Were West Coast really a 'state team' in the early 90s?

[kranky al]

In 1991 WA smashed Victoria 127 -51 with 15 of the WA squad being eagles players.

I don't know how anyone can argue that's not being a state team. That's a huge advantage over the other clubs where the state players are spread out evenly.

Ben Allan Guy McKenna Earl Spalding
Ashley McIntosh Glen Jakovich Dwayne Lamb
Peter Matera Mark Bairstow Chris Mainwaring
Nicky Winmar Craig Starcevich Brett Heady
Darren Bewick Peter Sumich Allen Jakovich
Paul Harding Craig Turley Don Pyke
Chris Waterman, Dean Kemp, Karl Langdon, Scott Watters

Gothrough and look at say for instance what pick we got norm smith medallist dean kemp at.

How many teams passed him over how many times


But yeah we were gifted a state team.

 

[Jako Darling]

Have a read up on how the conditions were for the inaugral eagles team. Woosha has said that they trained on any local ground they had access to and used a van as their change rooms.

Apparently a player had slide into a random star picket in the ground and was lucky not to die. Hardly gifted as much as what people think.

 

[Scotland]

Finally an admission from your good self, Scotland.

You still have nfi. Cool.

 

[Forward Press]

In 1991 WA smashed Victoria 127 -51 with 15 of the WA squad being eagles players.

I don't know how anyone can argue that's not being a state team. That's a huge advantage over the other clubs where the state players are spread out evenly.

Ben Allan Guy McKenna Earl Spalding
Ashley McIntosh Glen Jakovich Dwayne Lamb
Peter Matera Mark Bairstow Chris Mainwaring
Nicky Winmar Craig Starcevich Brett Heady
Darren Bewick Peter Sumich Allen Jakovich
Paul Harding Craig Turley Don Pyke
Chris Waterman, Dean Kemp, Karl Langdon, Scott Watters

Coincidentally, 15 is the number of AFL players allowed to play WAFL finals. So now I think about, it's quite ironic that eagles fans denigrate Peel winning a WAFL premiership with a team of AFL players when they won their first two AFL premierships with a team of state players against club teams.

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/was-the-inaugural-wce-team-a-state-team.974638/#post-25809764

Also great to see the giant chip on your shoulder that still exists in any post you make about the Eagles.

 

[footyfan1978]

My guess is the jealousy from our SA friend is because the likes of Donald Dickie, Bowen Lockwood, Paul Evans, Darryl Poole, Adam Kingsley, Wade Kingsley, Tom Carr, Nigel Fiegert, Stephen Carter , Jarrod Cotton, Mark Conway, and Jason Dylan just never were even in same talent region of the likes of the Worsfold, Chris Lewis, Sumich, McKenna, Mainwairing, Don Pyke, Craig Turley, Scott Watters, Adrian Barich, Michael Brennan, Dean Laidley, Dwayne Lamb, Darren Bennett, Zanotti and Murray Wrensted when they were building their team in first couple of years. Eagles got started in a time of wealth of youth coming through in WA. It could have been far worse and Port get the same crap start up Brisbane Bears got of complete scraps.

 

[mightymouse75]

Well done to west coast winning 2 premiership in a 12 team league. But a state team it was.
Dont mean shit where you train or get chAnged, if you've got the best talent you are more than likely to come out on top.

 

[footyfan1978]

Well done to west coast winning 2 premiership in a 12 team league. But a state team it was.

14 team league when they joined with the Bears.
A state team would have had the likes of Winmar, Bairstow, Spalding, Bewick, Wilson, Christian, Dennis etc.
It was approaching WA state level in early 90's is probably a better description.

 

[Matchu]

In 1991 WA smashed Victoria 127 -51 with 15 of the WA squad being eagles players.

I don't know how anyone can argue that's not being a state team. That's a huge advantage over the other clubs where the state players are spread out evenly.

