Doncaster rules out recruiting former AFL players due to player points system

DONCASTER says it has all but ruled out signing former AFL players due to the squeeze on its player points cap, instead adopting a ‘Moneyball’ approach to its recruiting.

Nathan Thompson celebrates the 2015 premiership. Picture: Stuart Milligan

DONCASTER says it has all but ruled out signing former AFL players due to the squeeze on its player points cap, instead adopting a ‘Moneyball’ approach to its recruiting.

For the first time in five years, the Sharks did not target players coming out of the elite level during the pre-season and instead set their sights on country footballers.

Signing former AFL players has been a crucial ingredient in Doncaster’s climb from Division 3 to Division 1, landing the likes of Nathan Thompson, Aaron Fiora, Ben Johnson, Tarkyn Lockyer, Heath Scotland, Ben Kinnear and Elliot Kavanagh since 2013.

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But Doncaster president Sean O’Gorman said the Sharks had ruled a line through recruiting AFL players due to the pressure on its player points cap.

“If you look at our points over the last three years ... we’re always one of the clubs that was right up there, around your 46, 47 (points),” O’Gorman said.

Heath Scotland joined Doncaster after his AFL career. Picture: Sarah Matray

O’Gorman said it was more sustainable for Doncaster to target less profile country players, signing Strathfieldsaye premiership trio Tom Bartholomew, Harry Conway and Jake Hall, former Ovens & Murray gun defender Tyson Hartwig and Shepparton Swans premiership captain Jessie Finnen over the summer.

“It was really a change of tack from going into those AFL ranks to getting more bang for our buck, where you are getting quality blokes out of the bush who have played senior footy at a really good level and you’re getting them at a far discounted rate,” O’Gorman said.

“A lot of clubs see great value in getting quality VFL and AFL blokes in, which we saw when we got Scotland, Johnno and Thommo ... but it did put certain limitations on who else you could play.

“In two or three years’ time they will all be one-pointers so the pain at the selection table will be eased and we might be in a position to go back and dip into the AFL well again.”

O’Gorman said the box office hit ‘Moneyball’ had inspired the Sharks’ recruiting, building a team with less profile players inside the player points budget.

“A lot of the time you can’t afford six points on them (AFL) players, so you find the best possible candidate from anywhere possible,” he said.

“If it works this year I’m sure we will continue down that path.”