Could the AFL catch a cold from the draft?
Roar Guru Related coverage
The week of the 2009 AFL draft looms as a test of patience for the AFL Players Association with the AFL’s draft laws. In the background is the issue of Free Agency, which is lurking like Swine Flu ready to strike again.
The draft system exists on the goodwill of both the AFLPA and the AFL and clubs in that 99 percent of the time all parties are best served by the draft system.
The drafting of unloved St Kilda player Luke Ball in either the main draft or the pre-season draft will test the resolve of all parties.
Ball has been accused of draft tampering by some for nominating which clubs he would like to go to. In a draft system, you go to the club who picks you.
Normally there is some outside discussion as clubs and players align with each other to form a positive partnership. It is unhealthy for any club to pick up a player who does not want to play for them.
However, Luke Ball may prove to be a problem.
Collingwood appears his first choice, with Essendon second. However, Melbourne or Richmond with early draft picks could pick up Ball.
If Ball refuses to go to any club, he has to stand out of the game for two years. This appears harsh, but you’re either in or out with the draft system, as free agency is currently not in the rules.
One thing is for certain, the AFLPA will be watching closely how the Luke Ball situation unfolds. It has to be said that it is very unusual for a high profile player like Ball not to be traded in trade week.
The draft might get the blame when, in fact, it was the two clubs (St Kilda and Collingwood) who were at fault for not reaching a mutual agreement when the trade window was wide open.
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- AFL, Luke Ball, St Kilda Saints
November 24th 2009 @ 10:23pm
Tifosi said | November 24th 2009 @ 10:23pm | Report comment
The Tutty ruling seems similar to the Bosman ruling for Football
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosman_ruling
And the Seitz Ruling in baseball
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seitz_decision
Free Agency will be inevitable in the AFL. Someone will challenge it
November 25th 2009 @ 8:37am
albatross said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Thanks all for a coherent discussion of Tutty.
One point I would make is that it seems to me that those who feel that there is no way an AFL player could cross over to another code are being are being a bit optimistic. Fred Agius has shown that it is possible for someone to play at a non-amateur level at both football and err… football.
Eventually some AFL-contracted player who objects to civil conscription is going to take a leaf out of Fergus Slattery’s book and look at (probably) RU or cricket (20/20) or even basketball and say “I can do that” and try to break the bond.
Of course at the moment life for an AFL player even in the worst city in Australia “working” for the least sympathetic club is pretty good so the incentives to change codes are not there. But this can change.
November 25th 2009 @ 8:45am
Pippinu said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:45am | Report comment
albatross
There are stacks of kids that become professional sportsmen that grow up playing two games up to the age of 15 or 16.
It happens stacks of times in Southern NSW (with League and aussie rules).
Stacks in Melbourne will have played both soccer and aussie rules.
And even more grow up playing both cricket and aussie rules – often dropping cricket on the eve of the draft.
The AFL has been able to attract plenty of potential cricket players their way with the promise of a decent salary from the age of 18 – but I can see this becoming less of a lure with the advent of 20/20 cricket where there will be stacks of opportunities to earn a very good living, even for an average player.
November 25th 2009 @ 8:54am
Michael C said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:54am | Report comment
I heard a young NT originated Storm player on SEN, up there, the seasons don’t overlap, so, many kids play League and then Aust Footy…….
November 25th 2009 @ 9:32am
Michael C said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:32am | Report comment
Check out the photo for this sports field, Chambers Park in Wagga , kinda sums it up.
November 25th 2009 @ 2:54pm
AndyRoo said | November 25th 2009 @ 2:54pm | Report comment
The Roar need to get the rights to that photo. Should be the picture to go with all code war threads.
Love it.
November 25th 2009 @ 3:41pm
Michael C said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
all it needs is a net,
but, then, it’d look just like the International Rules goal set up.
btw – still one of my favourite Aust national team jumpers/shirts .
November 25th 2009 @ 8:46am
Redb said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:46am | Report comment
AFL clubs these days spend a lot more time with the kids they are likely to be drafting so that it is a win win.
it’s a mixed bag anyway. Many kids dont care they are just happy to be drafted – a little like some Parents not caring which sex their baby is.
Some kids want to stay at home, others want to travel and play in the big smoke.
NSW and QLD have pathways now that will direct kids to the clubs in their state as first choice.
What would you replace the draft system with?
Too many naysayers of the draft are not AFL fans anyway so their opinion is often tainted by the beleif “who would want to play AFL anyway or go to Melbourne”.