Ben Allan Guy McKenna Earl Spalding
Ashley McIntosh Glen Jakovich Dwayne Lamb
Peter Matera Mark Bairstow Chris Mainwaring
Nicky Winmar Craig Starcevich Brett Heady
Darren Bewick Peter Sumich Allen Jakovich
Paul Harding Craig Turley Don Pyke
Chris Waterman, Dean Kemp, Karl Langdon, Scott Watters

To put that in full context, Hawthorn was the team they faced in the '91 Grand Final and this was their breakdown of state players:

James Morrissey Chris Langford (VIC) Gary Ayres
Michael Tuck Chris Mew Ray Jencke (VIC)
Darrin Pritchard (TAS) Ben Allan Andrew Gowers
Paul Hudson (TAS) Dermott Brereton Tony Hall
Darren Jarman (SA) Jason Dunstall Paul Dear
Stephen Lawrence (QLD) Anthony Condon John Platten (SA)
Dean Anderson (VIC) Andrew Collins (VIC)

So the Premiers in '91 had 9 state players in the Grand Final winning team vs. West Coast's 15. Not only that, 3 of Hawthorn's 9 state players weren't playing for the big 3 in terms of state football so those teams would have been easier to make than the VIC/SA/WA teams.

It's not exactly surprising that West Coast would go on to win two of the next three Premierships with a team like that.

14 team league when they joined with the Bears.
A state team would have had the likes of Winmar, Bairstow, Spalding, Bewick, Wilson, Christian, Dennis etc.
It was approaching WA state level in early 90's is probably a better description.

Look at the title of the thread.

 

[boncer34]

To put that in full context, Hawthorn was the team they faced in the '91 Grand Final and this was their breakdown of state players:

James Morrissey Chris Langford (VIC) Gary Ayres
Michael Tuck Chris Mew Ray Jencke (VIC)
Darrin Pritchard (TAS) Ben Allan Andrew Gowers
Paul Hudson (TAS) Dermott Brereton Tony Hall
Darren Jarman (SA) Jason Dunstall Paul Dear
Stephen Lawrence (QLD) Anthony Condon John Platten (SA)
Dean Anderson (VIC) Andrew Collins (VIC)

So the Premiers in '91 had 9 state players in the Grand Final winning team vs. West Coast's 15. Not only that, 3 of Hawthorn's 9 state players weren't playing for the big 3 in terms of state football so those teams would have been easier to make than the VIC/SA/WA teams.

It's not exactly surprising that West Coast would go on to win two of the next three Premierships with a team like that.

Look at the title of the thread.

Bit disingenuous to exclude Dunstall. Even if he missed 1991, he was a regular SoO player and was around his peak years then.

 

[footyfan1978]

Look at the title of the thread.

Read what I recommended as the description.

 

[Bicco]

To put that in full context, Hawthorn was the team they faced in the '91 Grand Final and this was their breakdown of state players:

James Morrissey Chris Langford (VIC) Gary Ayres
Michael Tuck Chris Mew Ray Jencke (VIC)
Darrin Pritchard (TAS) Ben Allan Andrew Gowers
Paul Hudson (TAS) Dermott Brereton Tony Hall
Darren Jarman (SA) Jason Dunstall Paul Dear
Stephen Lawrence (QLD) Anthony Condon John Platten (SA)
Dean Anderson (VIC) Andrew Collins (VIC)

So the Premiers in '91 had 9 state players in the Grand Final winning team vs. West Coast's 15. Not only that, 3 of Hawthorn's 9 state players weren't playing for the big 3 in terms of state football so those teams would have been easier to make than the VIC/SA/WA teams.

It's not exactly surprising that West Coast would go on to win two of the next three Premierships with a team like that.

Look at the title of the thread.

Pretty reasonable analysis. Need to mention that David Hynes was a WC player in '94 and was a state SA player too.

 

[BK Eaglesfan]

Bit disingenuous to exclude Dunstall. Even if he missed 1991, he was a regular SoO player and was around his peak years then.

Bit disingenous to exlude Dunstall, Brereton (14 state games), Ayres (6 state games), Ben Allan (several games for W.A), Hall (20 games for SA according to Wiki though that seems high), Tuck (11 state games) and Mew (team of the century CHB and state rep).

No reasonable or fair minded Eagles support would deny we got concessions. But, several of the very best players in W.A were snaffled by Victorian clubs when the Eagles were born and several of the stars used in hindsight as support of how we were gifted a premiership squad forget how low some of those players were taken.

Honestly, I think we got a better deal than Fremantle when they entered and I understand Docker's supporters frustrations but this claim that we were handed a state team is a long way too far the other way from acknowledging that yes, we were given concessions.

 

[JackOutback]

Honestly, I think we got a better deal than Fremantle when they entered and I understand Docker's supporters frustrations but this claim that we were handed a state team is a long way too far the other way from acknowledging that yes, we were given concessions.

