Hawthorn list chief Graham Wright calls for review of points trading system

ONE of footy’s most respected list bosses has questioned the merit of the AFL’s new points trading system and called for a full review.

Greater Western Sydney's Tomas Bugg tackled by Geelong's Jimmy Bartel during AFL match GWS Giants v Geelong Cats at Spotless Stadium, Homebush. pic. Phil Hillyard

ONE of footy’s most respected list bosses has questioned the merit of the AFL’s new points trading system and called for a full review before next year’s exchange period.

Hawthorn list chief Graham Wright said the new system was potentially manipulated in an unintended way as northern-states clubs gave up prized early draft picks for back-end selections carrying more points.

“We hope it would be reviewed once we get through this draft period,” Wright said.

Hawthorn will present its own assessment to the AFL, amid calls to cap the number of back-end selections northern clubs could attract in next year’s trade period.

One idea is that northern clubs could be limited to a set number of lower-order picks, such as three picks a round from the third-round on.

The northern clubs will use their many back-end selections to attract their top-end academy talents, jumping back into the early part of the order on draft night.

Another leading talent guru questioned whether this year’s trade-draft period was as pure as previous years.

“It turned the traditional way of doing things on its head, because some clubs wanted to constantly swap picks for a bunch of lower picks, down the order,” the official said.

One club likened the method to “buying a can of soft drink with a bag of five cent pieces”.

Greater Western Sydney has selections 53, 55, 58, 63, 64, 65 and 70, while Brisbane shuffled down to secure 38, 39, 40, 41, and 42.

Hawthorn swooped late, sending picks 55 and 58 to GWS in exchange for No.48.

The Demons were one of the big winners, converting a package of four draft picks for Nos.3, 7 and GWS defender Tom Bugg.

Football boss Josh Mahoney told the Herald Sun the Dees identified the loophole about a month ago and planned to exploit it to rise up the draft order.

“That was one of the things we spoke about and we’re really happy the plan has come through,” Mahoney said.

“The key thing is you’ve got to learn how the system works and how the points work and I think as the trade period has gone on the influence of points is certainly coming through.”

Collingwood list chief Derek Hine said the system could take a few years to properly assess.

“What it does allow is (non-academy) clubs to work their way back into the early part of the draft,” Hine said.

“Now if you have multiple picks in the middle-round and bunch them up it is attractive for the academy clubs.”

Sydney football boss Tom Harley said the new system had already worked in its favour.

“It’s put a definitive value on picks and clubs have been able to orchestrate trades to benefit what they want to do,” Harley said.

Seven trades involving 11 clubs did not involve a player — a record number.

The new model gave increased power to clubs such as Greater Western Sydney who could choose which rivals it could help slingshot up the draft order, in return for the Giants’ own points boost.

Industry figures have queried whether clubs which have completed the “shuffle down” deals with the northern-states clubs will now choose to not bid on their academy stars.

The AFL has strongly backed the new model, believing the points attached to each draft pick will force the northern-states clubs to pay a fairer price for their academy selections.