Clubs Call For Changes To Trade And Draft

The Age

Thursday March 22, 2007

Stephen Rielly

THE AFL is being encouraged to make radical changes to the game's trade and draft systems, with several clubs urging the league to deregulate the recruiting market.

The introduction of short-term contracts and the adoption of an NFL/NBA-style trading of future draft picks are among the proposals the league has received as part of its draft review, which is expected to be completed this year.

Hawthorn and Fremantle have argued for picks from drafts at least one and possibly two years away to be available for trade, to build what they describe as greater currency into a system that has seen the number of deals consummated in trade week dwindle by more than 60 per cent over the past six years. In the 2000-01 trade week, 33 players were exchanged. Last October, deals involving only nine players were struck.

Hawthorn's general manager of player personnel and strategy, Chris Pelchen, a long-time advocate of future trading, says the current system has become gridlocked and needs to be unlocked in the interests of clubs and players.

"If you don't want to trade into the future, don't. It's that simple. No one is going to compel a club to do it but we say at least provide the opportunity for those who do," Pelchen said. "We have two opportunities to improve our lists each year and one of those opportunities or mechanisms saw only nine players, of a pool of more than 650, traded last year. That, to us, says we need change."

Fremantle's submission argues salary-cap restrictions have over time created a situation where a small number of elite players are traded each year but middle and lower-tier players have largely become trapped. Using other assets to bargain, the Dockers maintain, clubs will be better able to grease the wheels of negotiation.

"It is often very difficult to finalise trades because clubs have very little to deal with, particularly as the movement of mid-range salary players has become increasingly difficult due to most clubs' total player payments restrictions," it says. "We suggest that clubs should be permitted to trade future year(s) draft selections as part of the trading process, adding more tradeable currency into the trade market."

Historically, the AFL has been reluctant to permit future trading of picks for fear of myopic clubs, or more precisely their coaches, selling off the future to prop up the present.

Pelchen argues that this is an argument that penalises clubs who do manage their affairs professionally and discourages a higher level of draft and trading performance. If necessary, he adds, a limit could be placed on the number of future picks allowed to be traded. "Clubs who pay respect to the trade period through professional analysis of opposition lists would be, and should be, rewarded," Pelchen said.

"We would support, in the first instance, a limited form of future trading where we might only permit trading 12 months in advance rather than two or three years ahead."

The Hawks are also promoting an idea, shared with the Western Bulldogs among others, of short-term contracts that might allow, for example, an ageing star who cannot withstand the rigours of a full season to remain in the game or clubs to recruit a specific type of player in the event of rash of injuries.

The Dogs are pushing for a 15-game veterans list contract that would sit outside the salary cap and afford someone such as Michael Voss or Rohan Smith the chance to stay in the game.

Given clubs are unable to alter their lists between December and October, Hawthorn has also suggested top-up or short-term contracts for a mature-age player, an 11-game deal for either a legend or a player drawn from a state league to cover the unexpected loss of a player.

© 2007 The Age

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