St Kilda complain about priority draft access in Oct 2024; now set to gain priority access to a first / second round pick via their NGA access

[Andronicus]

Is there another Ashcroft brother coming through? It's crazy how much talent the Lions/Suns are getting eventually there needs to be another half dozen teams in Queensland to level out the talent.

While I agree, the complaint coming from the fan of another franchise is a bit rich.

 

[LeBronco]

While I agree, the complaint coming from the fan of another franchise is a bit rich.

The club I support has had privileges removed by the AFL because Victorians hate NSW and feared we'd become too strong. Swans had privileges removed for the same reason.

 

[wannabewinner]

Wow.... Fincher bid at pick 52.

Gold Coast academy players picks 2, 5, 17, 18 and 46.

Says it all.

 

[jdstorm]

Wow.... Fincher bid at pick 52.

Gold Coast academy players picks 2, 5, 17, 18 and 46.

Says it all.

It says the talent level of the comp improves when teams are incentivised to develop talented kids from early ages.

More teams having academies would actually reduce this issue as you’d see the whole top 30 coming from academies and there would be more variety of teams in the mix

 

[StevoJenkins]

Is there another Ashcroft brother coming through? It's crazy how much talent the Lions/Suns are getting eventually there needs to be another half dozen teams in Queensland to level out the talent.

Do you ever get tired of spewing the same anti-QLD rubbish you post in every thread on the main board? The academy stuff in this thread includes your club too you genius.

And given you once claimed that Daniher was a Brisbane father-son, you probably shouldn't be chiming in on this one, given the title of the thread and all.

The club I support has had privileges removed by the AFL because Victorians hate NSW and feared we'd become too strong. Swans had privileges removed for the same reason.

I guess you don't have an academy - the same as Queensland and the Swans... Oh wait, you do.

 

[projectv]

Still waiting for the OP to amend the title of this thread to say "priority access to a late third rounder via their NGA access".

Truly a scandal.

 

[GC2015]

Still waiting for the OP to amend the title of this thread to say "priority access to a late third rounder via their NGA access".

Truly a scandal.

It's not my title, mate. It was the Fox Footy article that's linked in the OP. Literally the first sentence of the article still reads:

"St Kilda is set to secure Next Generation Academy access to a first-round draft talent, despite having been vocal about the inequities of the academies."

If you can get Fox Footy to amend their title then I'm happy to follow suit. Otherwise, the OP serves as a reflection of what Fox Footy was reporting back then and hasn't been amended because that's not how the news works.

 

[Mat Mann]

The club I support has had privileges removed by the AFL because Victorians hate NSW and feared we'd become too strong. Swans had privileges removed for the same reason.

You had an academy region that had been playing AFL for 40 years prior to GWS becoming a thing. I played against them in the 80's

 

[LeBronco]

Do you ever get tired of spewing the same anti-QLD rubbish you post in every thread on the main board? The academy stuff in this thread includes your club too you genius.

I'm just sick and tired of Victorians and their continual arse licking of Queensland while my club has had privileges removed by the AFL. Not just that but both the Giants/Swans have been screwed by umpires in finals while the Lions/Suns have received very favourable umpiring in finals. It all comes down to Victorians loving Queensland and hating NSW.

And given you once claimed that Daniher was a Brisbane father-son, you probably shouldn't be chiming in on this one, given the title of the thread and all.

Daniher was a father son selection from the 2012 draft same year Jack Viney was drafted.

I guess you don't have an academy - the same as Queensland and the Swans... Oh wait, you do.

Our academy hardly produces anything when compared to the truck loads of talent coming out of Lions/Suns academy zones.

 

[projectv]

It's not my title, mate. It was the Fox Footy article that's linked in the OP. Literally the first sentence of the article still reads:

"St Kilda is set to secure Next Generation Academy access to a first-round draft talent, despite having been vocal about the inequities of the academies."

If you can get Fox Footy to amend their title then I'm happy to follow suit. Otherwise, the OP serves as a reflection of what Fox Footy was reporting back then and hasn't been amended because that's not how the news works.

Ah right so you also are unable to amend the thread title to say that it's incorrect and just misinformation, because it suits your position? Got it.

 

[GC2015]

Ah right so you also are unable to amend the thread title to say that it's incorrect and just misinformation, because it suits your position? Got it.