Fremantle got the worst entry concessions by a fair margin, followed closely by Port. This was probably in part because of how quickly West Coast and Adelaide were able to generate success. Maybe this is the reason so many fans of these clubs seem to be running the line that West Coast were gifted a state team. It's simply not true though when you dig down.

 

[kranky al]

Dean kemp - pick 117.

We had a good amount of players who retrospecively would have formed a large part of the state team true.

But picking up gems like that at 117 isnt “gifted”

Its astute drafting or blind good luck take your pick.

 

[Forward Press]

Bit disingenous to exlude Dunstall, Brereton (14 state games), Ayres (6 state games), Ben Allan (several games for W.A), Hall (20 games for SA according to Wiki though that seems high), Tuck (11 state games) and Mew (team of the century CHB and state rep).

No reasonable or fair minded Eagles support would deny we got concessions. But, several of the very best players in W.A were snaffled by Victorian clubs when the Eagles were born and several of the stars used in hindsight as support of how we were gifted a premiership squad forget how low some of those players were taken.

Honestly, I think we got a better deal than Fremantle when they entered and I understand Docker's supporters frustrations but this claim that we were handed a state team is a long way too far the other way from acknowledging that yes, we were given concessions.

We were an unexpected beneficiary of the predatory behaviour of the VFL clubs before our entry. They may have signed up the better WA players but the draft at the time was amateur at best and they thought that giving West Coast first access to the WAFL - after they already poached the good mature age ones - was an appropriate 'concession'. Barely bothered to scout leagues outside Victoria which proved a fatal flaw - the classic examples of Heady and Kemp being overlooked by every club in the draft. Sure, some returned like Peter Wilson but a lot like Spalding and Winmar never returned to WA.

Turns out that the Teal Cup winning squad had some seriously good players and that we had stumbled onto a recipe for prolonged success - a whole host of kids coming through at the same time mostly picked up from the draft. GWS before GWS.

The AFL and Vic clubs learnt its lesson when Freo started up and the draft was definitely becoming more professional by that time.

 

[Matchu]

Bit disingenuous to exclude Dunstall. Even if he missed 1991, he was a regular SoO player and was around his peak years then.

Bit disingenous to exlude Dunstall, Brereton (14 state games), Ayres (6 state games), Ben Allan (several games for W.A), Hall (20 games for SA according to Wiki though that seems high), Tuck (11 state games) and Mew (team of the century CHB and state rep).

No reasonable or fair minded Eagles support would deny we got concessions. But, several of the very best players in W.A were snaffled by Victorian clubs when the Eagles were born and several of the stars used in hindsight as support of how we were gifted a premiership squad forget how low some of those players were taken.

Honestly, I think we got a better deal than Fremantle when they entered and I understand Docker's supporters frustrations but this claim that we were handed a state team is a long way too far the other way from acknowledging that yes, we were given concessions.

I'm not sure the Vics picked their strongest possible team in '91 when you look at the names that were and weren't picked (Lockett kicked 127 goals that year and didn't play). So that would go both ways in terms of players that should have been selected from Hawthorn and Hawks players that wouldn't have made the strongest possible Vic team. A player like Jencke only played one year of state footy and that was in 1991 so it might be fair to assume he wouldn't have made that team if they were picking the best possible players. Also, a guy like Michael Tuck was in his last year of footy in 1991 while Chris Mew was in his second last year of footy. Both were probably very unlikely to get in ahead of a peaking KPD named Paul Roos. Don't forget, state teams were usually selected on form, not on what a player had done 5-10 years prior.

Maybe the 1991 All-Australian team will give us a better idea of form:

B: Guy McKenna (West Coast) Anthony Daniher (Essendon) Nigel Smart (Adelaide)
HB: David Grant (St Kilda) Paul Roos (Fitzroy) (Captain) Ken Hinkley (Geelong)
C: Chris Mainwaring (West Coast) Paul Couch (Geelong) Peter Matera (West Coast)
HF: Gavin Brown (Collingwood) Stewart Loewe (St Kilda) Nicky Winmar (St Kilda)
F: Tony Francis (Collingwood) Tony Lockett (St Kilda) Garry Hocking (Geelong)
Foll: Jim Stynes (Melbourne) Mark Bairstow (Geelong) Barry Mitchell (Sydney)
Int: Billy Brownless (Geelong) Craig Turley (West Coast)
Coach: Michael Malthouse (West Coast)

Four West Coast players made the All-Australian side in 1991 vs. zero Hawthorn players. Geelong was the only team to have more All-Australians than West Coast in 1991 with five. As for Dunstall, he would have obviously made the QLD team in 1991 if it was actually based on the player's true origin but that didn't happen until 1992 and of course Dunstall played for Queensland in 1992. However, would he have made the Victorian team in 1991? Lockett obviously gets selected before any other forward but, based on the AA team, you might be able to argue Dunstall would have missed selection for the Big V in 1991.

