‘Rubbish’ and ‘nonsense’: St Kilda president Andrew Bassat hits out at AFL draft system
St Kilda president Andrew Bassat did not miss in an attack on the AFL’s player movement system as he continues a fight against AFL HQ that he has committed to carry on.
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St Kilda president Andrew Bassat has again launched an attack on the AFL’s draft system declaring it “absolute nonsense” and “rubbish”.
Bassat has publicly criticised what he calls “the system” before having bemoaned how northern clubs build their list through academy talents and the cheap price of father-sons.
He voiced his anger at a meeting of club presidents earlier this year.
The AFL in August announced changes would come in 2025 to the draft value index, which would affect how clubs can match bids for academy and father-son players.
But Bassat dug in during the St Kilda best-and-fairest on Monday night.
“The system is not a level playing field as you know and the more I look at the system, it is designed to favour the wealthier clubs and to favour the northern clubs,” he told the room.
“Our role is meant to be to make up the numbers and not complain about it.
“In terms of what we are doing about it, it is fair to say our club is sick and tired of meekly accepting this. It’s rubbish and … we’re absolutely committed as a club to fight relentlessly to ensure that we are given a fairer opportunity for success.”
Bassat then told Saints fans that he bailed up AFL commissioners on grand final day questioning how premier Brisbane Lions could draft potential No. 1 talent Levi Ashcroft in November.
“How about you give the best player in the draft to Brisbane this year?,” he said.
“The system is absolute nonsense. It is absolute nonsense and we will fight the battle hopefully until my last day as president and beyond. We will fight this. And we will make progress because right is on our side.”
Bassat called on this club fight against HQ to “galvanise” the club.
He began his speech by noting that past club mismanagement was chiefly to blame for St Kilda’s largely barren history of success, having only won a single flag in 1966.
Club coach Ross Lyon thanked Bassat for “fighting so hard for the club”.
“We have to fight for every inch,” he said.
Bassat noted that the Saints were on track to clear club debt, had a target of hitting 80,000 members and “should be far less reliant on the AFL”.
Defender Josh Battle did not attend the best-and-fairest despite finishing third, after announcing his intention to join Hawthorn as a free agent.
Lyon made a quick quip that he hoped the AFL would “do the right thing” and hand the Saints draft pick No. 8 as compensation for his departure.
He said the Saints would “have a big go” at free agency to bolster their list.
Defensive ace Callum Wilkie won the Trevor Barker Award as best-and-fairest, ahead of Jack Sinclair and Battle.
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