Hardwick backs mid-season draft push (Age)

[one-eyed]

Hardwick backs mid-season draft push
Matt Murnane
The Age
May 24, 2012 - 12:23PM

A push for the AFL to introduce a mid-season draft is gaining momentum, with Richmond coach Damien Hardwick calling for a summit to flesh out a system which would allow clubs to make changes to its lists after draft time.

Hardwick backed the stance of St Kilda coach Scott Watters, who has called on the AFL the create a mid-season draft to help - as one example - clubs such as his own that have suffered injuries to several players of the same type.

The Saints are reeling from the loss of No.1 ruckman Ben McEvoy as well as back-up Rhys Stanley, and will be forced to use 189cm defender Jason Blake and 197cm forward Justin Koschitzke at centre bounces against Sydney this weekend.

Richmond's coach Damien Hardwick believes teams which suffer losses to a specific division need a way to bolster their personnel during the season.

Richmond's coach Damien Hardwick believes teams which suffer losses to a specific division need a way to bolster their personnel during the season. Photo: Sebastian Costanzo

Hardwick sympathised with St Kilda's plight, today proposing an NBA-style trade period that would allow clubs to swap players up until a certain point of the season.

"For the AFL to move forward I think we need something, whether it's a trade period where, for example, your list isn't fixed until mid-May - I think is a good option for us," Hardwick said today.

"We certainly need a working party or a summit of some sort to actually work through it, because there is a lot of tangibles to go through with regards to salary cap, how many players on and off lists  - how it would work?

"But I think, from where the game has come from, most clubs have list managers now and they need to be employed to do this role.

"We are certainly looking at players all the time, and if you can get them to your club sooner rather than later, there's certainly a need for it.

"Something should definitely be looked at."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/hardwick-backs-midseason-draft-push-20120524-1z6m4.html#ixzz1vkdGdhiy

[Jackstar is back again]

totally disagree Dimma
Thats why the clubs agreed to the Rookie Draft .
Its all about planning..
Hate to say this but the Bombers have it right
Last year they had Rookie the kid Jenkins who played for Adelaide last week.
This is NRL either

[dwaino]

totally disagree Dimma
Thats why the clubs agreed to the Rookie Draft .
Its all about planning..

When I heard MMM talking about this morning, these were my exact thoughts.

It would be pretty rare to lose all the same type of player through long term injury, and if you do then that's why you can elevate rookies. If you only pick rookies willy nilly then that's your own problem.

[Jackstar is back again]

and its been proven players with no pre season at AFL level find it difficult anyway.