St Kilda boss Andrew Bassat on why draft system must change and father-son picks should be scrapped

St Kilda president Andrew Bassat — an outspoken critic of the existing AFL draft — has slammed the current system as “indefensible” and outlined why he thinks father-son picks need to be scrapped.

MELBOURNE . 15/04/2023. AFL . Round 5. Gather Round. Collingwood vs St Kilda at the Adelaide Oval. Nick Daicos of the Magpies during the 4th qtr. . Pic: Michael Klein

St Kilda president Andrew Bassat has launched at the “nonsense” price that clubs are paying for father-son and academy picks and expects significant change to come from the AFL’s competitive balance review.

“It has to change — it is indefensible,’’ Bassat said.

Declaring he would scrap father-son picks altogether if it was his decision, Bassat believes the majority of presidents were reluctant to speak up because of potential backlash from non-Victorian club bosses.

Bassat said he attended last year’s national draft and was confronted by the inequities of access to talent and how much the draft — overall — was “compromised” because of father-son, academy and free-agency compensation selections.

Bassat stressed he was not opposed to academy picks, but believed the northern-state clubs needed to pay a fairer price for the player.

“Talent is the key to winning premierships,” he said.

“The draft is meant to be the instrument of equalisation, but the only advantage from that is you get one pick at the top of the draft.

“If clubs are getting, for free effectively or paying a nonsense price, for picks through academy or father-son, it completely negates the draft. Flags are being decided by this.”

Bassat said it was unfair that clubs could use a bunch of lower picks (for points) to secure an Academy or father-son pick, and then use their first-round pick to “double-dip” on another elite player.

Andrew Bassat says Sydney paid a “nonsense” price for Errol Gulden. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“Nick Daicos for pick 38 (overall it was with picks 38, 40, 42 and 44), Sydney paying a nonsense price for three All-Australians in Gulden, Heeney and Blakey; it’s not that they get access to them that we mind, but they pay a nonsense price, which means not only do you get Heeney, to use an example, you also get Logan McDonald, you not only get Nick Daicos you get another top-round pick,’’ Bassat said.

“It’s one thing to get access, which is a big advantage, but it’s another for Collingwood to get (Nick) Daicos, and that’s fine, I understand the romance of that, but at least pay a fair price so they don’t get the double dip. So, what we’ve said is the price is a nonsense.

“I haven’t been outspoken, but I think a lot of presidents agree with me, but perhaps are more quieter than what they otherwise would be, because they know the whacks that will follow, from the media and other presidents, which has happened.’’

Nick Daicos went to Collingwood for the equivalent of pick 38. Picture: Michael Klein

Asked if father-son selections should exist, Bassat said: “If I was deciding it, I would say no, let’s not compromise the draft (but) I know that wasn’t a winnable battle in the short-term.’’

He baulked when asked if he would hold the same position if St Kilda had also benefited from father-sons.

“When they changed the rules so we lost access to Cam McKenzie after the Jamarra Ugle-Hagan situation, we didn’t say a word to anyone because directionally I like the idea of compromising the draft as little as possible,’’ he said.

“You don’t want these compromises to decide flags and they are deciding flags.

St Kilda lost access to Cam Mackenzie due to draft rule changes. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“So, Collingwood, three All-Australian father-sons, which they didn’t pay a fair price for.

“Playing against Brisbane, (they have) father-sons, academy selections and AFL assistance.

“Sydney is clearly the flag favourites and do they do that without Gulden, Heeney, Blakey, which they got access essentially for free?

“That’s the real issue, at least make people pay a fair price. Not just a fair price, a fairer price because it’s absolute nonsense they can use picks 56, 58 and 60, and somehow that adds up to a first-round pick. It’s nonsense.’’

Bassat feared academy access by Gold Coast could make them “too powerful because they’ll be getting a first-rounder every year’’.

‘‘Our first pick last year was Darcy Wilson, and we’re thrilled with him, but our first pick was pick 18,’’ Bassat said. “Before we had our first pick, Gold Coast had three, North Melbourne had two. We’re sitting there watching that, and some of the clubs well ahead of us on talent had multiple goes as well. I thought, we are working hard on our dream, which is to win a second flag, and tonight sets us back.’’

He acknowledged that St Kilda’s financial assistance from the AFL was part of competitive balance and that the club itself was to blame for its lack of premiership success.

“We’ve screwed up many times,’’ he admitted. “But we’re working hard … but, in parallel, if we can make the playing field a bit more even, we’re going to try to do that as well.’’

He noted that the Saints travelled “typically twice more than Collingwood every year’’ and that, for example, the Saints played at Geelong when Collingwood didn’t.

“I understand everyone wants to play Collingwood at the MCG, including us, because they draw a big crowd, but you can’t pretend there aren’t inequities in the system,’’ he said.

Originally published as St Kilda boss Andrew Bassat on why draft system must change and father-son picks should be scrapped