Mid-season draft 'more likely' for 2016, says AFL chief

[Hotdog60]

AFL COACHES are pushing for a mid-year draft or trade period, with League chief Gillon McLachlan saying the AFL Commission will consider the idea.

It was a major discussion point at a recent meeting of the AFL coaches at League CEO Gillon McLachlan's house, with widespread support emerging among the group.

McLachlan said on Monday night there were calls to implement the proposal next season, but it was more likely to feature the following year.

"There's support among the coaching group and (AFL football operations manager) Mark (Evans) has taken that back (for review) but I don't think it'll get up in time for next year," McLachlan told Channel Seven.

"It will be more likely for 2016."

McLachlan said Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley was a major advocate of the proposal.


Mid-season draft idea intrigues Buckley

The AFL boss also revealed the League was in early discussions on a potential radical change to the fixture in coming years.

McLachlan's preferred option would involve an initial 17-round season, where every team would play each other once. Following that, the teams would be broken down into three pools of six to add more meaning to the final rounds of the 22-game season.

Under the proposal the top six would play off for spots in the top four; the middle tier teams would fight it out for seventh and eighth spot on the ladder; and the bottom six teams would battle for draft positions.

McLachlan said the proposal had been debated for the past 18 months, although he reiterated any fixture change "certainly wasn't going to happen next year".

Melbourne's priority pick fate will also be determined at a Commission meeting in October.

The Demons filed their application for special assistance to the AFL last week, although their attempts to win a priority pick were denied last year.

McLachlan said the Commission would look at a number of different criteria, including a subjective assessment of the Demons' list, an objective view of the club's games this year - assessing quarters won, matches won and games Melbourne was in a position to win.

Evans is due to put a proposal forward to the AFL executive prior to October's Commission meeting.

McLachlan also spoke about:

- The AFL's intention to have a uniform goalline policy in this year's finals series, which will include goalline technology at all games as well as two people in charge of determining the result of a review in the box.
- The possibility of a 10-year broadcast rights agreement when the existing deal expires at the end of the 2016 season.
- His understanding that the substitute rule and interchange cap (120 rotations) will remain unchanged in 2015

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[Maddog37]

I would also like the idea of mid season loans for players like the EPL.

[soupman]

How would a mid-season draft work? It seems a nice idea but I would be concerned that it punishes the state level teams unfairly, as that is where the draftees will be coming from.

What could happen is Williamstown is chugging along and playing great footy, and then halfway through the year their best player gets picked up by Adelaide, has to move and start playing at the drop of a hat and Williamstown has to cop it. The state level clubs wouldn't be able to pinch any decent players to replace them, and losing a star forward/their captain/their best ruckman could seriously harm their chances that season.

I'm really curious to see how this would be avoided.

[azabob]

Further to your point Soupaman If a club participates in the draft do they have to delist a player to make room on the list? Also is the contract for 10 weeks?

[chef]

Ridiculous idea IMO. Will end up like last time with stuff all clubs participating and it being canned after a season or 2.

[bulldogtragic]

Ridiculous idea IMO. Will end up like last time with stuff all clubs participating and it being canned after a season or 2.

Agreed. They're going beyond the brief of custodians of the game.

[Throughandthrough]

How would a mid-season draft work? It seems a nice idea but I would be concerned that it punishes the state level teams unfairly, as that is where the draftees will be coming from.
.

The AFL doesn't give a shit about the SANFL or the WAFL.