NRL boss says AFL draft unsustainable
Dave Donaghy | April 19, 2008 12:00am
RUGBY league boss David Gallop yesterday questioned whether the AFL could sustain its player draft system. And Gallop has ruled out reintroducing the draft in rugby league, despite player and coaching signings distracting from the game's centenary season.
The NRL chief executive said a draft was becoming a tough sell and suggested it could be made an even harder sell in areas in which the AFL plans to expand - western Sydney and the Gold Coast.
"As you spread geographically, and the battle among the codes becomes more intense for athletes, it's a tough selling point to say to mothers and fathers, 'bring your kids to our game, but at 18 he might end up in Fremantle'," Gallop said.
"That's not an easy sell in this day and age where kids tend to stay at home longer and there's more and more emphasis on players getting an education on top of their timespan in football. Players are making it in first grade at far younger ages.
"All of those things mean a draft system is difficult to maintain.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23562983-19742,00.html
