St Kilda President Andrew Bassat tees off on the AFL draft system, specifically father/son and the Northern Academies

[Elixuh]

You seriously think Bassat hadn't been fixing things behind the scenes?

It's seriously amazing how many are proving him right when he said we should just make up the numbers and not complain about it.

I think you have to wear the fact that he has come out and had a whinge in circumstances where St Kilda is and has been an entirely unserious organisation. I mean you’re offering 12 game GWS players $800k a year. You may as well have SOS as your recruitment guy bc that’s what he does at Carlton. You have to know that you’re going to cop it back the other way in those circumstances. And he sounds like he’s ok with that.

The Bulldogs and Melbourne are both small clubs who have won flags in recent times and been highly competitive over a long period. So how have they done it?

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

I think you have to wear the fact that he has come out and had a whinge in circumstances where St Kilda is and has been an entirely unserious organisation. I mean you’re offering 12 game GWS players $800k a year. You may as well have SOS as your recruitment guy bc that’s what he does at Carlton. You have to know that you’re going to cop it back the other way in those circumstances. And he sounds like he’s ok with that.

The Bulldogs and Melbourne are both small clubs who have won flags in recent times and been highly competitive over a long period. So how have they done it?

Have you asked yourself why we have to offer stupid money?
It's the only real way smaller clubs and clubs at the bottom end can attract talent.
That's not a St Kilda only problem.
Then you're left with development in house via the draft. There's where the flaw with F/S and academies exists.
High end talent isn't necessarily going to where it's needed the most.
Levi Ashcroft case in point.

Bassat knew full well what he was doing.

St Kilda for what it's worth was 1 point away from joining the dogs and dees winning a flag.

 

[Elixuh]

Have you asked yourself why we have to offer stupid money?
It's the only real way smaller clubs and clubs at the bottom end can attract talent.
That's not a St Kilda only problem.
Then you're left with development in house via the draft. There's where the flaw with F/S and academies exists.
High end talent isn't necessarily going to where it's needed the most.
Levi Ashcroft case in point.

Bassat knew full well what he was doing.

St Kilda for what it's worth was 1 point away from joining the dogs and dees winning a flag.

But what has made the Dogs and Melbourne so successful over an extended period? They’ve been up and playing finals for years and they’re small clubs.

 

[iameviljez]

Have you asked yourself why we have to offer stupid money?
It's the only real way smaller clubs and clubs at the bottom end can attract talent.

Gotta get that particular recruit right when you do offer stupid money.

Aaron Hamill was a massive statement and a very, very good leader - well worth the cash.

 

[iameviljez]

But what has made the Dogs and Melbourne so successful over an extended period? They’ve been up and playing finals for years and they’re small clubs.

Melbourne was shit for so long, and banked so many picks, that success was almost inevitable.

 

[LordLucifer]

Have you asked yourself why we have to offer stupid money?
It's the only real way smaller clubs and clubs at the bottom end can attract talent.
That's not a St Kilda only problem.
Then you're left with development in house via the draft. There's where the flaw with F/S and academies exists.
High end talent isn't necessarily going to where it's needed the most.
Levi Ashcroft case in point.

Bassat knew full well what he was doing.

St Kilda for what it's worth was 1 point away from joining the dogs and dees winning a flag.

Wrong !!

If a club is well-run and has a strong culture, they will attract quality people as a result.

Keep drafting decent players with a good work ethic and then develop them into fully fledged senior players is the best thing your club could do.

Throwing big amounts of money at mercenaries is going about it completely the wrong way.

 

[Elixuh]

Melbourne was shit for so long, and banked so many picks, that success was almost inevitable.

The answer is that both clubs nailed their top of the draft picks which has set them up for success and the ability to attract talent. As much as St Kilda want to pretend its academies etc, it’s actually just nailing top end picks for a large part. They could have had both Bont and Petracca instead they took Billing’s and McCartin.

I guarantee if the Saints had nailed Bont and Petracca they’d have been able to bring in other talent this build around these guys and would have won a flag.

 

[iameviljez]

The answer is that both clubs nailed their top of the draft picks which has set them up for success and the ability to attract talent. As much as St Kilda want to pretend its academies etc, it’s actually just nailing top end picks for a large part. They could have had both Bont and Petracca instead they took Billing’s and McCartin.

That also assumes that Bont and Trac would have become the same players if they went to the Saints.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

The answer is that both clubs nailed their top of the draft picks which has set them up for success and the ability to attract talent. As much as St Kilda want to pretend its academies etc, it’s actually just nailing top end picks for a large part. They could have had both Bont and Petracca instead they took Billing’s and McCartin.

I guarantee if the Saints had nailed Bont and Petracca they’d have been able to bring in other talent this build around these guys and would have won a flag.

There's zero guarantee Bont and Petracca become the players they are if they were at another club

 

[Elixuh]

That also assumes that Bont and Trac would have become the same players if they went to the Saints.

Sure. But I think that’s more likely than not. Petracca was drafted into an absolute basket case and became a top player.

 

[Elixuh]

There's zero guarantee Bont and Petracca become the players they are if they were at another club

There’s zero guarantee they wouldn’t. I’d back them into both become good players. Petracca was drafted into a basket case club.

