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

[Saints43]

St Kilda cannot blame the afl for not giving any support when they are one of the most financially aided clubs in the league, which is as you say, there to equalise because St Kilda are a smaller club. But this has gone for a lot of clubs, most clubs who are in a poor spot get helped by the afl. Nothing new.

The complaint from Andrew was that they favour wealthy clubs in the drafts (just not the case), and ignoring the fact they’ve just benefited from a compromised system, and they get financial support and aid to help grow their wealth. It’s a help, it won’t be fully handed to them.

I think you’re just lost with the marquee fixtures, are you talking prime time Friday nights for example or are you talking about (Easter Monday, Kings Birthday, Anzac Day) games? Because all clubs have had their fair share when earnt with on-field performance and being able to sell out stadiums when put in the position.

The name calling is not needed and quite funny, just because you’re not understanding doesn’t make me wrong.

St Kilda hasn't complained about not getting any support. You've made that up or don't understand the conversation.
St Kilda complained that the draft is compromised by academies and f/s selections that require much less draft capital than their value makes it difficult for clubs without access to pick itself up by its bootstraps. I don't think anyone who understands the system argues that.

In regard to "all clubs have their fair share (of marquee games) when earnt with on-field performance"

This is why you're an absolute ****wit. Absolutely no other person on earth believes that to be true.

Did you watch Carlton/Richmond open the season for 13 years?
Have you watched Collinwood/Essendon play every Anzac day no matter how poor either team was that season?
Fun Fact: Collingwood was the only team that played through every season of WW1 and campaigned against men signing on. Anzac day participants in perpetuity.

These fixtures are fiercely guarded by the participants because of the commercial and reputational advantages they provide.
St Kilda (and some other clubs) do the interstate travel required to complete the fixture so that the "Big 4" can play each other twice every season.
The additional funding St Kilda receive is, in part, compensation for being locked out of this arrangement forever. Forever.

 

[austinnn]

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

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

They are two separate issues, but since you went there.

For people who don't know, which I'm tipping is anyone who doesnt support St Kilda and even some who do, Josh Battle was an excellent player for us. Rarely injured or suspended, no off-field problems, gave his best even when the team was at its direst.

Showed promise as a forward without blowing anyone away, Ratts sent him to rot on the wing and ruck before he cemented a place as an undersized centre back with great swingman potential.

Even this year with his contract and a trade in question, he gave 100% to the club, has been in our system for 7 years and is the one homegrown player we have left in his age group, could have possibly been captain in coming years.

If you'd have offered less than pick 8 in a trade, I'd have been furious if the club had accepted, and so would most Saints fans.

NONE of which has anything to do with father son discounts or academy discounts.

Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall will get picked up by the premiers this year, how much will they pay for those players? Even if Richmond wanted to draft Ashcroft, they couldn't unless Brisbane let them.

Let's not even go down through whole list, but how much did the Pies pay for the Daicos bros? Could any team have drafted Nick Daicos? I reckon plenty would have liked to.

But yeah, what's this bloke on about because we actually got decent compensation for one of our best players, a "trade" we didn't even have a choice in making, he just walked out.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

hahaha, so Carlton playing Essendon/Pies twice a year or vice versa is for fairness yet Saints not having a dbl up vs Pies in over a decade is in fairness?
interstate sides having dbl ups every year vs interstate siblings despite the 6-6-6 fixture basis
playing port @ port for the best part of 2 decades is for fairness

there is nothing fair at all in the FIXture

Im simply stating that outside of the blockbuster games which are done for financial gain for clubs and the afl (it won’t change as it isn’t broken). Whilst the rest of the fixture and double ups are done for the fairness, otherwise what stops the afl from having Brisbane play north Richmond twice?

I agree the fixture can be sucky but that’s the idea behind it, the execution is a differing story.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

St Kilda hasn't complained about not getting any support. You've made that up or don't understand the conversation.
St Kilda complained that the draft is compromised by academies and f/s selections that require much less draft capital than their value makes it difficult for clubs without access to pick itself up by its bootstraps. I don't think anyone who understands the system argues that.

In regard to "all clubs have their fair share (of marquee games) when earnt with on-field performance"

This is why you're an absolute ****wit. Absolutely no other person on earth believes that to be true.

