AFL jacks up Father/Son and Academy player costs

[AaronKirk]

The patriotic Tasmanian in me hates everything GWS.

The Melbourne-supporter in me is also furious at expansion teams for playing a part in crippling our rebuild(s).

And even if I ignore my biased feelings, then even I can see this is totally unfair.

Albeit GWS haven't had the success of Hawthorn yet, but imagine if Hawthorn was able to have first rights to 5 of the likely top 20 picks this year? Or any other year? Exactly, it just wouldn't be allowed to happen, just like this shouldn't be allowed to happen.

I'd meet on somewhat middle ground and cap it at one player per draft round, or scrap the AFL Heartland areas from the Academy Zones, as they go against what the academy zones were built for; to create and encourage interest from juniors to play AFL.

Good luck to clubs like Essendon, Richmond, Carlton, Collingwood and both North Melbourne and Hawthorn in a few years which will only have access to a smaller amount of the talent pool if these ridiculous academy rules are not changed.

But back to my Melbourne butthurt, it's OK if we get crippled by the expansion concessions, but once the bigger victorian clubs get affected then oh no! Something has got to be done! Not directed at you AK :P that's just a shot at the AFL from a butthurt Melbourne fan haha

At least Melbourne now have lot of great young talent from some very savvy recruiting and trading. Other low performing victorian clubs won't be as lucky.

[R.Griffen]

Bump

So 5 of the likely top 20 picks in this years draft (if it was fair and pure) would be players from the Ovens & Murray, Hume, Murray and Riverina Football leagues.

2 From Albury, 1 from Henty (Henty is around half way between Wagga and Albury). 1 from Denilliquin and 1 from Collingullie (near Wagga)

Don't know much about the Riverina football leagues but the names Triple M found that the Riverina have produced why were they included in it to start with?

Does anyone know within the last couple of years the players that have come from that area?

[JBs-Hawks]

The GWS chairman willing to quit over these handouts being taken away, says how valuable it is right there doesnt it...

[Toga]

The GWS chairman willing to quit over these handouts being taken away, says how valuable it is right there doesnt it...

[Holz]

GWS cant play all their kids though so alot will have to talke out like Treloar Tyson.

What they really need to do is try and package 3 guns for a sueprstar.

but what do they really need?

Hopper would be getting games and pretty much any other club.

I wonder if say they offered freo like Hopper + Kennedy + McCarthy they could get Fyfe.

It seems an overpay but thats 3 guys currently not getting a game for arguably the best player in the comp.

Freo have 2 young gun mids to build around and the forward they always wanted and there you go your rebuilding.



meanwhile GWS mid looks like this

Fyfe Ward Coniglio Shiel Whitfield Steele Kelly Scully

then still got Patton and Cameron up front.

[AaronKirk]

Bump

So 5 of the likely top 20 picks in this years draft (if it was fair and pure) would be players from the Ovens & Murray, Hume, Murray and Riverina Football leagues.

2 From Albury, 1 from Henty (Henty is around half way between Wagga and Albury). 1 from Denilliquin and 1 from Collingullie (near Wagga)

Don't know much about the Riverina football leagues but the names Triple M found that the Riverina have produced why were they included in it to start with?

Does anyone know within the last couple of years the players that have come from that area?

Luke Breust, Matt Suckling, Isaac Smith, Sam Rowe, Tony Armstrong, Anthony Miles, Adam Schneider, Justin Kochitzke just a handful of players from the area over the last few years.

If you extend it back a tad further all of the Danihers, Paul Kelly, Wayne Carey, Cam Mooney and there are at least 30 more fringe players in the last 30 years from the whole Riverina area.

[R.Griffen]

Kennedy, Hopper and McCarthy for Fyfe? You realise they have to play some footy. The longer these guys don't play the more there value drops plus eventually they will want to play senior footy and if they can't get games they will walk out. McCarthy is a good one to package up to Freo.