No, I'm choosing not to change it because it will remove the historical context that comes with the premise of this thread and unless the publisher wants to update their report, I don't see the need for it to change here. The thread was created with the information reported in June 2025 and the first 30 odd pages of this thread also occurred in June 2025. So changing it now would be doing those posters an injustice as well.

There would be thousands of threads created on this forum that are now inaccurate because we know more information. I'm sure you've also had posts on this forum that reference/state information from 6+ months ago that became inaccurate later when further information became available, but I highly doubt anyone is demanding that you edit those old posts.

Let the past be the past.

 

[jumperfan]

No, I'm choosing not to change it because it will remove the historical context that comes with the premise of this thread and unless the publisher wants to update their report, I don't see the need for it to change here. The thread was created with the information reported in June 2025 and the first 30 odd pages of this thread also occurred in June 2025. So changing it now would be doing those posters an injustice as well.

There would be thousands of threads created on this forum that are now inaccurate because we know more information. I'm sure you've also had posts on this forum that reference/state information from 6+ months ago that became inaccurate later when further information became available, but I highly doubt anyone is demanding that you edit those old posts.

Let the past be the past.

lol get off your high horse. We all know what you were trying to do, at least have the balls to admit it.

 

[jwikked]

No, I'm choosing not to change it because it will remove the historical context that comes with the premise of this thread and unless the publisher wants to update their report, I don't see the need for it to change here. The thread was created with the information reported in June 2025 and the first 30 odd pages of this thread also occurred in June 2025. So changing it now would be doing those posters an injustice as well.

There would be thousands of threads created on this forum that are now inaccurate because we know more information. I'm sure you've also had posts on this forum that reference/state information from 6+ months ago that became inaccurate later when further information became available, but I highly doubt anyone is demanding that you edit those old posts.

Let the past be the past.

Imagine a Gold Coast Suns supporter being interested in the past. Do they think the past is 2019?

 

[littlecreatures]

No, I'm choosing not to change it because it will remove the historical context that comes with the premise of this thread and unless the publisher wants to update their report, I don't see the need for it to change here. The thread was created with the information reported in June 2025 and the first 30 odd pages of this thread also occurred in June 2025. So changing it now would be doing those posters an injustice as well.

There would be thousands of threads created on this forum that are now inaccurate because we know more information. I'm sure you've also had posts on this forum that reference/state information from 6+ months ago that became inaccurate later when further information became available, but I highly doubt anyone is demanding that you edit those old posts.

Let the past be the past.

Historical context is very important — no one knows that better than St Kilda supporters. We’ve been preserving 60-year-old memories longer than anyone.

But accuracy matters too. Ideally we aim for both, not one at the expense of the other.

Something the rest of us non-Northern clubs are reminded of by about pick 10 — which, these days, turns out to be around pick 20 after Gold Coast have finished collecting their third or fourth first rounder for the night and Brisbane have another Norm Smith medalist

 

[StevoJenkins]

I'm just sick and tired of Victorians and their continual arse licking of Queensland while my club has had privileges removed by the AFL. Not just that but both the Giants/Swans have been screwed by umpires in finals while the Lions/Suns have received very favourable umpiring in finals. It all comes down to Victorians loving Queensland and hating NSW.

Who at AFL house is licking the boots? Again, I'll quote exactly what I said to you last time here. Maybe actually respond to it this time:

Spoiler: Post

Sydney and GWS don't seem to be affected too much by the loss of COLA. They are still recruiting players from other clubs, whilst drafting talent from within. Sydney literally just landed a Coleman medalist without an issue.

Sydney and GWS have still made the finals multiple times over the past decade, with both Teams reaching the granny, and Sydney managing the one cup, whilst still getting the same benefits of every other northern team. In fact (I may be misremembering these so apologies if this is inaccurate) I remember the AFL making public statements for old Stephen to stay at GWS.

It doesn't get much more preferential in terms of treatment than that. I don't remember any comments from AFL house about players leaving Gold Coast or Brisbane.



So you're making an assumption and using that to justify something that hasn't happened yet? Again, they've made one final in their history after receiving a softish draw in 2025. I don't think you can jump to that conclusion without at least another year or two to see what happens.