Did you watch Carlton/Richmond open the season for 13 years?
Have you watched Collinwood/Essendon play every Anzac day no matter how poor either team was that season?
Fun Fact: Collingwood was the only team that played through every season of WW1 and campaigned against men signing on. Anzac day participants in perpetuity.

These fixtures are fiercely guarded by the participants because of the commercial and reputational advantages they provide.
St Kilda (and some other clubs) do the interstate travel required to complete the fixture so that the "Big 4" can play each other twice every season.
The additional funding St Kilda receive is, in part, compensation for being locked out of this arrangement forever. Forever.

Go watch Andrew’s speech again, he definitely did, and implied it.

I agree but that wasn’t the only thing he complained about.

Marquee games and prime time games are different. Marquee are your Anzac Day games, they aren’t, prime time are.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

But this has gone for a lot of clubs, most clubs who are in a poor spot get helped by the afl. Nothing new.

Huh??

All clubs get money from the AFL. All clubs get cash handouts. It's literally the way the AFL system works.

Collingwood get a cash handout of $10m each year. They'd be broke without it.

The difference is that some clubs also get huge exposure from prime time fixturing and 'blockbuster' games.


Ask any club and any supporter whether they'd rather get a decade of marquee fixturing and commercial exposure, or rubbish fixtures and some extra cash.

But of course the trade off is that a club like St Kilda getting the blockbuster games every week would, in the short-medium term, result in significant financial hit to the AFL. Arguably, too big a hit to sustain.

So pretty much everyone knows that handouts to big clubs happen, and why. And pretty much everyone accepts it.

But the big issue is that when you add shit like the Father-Son rule on top of it - then it just gets stupid. It's just taking the piss.


I'm shocked to read people suggesting that handouts to big clubs are a figment of small clubs' imaginations. Bemused to be honest.

It's just fact. Even the biggest diehard footy flogs acknowledge this. Yet I'm reading on here that St Kilda's president is delusional for calling this out?? He's just staring facts.

 

[austinnn]

Congratulations to Saint Kilda, Ross and the President.

You whinged and complaigned SO loudly the AFL did what it always does and oils the squeaky wheel and they got their band 1 compo for a player who is nowhere worth that.

I just hope my club has taken note and starts complaining louder. MUCH LOUDER!

My goodness. Just when you think things may improve and AFL House continues this debarcle management of the draft.

Nice try. Band 1 was guaranteed by the size of the contract offer from the Hawks, our president had nothing to do with it

 

[austinnn]

You’re ignoring the fact St Kilda are one of the most financially aided clubs in the league.

Apt compensation for over a decade under a crooked stadium deal imo

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Which Hawk dynasty are you referring to? They have had so many.

The 80's and very early 90s.

When the going gets tough, you do not want a hawks fan anywhere near you. You guys bail off the wagon like ninjas.

Prime targets to get fragged in a foxhole are hawks fans.

 

[Elixuh]

Get em fly

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

https://www.saints.com.au/video/1669725/2024-trevor-barker-award-presidents-address?videoId=1669725&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1727691406001

I wonder how little people have actually watched the speech.

I guess **** all.

 

[austinnn]

Nah got thread banned, so all you saints fans can like and quote my posts, kinda sad and desperate, Like your club

that’s a pox post wishing Josh well after not inviting him to the BNF, your club looks like a jaded ex trying to save face

still won’t pick 8th on draft night, my statements hold true

Talking of sad and desperate, have you heard the one about a club whose coach used his wife to recruit another club's player?

Or how about a club so desperate to steal another club's territory that they moved their operations to a disused rubbish tip closer to that but much further away from their own club's heartland?

Just like it stole that other club's zone back in the day to recruit all those great players that later won a stack of cups for them.

Just like it lied to that club about moving to the G when Docklands was built, only to turn around after that club had signed its crippling stadium deal and stay at Waverley, buying it from the AFL for... how much?

Yes, Hawthorn people have true cause to see St Kilda as the gift that keeps on giving!

Just say thank you for Josh Battle - a fantastic player and future leader who we developed into an A-grade defender and who hasn't cost you A THING - and be on your way.

