There’s an oddity in the AFL, compared to non-sporting professions, that the most in demand candidate for a position, a draftee, gets ‘rewarded’ with a job at the weakest, on field, performing organisation.
To this, the current plight of young North Melbourne rising star and prized recruit Jason Horne-Francis presents an interesting case study. Signed to the club on a standard two-year rookie contract, speculation continues to heighten on his future.
As Gen Z, those born between the years of 1997 and 2012, become the core demographic of the league, perhaps we need to adjust our thinking when it comes to workplace culture, job mobility and players choosing to change clubs.
Zooming out of the microcosm that is the AFL industry and looking at society more widely, the Foundation Of Young Australians ‘New Work Order’ series found that career pathways for young people look very different to those of their parents.
Research found that, “instead of a few jobs across a single career pathway, it is estimated that a young person today will have approximately 18 different jobs over six different careers in their lifetime.”
Consolidating this trend, Australian research organisation McCrindle found that, “today, the national average tenure in a job is 3.3 years (three years and four months).”
Further, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, recent ABS data found that during the year ending February 2022, 1.3 million Australians (9.5% of employed people) changed jobs. This was the highest annual job mobility rate in a decade.
So what does this have to do with the AFL and present and future draftees?
Gen Z are characterised as ambitious, self-reliant, pragmatic, entrepreneurial and empowered, yet the AFL model they are thrust into doesn’t necessarily provide the same synergies and alignment.
UK consulting firm Deloitte suggests “Gen Z will have the ability to demand greater personalisation in how they move along their career journey.”
Addressing this, they suggest, “for organisations to attract and retain the best and brightest of the generation, it will require a different mindset.” The AFL is one organisation that will benefit from such adjustments.
Despite little agency or autonomy in the early stage of their career, these young athletes, still in their teens, are thrown into the deep end and out of their comfort zones, often moving out of home and interstate, away from friends and family, and transitioning from full time secondary school studies to full time employment- football, at a rapid pace.
There is no dispute they are generously compensated for the privilege of playing full time football with well above national average wages. SANFL head of talent Brenton Phillips told SEN last year that picks 1-20 are “on a base salary of $105,000 a year,” as well as “a bonus on top of that in terms of $4,000 per game.”
But sometimes the income doesn’t match the outcome.
On top of prospective job insecurity, there’s also the long term injuries, the head knocks, broken bones, knee reconstructions, and torn ligaments.
Add to that public scrutiny, social curfews and the increased professional demands on players.
A player’s time at the highest level is finite. AFL Players Association research found that, “every year approximately an eighth of the workforce leaves the game,” and that the average career length of an AFL footballer was approximately six seasons.
Given the majority of players enter the profession at the age of 18, this means many will exit the league before they even turn 25.
Tom Boyd is one such example. Drafted as pick number one in 2013, Boyd played just 61 games before retiring at the age of 22 due to the intense physical and emotional toll. “I just don’t have the desire to play or the enjoyment of the game I used to have,” he said in a press statement at the time.
Does the AFL need to do more for players like Tom Boyd? (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
It’s time to change our collective mindset.
The AFL media and fans alike need to make sure they exercise the same empathy around mental health and wellbeing issues as they do to players’ respective futures, as often the two are intertwined.
Yes, contracts exist, but with professional, amicable and negotiable discourse, they become effectively non binding. In the long run, the swings and roundabouts of the draft works both ways and the way club’s treat their players, their most vital employees, shapes the culture of the organisation.
It’s commonly suggested that the greatest reasons people leave their employer is because they want change, based on poor working conditions, for greater opportunities, better values alignment or for family reasons. One could argue, Horne-Francis may well fit into all the aforementioned categories.
But it is not up to us to project moral decisions.
There is more to football than to “pass the time away,” “just for recreation’s sake.” In the case of Horne-Francis and the many in his situation to come, they must put themselves, their health and happiness and their future first, and make the decision that is right for them.
It will take courage and inevitably draw backlash, but in the long run will enhance their careers, on field performance and, ultimately, lives. We, as fans, can not begrudge them for that.
If we want personalities in the AFL, it’s time we humanise players and that can start by treating them like members of society.
After all, football is just one part of their life.
.kraM
Roar Rookie
Strong contribution as always
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
As always when this subject comes up there is a wide variety of opinion. Many of these young men are forced to leave family and friends for a state/city that they would prefer not to live in. Increasing an initial contract to 3 years will not fly. The Afl is already skating on the thin ice of restraint of trade and I doubt that they wish to have it tested in a court. Rather than forcing a player to go to a club, an alternative maybe have a sliding salary cap where lower clubs have the ability to pay more for players.