The point is, it's not quite as deceiving as you're making it out to be. West Coast had a young team filled with WA superstars (thanks to startup concessions) whereas Hawthorn were an older team in 1991 and were going to have many greats from the 80s retiring over the next few years. Also, Worsfold didn't play state football in 1991 so it's possible West Coast's participation number should be even higher.

 

[boncer34]

Yes but I didn't refer to the older stars.

I referred to Dunstall.

 

[footyfan1978]

Fremantle got the worst entry concessions by a fair margin

Total ignorance.
Brisbane Bears made what Fremantle got seem like luxury concessions.
Anybody saying Brisbane Bears did not have the worst entry concessions by far must have been mentally asleep or not around then.

 

[Scotland]

Well done to west coast winning 2 premiership in a 12 team league. But a state team it was.
Dont mean shit where you train or get chAnged, if you've got the best talent you are more than likely to come out on top.

West Coast won 0 premierships in a 12 team league.

 

[Matchu]

Fremantle got the worst entry concessions by a fair margin, followed closely by Port. This was probably in part because of how quickly West Coast and Adelaide were able to generate success. Maybe this is the reason so many fans of these clubs seem to be running the line that West Coast were gifted a state team. It's simply not true though when you dig down.

West Coast's entry concessions

• Access to six uncontracted VFL players in 1986.
• Exclusive access to WAFL players in 1986.
• Exclusive access to WAFL players in 1987.
• Five pre-draft picks to select WAFL players in 1988.
• Two pre-draft and three post-draft picks to select WAFL players in 1989.
• Two pre-draft picks to select WAFL players 1990.
  
• One pre-draft pick to select a WAFL player in 1991.
• Like every other club from 1992 onward.

Port Adelaide's entry concessions

• Access to five uncontracted AFL players in 1996.
• First four picks in the 1996 draft (Pushed back four places as compensation for uncontracted signings ie pick 1 became pick 5, 2 became 6 etc).
• Exclusive access to SANFL players in 1996.
• Like every other club from 1997 onward.

 

[iameviljez]

West Coast's entry concessions

• Access to six uncontracted VFL players in 1986.
• Exclusive access to WAFL players in 1986.
• Exclusive access to WAFL players in 1987.
• Five pre-draft picks to select WAFL players in 1988.
• Two pre-draft and three post-draft picks to select WAFL players in 1989.
• Two pre-draft picks to select WAFL players 1990.
  
• One pre-draft pick to select a WAFL player in 1991.
• Like every other club from 1992 onward.

Port Adelaide's entry concessions

• Access to five uncontracted AFL players in 1996.
• First four picks in the 1996 draft (Pushed back four places as compensation for uncontracted signings ie pick 1 became pick 5, 2 became 6 etc).
• Exclusive access to SANFL players in 1996.
• Like every other club from 1997 onward.

The other point to make with this, though, is that the WAFL in 1986 was most likely a stronger comp than the SANFL in 1996 - after all, the WA sides had just played - and won - some of the best state games of all time against the Vics, and by 1996, the Crows had already been taking good players from the SANFL for a few years.

That said, check out some of the zone selections they made - Harley, Tredrea, Francou, Eagleton, Lade, Burgoyne #1, Dew, James, Wilson, Biglands...

 

[Matchu]

Yes but I didn't refer to the older stars.

I referred to Dunstall.

Fair call, mate. I'll give you Dunstall (even though the '91 AA team doesn't reflect the theory). Takes Hawthorn to 10 state players in 1991 vs. West Coast's 15 (which didn't include John Worsfold who was also a regular SoO player).

Dean kemp - pick 117.

We had a good amount of players who retrospecively would have formed a large part of the state team true.

But picking up gems like that at 117 isnt “gifted”

Its astute drafting or blind good luck take your pick.

"Gifted" is interesting terminology. I would say a concession is being gifted something you didn't necessarily earn. Therefore...