Some form of free agency is inevitable. IMO the AFLPA will strike a deal with the AFL that is as close to win-win as possible.
Redb
November 25th 2009 @ 9:10am
Pippinu said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:10am | Report comment
It’s a good point that the negative comments you read on the Roar, by and large, come from non-AFL fans.
Those of us who have followed the draft since the late 80s, and who now view it as compulsive TV viewing:
1. love every aspect of it
2. give us all a sense of optimism about our clubs, and we follow the exploits of all the kids, and how they get on; and
3. understand that in 99% of all cases, the kids are absolutely stoked to be drafted – by anyone.
I can recall a fresh faced 17 yo Brad Johnson being interviewed in late 1993 and how he was rapt that Footscray had picked him up (he came from nearby Hoppers Crossing) – one of the very rare instances where the club you barrack for actually picks you up in the draft.
At the opposite end of the scale, I can recall that from mid-season Adam Cooney already knew he was heading for the bottom placed Bullies, such that he was wearing red, white and blue socks to training during his finals campaign – courtesy of fellow SA, Nathan Eagleton.
It amazed me at the time that it did not worry him in the slightest – he was about to enter the world of professional football – and that’s the way it worked – via the draft.
November 25th 2009 @ 11:24am
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 11:24am | Report comment
Not tru Redb (sorry for picking on you my last few posts by the way
) I love Aussie rules (and being a fairly unbiased Kiwi) I see the draft as more trouble than its worth. Looking aside from the Father-son exception, which is a peculiar Australian quirk…but a creative and therefore valid way of keeping talent in-house, the crurrent AFL draft-oriented system is actually stifling NSW/QLD/ACT/NZ(?) potential as part-time AFL states
You see Brisbanites(?) for e.g. don’t want to leave Brisbane/Qld and chances are if/when they move to a Melbourne club (most likely, 10 out of a possible 18 locations etc) and having to leave means they are less enthusiastic about playing Aussie footy. You see we’re not living in the later 19th Century here where all good ol’ chaps are willing to have a little adventurein another part of the Great Red Continent. 18 year olds…even later 20 year olds are now more home-bound than ever. And because of the lack of rationalisation of the Melbourne clubs there’s every chance Melburnian kids are not so disadvantaged
You see I’m not anti-Draft completely but maybe the AFL should bolster the contracts of those players who do get picked up in the Draft, but allow free agency…that way the core principle of sharing the talent around is maintained and there’s only a little bit of disadvantage in staying at your ‘local’ club
November 25th 2009 @ 12:23pm
Redb said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
Jaredsbro,
This has already been addressed. The NSW and QLD teams now have exclusive zones to local talent. The new AFl academies should see a more defined path for AFL players.
Redb
November 25th 2009 @ 12:30pm
Dogs Of War said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:30pm | Report comment
For how long?
November 25th 2009 @ 12:47pm
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Yeah they have pathways but most everyday Sydneysiders/Brisbanites seem not to see the options. Call it Northern prejudice against Aussie rules but a pathway’s only as good as the game gets legitimate penetration not just a feel good factor (with no attempt to pick up players who are ‘better suited’ to the marking game) of bringing in the wayward Northerners
November 25th 2009 @ 12:53pm
Redb said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:53pm | Report comment
Jaredsbro,
The NSW and QLD AFL academies are designed to steward local talent through to the relevant NSW and QLD teams.
Swans, Lions, GC17 and GWS will get first picks out of NSW/QLD.
Redb
November 25th 2009 @ 1:02pm
Dogs Of War said | November 25th 2009 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
I think that’s one avenue if League markets it well at junior level that will provide an advantage on AFL. Being able to play for your local club, and it being your choice is a great enticement. Other selling points are obviously being able to play overseas (though other codes offer that as well).
November 25th 2009 @ 1:10pm
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
But whose marketing the academies…or is that the Swans and Lions rely on in-house marketing to reach those who already have an interest in the sport. You can’t assume all ‘RL families’ are anti-AFL in spite of what the Sydney or Melbourne media suggest for that matter
November 25th 2009 @ 1:17pm
Redb said | November 25th 2009 @ 1:17pm | Report comment
Jaredsbro,
Recognising the stay at home factor is different in those States as you’ve alluded to the AFL has set up Academies.
This is all fairly new but my understanding is the intention is to create an permanent option for a young NSW or QLD to sya in his state by picking one of the local teams.
I think they’re still sorting out the zoning of NSW say for the Swans and GWS, but each club would look at potential candidates and discuss options.
