 

[Bradis]

Won't happen but would be pretty funny if the assistance package was a pick at the end of the first round and open access to any players with 1st round picks for West Coast (No option to match NGA or Father Son's for West Coast Selections).

Would increase value of our end of first round pick and really change the dynamic of the trade period pre-draft

 

[southcoast]

Honestly, if we're going to have a PP mechanism, then the old PP system was better where it was automatically handed to teams after x years of poor performance.

This change was a knee-jerk reaction too.

Again, the VFL fails by not having clear guidelines to determine PP (or much else for that matter)

Sit down - work out clear criteria, communicate it widely and the debate is removed from the table (until a Vic team gets adversely affected)

 

[Citizen Erazed]

Is the academy or the pick points system the problem? The ability to have 7 terrible picks equate to enough points to get the best player in the draft pool is stupid.

If you have 3 round 1 pick equivalent players in one draft from your academy, cool, you are using your 2025, 2026 and 2027 first round picks to get them. Then in years they have no-one coming through, they don't have a first rounder. Same for 2nd round etc. I know they trade first rounders away currently, but often just this years for a selection of picks. Take their bloody future picks off them too.

 

[DorothyG]

I have no major issues with academies in principle. They are a way of clubs promoting and being active in the developmental area. It gives a reason for, say, WC to actually identify and develop local kids. And even better, to help kids from underprivileged/under represented backgrounds that wouldn't normally get a shot.

But there needs to be one set of rules for all. Not what we have now. We all remember Saints swooping in and taking Collard right before us, while we sat with our dick in our hand as we could do nothing about it. All the while GC had already taken 3 of there Academy kids.

I feel like a really quick and easy partial solution would be, you can only jump the que once.
Be it FS, Academy, NGA or whatever, you can only do it once per draft. So if you have a couple of kids you want to draft, too bad, you need to compromise on the one you want most

 

[Coasters7]

Is the academy or the pick points system the problem? The ability to have 7 terrible picks equate to enough points to get the best player in the draft pool is stupid.

If you have 3 round 1 pick equivalent players in one draft from your academy, cool, you are using your 2025, 2026 and 2027 first round picks to get them. Then in years they have no-one coming through, they don't have a first rounder. Same for 2nd round etc. I know they trade first rounders away currently, but often just this years for a selection of picks. Take their bloody future picks off them too.

Yeah having priority access isn’t really the main issue. It’s the not paying proper value for them that causes the problems.

All good for GC to have 2 top 5 picks this year, but like you say, that should mean they pay up for it and be hamstrung for next year, where other academy prospects may slip through and be available because GC can’t match bids.

Having it be so easy to match the bids is what’s cooking the system because they just come back to the well again next year for another handful of top end picks after stocking up with picks in the 40s this year. It’s a self sustaining system.