 

[austinnn]

How is it we have a competition that rewards miss managed clubs? Saints have had so many picks over the years, is it the AFL or other clubs' fault they have recruited poorly? It's not just the saints. The whole comp is littered with wasted draft picks and miss managements.

Explain how the AFL rewards clubs who mess up draft picks? We've messed up plenty, as have Collingwood, as gave just about any club over the years.

Did the Magpies get any reward for all the picks you messed up? I'm not talking about the Father Son selections that fell into your lap or the number of home games you have during the season and finals series.

The AFL has told all clubs to become self sufficient. Obviously thst is the club's preference too, a goal most are working towards with one arm tied behind their backs. Thank you for your patience, doesnt seem to have harmed you guys much. Would you prefer to just have a small league of rich clubs?

 

[Whiskers]

The 80's and very early 90s.

When the going gets tough, you do not want a hawks fan anywhere near you. You guys bail off the wagon like ninjas.

Prime targets to get fragged in a foxhole are hawks fans.

Glory Hunters - the worst type of fan.

 

[austinnn]

https://www.saints.com.au/video/1669725/2024-trevor-barker-award-presidents-address?videoId=1669725&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1727691406001

I wonder how little people have actually watched the speech.

I guess **** all.

Stood on a step ladder?

 

[austinnn]

Get em fly

Yep nice one Pies, keep that assembly line going! Pick another club captain up for a couple of future fourths? Go ahead!

Funnily enough, and bucking the historic trend, a few of St Kilda's better ex-players have actually had sons in recent years. No idea if any of them will become promising AFL players in the next 5 to 10 years, but by the time they are ready to try, hopefully clubs will be made to pay a fair price for any Father son selections.

And that's the way St Kilda wants it. We don't want charity. We just need other clubs, especially the bigger clubs, to stop getting their unjustifiable charity. I don't understand why footy fans who value the concept of a fair go find that so objectionable.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Apt compensation for over a decade under a crooked stadium deal imo

It’s a fair point, but I wouldn’t and I presume most wouldn’t have the ins and outs of the deal, whether mutual or what take on it was.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Huh??

All clubs get money from the AFL. All clubs get cash handouts. It's literally the way the AFL system works.

Collingwood get a cash handout of $10m each year. They'd be broke without it.

The difference is that some clubs also get huge exposure from prime time fixturing and 'blockbuster' games.


Ask any club and any supporter whether they'd rather get a decade of marquee fixturing and commercial exposure, or rubbish fixtures and some extra cash.

But of course the trade off is that a club like St Kilda getting the blockbuster games every week would, in the short-medium term, result in significant financial hit to the AFL. Arguably, too big a hit to sustain.

So pretty much everyone knows that handouts to big clubs happen, and why. And pretty much everyone accepts it.

But the big issue is that when you add shit like the Father-Son rule on top of it - then it just gets stupid. It's just taking the piss.


I'm shocked to read people suggesting that handouts to big clubs are a figment of small clubs' imaginations. Bemused to be honest.

It's just fact. Even the biggest diehard footy flogs acknowledge this. Yet I'm reading on here that St Kilda's president is delusional for calling this out?? He's just staring facts.

The fact is I didn’t disagree that the compromised nature of the draft is poor, especially the price. It’s the other stuff he spoke about which just made me laugh, and the way he said it.

Clubs get financial aid but again some get it more than others, St Kilda being one. Blockbuster games won’t change as they’re too big of a hit financially to the afl as you said and St Kilda will if they perform and earn it, prime time slots at Friday nights etc, like Hawthorn will get in 2025 after performing in 2024.

I think the confusion comes through prime time v marquee games, the latter won’t change as it’s business and it would be financially irresponsible. Prime time games however completely different in that case.

I don’t completely disagree, just partially.

 

[Plugger35]

We lost the battle but won the war.

Providing we don't waste pick 8 on a player worse than Battle but we now have a better recruitment team than we used to have.

 

[WillHayward]

Nick Coldfield
Hunter Clarke

 

[Plugger35]

Nick Coldfield
Hunter Clarke

Both looked good before they were struck down with injuries.

Hunter Clark is starting to look good again now he is over his injuries, Coffield is still struggling but he is the Dogs problem now.