Damien Hardwick enters AFL free agency debate, says current model is ‘half-pregnant’REBECCA WILLIAMS
HERALD SUN JULY 31, 2014 11:49AM
RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick has described the AFL’s free agency model as “half-pregnant’’, saying the mechanism needs to be developed.
Hardwick bought into the free agency debate, acknowledging it was here to stay, but said the league needed to make sure “that we do it properly’’.
“Free agency to mine is a good mechanism, the problem is at the moment we haven’t actually got it right from my point of view,’’ Hardwick said.
“We have got the mechanism in play, but we haven’t got all the parts in play, so we have got to look at that.
“From my point of view, free agency is here to stay, but we have just got to make sure that we do it properly.’’
Hardwick said middle to lower-tier clubs suffered under the current model.
“This is the problem because at the moment there are destination clubs and trying to get quality players to got to clubs that are lower on the ladder and, believe me I’ve been there, Richmond, 2010, Luke Ball is an ultimate example,’’ Hardwick said.
“There was no way that he was coming to the Tigers when we were at the bottom of the ladder.
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“So we need to fix that. The way to fix that is the mechanism itself, so we have got to fix it.
“We need to look at these things. The greatest measure of our competition is the equality of games and at the moment there is nothing better than seeing St Kilda beating Freo and going to that game and getting the result we are after.
“We have got to get better at equalising those games and this mechanism, if it’s used well enough, will actually improve that.’’
Geelong coach Chris Scott sparked fresh debate about free agency earlier this week when he said it should be abolished, describing it as a `` little bit distasteful’’.
But Hardwick said he did not mind the concept, as long as it was implemented properly.
“I actually think it’s here to stay,’’ Hardwick said.
“I actually don’t mind the format, we’ve just got to make sure get it right.
“At the moment, I think we are half-pregnant, we’re not quite getting it.’’
Hardwick did not agree with Collingwood counterpart Nathan Buckley’s idea of a mid-season draft, but suggested clubs should have the ability to move players until a certain date.
“I don’t think that’s quite necessary either,’’ Hardwick said of the mid-season draft.
“I think from our point of view, our lists shouldn’t be structured until say May 1, so you should have the ability to move players up until a certain date and then it stops.
“For example a guy like Ryan O’Keefe who is sitting there playing at NEAFL level for six months and I’m sitting here going `Geez, I wouldn’t mind Ryan O’Keefe in my side’.
“That to me is another format that can be improved. I think we have got to get better at it.’’
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/damien-hardwick-enters-afl-free-agency-debate-says-current-model-is-halfpregnant/story-fni5f9jb-1227008536823