What happens if they miss the finals next year with a harder draw? Would you still say that they are set to dominate for future years? Then if they didn't make finals the year after? Where would you draw the line there?

And it's not like GWS haven't had their time. 2019 and 2024 were genuine chances that didn't come to pass.



It's also been a long time since SA, North Melbourne, St Kilda, the Bombers and Freo have won any silverware. What's your point? Looking at the lack of premierships and going "thing is not fair"?

Sure, Brisbane have won two cups in three attempts, and Gold Coast made a final (I don't see how this is a big deal for you), but that's how the game goes sometimes.

Sydney has had multiple chances at winning the cup and lost all bar 1 in the past 15 years. They lost to the Dogs, Farmlong and my team. It's not the fault of Queensland that they couldn't get over the bar the other two times.

GWS has made one granny six years ago (and arguably shouldn't have been there) and got humbled by one of the best teams of all time. That's not the fault of Queensland.

And also, what's this about umpiring? Geelong won the free kick count in the 2025 GF. We only won the free kick count by 3 in 2024. Please explain?

Daniher was a father son selection from the 2012 draft same year Jack Viney was drafted.

That's not what you said here:

Spoiler: Post

Brisbane's 2024 premiership spine:

FB: Harris Andrews (academy)
CHB: Jack Payne (academy)
C: Will Ashcroft (father son)
CHF: Joe Daniher (father son)
FF: Eric Hipwood (academy)

Quite handy to have exclusive access to talent of this calibre. If only the AFL didn't take away our Riverina zone...

Our academy hardly produces anything when compared to the truck loads of talent coming out of Lions/Suns academy zones.

I don't get what's the problem here? Are you saying that when the GWS academy starts producing big talent that I'll be able to spew the same garbage you do?

 

[LeBronco]

Who at AFL house is licking the boots? Again, I'll quote exactly what I said to you last time here. Maybe actually respond to it this time:

I responded to that post earlier today check the thread and Andrew Dillon loves Queensland typical Victorian.

And also, what's this about umpiring? Geelong won the free kick count in the 2025 GF. We only won the free kick count by 3 in 2024. Please explain?

Geelong supporters pointed out umpiring going against their club in the 2024 preliminary final and 2025 grand final have a read through the autopsy threads on their board. They also complained about Brisbane having unfair advantages over them from both father son and academies.

That's not what you said here:

Joe Daniher father son drafted in 2012. Not sure what part of that post of mine was incorrect?

I don't get what's the problem here? Are you saying that when the GWS academy starts producing big talent that I'll be able to spew the same garbage you do?

I want the game to grow in NSW but the rivalry between Victoria and NSW is holding back growth. Sydney is Australia's most important city and growing the game there needs to be a priority.

 

[GC2015]

lol get off your high horse. We all know what you were trying to do, at least have the balls to admit it.

Admit what? Do you think I'm the unnamed author of the Fox Footy article from June 2025? I'll take it as a compliment, but I can assure you that I didn't write the article. If you want it to be edited, then you'll have to get in contact with the media team at Fox Sports Australia.

Imagine a Gold Coast Suns supporter being interested in the past. Do they think the past is 2019?

Bizarre response considering the article was written in June 2025...

Historical context is very important — no one knows that better than St Kilda supporters. We’ve been preserving 60-year-old memories longer than anyone.

But accuracy matters too. Ideally we aim for both, not one at the expense of the other.

Something the rest of us non-Northern clubs are reminded of by about pick 10 — which, these days, turns out to be around pick 20 after Gold Coast have finished collecting their third or fourth first rounder for the night and Brisbane have another Norm Smith medalist

We have both. The historical context is the article and this thread being created in June 2025. At that point in time, the journalist felt Fincher was a first round pick because he had two really strong games for Vic Metro and Brighton Grammar. The OP reflects the author's opinion at the time.

And now we have the accuracy in November 2025, which tells us that Fincher was bid on by Richmond with pick 52 and the Saints elected to match that bid. Here's an article for that, too. All Saints fans should be happy that their academy was able to develop one of their juniors into an AFL player. Congrats

 

[jumperfan]

Admit what? Do you think I'm the unnamed author of the Fox Footy article from June 2025? I'll take it as a compliment, but I can assure you that I didn't write the article. If you want it to be edited, then you'll have to get in contact with the media team at Fox Sports Australia.

