The mother-son rule in the AFL

[GC2015]

This will inevitably happen but I'm curious to find out people's thoughts on what is fair in regards to mother-son eligibility at future AFL drafts. Currently, a female player only needs to have had a father who played a single VFL/AFL game for a club to be eligible to become a father-daughter pick and we've already seen this rule in action with Abbey McKay (Carlton), Millie Brown (Geelong) and Isabella Grant (Bulldogs) being selected via father-daughter picks over the last two years. But what is fair in the men's draft for the son of an AFLW player?

I'll just put forward the most logical answer and that is a AFL draftee's father needs to have played at least 100 VFL/AFL games to be eligible which would take 4.5 home and away seasons to achieve if you assume the player doesn't take part in finals. The women currently play 8 home and away rounds per year which means an AFLW player could play a total of 36 games after 4.5 years in the league. I imagine the AFL will want a nice round number for this ruling so they will probably favour 30 games for the one club IMO. Do you guys think 30 games would be a fair number for a potential mother-son draftee to be eligible at the AFL draft?

I'm not sure if any AFLW players have hit the 30 game mark for a single club yet. Perhaps some of the Brisbane or Adelaide players would be getting close with their early dominance in the league.

 

[WeMissYouMarkCoughlan]

Can’t be a fair rule until there are 18 AFLW sides

 

[GC2015]

Can’t be a fair rule until there are 18 AFLW sides

It'll probably be an 18-team league by the time the first eligible player comes through but even if it isn't, I doubt the AFL will prevent it from happening.

 

[Topkent]

Shouldn't be a rule untill anyone gives a stuff about the W. Couldn't give a rats if we get the son of a female player.

Also isn't 18 teams yet.

 

[swiftdog]

Shouldn't be a rule untill anyone gives a stuff about the W. Couldn't give a rats if we get the son of a female player.

Also isn't 18 teams yet.

Plenty of people give a stuff about AFLW.

 

[Topkent]

Plenty of people give a stuff about AFLW.

No where near as many as the fans like to claim though.

 

[Monkey King]

Urgh!

The father-daughter rule is stupid IMO. AFLW is not the same competition as AFL. Recruiting on a parental basis only makes sense if it's into the same league that the parent played in. Carlton once had a soccer team, can we father-son those players now too? Contrived nonsense, the AFL's speciality.

 

[RonnieRaven]

The whole buzz of father son is the son maybe as good as the father
I’m yet to see a AFLw player that makes me want there son on my list

 

[Present Not Past]

Mother-daughter rule for AFLW keeps it simple.

 

[GC2015]

The whole buzz of father son is the son maybe as good as the father
I’m yet to see a AFLw player that makes me want there son on my list

I'm sure many teams would be interested in recruiting Erin Phillips' son. She comes from great footballing stock with her father being a champion footballer for Port Adelaide and Collingwood. Her brother-in-law also happens to be Shaun Burgoyne. She also happens to be an Olympic silver medalist herself who played basketball at the highest level for 10+ years... so there's that, too.

 

[RonnieRaven]

I'm sure many teams would be interesting in recruiting Erin Phillips' son. She comes from great footballing stock with her father being a champion footballer for Port Adelaide and Collingwood. Her brother-in-law also happens to be Shaun Burgoyne.

You’ve hit the nail on the head you’ve mentioned the lineage to greats of Aussie rules.
I would be interested in erins son if she had never kicked a footy.
The above names mentioned coupled with her Amazing basketball career says good odds the son will be worth a shot.

 

[Quivorir]

I think Collingwood have, or had the potential of singing a Father-Daughter for this AFLW season didn't they?

 

[tiger_tough]

I don't like it. They're different comps. Mother-daughter rule and father-son rule. Keep it at that.

 

[tiger_tough]

I think Collingwood have, or had the potential of singing a Father-Daughter for this AFLW season didn't they?

Geelong had one.

 

[Godchin]

women ruin everything

 

[And_ROOS]

Shouldn't be a rule untill anyone gives a stuff about the W. Couldn't give a rats if we get the son of a female player.

Also isn't 18 teams yet.

You say that, but what if Daisy Pearce has a son who is the next Judd or Ablett. Tell me then you would give a rats getting them for a low pick.

 

[HotSausage69]

I'm sure many teams would be interesting in recruiting Erin Phillips' son. She comes from great footballing stock with her father being a champion footballer for Port Adelaide and Collingwood. Her brother-in-law also happens to be Shaun Burgoyne. She also happens to be an Olympic silver medalist herself who played basketball at the highest level for 10+ years... so there's that, too.

This might sound completely stupid, maybe I'm a couple cents short of a dollar, but can someone please explain to me how Erin Phillips brother in law is Shaun Burgoyne if she's married to a female American basketballer? Am I missing something?

 

[HotSausage69]

This might sound completely stupid, maybe I'm a couple cents short of a dollar, but can someone please explain to me how Erin Phillips brother in law is Shaun Burgoyne if she's married to a female American basketballer? Am I missing something?

Ok, just found out her sister is married to him, didn't realise brother in law extended to siblings partners too.... Still, not sure how that has any relevance to her own childrens potential footballing abilities. Unless they're over at their Aunt and Uncles house everyday playing kick to kick

 

[Topkent]

You say that, but what if Daisy Pearce has a son who is the next Judd or Ablett. Tell me then you would give a rats getting them for a low pick.

I'd also love a rule that says anyone who batracked for your side as a kid would play for you aswell cause then we would have had Judd, Pendles, Buddy and Gaff.
But that's not really the point is it.

 

[Jen2310]

I think Collingwood have, or had the potential of singing a Father-Daughter for this AFLW season didn't they?

Next season. Tarni Brown (Daughter of Gavin, Sister to Tyler and Callum) is eligible for this coming draft. She's also has been training with the AFLW squad over the pre-season.

 

[Bigger]

The whole buzz of father son is the son maybe as good as the father
I’m yet to see a AFLw player that makes me want there son on my list

Ronnie, mate, take another squizzy at Kiara Bowers doing her work in the purple. She's a freak.

Here's the thing. It's well enough known that having a competitive mother is such a reliable signifier of success that in the NFL, for example, the first thing recruiters do is ask what the kid's mum got up to in the sporting world.

 

[Post padding]

I'm sure many teams would be interesting in recruiting Erin Phillips' son. She comes from great footballing stock with her father being a champion footballer for Port Adelaide and Collingwood. Her brother-in-law also happens to be Shaun Burgoyne. She also happens to be an Olympic silver medalist herself who played basketball at the highest level for 10+ years... so there's that, too.

I don’t want to start a s**t fight but.

Genetically speaking. Erin’s kids don’t have any of Erin’s DNA, so yes Erin has Elite sporting genes but her kids don’t have those genes.

It’s opens up a complete new can of worms too.

Has there ever been a Father - Son draft pick up when the father isn’t the genetic dad

 

[Rusty Brookes]

Mother and Son rule, hey?

Arthur! I say Arthur!

 

[Power Raid]

With the new system implemented to reduce the advantage of the father-son rule, there is no reason why we can't have grandfather-son, mother-son, uncle-son rule.

 

[BronCrow]

Shouldn't be a rule untill anyone gives a stuff about the W. Couldn't give a rats if we get the son of a female player.

Also isn't 18 teams yet.

If they are a potential top 5 draft pick you will