Opinion The National Draft... is not really a National Draft?

[JT_the_Man]

I like the changes they are bringing in with the NGAs and academies next year, which essentially mean that you only get priority access to those kids if they get past pick 40 or so.

Keep father-son, it’s one of the truly unique things to our game.

 

[Slysh]

I like the changes they are bringing in with the NGAs and academies next year, which essentially mean that you only get priority access to those kids if they get past pick 40 or so.

Keep father-son, it’s one of the truly unique things to our game.

But it defeats the purpose of equalisation doesn't it?

Imagine Richmond were to have a clear number 1 pick coming through as a father son next year and the Crows win the spoon again

Winning the spoon two years in a row and not picking the kid rated the best in the Country either year as they both go to top 8 teams.

Obviously this is a very extreme example but we either want a Draft to equalise the teams or we don't.

 

[JT_the_Man]

But it defeats the purpose of equalisation doesn't it?

Imagine Richmond were to have a clear number 1 pick coming through as a father son next year and the Crows win the spoon again

Winning the spoon two years in a row and not picking the kid rated the best in the Country either year as they both go to top 8 teams.

Obviously this is a very extreme example but we either want a Draft to equalise the teams or we don't.

Next year the Pies have Nick Daicos who appears to be fairly highly rated.

If he ends up being the number 1 rated prospect, would you really have a problem with him going to Collingwood? Because I don’t. It’s a lot different to the JUH situation, which won’t happen anymore.

 

[Slysh]

Next year the Pies have Nick Daicos who appears to be fairly highly rated.

If he ends up being the number 1 rated prospect, would you really have a problem with him going to Collingwood? Because I don’t. It’s a lot different to the JUH situation, which won’t happen anymore.

Well i wouldn't have a huge problem with it but again what if the Crows win the spoon again just to not have access to the best kid in the Draft?

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Father son bidding system like currently in place. Remove all other ties to NGAs Academies.

 

[juss]

Option 3 for me,
I think current concessions need a review, I'm not a big fan of any clubs having academy benefits, but I am a fan of the father son romance, if there needs to be changes to even that up a little in terms of the bidding requirements then so be it.

 

[SunshineBoy]

What’s your thoughts on a team like Richmond for arguments sake, who happened to be Premiers the year they recruited a top end talent like Tom Lynch for nix via free agency?

The AFL have made this mess, anyone who believe’s they’re not taking advantage is kidding themselves.

similar to a to- team like Sydney getting Franklin on the back of cola, but hey let’s make it about Richmond, we can also go on about the cats and The GOAT Patrick dangerfield etc etc etc

 

[BarbieITFC]

My two cents:

- NGA and Academies are important concepts for grass roots development, but I agree with the direction the AFL is taking to block bids in the first two rounds. However, clubs need some compensation for the investment they put into these players in the years before the draft. Maybe if your player gets picked then you get the next pick?? It's the same as the English academy model where clubs have to pay a transfer fee for a player from your academy - even if they are out of contract.

- Father/Son is a nice quirk of our game and I like it. What I didn't like is (on the rare occasion) that a player is eligible for two teams they get to nominate one team over the other; i.e. Rioli with Richmond this year.

- I think newly drafted players should be given a three year contract and told that if they want to nominate for the draft then they will go where they are picked. Clubs should back themselves in that three years gives them enough time to sell the club. Most 21/22 year olds have done a lot of growing up since being an 18 year old and the petulant 18 year old 'I won't move interstater' is quite likely to become the more mature 21 year old 'I'm moving into a new house with my interstate girlfriend'.

 

[Dancing Dougy]

similar to a to- team like Sydney getting Franklin on the back of cola, but hey let’s make it about Richmond, we can also go on about the cats and The GOAT Patrick dangerfield etc etc etc

Completely agree, chose Richmond as OP was a Tiges supporter, but your examples are all equally valid.

 

[00Stinger]

Keep father/son rules, despite its flaws I like the family tradition carrying on

I dont mind the Northern academies for the time being especially with GWS and GC not having any access to father/sons yet. Once they establish themselves and they start getting father/sons remove it

The NGA's seems a bit ridiculous when you have Victorian clubs nabbing kids from Victoria. Although to be fair I don't really know how the rule totally works

 

[sprockets]

If you're good enough to win the premiership you should be rewarded with first pick and so on down the line. It's called incentive and much like higher team getting the 'home' game in finals. The current system is at odds with itself. Do away with everything else.

 

[RUNVS]

If you're good enough to win the premiership you should be rewarded with first pick and so on down the line. It's called incentive and much like higher team getting the 'home' game in finals. The current system is at odds with itself. Do away with everything else.

We have a system like that already and it is called capitalism. Giving the already well off all the advantages while the poor starve.

 

[sydney_gws]

I like F-S so keep that, and I think the 100 game qualification and matching bids smooths it out a bit. Academies and zones are the real issue, and IIRC the draft came about so that players weren’t tied to clubs based on where they lived, or moved to.

