AFL Draft 2023: Clubs considered protest against league’s ‘broken’ academy system

Tensions about the AFL’s academy process have reached fever pitch in recent days as clubs vented their frustration, claiming what happened in the draft made a ‘mockery’ of the system.

Will Graham, Jed Walter and Ethan Read.

Clubs discussed not bidding on any of Gold Coast’s four academy stars in Monday night’s national draft as part of a protest against the league’s “broken” academy system.

Recruiting officials from Victorian clubs spoke about letting the Suns’ guns slide through to the late part of the draft as a way to thumb their noses at the academy concessions to northern clubs and rail against the top-40 cap on Victorian clubs.

OPINION: WHY AFL ACADEMY CRITICS HAVE IT SO WRONG

But the plot fell over as North Melbourne made clear it would bid on powerhouse forward Jed Walter at pick three after receiving a generous concession package from the AFL in September.

Tensions about the academy system – including the four northern academies and 14 next generation academies – has reached fever pitch in recent days as clubs vented their various frustrations.

Jed Walter gets his jumper from Damien Hardwick. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

In particular, West Coast is furious it missed out on next generation academy product Lance Collard due to the cap restricting 14 clubs — outside of Queensland and New South Wales — from taking players inside the first 40 picks.

The Eagles have helped develop Collard but sat back with their hands tied as St Kilda swooped on the skilful forward at pick 28.

Essendon pinched defender Luamon Lual (Western Bulldogs academy), Collingwood took backman Tew Jiath (Hawthorn) and Geelong nabbed ruckman Mitch Edwards (Fremantle), inside the first 40 picks, making “a mockery” of the NGA system, according to one list boss.

But the four northern clubs have free reign on their local talent as Gold Coast swooped on four jets inside the first 25 picks — Walter, ruckman Ethan Read, livewire Jake Rogers and ballwinner Will Graham — leaving rebuilding West Coast in their wake.

The Eagles weren’t able to match St Kilda’s Lance Collard selection. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Club officials told this masthead they spoke about not bidding on the four prodigious Gold Coast academy talents as part of a stand against it, but the idea did not receive full support.

Victorian clubs have lobbied the AFL to drop the cap on next generation academies to the first-round, meaning they have guaranteed access to NGA players outside the top-20.

The cap does not apply to the four northern states clubs — Gold Coast, Brisbane, GWS Giants and Sydney Swans.

But the 14 other clubs have pleaded with the AFL to make changes to the system to provide greater incentive and reward for the clubs south and west of the Murray River.

West Coast list chief Rohan O’Brien said the AFL had to act.

“It is really frustrating when you have done a lot of work with those (NGA) players (who are drafted elsewhere),” O’Brien said.

“It is time for a real discussion around what it might look like in the future.”

But Brisbane chairman Andrew Wellington responded to the “angst” on Wednesday, saying any attempt from the AFL to wind back the northern clubs’ academies would be an error.

The Northern clubs can draft local players from their own academy at a 20 per cent discount.

But the 14 other clubs want that discount to be removed so they pay a fairer price for top talent.

Wellington urged the AFL to ignore the complaints from Victorian clubs.

“Academies grow the game in non-traditional AFL states which makes the code stronger for everyone,” Wellington said.

“They address a disadvantage which is real and based on results there’s no evidence they have created 4 northern super clubs at the expense of other clubs.

“To unwind a strategy each time you get evidence it might be working appropriately would be a serious miscalculation.”

There is also a call to reassess the next generation academy zone boundaries for Victorian clubs due to some “barren catchment areas”.

Geelong, Adelaide, Carlton and Melbourne have only taken two players each from their NGA’s over the past eight years.

“There’s different zones are stronger than others and right at the moment if there was a way to even that up a bit, I think that would be good,” legendary Geelong recruiter Stephen Wells said.

Collingwood recruiting chief Derek Hine said he had to keep his thoughts to himself.

“I’m probably not the best one to ask about that I can tell you, I’ll get myself in trouble,” Hine said.

Originally published as AFL Draft 2023: Clubs considered protest against league’s ‘broken’ academy system