First draft process ’poles apart’ from today’s methods - inaugural SANFL draftee Andrew Payze
ANDREW Payze was snapped up at the first official AFL draft in 1986, in a process that he says was “poles apart” from the sophisticated methods in use 30 years later.
FORMER Eagles champion Andrew Payze describes it as being “poles apart’’.
When he was selected by Essendon at the first official AFL draft in 1986, it was after having discussions with just two clubs — the Bombers and the Western Bulldogs — two weeks before the draft.
Legendary Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy flew into Adelaide just days before the player “lottery’’ to interview Payze and sell the Bombers to him.
Essendon, which won consecutive flags in 1984-85, then secured a 20-year-old Payze at pick 9, making him the seventh SANFL player chosen in the top nine.
Port Adelaide’s Martin Leslie went to Brisbane at pick 1, West Torrens’ Steven Sims to St Kilda at 2o, Norwood’s Richard Anderson to Richmond at 4, Central District’s Richard Cousins to the Bulldogs at 6, Eagle Chris Lindsay to North Melbourne at 7 and West Adelaide’s Grantley Fielke to Collingwood at 8.
But — illustrating just what a crapshoot the first draft was — Payze never went to Essendon.
And Sims, Anderson and Lindsay never played an AFL game.
It is a far cry from the ultra-professional, modern-day draft ,where nine of last year’s top-10 selections played between three and 22 games within a year of being drafted, despite all being teenagers.
“It’s completely different now,’’ current Crows board member Payze said as the AFL prepared to hold its 30th draft.
“When I was first picked the whole draft system was unbeknown to the players.
“There were no mobile phones and I had clubs ringing my workplace at the National Australia Bank asking if they could speak to me about the upcoming draft.
“There was no briefing with my club (West Torrens) and little communication or insight about how the draft actually worked.
“You just get a phone call, have a brief chat, get told there is a draft order and away you go.’’
Payze, now 50, rejected the chance to join Essendon because he didn’t feel he was ready to join the then VFL, despite finishing runner-up in the 1986 Magarey Medal behind Port’s Greg Anderson.
“I had playing state footy as a key measurement (of success) and I hadn’t played at that level at that point, so I guess there was an element of doubt about whether I was ready to stand up to the VFL,’’ he said.
“And at that time playing in the VFL wasn’t the be-all and end-all because the local (SANFL) competition was still seen as being unbelievably good.’’
Payze would eventually play six State games and captain SA (in 1994).
He played 159 matches for Torrens from 1984-90 and 149 for Woodville-West Torrens from 1991-98.
Payze finally made it to the AFL - as a foundation player of the Crows in 1991, where he played 14 games in two seasons.
Payze has seen both ends of the draft spectrum, having worked closely alongside former Adelaide head of football David Noble with list management and he shakes his head at just how far the scouting and research into players has come in the past 30 years.
“When I was first drafted there was no science to it,’’ he said.
“But having worked closely with ‘Nobes’ over the years it’s incredible how much due diligence is done on players now, from first scouting them — both in Australia and even globally — to the investigative work that is done about their work ethics, personalities, schooling, a whole range of things.
“With so much at stake with list management nothing is left to chance now. It’s a whole different ball game.’’
FROM LOTTERY TO GOLD MINE
How the draft has changed in 30 years
1986 National Draft
2015 National Draft
andrew.capel@news.com.au
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