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The AFL has rejected requests from the Carlton Blues and the Gold Coast Suns to receive priority picks in the upcoming 2018 AFL draft, but will introduce other measures to aid the struggling clubs.
The Blues and Suns will be given access to recruit mature state-league players outside the draft, and will have the option of either recruiting these players to their own lists, or trading the right to recruit them to other clubs.
Carlton and Gold Coast will have the opportunity to sign or trade the rights to at least one mature state-league player in this year’s draft, although the Suns were hoping to have access to as many as three, and the AFL has yet to confirm an upper limit.
The news brings to a close a saga that Carlton, in particular, are going to look to forget fairly quickly as it’s been something of a rollercoaster for them.
The Blues emphatically declared in May this year that they had no interest in asking for a priority pick, as Carlton CEO Cain Liddle said he wouldn’t be comfortable asking for a handout.
“We feel we’re in a good place and on the right track, so a priority pick is something we’re not considering or interested in.
“Putting our hand out is something I’m not comfortable with.
“We’ve got a plan and when you’ve made savage list cuts like we have in the past few years, you’ve just got to expect what we are going through now.
“What we didn’t plan for was the array of injuries we’ve managed to receive this year, which has just increased the instability on the field.
“We’re really confident in the plan and the kids we’ve brought in, but it just takes time for the kids to develop.”
Evidently something changed. To renege on this proud stance and ask the AFL for a priority pick was one thing, but to then have that request denied is quite another.
It’s good news overall for the other AFL clubs who will surely feel that any awarding of priority picks was more likely to penalise them than it was to aid the Blues or Suns.
Instead giving struggling clubs access to mature state league stars means they’ll be able to recruit players who are arguably more likely to make an immediate impact at AFL level.
And, the provision for this access to be on-traded to other clubs means those clubs who wished to target mature players in the draft will still have the opportunity to recruit them if they can make a deal.
VFL forward Josh Corbett, former Docker Sam Collins and WAFL star Marlion Pickett are among those who will be in contention to be signed by the Carlton, Gold Coast, or whoever they may trade the access to.