But if your argument is that St Kilda can’t develop players then maybe that’s a pretty big problem.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

There’s zero guarantee they wouldn’t. I’d back them into both become good players. Petracca was drafted into a basket case club.

But if your argument is that St Kilda can’t develop players then maybe that’s a pretty big problem.

That's the thing they can.

Then they march out the door in Free Agency.
St Kilda then has to either develop a replacement that takes 5-8 year to get to the same level or recruit.


And as Bassat said some of our issues have been of our own agency

 

[Elixuh]

That's the thing they can.

Then they march out the door in Free Agency.
St Kilda then has to either develop a replacement that takes 5-8 year to get to the same level or recruit.

What’s the point of drafting anyone good because they’ll just leave in FA.

Can you take a step back from your post and read it? I get that St Kilda fans have developed this attitude but cmon, you can’t be constantly defeated by everything and look at all the possible negatives of everything.

The fact is St Kilda are in this mess because of horrific top end drafting over many years which then affects everything unless you get extremely lucky and draft generational talent with later picks. It then becomes this self-fulfilling prophecy that all these external rules and factors have contributed much more than they actually have.

Saints need to nail some more drafts at the top end and then they’ll be back mate.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

What’s the point of drafting anyone good because they’ll just leave in FA.

Can you take a step back from your post and read it? I get that St Kilda fans have developed this attitude but cmon, you can’t be constantly defeated by everything and look at all the possible negatives of everything.

The fact is St Kilda are in this mess because of horrific top end drafting over many years which then affects everything unless you get extremely lucky and draft generational talent with later picks. It then becomes this self-fulfilling prophecy that all these external rules and factors have contributed much more than they actually have.

Saints need to nail some more drafts at the top end and then they’ll be back mate.

You won't find a St Kilda supporter that doesn't disagree with that.
Bassat himself said it "some of our problems have been of our own agency"

 

[Elixuh]

You won't find a St Kilda supporter that doesn't disagree with that.
Bassat himself said it "some of our problems have been of our own agency"

Yes but my point is he clearly blames the external factors as contributing to a far greater extent than they actually do

 

[Plugger35]

But what has made the Dogs and Melbourne so successful over an extended period? They’ve been up and playing finals for years and they’re small clubs.

The Dogs have also benefitted from some good F/S picks and they got gifted JUH as well, not to mention being the umpires pets.

The Dees have also been given a lot more top draft picks than us, they got Petracca right but they have blown a lot of other ones.

You make it sound like we are the only club to blow a couple of top draft picks and even then that's only due to the benefit of hindsight, neither Billings or McCartin were seen as bad draft picks at the time, both were rated highly by other clubs as well.

 

[Elixuh]

The Dogs have also benefitted from some good F/S picks

So small clubs do benefit from these rules. Someone should let Fred know.

 

[Plugger35]

So small clubs do benefit from these rules. Someone should let Fred know.

Yeah some do like the Dogs and some don't like us but that comes down to luck rather than good management or drafting.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Yes but my point is he clearly blames the external factors as contributing to a far greater extent than they actually do

He's not though.

All he's really saying is give clubs a fair crack a drafting talent. He doesn't want to get rid of it he just wants clubs to pay the full price.

To use Ashcroft as an example if full price was paid Brisbane winning the flag might mean because thier draft picks less value and Ashcroft goes elsewhere.


I think because it's a St Kilda person saying it it gets dismissed

 

[Elixuh]

He's not though.

All he's really saying is give clubs a fair crack a drafting talent. He doesn't want to get rid of it he just wants clubs to pay the full price.

To use Ashcroft as an example if full price was paid Brisbane winning the flag might mean because thier draft picks less value and Ashcroft goes elsewhere.


I think because it's a St Kilda person saying it it gets dismissed

There you go, it worked. Now Fred won’t be heard from again.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

"BUT JOSH LIED TO US AND TOLD US HE WAS STAYING AND COST US FIRST ROUND COMPO THATS WHY WE DIDNT INVITE HIM TO THE BNF"

Sooking does get you somewhere

 

[HairyO]

So what the actual **** is this campaigner bitching about? They get WAY more than he was ever going to be worth in a trade.

 

[Mat Mann]

The answer is that both clubs nailed their top of the draft picks which has set them up for success and the ability to attract talent. As much as St Kilda want to pretend its academies etc, it’s actually just nailing top end picks for a large part. They could have had both Bont and Petracca instead they took Billing’s and McCartin.

I guarantee if the Saints had nailed Bont and Petracca they’d have been able to bring in other talent this build around these guys and would have won a flag.

completely ignoring the F/S that aided both clubs in their wins
ignoring Melb had a coach paid 1.5m that the AFL funded along with the rest of their assistance

 

[Elixuh]

completely ignoring the F/S that aided both clubs in their wins
ignoring Melb had a coach paid 1.5m that the AFL funded along with the rest of their assistance

Wait so small clubs do get advantages by these rules, someone tell Fred Bassat

 

[bzparkes]

"BUT JOSH LIED TO US AND TOLD US HE WAS STAYING AND COST US FIRST ROUND COMPO THATS WHY WE DIDNT INVITE HIM TO THE BNF"

Sooking does get you somewhere

So, do they now apologise to Josh and organise a 12 course degustation at Attica after refusing him entry to their B&F?