News AFL to overhaul the draft, discuss changes to Academy and FS bid matching

[giantroo]

 

[EBERT THE KING]

What about not having father son matching in the first round at all? Then teams have to trade for them, that would mean they are paying fair value?

And yes yes, bin academy matching in the first round too.

That way the players that are borderline still get a chance (Cooper Harvey for example). And players like Darcy or Daicos get picked to any team and then if their fathers team is desperate for them they trade for them after 3 years.

Yep, dont mind this as well.

Anything that alleviates the fact that clubs like Fremantle, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, Gold Coast, and GWS continually get stitched up by other clubs getting father son access, sits well with me.

 

[Ashman23]

Yep, dont mind this as well.

Anything that alleviates the fact that clubs like Fremantle, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, Gold Coast, and GWS continually get stitched up by other clubs getting father son access, sits well with me.

So, I guess you're hoping all your current and ex players are celibate and never have kids then?

Freo have existed for 30 years, I think some of your players have had kids that might be old enough to play senior level Aussie rules by now.

As for the discount, I agree, it should be done away with, the discount you get is actually the opportunity to select them when 17 other clubs don't get that opportunity.

 

[EBERT THE KING]

So, I guess you're hoping all your current and ex players are celibate and never have kids then?

Freo have existed for 30 years, I think some of your players have had kids that might be old enough to play senior level Aussie rules by now.

Not at all but id be happy to pay fair price, unlike majority of other father son picks in the last decade

 

[Dogflogger]

So, I guess you're hoping all your current and ex players are celibate and never have kids then?

Freo have existed for 30 years, I think some of your players have had kids that might be old enough to play senior level Aussie rules by now.

As for the discount, I agree, it should be done away with, the discount you get is actually the opportunity to select them when 17 other clubs don't get that opportunity.

I've been watching the saints for 30 years and they have existed for 150+ years, we've had less father sons in that time than Collingwood have had in the last decade. there is no rhyme or reason its just a spinning wheel of luck that if it hits enough times then you win premierships.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

I've been watching the saints for 30 years and they have existed for 150+ years, we've had less father sons in that time than Collingwood have had in the last decade. there is no rhyme or reason its just a spinning wheel of luck that if it hits enough times then you win premierships.

The only factor is perhaps if you're a crap team you're more likely to cycle through players before they reach 100 games, while if you're a winning team, you're likely to keep the players already playing, and then get them to 100 games, thus making their sons now eligible for father-son. Probably a small effect but I don't think it's entirely luck if that's the case.

 

[JP Ollards]

Father sons is part of Aussie rules history and needs to stay. A fairer system is required, the points system is crap, now it gives clubs potentially 2 first round picks for a heap of picks in the second round.

I'd hope that we alter the rules, where you can only pick up 18 year olds in the first round. 2nd round onwards need to be 19+. Get rid of the Coates league, add 3 vic country teams to the vfl. Have the best 18 year kids play together for the ais in Canberra in the vfl. Have a list of 25-30 who live play, school and train in Canberra for a year. Have a horse, Leon Cameron type as coach. It would really reduce the home sickness factor.

First round picks should be on 4 year deals, top 5 picks, 5 year deals.

I'd let club trades players that are 3 years plus in the system, where only players who have signed as free agents after 7 years at a club, get to choose if they're traded, orherwise the club can trade. This would stop these stupid contracts we are seeing, as players will want some say, so they'll sign 2 or 3 year deals after their first one and wait for free agency and at the moment player managers are having too great of a say.

I think we'd end up with a far more even comp and actually interesting trades. Their should be money set aside as part of new TV deals for player relocation costs.

At the moment we have a Melbourne old boys club where we look after each other instead of the clubs best needs. Houston to the pies is a prime example

 

[GC2015]

Father sons is part of Aussie rules history and needs to stay. A fairer system is required, the points system is crap, now it gives clubs potentially 2 first round picks for a heap of picks in the second round.

The amusing part from my perspective is everyone in Victoria seemed to love the father-son rule for decades, until it started working for non-Victorian teams and delivered generational talents like Will Ashcroft to Brisbane. Now all of a sudden some people are questioning its validity when it's helping to deliver non-Vic teams premierships.

 

[bzparkes]

The amusing part from my perspective is everyone in Victoria seemed to love the father-son rule for decades, until it started working for non-Victorian teams and delivered generational talents like Will Ashcroft to Brisbane. Now all of a sudden some people are questioning its validity when it's helping to deliver non-Vic teams premierships.

To be fair, the rule was changed after Geelong got Hawkins.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

The amusing part from my perspective is everyone in Victoria seemed to love the father-son rule for decades, until it started working for non-Victorian teams and delivered generational talents like Will Ashcroft to Brisbane. Now all of a sudden some people are questioning its validity when it's helping to deliver non-Vic teams premierships.

Pretty sure the complaining about the father sons and academy kids being too much of an advantage for teams reached it's peak when Daicos, Ugle Hagan and Darcy all came through.

Ashcroft really didn't garner all that much outrage from my memory... At least not down in VIC other than the sooks at StKilda.

The northern academies are fast becoming a bit of a joke though, that much is very clear. Need some caps on clubs taking 3-5 quality kids every year or the draft will become practically useless.

 

[JP Ollards]

Pretty sure the complaining about the father sons and academy kids being too much of an advantage for teams reached it's peak when Daicos, Ugle Hagan and Darcy all came through.

Ashcroft really didn't garner all that much outrage from my memory... At least not down in VIC other than the sooks at StKilda.

