AFL Culture needs to grow up re: players waiting till end-of-season to reveal that they are planning to move out

[iameviljez]

It's kind of ridiculous that, particularly with out-of-contract players, we have to play out this charade where we all pretend that we don't know that they want to go, and exactly where they want to go, until all parties have finished their season.

It's also ridiculous that the AFL have rules on clubs not discussing contracts with players at other clubs in-season, when we obviously know that it happens all the time. Nobody was surprised by this announcement that Rioli wants to go to the Gold Coast, and I don't think anyone is seriously pretending that Bailey Smith

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Bailey Smith

Age

24

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

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Last 5

D

18.3

5star

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8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

won't nominate Geelong at the start of Trade Week, if not sooner.

Instead, the saga of pretending that things are up in the air really hurts the club that it's actually trying to protect - the selling club. I remember the Gary Ablett saga being a huge drain on the club in 2010, where everyone and his dog knew he was probably gone, but we had to go through the whole fight up until the end of the season.

It would be vastly better if we were able to stop pretending OOC players weren't leaving, and simply state an intention to leave at the end of their contract. Other sports handle this a hell of a lot better than we do.

 

[A1fromDay1]

Which sports besides the NRL does this?

All american sports when a player is out of contract they aren't able to negotiate with other teams until the start of free agency.

I think the way the NRL does it is moronic but that's just my view.

 

[Struggle]

It was refreshing to see with ANB asking out then playing the final few games

I guess it's easier to stomach for fans when it's a veteran player who gave their best years v a young player who wants out

 

[marcus1232]

Which sports besides the NRL does this?

All american sports when a player is out of contract they aren't able to negotiate with other teams until the start of free agency.

I think the way the NRL does it is moronic but that's just my view.

The American sports teams also have much larger Free Agency periods than the AFL the fact it lasts a couple of weeks is a joke

 

[T4P]

The AFL needs to grow up in a lot of ways - get rid of NGA, Father-Son. The draft is only going to get more and more compromised, and these systems are archaic.

 

[iameviljez]

NGA, Father-Son

Father-son is fantastic, and I would say that even if all we got out of it was Jed Bews. There would be something inherently wrong about Daicos, Darcy, Ashcroft etc playing anywhere else.

 

[T4P]

Father-son is fantastic, and I would say that even if all we got out of it was Jed Bews. There would be something inherently wrong about Daicos, Darcy, Ashcroft etc playing anywhere else.

Getting rid of father-son is trading sentimentality for fairness.

I think the world would be a better place if Peter Daicos had to face into the possibility/probability that his sons were going to play for another club.

It's another manifestation of the old boys' club BS that is rife through the AFL system. There is a good reason that no other professional sport has a father-son rule.

 

[iameviljez]

Getting rid of father-son is trading sentimentality for fairness.

Yes, it is. I still think there is a place for sentimentality in elite sport; it's fan service.

The father-son rule only works in the context of a sport that has a draft, so that's only the US-based sports, for what it's worth. Soccer has open choice from pretty much day one, so that famous father/son combinations can choose to play for the same club if they are good enough regardless.

 

[Purple Suit]

Father-son is fantastic, and I would say that even if all we got out of it was Jed Bews. There would be something inherently wrong about Daicos, Darcy, Ashcroft etc playing anywhere else.

It would be fine if the rules were universal across all states and teams but they were/are not. Freo had to put up with McGovern's and Allan's playing for other teams. Fans will get over it.

 

[iameviljez]

It would be fine if the rules were universal across all states and teams but they were/are not. Freo had to put up with McGovern's and Allan's playing for other teams. Fans will get over it.

Who is McGovern, and who was his Dad?

IIRC, there were SANFL based Father-Son equivalencies created for Adelaide for their first couple of decades, to make up that gap. Was there the same for the WA sides?

We are getting to the point now where the vast majority of F/S candidates will be born to men who played the vast majority of their careers after 1997 when Port joined the league, anyway.

 

[Purple Suit]

Who is McGovern, and who was his Dad?

IIRC, there were SANFL based Father-Son equivalencies created for Adelaide for their first couple of decades, to make up that gap. Was there the same for the WA sides?

We are getting to the point now where the vast majority of F/S candidates will be born to men who played the vast majority of their careers after 1997 when Port joined the league, anyway.

Andrew McGovern was the Dad to Jeremy and Mitch. Played 63 games for Freo.

It was 100 VFL games, 150 WAFL games or 200 SANFL games. Having them different numbers was ridiculous as you can't play more in a "lower" league. Some also played WAFL/SANFL waiting to join the new teams but you can't add WAFL / AFL games together to get to 100 which you should have been allowed to if the team did not exist at the time.

Hence why there have been very few SA or WA father sons in comparison.

Peter Daicos retired before we even entered the league so that rule hasn't quite evened up yet.

 

[iameviljez]

It was 100 VFL games, 150 WAFL games or 200 SANFL games. Having them different numbers was ridiculous as you can't play more in a "lower" league. Some also played WAFL/SANFL waiting to join the new teams but you can't add WAFL / AFL games together to get to 100 which you should have been allowed to if the team did not exist at the time.

Should be allowed to add them together proportionally IMO - i.e. 75 AFL games plus 38 WAFL games equals equivalent 100 AFL games.

That said, that doesn't mean that F/S is inherently irredeemable. And to be fair, neither Allan (despite being the first captain) nor McGovern are exactly club legends. If we were talking about, say, Pavlich's kids, would you feel differently?

