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Gary Ablett going to the Gold Coast, Western Sydney signing the big Is and Jarrod Harbrow, Quentin Lynch and Chad Cornes all involved in negotiations.
The efforts to try to turn the AFL’s expansion clubs into competitive forces has made a mockery of the AFL’s so called upfront attitude to signing new players, which was always morally superior to the NRL’s clandestine tactics.
The press has reacted with outrage. And rightfully so.
In the last 20 years, any player movement has been upfront and honest. Now this expansion has seen the rules thrown out of the window.
I want to focus, though, on one issue. If, hypothetically, Gary Ablett goes to the Gold Coast, Geelong gets a first round draft pick as a concession. That’s all well and good, but when Gold Coast has picks 1 and 3 in the National draft, it’s slim pickings and unfair in the so called ‘fair” AFL.
So here is my proposal: if the Gold Coast or Western Sydney wants to sign a player like Ablett, Selwood, and Tippett, it should be subject to the rules of trade week.
This could mean giving up pick 1 in the draft to sign Ablett.
If the two expansion teams want to sign powerhouse players, they should be subject to the 16 clubs’ wants. Already they have zone selections for the best youth in Queensland and Northern Territory for the Coasters and NSW and ACT for Greater Western Sydney.
So already they have access to some of the best juniors.
It’s ridiculously unfair that the 16 AFL clubs shall have their best players poached for paltry compensation. It robbing Peter to pay Paul and the concept is unpopular with the fans.
So if the expansion clubs want to build a quick fire premiership side for success, they should pay the draft price.
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