South Adelaide seeks compensation from AFL for losing gun recruit Hayden McLean in supplementary draft

The AFL has so far ignored South Adelaide’s request for compensation after losing young forward Hayden McLean on the eve of the season in its controversial pre-season supplementary draft.

• Local club wants compensation for losing Rowe
• Cornes: AFL sinking boot into local leagues
• Snake invasion causes chaos at Noarlunga Oval
• Swans snare Panthers recruit on eve of season

• Season previews: North Adelaide | Norwood

The AFL has so far ignored South Adelaide’s request for compensation after losing young forward Hayden McLean on the eve of the season in the controversial pre-season supplementary draft.

The Panthers have asked the AFL for $20,000 as reimbursement for expenses relocating McLean to South Australia and payments to the former Vic Metro vice-captain.

Recruited from Sandringham after being overlooked in last year’s draft, McLean was picked up by Sydney under the new draft rules as a replacement for injured defender Jack Maibaum.

South Adelaide is demanding compensation from the AFL after losing gun recruit Hayden McLean to Sydney in the preseason supplementary draft. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

The bid for compensation by the Panthers follows a similar move by Melbourne suburban club Doncaster East to seek as much as $200,000 from the AFL after losing former Norwood and Carlton tall Sam Rowe to St Kilda.

“We would like someone to repay the money paid to Hayden and we don’t think it should come from the player,” Panthers chief executive Neill Sharpe said.

“We should be reimbursed for the time he spent with us. Around $20,000 to take our player at this time of the year is fair and reasonable.

“It is disappointing to have had no response from the AFL. We recruited Hayden and brought him to Adelaide, and have lost him for nothing.”

The McLean defection to Sydney has also rammed home the state league clubs’ fears of losing fans following the introduction of the pre-season supplementary draft and mid-season draft after a Panthers member informed the club he was walking away from the SANFL.

The member told the club he was frustrated by the McLean situation.

“It is a worry for all clubs,” Sharp said. “If the best players in the competition get cherry picked during the year and it derails a bid for the finals, that is a serious issue for the competition.

“I’m not sure how it benefits AFL clubs, but it certainly hurts us. It is frustrating and when that mid-season draft comes around clubs will be very nervous.”