Just so it's absolutely clear and all the facts are on the table, the Eagles were given exclusive access to WAFL players at the 1986 and 1987 drafts. I won't list every player from the initial 1986 squad because there's too many but I'll list the notable players from 1986 and then I'll list all concessions from 1987 onwards:

1986
Michael Brennan - East Fremantle (179 games for the Eagles)
Dwayne Lamb - Subiaco (151 games for the Eagles)
Chris Lewis - Claremont (215 games for the Eagles)
Chris Mainwaring East Fremantle - (201 games for the Eagles)
John Worsfold - South Fremantle (209 games for the Eagles)

• Players in bold played over 100 games for the Eagles.

1987
Kevin Caton - Swan Districts (1 game for the Eagles)
Joe Cormack - Swan Districts (1 game for the Eagles)
Brent Hutton - Swan Districts (13 games for the Eagles)
Karl Langdon - Subiaco (100 games for the Eagles)
Guy McKenna - Claremont (267 games for the Eagles)
David O'Connell - Claremont (27 games for the Eagles)
Troy Ugle - Swan Districts (43 games for the Eagles)
Chris Waterman - East Fremantle (177 games for the Eagles)

Then in 1988 they lost their exclusive access to WAFL players but they were allowed to expand their list size and were permitted 5 pre-draft WAFL selections which resulted in them picking up these players:

Stevan Jackson - South Fremantle (38 games for the Eagles)
Don Pyke - Claremont (132 games for the Eagles)
Peter Sumich - South Fremantle (150 games for the Eagles)
Craig Turley - West Perth (115 games for the Eagles)
Scott Watters - South Fremantle (46 games for the Eagles)

In 1989 they were permitted 2 pre-draft WAFL selections and 3 post-draft WAFL selections which resulted in them picking up these players:

Tony Begovich - Claremont (9 games for the Eagles)
Brad Gwilliam - West Perth (4 games for the Eagles)
Dean Kemp - Subiaco (243 games for the Eagles)
Peter Mann - Claremont (0 games for the Eagles)
Ryan Turnbull - Claremont (129 games for the Eagles)

In 1990 they were permitted 2 pre-draft WAFL selections which resulted in them picking up these players:

Glen Jakovich - South Fremantle (276 games for the Eagles)
Mitchell White - Subiaco (151 games for the Eagles)

In 1991 they were permitted 1 pre-draft WAFL selection which resulted in them picking up this players:

Jason Ball - Swan Districts (103 games for the Eagles)

In 1992 the Eagles were no longer given any pre-draft selections and drafted their first non-WAFL from Port Adelaide. Shane Bond holds that distinction and he played 34 games for the Eagles.

Father-son rules up until 1995 said sons of former WAFL players could be drafted to the Eagles which allowed West Coast to pick up these players:

1989: Ashley McIntosh - Claremont (242 games for the Eagles)
1995: Ben Cousins - East Fremantle (238 games for the Eagles)

So the Eagles were virtually allowed to sign the best WAFL players every year from 1986-1991 with the exception of Bairstow, Harding and Wilson in 1986 but they ended up getting Harding and Wilson anyway. The one guy they couldn't get from the post 1986 WAFL crop was Mark Bairstow. Small price to pay when you basically get a crack at everyone else for 6 years plus father-son concessions.

This is how they built their 'state' side in the early 90s.

 

[Forward Press]

Misleading once again Matchu with regards to 1986-1991's predraft picks from the WAFL. Take a look at the WA players drafted before your bolded ones if it helps...

Please see the following:

In case some arent across history, the Eagles commenced with a list of 37 players v existing VFL sides which had 52. It is true that we had first choice of WAFL players at the end of 1986 but this was only after the other sides had delayed the entry of the Eagles so that players including Wilson, Sartori, Dennis, Winmar, Bairstow, Mitchell, Spalding, Christian, Starcevich and Dean, were first signed by VFL teams before the Eagles were granted a licence. So we got the best 37 players from the WAFL after the best 10 from 1986 were already signed up by Vic clubs. Given that 10 players from WA would be a good number in the annual draft, the balance were essentially the leftovers, late round picks if you like.

At the end of 1987, we did not participate in the draft but instead again got unrestricted access to the WAFL. The same WAFL that in the previous season had 47 players taken from it i.e. there wasnt much left.

