2015 AFL Draft: New points-based bidding system set to turn draft order on its head

ALL is not what it seems. The AFL’s new points-based bidding system will turn tomorrow night’s national draft selection order on its head, reports Andrew Capel.

Draft hopeful Jacob Hopper at the Docklands in Melbourne.

ALL is not what it seems.

The AFL’s new points-based bidding system will turn tomorrow night’s national draft selection order on its head.

For the first time clubs will be forced to pay a higher price for academy or father-son selections and the draft order will change throughout the evening.

This could mean Adelaide, whose first pick is at No. 9, might not make its first call until No. 12 because there are at least three, and possibly four, academy players who could attract top-10 bids.

These include GWS’s tucked-away guns Jacob Hopper and Matthew Kennedy, Sydney’s Callum Mills and Brisbane’s Eric Hipwood.

A second Lions academy prospect, Ben Keays, also is a chance to be a first-round selection.

Under the new method designed to make clubs pay a fairer price for academy or father-son picks following the Swans’ steal of ace midfielder Isaac Heeney at pick 18 last year, each club is allowed to nominate any player for drafting.

But clubs with academy or father-son prospects have the right to use points to match any bid to move up the draft selection order to secure their man.

This is provided they have accrued enough bidding points.

Sydney has already prepared for securing Mills by trading out pick 14 to St Kilda to gain extra points.

Callum Mills. Photo: Sarah Matray.

The Giants and Lions have done likewise, securing a stack of third and fourth-round picks they can cash in for higher selections.

The new bidding system gives each draft pick a value, starting at 3000 draft value index points for No. 1 down to nine points for No. 73.

The highest bid on draft night decides the points that must be “paid” by the nominating club, although a 20 per cent discount is given for first-round picks.

The nominating club’s next pick or picks are then moved backwards until the points are paid.

If the nominating club decides not to match, the player is drafted by the bidding club.

A record 44 players were traded and future draft picks exchanged during last month’s trade period as clubs with academy and father-son prospects positioned themselves to increase their points total.

In recent years all clubs have been allowed to bid for academy or father-son draftees but their nominating club only needed to use its next available draft pick to secure the player.

For fans concerned that their club’s top draft picks could lose value as they slip down the pecking order, the best way to look at the draft is to ignore the leading academy and father-son candidates.

An example is that Adelaide’s first pick could slip from nine to 12 but the Crows will still be picking the ninth non-Academy player.

“The new system adds another element of interest to the draft, there will be a bit of bluff and poker among the clubs, so it makes it even more exciting,’’ said AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan.

The rolling draft order will automatically be updated throughout the night.

Originally published as 2015 AFL Draft: New points-based bidding system set to turn draft order on its head