I agree northern academies need changing. 20% discount is too much. Make it 5% for a first round, 10% for second round and later.
Only allow 3 picks to be used for points for each pick, if that isn't sufficient then the 5% discount gets set to 0%, two picks get used to match and next year's first is adjusted for the rest of the points. For nga academies, no matching in rounds1,2.

 

[Freomaniac]

Have zero draft at all and just go the NRL route of youth set ups

Yep and watch the Brisbane Broncos make the finals each year then.

 

[Tbonefreo]

FA has been a disaster

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Yep and watch the Brisbane Broncos make the finals each year then.

If you are irrelevant and s**t, that will be your own fault

 

[juss]

My two cents:

- NGA and Academies are important concepts for grass roots development, but I agree with the direction the AFL is taking to block bids in the first two rounds. However, clubs need some compensation for the investment they put into these players in the years before the draft. Maybe if your player gets picked then you get the next pick?? It's the same as the English academy model where clubs have to pay a transfer fee for a player from your academy - even if they are out of contract.

- Father/Son is a nice quirk of our game and I like it. What I didn't like is (on the rare occasion) that a player is eligible for two teams they get to nominate one team over the other; i.e. Rioli with Richmond this year.

- I think newly drafted players should be given a three year contract and told that if they want to nominate for the draft then they will go where they are picked. Clubs should back themselves in that three years gives them enough time to sell the club. Most 21/22 year olds have done a lot of growing up since being an 18 year old and the petulant 18 year old 'I won't move interstater' is quite likely to become the more mature 21 year old 'I'm moving into a new house with my interstate girlfriend'.

Agree on pretty much everything.
Love father son but great point you probably can't pick between eligible clubs. FS seems to come up less than academy picks too.

In regards to academy picks, I'd scrap them altogether, but scrapping them for the first round or two is essential. Its far less impactful when someone gets a cheap pick 40, vs when they get the best player in the draft that we saw this year.

And 3 year rookie contracts? Definitely, this is fair for both club and player.

 

[Big Crow]

Contrived draft system for a contrived league. The AFL gets the outcomes it wants.

 

[Rotayjay]

These compromises defeat the purpose of a draft really - basically a regression to zones which pushed the VFL into uncompetitive EPL territory. Equalisation has been a success up to now, because almost every club has played in a preliminary final since the late 1980s. (In my view, reaching a prelim is a good proxy for equal opportunity because lining up in a prelim is just two wins from a flag).

Yet now they're stuffing around with that proven equalisation formula, bringing in free agency and these private veggie gardens where you can grow players who no one else can touch.

 

[AstonSouffle]

All they need to do tighten the NGA criteria so that players that probably don't make it via traditional pathways can now make it - therefore encouraging clubs to invest in programs and areas that otherwise would be overlooked.

For example Freo this year with Brandon Walker? I've umpired that kid a million times - I thought he was brilliant then and lo and behold he's been drafted. Pretty sure it's a pisstake that Freo got to match for him. Freo helped but I'm sure he'd have been drafted going down traditional pathways anyway.

Northern Academies don't need as strict rules - long term if northern teams have good local talent then slowly every team will be able to draft home grown from their state at high quality. Then people can quit banging on about the talent pool being so thin.

 

[Rad Roo]

What are some of the anti tempring measurements like deliberate below par performance...

 

[Kwality]

What’s your thoughts on a team like Richmond for arguments sake, who happened to be Premiers the year they recruited a top end talent like Tom Lynch for nix via free agency?

The AFL have made this mess, anyone who believe’s they’re not taking advantage is kidding themselves.

So the AFL is taking advantage or just clubs other than your own?

We all know the draft limits the rights of workers & if challenged legally would fail.

 

[Kwality]

All they need to do tighten the NGA criteria so that players that probably don't make it via traditional pathways can now make it - therefore encouraging clubs to invest in programs and areas that otherwise would be overlooked.

For example Freo this year with Brandon Walker? I've umpired that kid a million times - I thought he was brilliant then and lo and behold he's been drafted. Pretty sure it's a pisstake that Freo got to match for him. Freo helped but I'm sure he'd have been drafted going down traditional pathways anyway.

Northern Academies don't need as strict rules - long term if northern teams have good local talent then slowly every team will be able to draft home grown from their state at high quality. Then people can quit banging on about the talent pool being so thin.

Freo helped but I'm sure he'd have been drafted going down traditional pathways anyway.

It is only a matter of time before 5-6 outstanding NGA Noongar boys come through together & Freo & the Eagles exercise their rights.
The squeals out of Melbourne will be long & loud with development done by the WAFL clubs.

We need to develop the talent - its been a while since talent like Cameron Green rejected AFL footy for the real money of international cricket.

 

[Kwality]

Bad example, every team in the league had the same chance to convince him to go to their club. He chose Richmond.

Players often choose to go home for a premiership or a big bag of gold, preferably both. See Paddy Cripps in 2021.

 

[Kwality]

Next year the Pies have Nick Daicos who appears to be fairly highly rated.

If he ends up being the number 1 rated prospect, would you really have a problem with him going to Collingwood? Because I don’t. It’s a lot different to the JUH situation, which won’t happen anymore.

Did you deliberately not understand the OPs point? You did you know!