The northern academies are fast becoming a bit of a joke though, that much is very clear. Need some caps on clubs taking 3-5 quality kids every year or the draft will become practically useless.

Can't see their been 3 top 10 picks each year in the Northern states. There's no way vic clubs should have academies though

 

[GC2015]

To be fair, the rule was changed after Geelong got Hawkins.

Sure, but there's a difference between the clubs disliking rules and requesting change from the AFL vs the way the public views a rule. For example, St Kilda admin seem furious about both the father-son rule and academies existing, but I'm pretty sure there would be a percentage of St Kilda supporters out there that like the romanticism of the father-son rule and hope that one day their club will benefit massively from it.

Pretty sure the complaining about the father sons and academy kids being too much of an advantage for teams reached it's peak when Daicos, Ugle Hagan and Darcy all came through.

Ashcroft really didn't garner all that much outrage from my memory... At least not down in VIC other than the sooks at StKilda.

The northern academies are fast becoming a bit of a joke though, that much is very clear. Need some caps on clubs taking 3-5 quality kids every year or the draft will become practically useless.

They're two different things. The outrage related to the NGAs in late 2020 when the number 1 pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan went to the Bulldogs (after they had just competed in the finals) led to the rule being changed in mid-2021. Top 4 picks Daicos and Darcy were a part of the 2021 draft class and no rule was changed after they were drafted. The outrage returned in 2023 when the Suns drafted several first round picks and that led to rules changing in mid-2024.

The father-son rule has essentially remained untouched throughout the last few years.

Can't see their been 3 top 10 picks each year in the Northern states. There's no way vic clubs should have academies though

There has never been three top 10 picks coming out of the northern states in the same year. The most we saw was in 2023 when picks 3 & 9 came from Queensland. Every other year it's been either one or zero top 10 picks from the northern states. The Vic media has certainly blown it out of proportion in terms of how many top 10 picks are actually being produced by the northern academies in any given year and 2023 is very much an outlier when you compare it to literally any other year.

 

[JP Ollards]

Sure, but there's a difference between the clubs disliking rules and requesting change from the AFL vs the way the public views a rule. For example, St Kilda admin seem furious about both the father-son rule and academies existing, but I'm pretty sure there would be a percentage of St Kilda supporters out there that like the romanticism of the father-son rule and hope that one day their club will benefit massively from it.


They're two different things. The outrage related to the NGAs in late 2020 when the number 1 pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan went to the Bulldogs (after they had just competed in the finals) led to the rule being changed in mid-2021. Top 4 picks Daicos and Darcy were a part of the 2021 draft class and no rule was changed after they were drafted. The outrage returned in 2023 when the Suns drafted several first round picks and that led to rules changing in mid-2024.

The father-son rule has essentially remained untouched throughout the last few years.


There has never been three top 10 picks coming out of the northern states in the same year. The most we saw was in 2023 when picks 3 & 9 came from Queensland. Every other year it's been either one or zero top 10 picks from the northern states. The Vic media has certainly blown it out of proportion in terms of how many top 10 picks are actually being produced by the northern academies in any given year and 2023 is very much an outlier when you compare it to literally any other year.

Well 3 in the top 15, but I agree it's an outlier, the aps vic schools hand out scholarships so they get the accolades

 

[briztoon]

The northern academies are fast becoming a bit of a joke though, that much is very clear. Need some caps on clubs taking 3-5 quality kids every year or the draft will become practically useless.

That’s happed twice in 13 years, and the GWS version turned out average at best, and none of them are at GWS anymore.

Nice b.s. story and overreaction anyway.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

That’s happed twice in 13 years, and the GWS version turned out average at best, and none of them are at GWS anymore.

Nice b.s. story and overreaction anyway.

If you look ahead to the next few drafts they are absolutely rife with academy and F/S kids, and very very good ones at that.

Clubs up north have realized the massive advantage they can provide a team and have rightly invested time and resources into them to make sure they can maximize their returns.

Reality is with more teams and far more resources going into developing local talent the 3-4 player hauls will only become more and more common until changes are inevitably made.

But nice melt.

 

[GC2015]

Well 3 in the top 15, but I agree it's an outlier, the aps vic schools hand out scholarships so they get the accolades

Queenslander Sam Marshall was an example of that last year. Showed promise as a youngster on the Sunshine Coast and gets offered a scholarship as a 15 year old to board at Melbourne Grammar from 2022 to complete years 10, 11 and 12 in Melbourne. Would he have become a first round pick if he had not moved to Melbourne? Who knows, but Melbourne Grammar and Sandringham still get the credit for producing him. The Lions Academy definitely helped him out along the way, but there's no doubt that the majority of his important development years occurred at Melbourne Grammar + Sandringham.

This is nothing new. Look at Cyril when he moved to Melbourne to board at Scotch in 2004 and went on to become a first round pick as well as an incredible AFL player. Although we haven't seen many Queenslanders follow this pathway until the Ashcrofts and Marshall in recent years. I'm sure the Melbourne APS schools will continue offering scholarships to outstanding Queensland prospects, but it's questionable as to whether those players should accept the offer. Marshall himself actually advocated for Queenslanders to not follow the pathway he did and said he thinks QLD prospects are better off staying up here due to how challenging his experience was.

 

[sr36]

That’s happed twice in 13 years, and the GWS version turned out average at best, and none of them are at GWS anymore.

Nice b.s. story and overreaction anyway.

I read it as a prediction for the future. If the academies have any value, the average number taken early will continue to gradually rise. I'd be expecting a gradual increase in top kids coming from the Northern States - seems inevitable.