Here Bloody Here!!!

[RUSS]

The draft? It's a galling, pathetic, disgraceful joke
By Mick Malthouse

Monday, October 08, 2001

THE AFL draft system is so compromised and unfair it's a joke and should be scrapped.

I know the aim is to promote football in NSW and Queensland, and I'm all for expanding the game to every corner of Australia.

But currently we're simply rewarding incompetence and mediocrity.

On grand final day, 14 teams watch with intense envy as the two others participate in the most glorious day of the season. That's the way it should be.

Yet by the following Tuesday, officials from some clubs can be found gloating about the draft concessions they've won through finishing at the bottom end of the ladder. In my opinion it's galling and disgraceful.

People running football don't spend enough time thinking about the average supporter. All footy fans want is an even playing field for their team. They are the lifeblood of the competition. Coaches and players come and go -- I've been involved with five different clubs during my career and formed intense links and loyalties with each.

But supporters stick for life, and the AFL must remember this.

At Collingwood, it's been seven years since fans have been able to watch their team play in a final. It's been a tough period, made tougher when you think that Brisbane, who are still celebrating their grand final win, finished last three years ago and received two draft picks.

West Coast will receive two early picks this year, yet two seasons back the Eagles played in the finals.

Thankfully, the AFL has abandoned for the moment its ill-considered plan to give Sydney and Brisbane priority picks in their zones.

The Swans are disappointed by this, arguing it is important to develop local loyalty and links to the club.

Yet Greg Stafford, a local Sydney boy, is being traded by the club, just like Lenny Hayes was overlooked a few years back. It's a farce.

In my opinion, the AFL should revert to a draft where no restrictions apply.

The best young footballers in the nation should be permitted to play wherever they want to, and it would be up to clubs and their recruitment staff to attract the best talent.

Two of the best young kids in this year's draft are Luke Ball from the Sandringham Dragons and Perth boy Graham Polack. If Luke supports one of the local teams -- perhaps Essendon or St Kilda -- he should be given the opportunity to play there.

Young Polack may have a preference for the Eagles or Dockers, and should be allowed to pursue his career there.

It's self-evident that an overwhelming majority of young footballers from outside Victoria would support teams based in their state.

Brisbane and Port Adelaide, for example, would hold a natural advantage attracting players from Queensland and South Australia.

Obviously, the salary cap would need to be policed much more harshly. Any rorting -- and don't kid yourself that there's not a lot of it already going on -- must be harshly punished.

If clubs were found to be offering backdoor deals to players, or enticing their parents with money or trips, their recruitment officers should be suspended from any involvement in the AFL. The clubs should be fined and the player forced back into the market for other clubs to bid for.

Perhaps this system wouldn't be perfect, but at least we'd be rewarding success instead of failure.

If clubs were prepared to cut deep into their lists, they could pick up a handful of the best young kids.

The salary cap and squad limits would act as natural barriers to one club dominating over the rest.

Any side that wins less than six games receives a bonus draft pick. This is ridiculous and, while players would never deliberately drop a game, I've heard officials at some clubs hoping their team will lose matches to benefit in the draft.

I'm not naive enough to imagine the AFL will take any notice of my suggestions. During the year I found myself sitting next to Wayne Jackson, who could not contain his joy at Sydney defeating Hawthorn.

I'm sure most Hawks supporters wouldn't have agreed with the AFL chief executive's argument that the Swans' win was good for the game.

Our game is based on competition and performance.

If players fall short of what is required, they are dropped or sacked. Coaches have even less leeway for error -- unless you win or make solid progress, you're out.

Yet at this time of year you routinely see officials from lowly clubs bragging about the trophies that are rewarded for failure.

It's pathetic and unsavoury and should be stopped.