Jake
Guest
I don't really agree with this, as the BBL doesn't trade player particularly much, its just that it isn't that great quality cricket, and it isn't well scheduled.
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
Nice article, but I have to take issue with this: Research found that, “instead of a few jobs across a single career pathway, it is estimated that a young person today will have approximately 18 different jobs over six different careers in their lifetime.”... Gen Z are characterised as ambitious, self-reliant, pragmatic, entrepreneurial and empowered.... UK consulting firm Deloitte suggests “Gen Z will have the ability to demand greater personalisation in how they move along their career journey.” It's disingenuous to suggest that the job changing, etc., is something that Gen Z "chooses". Pretty hard to "choose" career and job stability when that choice is decreasingly an option in today's workplaces and job markets, and short term contracts, gig economy, employment "flexibility", workforce reshaping, dog-eat-dog "entrepreneurialism" are the only career pathways on offer. So-called Gen Z's ambition, self-reliance, pragmatism, etc are at least as much products of economic precarisation as they are some putative generational outlook.
DTM
Roar Rookie
Maybe you could have a couple of mini drafts - say, one at the end of round 8 and one at round 16. Clubs wouldn't have to participate but if you had a couple of long term injuries, you could top up as required.
Ace
Roar Rookie
I like that idea Don. Quite often a player goes down long term after the mid season draft and they have already drafted someone who was not suitable to replace that injured player. Even before the mid season it could be done Just leave a place, or two, on your list to accommodate them Limit the selection of youngsters who take so long to mature and to learn the system So many 21-25 able footballers in all the state competitions that can be the top up players required
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I like the 3 year thing. I think I like the longer draft, though, because some absolute gems come up in the 50s and 60s. Mind you, if they did go to the state leagues instead, their talent would probably shine through. If a draft was shortened, maybe there should be a mechanism to draft others through the season, more than just in the mid-season draft. How about drafting on a needs basis throughout the year with proper compensation for state league clubs?
DTM
Roar Rookie
Fans love loyalty - for example, Nik Nat was recently asked if he was going to play in 2023 and whether he would consider another club if WCE didn't want him. His answer was that if WCE elected not to offer him another contract, he would retire. I think many West Coast fans would be horrified to see him in another jumper. This loyalty comes at a cost to the player and someone like Natanui earns more than enough so it's a bit easier to be loyal when you are not worried about your income. I'm a believer that a new draftee should be signed on 3 year contracts - this would give the club time if they are going through a rebuild and would provide some certainty for the draftees. I also think the draft should be limited to 2 rounds - allowing the 37th+ ranked players to hone their skills a little more before going into the AFL system - possibly via a mid season draft. This would make clubs more cautious of their selections and less likely to trade picks.
Nick
Roar Guru
Additionally the wages of afl players is considerably lower than their counter parts in international leagues so they don’t have the money to move across the country at the drop of the hat. In the NBA and NFL though, the player doesn't have to pay to move. The considerably wealthy clubs finance all of that.
Marty
Roar Rookie
Agree to a point. I think the main reason the BBL is losing traction is because of the product itself, it’s rubbish. Way to many games of mediocre quality that don’t mean anything. It’s been flogged to death and the novelty has well and truly worn off, which is why CA have to try to manufacture interest through silly rule changes and lots of flashing lights.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Correct, it's hard to get behind a team that has constant change. The Franchise Cricket leagues are a major example of this. They are big in India but the BBL, despite CA trying really hard to shove it down our throats, just isn't that popular, and it's because teams go through constant change. Unsurprisingly, the two teams that have kept relatively steady rosters have had the most success. Too much free player movement is not a good thing, look at the ridiculous money that floats around in American sports. It's hard to really get excited by them.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Yeah familial relationships are unique to Aboriginal culture...
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Paul the Shinboners remind me of the dogs in late 14’ and in 16’ won the premiership your lads look very promising indeed :thumbup:
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
You old cynic Chanon!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The reason soccer and basketball are only peripheral sports in Oz is because, each year, the teams have different personnel. Clubs are tribal. It's the same reason BBL is beginning to lose traction. Teams need identifiable stability.
George Apps
Roar Rookie
No, it is harsh, because most clubs, if they're not in complete turmoil, think of player welfare first. Footy clubs don't only exist as money makers, as Eddie McGuire might have had us believe, but in more enlightened times, act as a family responsible for their young players.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Winning premierships helps establish that belonging otherwise very good players in a poor team environment are more susceptible to leaving!
George Apps
Roar Rookie
Almost unique.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Yeah the Cats tried to keep Kelly but he has very unique circumstances in that he’s married he’s got a kid on the spectrum and he’s indigenous so he needs those familial relationships around him as a support network
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
E.g. Geelong,Kelly,Eagles