At the end of 1988, the Eagles got 5 priority picks (again WAFL only) and then took place in a draft that was compromised in that all the other clubs could only take 1 player each from the WAFL (huge concession )

In 1989, we were down to 2 pre-draft selections (compare this with Brisbane's 6 and Sydneys 4). Again, all teams were then restricted to one WAFL player, this resulted in the unusual situation of 6 of the first 9 picks being from WA. West Coast with its normal first round pick at 4 (based on finsihing 4th last in 1988) got Matera. Then players such as Brad Rowe, Mark Brayshaw, Stephen Edgar, Brad Tunbridge, Dale Kickett, Ben Allan, Gavin Rose, Peter Cransberg & Dennis Repacholi were picked up before West Coast got Tony Evans (64), Brett Heady (92), Dean Kemp (117).... So every club passed on those 3. No concession at all.

1990, West Coast got 2 pre-draft picks, again, Sydney got 6 and Brisbane 5.

The Eagles pre-draft picks and the concessions on WAFL picks (one per club) were to compensate for the Eagles having a smaller list than other clubs (15 players less) and to allow that list to be lifted up over a 5 year period to limit damage that would be inflicted on the WAFL if they had just allowed 50 in year one + unlimited drafts thereafter. It wasnt a concession as such, it was a drip system to allow us to build our list to the same size as other clubs over an extended period and limit WAFL damage. The Eagles last pre-draft pick was in 1991. Remember, these picks werent the number 1 pick in Australia but rather the best player in WA from a comp that had been decimated - and has never recovered.

The Eagles got lucky in that the concessions did not work as intended - to hobble them long enough so that the Vic clubs could still have the pick of the talent from a competition that has never recovered to its full strength before the Eagles.

 

[footyfan1978]

The other point to make with this, though, is that the WAFL in 1986 was most likely a stronger comp than the SANFL in 1996 -.

Which was infinitely stronger than the QAFL in 1986.


Port Adelaide's entry concessions

• Access to five uncontracted AFL players in 1996.
• First four picks in the 1996 draft (Pushed back four places as compensation for uncontracted signings ie pick 1 became pick 5, 2 became 6 etc).
• Exclusive access to SANFL players in 1996.
• Like every other club from 1997 onward.

Brisbane Bear's entry concessions

• Find you own ****ing way.

Lot harder being club started from scratch against 12 other clubs and also a new club roping off WA to themselves in your time you starting out that you just got nothing to kick start with.

So much easier joining a league watered down on club talent a decade later. By 1996 salary cap in place and 15 existing clubs evened out than the time of 1987. You enter in 1987 with less clubs, you find the top teams much stronger lists to compete against, it is a bloody tough gig. The existing talent more concentrated on the top super clubs that not been reeled in by salary caps yet and drafting measures very new to the league. 1987 was real experimentally pioneering stuff for the league expanding outside of Victoria.

Brisbane Bears did incredibly well in first season given they got virtually no help and in a state with no real football history of note.

 

[Scotland]

Jesus Matchu let it go.

We were a state side apart from all the players already playing for the state who we couldn't recruit, and the players who went on to play for the state that we couldn't/didn't recruit. Good-o.

I'm just going to reminisce about WC greats like Bairstow, Mitchell, Rioli, Bewick, Baker, Backwell, Buckenara, Hardie... oh.

The other point to make with this, though, is that the WAFL in 1986 was most likely a stronger comp than the SANFL in 1996 - after all, the WA sides had just played - and won - some of the best state games of all time against the Vics, and by 1996, the Crows had already been taking good players from the SANFL for a few years.

That said, check out some of the zone selections they made - Harley, Tredrea, Francou, Eagleton, Lade, Burgoyne #1, Dew, James, Wilson, Biglands...

Something which gets overlooked far too much. Any of Brisbane/WC/Adelaide/Port/Freo could've been given the same concessions and GWS and would've sucked. The draft only really took hold as the list building mechanism in the late 90s.

Port are a bit of an odd one out because they found plenty of good young SA players despite the SANFL already being a second tier comp. The Freo vs WC whinge is valid because our concessions were better, but if Freo had to build an initial list entirely of WAFL players in 1994 (which they pretty much did) they would've been even worse. People love to cherry pick but WC weren't allowed to participate in the draft for the first couple of years. Different eras, different concessions required - and the VFL/AFL arguably got both wrong. Too much to us trying to not make us a powerhouse from day 1, too little to them because they saw what happened with us. Plus Freo were chumps and traded away picks and players for magic beans for years. Could you imagine introducing Perth 3.0 now and saying 'yeah you can have all the players in WAFL you want, but you can't enter the draft for two years'? They'd be a joke.