If they offer players it would have to be like Kelly, Steele and McCarthy guys who have showed that they can play at the level while guys like Hopper even though I know he is a great player could be a bust at the top level

[Purple 77]

At least Melbourne now have lot of great young talent from some very savvy recruiting and trading. Other low performing victorian clubs won't be as lucky.

Maybe so, but we were really hurt in the 2010-2012 drafts because of Gold Coast and GWS either starting up or finishing last because they were starting up when we were CLEARLY the worst team with the worst prospects in the competition. We "deserved" draft pick number 1 in both 2012 & 2013 IMO but because the Giants and Suns were starting up, and despite having a raft of better and younger talent, finished last because they weren't competitive yet.

But anyway, that's off topic.

It's also worth mentioning that without the priority access afforded to the Swans via the academy, we'd have both Heeney and Mills (yeah I know at the expense of Brayshaw and Oliver, but still!).

[Holz]

Kennedy, Hopper and McCarthy for Fyfe? You realise they have to play some footy. The longer these guys don't play the more there value drops plus eventually they will want to play senior footy and if they can't get games they will walk out. McCarthy is a good one to package up to Freo.

If they offer players it would have to be like Kelly, Steele and McCarthy guys who have showed that they can play at the level while guys like Hopper even though I know he is a great player could be a bust at the top level

considering Hopper should have been a top 2 pick and is killing it in the NEAFL i reckon he has heaps of currency.

Personally would take him over Kelly and Steele.

I guess you could say Kelly Hooper and Mccarthy.

I reckon the dockers would seriously have to look at that.

[AaronKirk]

At least Melbourne now have lot of great young talent from some very savvy recruiting and trading. Other low performing victorian clubs won't be as lucky.

Maybe so, but we were really hurt in the 2010-2012 drafts because of Gold Coast and GWS either starting up or finishing last because they were starting up when we were CLEARLY the worst team with the worst prospects in the competition. We "deserved" draft pick number 1 in both 2012 & 2013 IMO but because the Giants and Suns were starting up, and despite having a raft of better and younger talent, finished last because they weren't competitive yet.

But anyway, that's off topic.

It's also worth mentioning that without the priority access afforded to the Swans via the academy, we'd have both Heeney and Mills (yeah I know at the expense of Brayshaw and Oliver, but still!).

At least the Swans academy players come from areas which the academies are needed to promote the game in NRL/Union dominated areas.

[Ringo]

Just remember that we can not accommodate all academy picks under the new rules which was designed to even the draft. From a Brisbane perspective this year we could not keep the following players who were in the academy system and were drafted by other clubs - Mabor Chol, Corey Wagner, Paul Hunter and Joshua Smith and can see similar happenings for the other academy based clubs over  the years.  We are already seeing GWS off load players and I suspect further raids this year as they battle to keep talent.  Why should smart recruiting and trading of draft picks be penalised which is what GWS have done admittedly with concessions given. 

Agree that the academies should be supported where AFL is not the predominant sport and by the sounds of it Riverina is an area where AFL is a major sport so maybe there should be exclusions based on that but do not cruel all of Qld and northern NSW though with restrivtions.

[R.Griffen]

At least Melbourne now have lot of great young talent from some very savvy recruiting and trading. Other low performing victorian clubs won't be as lucky.

Maybe so, but we were really hurt in the 2010-2012 drafts because of Gold Coast and GWS either starting up or finishing last because they were starting up when we were CLEARLY the worst team with the worst prospects in the competition. We "deserved" draft pick number 1 in both 2012 & 2013 IMO but because the Giants and Suns were starting up, and despite having a raft of better and younger talent, finished last because they weren't competitive yet.

But anyway, that's off topic.

It's also worth mentioning that without the priority access afforded to the Swans via the academy, we'd have both Heeney and Mills (yeah I know at the expense of Brayshaw and Oliver, but still!).

At least the Swans academy players come from areas which the academies are needed to promote the game in NRL/Union dominated areas.

As a Suns fan I will say they need some academy help just like we do. I'm still annoyed over the extra year of the draft GWS got and also the mini draft which helped them get more picks. Without that I don't think we would be talking about GWS getting too strong