SANFL clubs demand no AFL mid-season draftee play for Crows or Port Adelaide Magpies in State league

SANFL club chiefs have come out of a heated meeting with the league executive wanting stronger restrictions on Crows and Power mid-season draftees in the State league.

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SANFL clubs are still demanding any AFL mid-season draftee to the Crows and Power never wear an Adelaide or Port Adelaide jumper in the State league at any time this year.

But the push for this concession - that turned up the heat at a meeting between the SANFL executive and SANFL club chief executives in Hutt Street last month - remains in the hands of the two SA-based AFL clubs.

Norwood and Sturt were the strongest and most vocal advocates for a ban on any AFL mid-season draftee being allowed to play for the Port Adelaide Magpies or Crows in the SANFL at any time this year.

Norwood chief executive James Fantasia told The Advertiser the predecent set with West Coast’s entry with an AFL reserves team to the WAFL State league should apply in the SANFL.

“West Coast has in its entry terms to the WAFL competition have the understanding any WAFL player taken in the AFL mid-season draft will stay at his original (WAFL) club when he is not playing in the AFL,” Fantasia said. “We’ve met with the (SANFL) and expressed our concern with why our league does not have the same rules as the WAFL on the AFL mid-season draft.

Norwood CEO James Fantasia believes the predecent set with West Coast’s entry with an AFL reserves team to the WAFL State league should apply in the SANFL. Picture: Janine Eastgate

“We understand the SANFL’s predicament, but we also are looking for common sense to apply. The precedent is there in the WAFL. We’re asking why it has not been followed here?”

SANFL chief executive Jake Parkinson told The Advertiser the West Coast rule in the WAFL applies only with the Eagles and by concession from West Coast.

“Fremantle - with its reserves at Peel - will not be sending any of its AFL mid-season draftees from the WAFL back to their original clubs; they will be staying with Peel as by their long-standing agreement in the WAFL,” Parkinson said.

The AFL-SANFL agreement - like the WAFL deal with Fremantle and Peel - compels any fit Crows and Power AFL-listed player not selected for AFL duty to be placed in the Port Adelaide Magpies and Adelaide SANFL teams.

“So the only way we can replicate the West Coast arrangement in the WAFL with mid-season draftees is with the support of our two AFL clubs,” Parkinson said. “That remains an ongoing discussion with the Crows and Power.”

So far, the SANFL clubs understand any AFL mid-season draftee will not be asked to play for the Crows and Port Adelaide Magpies against his original SANFL club. But Fantasia notes this is not enough.

“That player is still going to enhance the Crows and Port Adelaide’s chances of making the SANFL finals to our detriment when he is playing in the SANFL,” Fantasia said. “He might not be playing against us, but he will be working against us - and this is a very real issue.

“So is the prospect of a player polling Magarey Medal votes for one SANFL club in the first 10 weeks of the season - and then winning the medal as a Crows or Port Adelaide player. It is not a good look for the competition.”

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