Admit that you posted an obvious ragebait article on this website with the goal of painting St Kilda as hypocrites to distract from St Kilda pointing out the obvious issues with the draft that your club has benefited greatly from (and that you full well know are unfair). Anyone with half a brain could've read the other 20 draft articles released around then which had Fincher nowhere near the first round, or could've asked the numerous draft watchers of BigFooty where they thought he would go (hint - not the first round, and they were right), but instead you've made yourself out to be a complete fool by admitting that you were sucked in by an incredibly obvious ragebait article.

 

[GC2015]

Admit that you posted an obvious ragebait article on this website with the goal of painting St Kilda as hypocrites to distract from St Kilda pointing out the obvious issues with the draft that your club has benefited greatly from (and that you full well know are unfair). Anyone with half a brain could've read the other 20 draft articles released around then which had Fincher nowhere near the first round, or could've asked the numerous draft watchers of BigFooty where they thought he would go (hint - not the first round, and they were right), but instead you've made yourself out to be a complete fool by admitting that you were sucked in by an incredibly obvious ragebait article.

It wasn't just one article/author. Go back and read the article linked in the OP or have a look at these quotes attributed to Jon Ralph from a Fox Footy broadcast:

Fellow Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph then explained that the Saints were about to benefit directly from the system they’ve spoken out so vehemently against.

“They’re about to secure a nice little draft windfall. Kye Fincher, he’s a Vic Metro half-back,” Ralph told Midweek Tackle.

“He’s NGA-eligible ... his mum was on a work secondment as a veterinarian in Hong Kong and conceived him and gave birth to him.

“St Kilda is fighting a very good fight on the academies, and I can understand why — there’s a lot of silly types of situations like this.

“This is an academy program that should be for multicultural or for Indigenous prospects — not for blokes who were born overseas and then came straight back into the traditional pathway.

“Some believe he’s a late first-rounder (or) early second-rounder.”

So both the article author and Jon Ralph were suggesting that Fincher was considered by some to be a late first/early second round prospect at the time and Ralph went as far as to say it on the Midweek Tackle broadcast. Are you going to hound Jon Ralph until he admits he was wrong about Fincher and shouldn't be sharing 'ragebait' information on a Fox Footy broadcast or do you accept that what he said in June isn't really relevant to what we found out in November?

 

[StevoJenkins]

I responded to that post earlier today check the thread and Andrew Dillon loves Queensland typical Victorian.

Nice bro, took you two weeks to respond. I have a feeling you only responded because my post here. I'll have a look in 2 business weeks, same as you.

Geelong supporters pointed out umpiring going against their club in the 2024 preliminary final and 2025 grand final have a read through the autopsy threads on their board. They also complained about Brisbane having unfair advantages over them from both father son and academies.

Yeah cool, don't care on what the Geelong boys have to say about it, the free kick count doesn't lie. Of course disingenuous actors, like yourself, and the Geelong board were going to have an issue with it.

At half time Geelong were 10-15 free kicks up, something was afoot, but it wasn't Brisbane get the good end of the stick. The argument can be made that the AFL tried to get Geelong the win as opposed to what you are claiming with Brisbane (although both arguments in this case would be ridiculously stupid). Please do some research instead of spouting whatever conspiracy theories out whatever come into your head.

Joe Daniher father son drafted in 2012. Not sure what part of that post of mine was incorrect?

Read that post again mate. There's a clear implication there that you thought Daniher was a Brisbane father son. Give it another read and come back. Nice that you're trying to cover your arse now after not clarifying or responding to anyone.

I want the game to grow in NSW but the rivalry between Victoria and NSW is holding back growth. Sydney is Australia's most important city and growing the game there needs to be a priority.

What are you on about? This rivalry of yours doesn't exist, this is a sport based around a game. Taking away COLA and shrinking an academy zone isn't a "rivalry" getting in the way. COLA was really stupid to begin with, as a fan of a club who got it, and the academy rules change all the time. Look at the discount rates, literally changes every 5 minutes. You can use the Victorian zones as an example of zones that get switched around/get bigger or shrunk all the time.

I'll leave my opinions on Sydney being the "most important city" for another day, as that is completely subjective and, given the amount of people fleeing north to my state, there's an arugment to be made against that. Not doing that here though. For another time on another thread.