 

[Atomboy]

Father-son is fantastic, and I would say that even if all we got out of it was Jed Bews. There would be something inherently wrong about Daicos, Darcy, Ashcroft etc playing anywhere else.

Is there something wrong about Noah Anderson playing for Gold Coast even though his dad played 150 games across two clubs, or does it only matter when it is the big Melbourne clubs ?.

If you are going to keep the F/S rule then the cost needs to be equitable to the player’s value.

The way Sam Darcy and Nick Daicos were drafted was an absolute heckin'g farce.

 

[Purple Suit]

Should be allowed to add them together proportionally IMO - i.e. 75 AFL games plus 38 WAFL games equals equivalent 100 AFL games.

That said, that doesn't mean that F/S is inherently irredeemable. And to be fair, neither Allan (despite being the first captain) nor McGovern are exactly club legends. If we were talking about, say, Pavlich's kids, would you feel differently?

I don't actually want them to change it as in about 5-6 years will we have a steady bunch of kids coming through, although it is a lottery if they are actually any good.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

The AFL needs to grow up in a lot of ways - get rid of NGA, Father-Son. The draft is only going to get more and more compromised, and these systems are archaic.

Would be so typical of the AFL to abolish the Father son system before the interstate clubs have had a real chance to benefit from it lol.

 

[adammania9]

Is there something wrong about Noah Anderson playing for Gold Coast even though his dad played 150 games across two clubs, or does it only matter when it is the big Melbourne clubs ?.

If you are going to keep the F/S rule then the cost needs to be equitable to the player’s value.

The way Sam Darcy and Nick Daicos were drafted was an absolute heckin'g farce.

Unlikely given all Vic clubs have the same rules applied to them

 

[iameviljez]

Is there something wrong about Noah Anderson playing for Gold Coast even though his dad played 150 games across two clubs, or does it only matter when it is the big Melbourne clubs ?.

If you are going to keep the F/S rule then the cost needs to be equitable to the player’s value.

The way Sam Darcy and Nick Daicos were drafted was an absolute heckin'g farce.

Huh? Hawthorn is almost as big as they get. End of the day, Dean Anderson didn’t play enough games at either.

Clubs should have bid earlier on both Darcy and Daicos. IMO the discounting is too aggressive.

Mind you, Hawkins was a star junior and we got him for a third…

 

[ROYAL EAGLE]

Its hard too see the clubs changing n the short term eventually everyone will be more mature about it

 

[craffles]

easiest way is no father son or NGA matching bids in the first round. If guys like Daicos, Ashcroft x 2 and Darcy are good enough to go first round, let the free market force their dads clubs to trade for a pick high enough to get them.

2nd round picks and beyond can be a raffle anyway so let it play out from there

 

[WilloTree]

Should be allowed to add them together proportionally IMO - i.e. 75 AFL games plus 38 WAFL games equals equivalent 100 AFL games.

That said, that doesn't mean that F/S is inherently irredeemable. And to be fair, neither Allan (despite being the first captain) nor McGovern are exactly club legends. If we were talking about, say, Pavlich's kids, would you feel differently?

Ben Allen is literally in the WA Hall of Fame. Inaugural skipper of the club. The guy even stood in and coached the team after Damian Drum got the sack mid season.

Not 'Freo" enough for shitty arbitrary cut-offs though. Moronic.

 

[sruss]

Father-son is fantastic, and I would say that even if all we got out of it was Jed Bews. There would be something inherently wrong about Daicos, Darcy, Ashcroft etc playing anywhere else.

Really? No one seems bothered about Blakey, Kelly, Brayshaw brothers etc. play for clubs their fathers didn’t

 

[boncer34]

Really? No one seems bothered about Blakey, Kelly, Brayshaw brothers etc. play for clubs their fathers didn’t

Blakey fell under the same rules, he chose to not go to North. It's nobody's fault North weren't appealing enough to him.

Kelly didn't qualify and 80% of North fans born after 1982 wouldn't have even known Phil Kelly existed if Josh wasn't a gun. Change 1982 to 1992 for Mark Brayshaw and the point remains the same.

Laughable you're trying to draw a bow between Kelly/Brayshaw and 200+ games players in Daicos/Ashcroft/Darcy.

 

[Cleric]

No, I don't think that has anything to do with growing up.
Firstly, it will put the fans at odds with the player. Don't bring up NRL as an example, because NRL fans are nowhere near fanatical as AFL ones are.
Secondly, it puts the player at odds with the club and his team mates. This isn't needed at any club.
Thirdly, the suspense around if he is going to go brings alot of interest and drive alot of communication around the game. The AFL love that.

I say no.

 

[Pistol Night]

No, I don't think that has anything to do with growing up.
Firstly, it will put the fans at odds with the player. Don't bring up NRL as an example, because NRL fans are nowhere near fanatical as AFL ones are.
Secondly, it puts the player at odds with the club and his team mates. This isn't needed at any club.
Thirdly, the suspense around if he is going to go brings alot of interest and drive alot of communication around the game. The AFL love that.

I say no.

It created a farce though when everyone knows a player is moving clubs and we have to endure "Put off contract talks",Ill sit down with my manager and the end of the season and decide whats best for my family". The suspense when Bailey Smith announced he wanted to go to Geelong was on par with Home And Away

 

[iameviljez]

Really? No one seems bothered about Blakey, Kelly, Brayshaw brothers etc. play for clubs their fathers didn’t

Which Kelly?

Mark Brayshaw played all of 32 games. Nick Blakey would surely hurt a bit