Mid-season draft

[OnSong]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/133909/default.aspx

AFL.com.au columnist, Damian Barrett, believes it's time the AFL looked at re-introducing a mid-season trading period.

Mid-year must

IT HAS been 19 years since AFL player recruitment included a mid-season draft.

It is time the game's key decision-makers give strong consideration to its reintroduction.

Attrition is adversely affecting the finals chances of several big clubs just four rounds into this 2012 season. The coaches of those clubs would welcome the addition of a player or two to bolster stocks.

Obviously, nothing can be done this year.

But let's imagine there was a full-scale mid-season draft in 2012.

Who would appeal to John Worsfold, the West Coast coach who has seen his gun All Australian forward Mark LeCras go down with a season-ending knee injury, as well as stars Mark Nicoski and Andrew Embley suffer long-term setbacks?

Surely, Leon Davis would be considered. Imagine him filling a forward line role for the Eagles, roving the packs beneath Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling and Quinten Lynch.

With Gary Rohan out of the Sydney Swans team for the remainder of the year, you'd think coach John Longmire would be another who would like a chat with Davis if a mid-year draft was looming.

Who would Nathan Buckley like to add, given he is without Luke Ball, Andrew Krakouer and Brent Macaffer? Strangely, given the Pies were unable to come to terms with Davis after his incredible 2011 All Australian year, Davis would again loom as a man of interest for Collingwood had there been a mid-season draft scheduled.

Would Brendan Fevola appeal to anyone? Certainly not to everyone. But there would almost inevitably be someone at a senior level of an AFL club who would try to make a case to add him to his club for the remainder of the year via a mid-season draft.

Besides, wouldn't we all have fun speculating about a Fevola return?

Barry Hall, still very fit after preparing for a subsequently aborted boxing career, would surely be a person of interest. If the right situation was to have arisen in a mid-year draft this year, he could have been coaxed into having one final crack at the big time.

Big Brad Ottens, a player Geelong still wishes was on its list, may be encouraged by a club, or clubs, to consider going around for another 10 or so matches.

Then there's the good performers in the local state leagues such as James Allan, Kris Pendlebury and Ben Nason.

The logistics of a mid-season draft would require a lot of hard thinking.

How would the new player fit into the club's total player payments? Could clubs trade a player for a player? Would the contract for the new player be for the duration of that season only, or could it be negotiated for a longer period?

What compensation would be required for a non-AFL club - be it a local state league outfit, an amateur club, or suburban or country team - which was to lose a player to the AFL?

AFL clubs could maybe trade with each other - player for player, player for future draft pick, or a range of combinations involving players and draft picks.

Top-six teams would be looking at players who would help them finish top-four. Fringe eight clubs might look to add a player who can take them into the finals.

The mid-year draft would not need to be compulsory for clubs.

In recent years, the AFL has placed a heavy focus on events in order to dominate media space.

Its marketers and PR people are always looking at ways to keep the game front and centre.

If it was to re-introduce a mid-season draft, there would be a guaranteed spike in interest and intrigue from the footy public, the clubs and the media, at a time of the year which so often is in desperate need of a spark.

Imagine it. Barry Hall being wooed by, say, Fremantle or Carlton. Leon Davis being targeted by the Eagles, Magpies and Swans. Brad Ottens being talked about in comeback terms. The Fevola debate going on once again.

There won't be a mid-season draft this year; there hasn't been one since 1993. There should be one in 2013 and thereafter.

[heater31]

Yep rape and pillage the state leagues during the season as well . Those are the cards you have been dealt so suck it up princesses and deal with it

[JK]

I only skimmed the article so perhaps it was mentioned, but there would need to be some alteration to Salary Cap allowances I would have thought?

Local leagues would then need some protection for losing a star player mid-year.

[OnSong]

I only skimmed the article so perhaps it was mentioned, but there would need to be some alteration to Salary Cap allowances I would have thought?

Local leagues would then need some protection for losing a star player mid-year.

Yeah, he talks about that midway down.

[CoverKing]

Good idea. Definitely would create more interest for players at lower league levels, for supporters and the like. Yeah it would harm the local clubs, but at the end of the day, not many clubs would be affected, but having a record of people go to an AFL club is always a good way to help recruit players in the future. As a supporter of the bloods, if one of our boys got picked up mid year, whilst disappointing as it would affect our club on the field, i would be absolutely estactic for the person involved.

