- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Thursday night’s AFL National Draft looms as one of the most intriguing ever seen in the game, with controversy striking only days out from one of the biggest days in a young footballer’s life.
This year the stars of tomorrow have been overshadowed by Luke Ball and his refusal to discuss his future with any clubs other than Collingwood in a bid to get the move the former St Kilda captain wants.
Ball, who failed in his bid to become a Collingwood player during trade week in October, has been training away from any other clubs and refused to discuss any move.
There was some speculation that Ball, 25, would leave the game for at least one year if he didn’t reach his desired destination in the Magpies.
This has once again raised the issue of free agency.
From a financial prospective – currently – there are salary caps that have to be adhered to by AFL clubs. However, this doesn’t include deals outside of the individuals playing contract.
We see this with the Chris Judd case. He is earning his salary for playing with Carlton – which is included in the salary cap – but also receives a substantial amount from being associated with Visy, a deal constructed by the move to Carlton from West Coast in 2007.
This type of salary cap manipulation would not be good for the game and would see the rich clubs once again dominate the competition and see the poorer clubs struggle to maintain their status in the league.
The AFLPA would have to also place restrictions on off-field player payments to make for a fair and level playing field.
There has also been some talk regarding the possibility of having free agency for players that have given seven years of service to their club as a possible formation of free agency policy. The argument has some merit, with players being able to determine their own futures incorporating family and life into their decision over where they wish to live and play.
However under the seven year proposal generated by the AFL Players Association, players who arrive at a club through the draft, at age 17 or 18, would be able to leave that club at the age of 24 or 25, when established AFL footballers without offering any form of compensation for the club that nurtured and spent important resources to develop.
More thought will need to be conducted before making any decisions about the future of the ability of players to decide which club they play for.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.