So the AFL has addressed the issue you mentioned. it’s more important in the ‘developing’ states to offer this choice epsecially given Melbourne’s image and err I guess it’s infamous unpredictable weather.
Redb
November 25th 2009 @ 8:42am
olrac said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:42am | Report comment
The main difference is the AFLPA, they are willing to play ball with the AFL because of certain promises by the AFL to look at free agency. If the AFLPA suddenly decided that they want to throw their weight around then the AFL would be in trouble. So we will see free agency in the near future (5 – 10 years) it will just be interesting the restrictions that are put on it.
November 25th 2009 @ 8:49am
Michael C said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:49am | Report comment
don’t forget, for now, the AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou is a former player and former AFLPA CEO.
Demetriou himself drove the ‘collective bargaining’ barrow in his time.
The AFLPA get’s to drive a fair bit – - it was the AFLPA who drove the ‘health/wellbeing” focus of the Illicit Drugs policy.
It’s hard to see there NOT being a sympathetic relationship even with a non-ALFPA AFL CEO. It is after all such a symbiotic existance for a single elite professional league code.
November 25th 2009 @ 8:43am
Michael C said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:43am | Report comment
Tifosi -
probably,
26 years ago we had Silvio Foschini successfully argue restraint of trade with the old VFL transfer rules……in 1984 new transfer rules were implemented and the salary cap in 1985. Then Nov 1986 came the first national draft.
The VFL (AFL) formulated their rules in full light of the prospect of ‘restraint of trade’ challenges – - but, have the position that the draft and TPP (total player payments) rules are restraints that are reasonable to run a fair and equitable AFL competition across all the clubs.
So, restraint of trade is acknowledged. It’s the ‘fair and reasonable’ element that is a shade of grey and it’s that shade of grey that you’d imagine will be legally tested from time to time.
November 25th 2009 @ 8:54am
Redb said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:54am | Report comment
Good post MC.
The AFLPA should always keep its legal options open and not ever let the AFL admin have the upper hand. This forces the AFL to ensure players salaries are commensurate with the revenue generated by the game.
Also that the AFL is a viable money alternative when choosing sports – it’s more or less in the AFL’s interests to keep the salaries attractive long term.
GC and WS are about growing both opportunties for players (add another 80 AFL players) and increasing the revenue in the game long term.
Grow the pie, distribute the pie, grow the pie again.
Redb
November 25th 2009 @ 2:41pm
albatross said | November 25th 2009 @ 2:41pm | Report comment
“That’s where the Magic comes in,” explained Redb “The more you eats the more you gets. Cut-an’-come-again is his name, an’ cut, an’ come again, is his nature. AFLPA and the clubs has been eatin’ away at this Puddin’ for years, and there’s not a mark on him.Perhaps,” he added, “you would like to hear how we came to own this remarkable Puddin’.”
November 25th 2009 @ 2:57pm
Redb said | November 25th 2009 @ 2:57pm | Report comment
I know a good use for fishing line.
November 25th 2009 @ 3:15pm
albatross said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:15pm | Report comment
What you and your good spouse do in the privacy of your connubial bliss is not a topic for The Roar.
November 26th 2009 @ 6:53am
Redb said | November 26th 2009 @ 6:53am | Report comment
watch out for those drift nets.
November 26th 2009 @ 10:13am
Redb said | November 26th 2009 @ 10:13am | Report comment
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/87451/default.aspx
Burgan’s phantom draft.
Check out this bloke:
Pick 18 – MELBOURNE – Max Gawn
DOB: 28/12/91, Height: 208cm, Weight: 104kg
Recruited from: Ormond/Sandringham Dragons
Draft range: 16-36
The tallest player to have come through draft camp in 16 years, Gawn has come right into top 20 calculations in recent weeks and is firming for the Dees at No.18. With just Mark Jamar, Paul Johnson and rookie Jake Spencer on Melbourne’s list, the club will target a ruckman. Gawn suffered a knee injury just before the under-18s, but remains one of the most sought-after players in this draft. If Port Adelaide doesn’t take the athletic giant at No.16 and Melbourne looks elsewhere – perhaps to the Northern Territory’s Troy Taylor – Fremantle will snap him up at No.20. Despite strong speculation, don’t expect the Dees to head down the Luke Ball path.
What a giant – 208 cm!
Redb
November 26th 2009 @ 8:44pm
Michael C said | November 26th 2009 @ 8:44pm | Report comment
and the Dees got him at pick 34,
Aaron Sandilands watch out!!