‘Extra pick’ idea for finals-starved clubsJAY CLARK
Herald Sun
9 August 2016CLUBS could receive an “extra pick” in the national draft as part of an AFL bid to help slash the time it takes teams to rebuild.
The AFL has confirmed it was monitoring the affects free agency and the introduction of expansion clubs was having on the competition.
“I think we would like to consider how you could get clubs to rejuvenate quicker than the current system,” football operations manger Mark Evans said.
Only five clubs have shared in the past 11 premierships.
It has promoted calls to give long-suffering clubs or those teams which have missed finals for several years in a row extra draft assistance, from the start of the second round.
While a priority pick in the first round of the draft appears unlikely, Evans said it was open to assessing different draft models and the potential of offering lower-placed clubs an “extra pick” in the later rounds.
“I have held a view that the first 18 picks should be retained by the 18 clubs in the reverse order of the ladder,” Evans told 3AW on Tuesday night.
“I think there is something worth looking at as to whether there is an extra pick somewhere for either sides not in the finals or maybe repeated(ly) not in finals.”
Herald Sun analyst David King said teams which had not played finals for the past three years should receive an extra pick.
Theoretically, that would include bonus picks for Brisbane, Gold Coast, Collingwood, Melbourne and St Kilda in this year’s draft from pick 19 onwards.
Clubs which had been out of the finals the longest (Melbourne) would get the highest bonus pick.
Jack Viney’s Melbourne defeated Hawthorn last weekend but the Demons haven’t played finals in a decade. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
King said this way would not tempt clubs to tank.
“If you have it (extra daft pick) every three years it would help clubs (rebuild) very quickly,” King told the Herald Sun.
“The only way to equalise competition is through talent.
“You have got to give clubs and long term sufferers and their fans something to look forward to. It’s opportunity and hope and this way it is legislated and fair to everyone.
“No one is going to tank to miss finals. But if they have been out for several years in a row, they need extra selections.”
Evans said the league was conscious of the time it took clubs to climb back up the ladder.
Melbourne has not played finals in a decade.
Evans said free agency and the expansion clubs had impacted equalisation measures.
“We say that the draft and the salary cap is a great equaliser and that we have added in free agency which doesn’t seem to have the same equalising effect,” Evans said.
“It’s something we need to monitor.”
Evans said the league was loathe to reintroduce a first round priority pick, which was removed from the competition in 2012.
Brisbane will officially request a priority pick on the basis of its threadbare list.
But Evans suggested their hopes were slim.
“There are dangers with the priority picks system that we had, which is why we took it out, (and) now there is an application to the commission (system),” he said.
“I think it will be very rarely implemented, so there is a possibility somewhere of looking at different drafting models.”
Collingwood premiership captain Nick Maxwell backed the draft revamp.
“Between the end of the first and start of the second you get priority picks for the teams that haven’t played finals for a three-year period,” Maxwell said on SEN.
“Why shouldn’t they (get an extra selection?) They haven’t played finals, if you play finals you get the reward so if you haven’t played finals for three years then clearly you need something extra.
“I think it’s a great idea and doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go and use it on a young kid, you could use that with your first-round pick and go get an Adam Treloar or someone.”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/afl-to-consider-offering-finalsstarved-clubs-an-extra-pick-in-national-draft/news-story/1abbbb84667e79c59bb74d7704d542be