 

[jdstorm]

ok lets take 2023 when you got 4 academy kids, I know the Suns did a lot of dealing, but it's what they actually handed over to acquire these players is the issue.

the Suns sold pick 4 to the Dogs for 3 1st round picks 10, 17 and a future 1st, and the year after that Carlton gave up Matt Owies, picks 12, 14 and 73 (part of a 3 way trade) for pick 3. Melbourne got pick 9 for 28 40 46 54 65 and future 1st (likely top 5 pick), also to a club looking for points over picks.


suns got below
No.3 Jed Walter - used picks 26, 30 and 32, gaining 58 and 87
No.9 Ethan Read - used picks 34, 38 and 48, gaining 49
No.14 Jake Rogers - used picks 42, 47 and 49, gaining 65
No.26 Will Graham - used picks 47 and 51, gaining 69

Nobody is selling pick 3 for 26,30, and 32, nobody
Daicos and Ashcroft were pick 4 and 5, both attained for 4 picks in the 40's

That's the cost issue. normally clubs pay overs to move up the draft positions. Academies, NGA and FS always have clubs moving in the opposite direction, making it a double blow as you will always sell high, then there's the discount, WHY????? What rationale is there for a discount?

as I said, happy for the academies to continue, but to get a top 3 pick, the cost needs to be appropriate to trade value, not an arbitrary points scale that doesn't reflect the reality of trading up to those positions.

The goal posts aren't changing; the issue still is the picks handed over. Darcy went at pick 2, paid for with 34, 42, 43, 44, 45. Absolutely nobody does that deal outside of the clubs chasing points over picks. Maybe if Dogs hand over pick 10 and 14, then more clubs might accept it. It's a dual economy that has little correlation.

yes the points curve is changing this year, but it doesn't move a lot, Daicos would be picks in the 30's instead of the 40's, still doesn't stop this dual economy from existing

Firstly I want to say I agree with 90% of what your saying about costs being very out of wack and needing to be much higher then they currently are.

Being able to trade your existing picks for more points is so blatantly breaking the system it would be a day 1 patch if it were a video game.

I don’t think fully taking into account what clubs would be willing to trade top picks for is helpful as clubs often have unreasonable demands for trading up into the pointy end of the draft hoping to leverage a high pick for “overs”

When that doesn’t represent the average or median outcome for that picks expected career. It’s teams trying to get other clubs to pay for a possible best case scenario.

 

[Atomboy]

It wasn't just one article/author. Go back and read the article linked in the OP or have a look at these quotes attributed to Jon Ralph from a Fox Footy broadcast:


So both the article author and Jon Ralph were suggesting that Fincher was considered by some to be a late first/early second round prospect at the time and Ralph went as far as to say it on the Midweek Tackle broadcast. Are you going to hound Jon Ralph until he admits he was wrong about Fincher and shouldn't be sharing 'ragebait' information on a Fox Footy broadcast or do you accept that what he said in June isn't really relevant to what we found out in November?

“Some believe”.

Basically Jon Ralph and you ?.

 

[Mat Mann]

was never ranked anywhere inside the top 30 all year, picked at 52, Jon Ralph, renowned talet spotter

 

[Elixuh]

It is curious that the saints whinge about a system they benefit from. You’d think they’d refuse to take any nga talent if they were so disgusted by academies. It’s a sad world we live in.

 

[GC2015]

“Some believe”.

Basically Jon Ralph and you ?.

If you want to perceive it that way. I think what really happened was some members of the media like Jon Ralph noticed Fincher could be a bolter in this year's draft after several strong performances for Vic Metro, Sandringham and Brighton Grammar in May/June. If you get named in the bests for Vic Metro in the first game of the national championships like Fincher did, then people are going to take notice and explore the possibility of you being a first round pick. That's when Ralph and co jumped on to share the story about St Kilda having NGA access to a potential first round pick.

If that form had continued, then I'd say it's very likely Fincher would have been bid on with a first round pick. We now know the form didn't continue and there wasn't much hype around Fincher from July onwards because he was no longer performing at a high level. The same thing happened to Collingwood's F/S prospect Tom McGuane, who had a great bottom age season and was seen as a very likely first round pick this year, but didn't even end up getting drafted at all. These things happen and you can only base your opinion on the information you have available at the time.