State league coaches frustrated with great unknown of AFL’s mid-season draft

The mid-season AFL draft was met with anger from state league clubs, now it has become a huge frustration for coaches who are being forced to build contingency plans should they lose a player.

South Adelaide ruckman Michael Knoll was named SA’s best player against WA to boost his hopes of being picked up by an AFL. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

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Mystery over the status of players just two weeks shy of the controversial AFL mid-season draft is proving a massive frustration and headache for state league clubs.

Coaches are being kept in the dark as to the intentions of clubs seeking to replace players registered as inactive because of retirement or season-ending injuries.

Michael Knoll poses with the Fos-Williams medal for best SANFL player during the state game between WA and SA at Optus Stadium on Sunday. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

And the coaches are being forced to build contingency plans to be prepared should they lose a player on May 27.

South Adelaide is in danger of losing a third key position player in the past six months with Essendon believed to be among several clubs interested in ruckman Michael Knoll.

Panthers coach Jarrad Wright, who lost Keegan Brooksby to West Coast and Hayden McLean to Sydney in the pre-season supplementary draft, said the unknown was frustrating.

“You just don’t know what is going to happen,” Wright said.

“We have had good, honest discussions with Michael on interest from AFL clubs and he doesn’t know either.

“He has spoken to a couple of clubs, but he wasn’t on the list of players nominated for the medical screening. We are not sure what to do at the moment, but we have got to get some plans in place just in case it happens.

“It is frustrating, but we can’t do anything about it. It is the rules, the AFL makes them as they go along and whatever suits them best.”

Knoll was recruited from Box Hill this season and has thrived with the Panthers, while his draft stocks rose even further when named South Australia’s best player in the win over the WAFL in Perth on Sunday after rucking for much of the contest.

Michael Knoll up against WA’s Corey Gault in the ruck during his best-on-ground performance. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Wright said he had been firm with his questioning with AFL recruiters in regards to the genuineness of their interest.

“We want to have a hunch and can plan, rather than get a call the day before the draft and say we are taking him tomorrow,” Wright said. “Most of the recruiters understand and they actually don’t agree with the rule.”

Wright admitted the loss of players in the pre-season draft and the potential drafting of Knoll impacted on his squad, especially the senior players.

He said the club needed to ensure the players understood the direction the club was taking and not lose faith and confidence in the systems being implemented.

“It is hard to do that when you lose Brooksby, McLean and potentially Knoll,” Wright said. “But we have got to deal with the cards we get and work around them.

“It is hardest for the senior players because we are building and improving as a club and team. We are not far from success, the players strongly believe that.

“It is hard to keep going back to the well with the same message every time something happens and knocks you to the ground. We have got to make sure we dust ourselves off and keep working at it.

“The younger guys see it as a pathway and a bit of excitement for them.”

The Panthers don’t have a genuine ready-to-go back-up ruckman, but Wright is considering promoting a young developing player while Knoll is still at the club.

He believes that is the better option that “throwing him in at the deep end” and needing to play 90 per cent of game time in his first game.

“We will be having a real hard discussion on that at the match committee meeting this week,” Wright said.