[whufc]

Good idea. Definitely would create more interest for players at lower league levels, for supporters and the like. Yeah it would harm the local clubs, but at the end of the day, not many clubs would be affected, but having a record of people go to an AFL club is always a good way to help recruit players in the future. As a supporter of the bloods, if one of our boys got picked up mid year, whilst disappointing as it would affect our club on the field, i would be absolutely estactic for the person involved.

BUT it would kill the state leagues West Adelaide would be nothing more than a feeder club.

The majority of hardcore SANFL fans would give up as they would spend lots of money on their clubs only to see their dreams dashed mid season by players leaving. Whose to say AFL clubs wouldnt take 4 players from Norwood right now considering how well they are playing etc etc.

Alot of people i know are player sponsors at SANFL clubs what would happen to their sponsership etc etc etc.

Would be great for the AFL would kill the SANFL as nothing more than a feeder mickey mouse comp. They may as well just make it an under 23 toyoto cup style league or something.

[RustyCage]

Players coming up from a lower league into the AFL would have no where near the required fitness level.

[whufc]

Players coming up from a lower league into the AFL would have no where near the required fitness level.

Especially without doing and AFL full time pre season.

Also young victorian Joey Bloggs gets drafted by the Crows. Doesnt get selected in the side to play in the showdown who does he go play for.

[RustyCage]

Bottom team maybe? It would be very messy

[whufc]

Bottom team maybe? It would be very messy

Yep definatly would get very messy. Plus would have an impact all the way through to amatuer/country leagues.

If North were to lose James Allan with no compensation you think their not going to look at every single club in SA possible to find a replacement.

[story of my life]

only way this could work was if it was limited to AFL clubs. i.e. last year Richmond needed a ruckman, Maric was playing for Port Maggies not the Crows and the 2 clubs work something out and Maric spends the rest of the year at Punt Rd as a loan player

[Johno6]

so would you guys prefer mid season trades instead of mid season draft?

[GWW]

They could probably do a combination of both.

[OnSong]

They could probably do a combination of both.

That would still impact on SANFL clubs and others though, which there seem to be a vocal few opposing that, so the trade selection is probably the only ideal scenario.

[whufc]

They could probably do a combination of both.

That would still impact on SANFL clubs and others though, which there seem to be a vocal few opposing that, so the trade selection is probably the only ideal scenario.

Yeah agree the mid season trade imho would be the perfect way to go.

The AFL would be the only league affected. It would add something to the AFL regarding talking points/viewing etc etc

Would think it would be done similar to the Football World where players would go on season ending loans or time framed loans. With conditions such as not being allowed to play against parent club enforced.

Would work real well imho and would make the comp real even with teams who could make gold mid season trades turning them from no hoper to finals contenders.

[OnSong]

They could probably do a combination of both.

That would still impact on SANFL clubs and others though, which there seem to be a vocal few opposing that, so the trade selection is probably the only ideal scenario.

Yeah agree the mid season trade imho would be the perfect way to go.

The AFL would be the only league affected. It would add something to the AFL regarding talking points/viewing etc etc

Would think it would be done similar to the Football World where players would go on season ending loans or time framed loans. With conditions such as not being allowed to play against parent club enforced.

Would work real well imho and would make the comp real even with teams who could make gold mid season trades turning them from no hoper to finals contenders.

There's not a lot of negatives in that scenario for anyone really.

[Jim05]

It works well in soccer because they dont have heaps of long term injuries.
I could just imagine the outrage if a player suffered a major knee injury whilst on loan.
I think it could work if there were provisions to cover long term injury

[whufc]

It works well in soccer because they dont have heaps of long term injuries.
I could just imagine the outrage if a player suffered a major knee injury whilst on loan.
I think it could work if there were provisions to cover long term injury

i think in the soccer world if player a recieved a long term injury while on loan both clubs have to input financially to get the player back on the park.

considering the loaned out player would be playing for another club anyway eg, sanfl, vfl, wafl might lessen the outrage unlike soccer world where he would be in his own clubs ressies, underage sides.

[Jim05]

It works well in soccer because they dont have heaps of long term injuries.
I could just imagine the outrage if a player suffered a major knee injury whilst on loan.
I think it could work if there were provisions to cover long term injury

i think in the soccer world if player a recieved a long term injury while on loan both clubs have to input financially to get the player back on the park.

considering the loaned out player would be playing for another club anyway eg, sanfl, vfl, wafl might lessen the outrage unlike soccer world where he would be in his own clubs ressies, underage sides.

Yes in soccer both parties foot the bill for injury.
My concern would be if Someone is loaned out for the rest of the season and does a knee and misses 12 months does the club loaning him out get compensated for the next season or do they start the following season with 1 short on their squad? Perhaps the AFL could make allowances for this