AFL should consider letting clubs spend spare salary cap cash on draft picks, writes David King

The national draft is still somewhat of a lottery. But David King has a left-field method that could help clubs not only vault up the table but also keep their stars.

How much would clubs pay for the chance to grab the No.1 draft pick, like Sam Walsh? Pic: Michael Klein.

It is time the AFL considered allowing clubs to spend spare salary cap cash on draft picks.

Allow them to fork out a hefty fee — say $1 million — from their salary cap to a rival team in return for their first-round selection.

The benefits are two-fold.

A buying club invests heavily in the coming draft.

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The selling club is allowed to spread a percentage of the incoming cash across the next year or two, on top of their existing salary cap.

Here’s how it could work.

Greater Western Sydney sells their first-round selection in this year’s national draft to ensure they have money to keep Stephen Coniglio and stay in the premiership window.

Or Collingwood offloads its 2020 pick to lock away Brodie Grundy and also stay in pursuit of a flag.

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Alternatively, the buying club, which is usually stuck at the bottom of the ladder or in the middle of the ruck, starts building for the future.

Setting a high price tag in the $1 million range is critical to ensure only those teams with inferior lists and massive salary cap voids can take part.

The current system forces the bottom teams to trade away loyal, high-level talent to attract national draft selection in order to kickstart any form of rebuild.

Would the Pies ‘sell’ a draft pick if it meant keeping Brodie Grundy? Pic: AAP

Every time one of these trades happens the weaker team becomes immediately weaker and the strong outfit becomes stronger.

It is ridiculous that players such as Todd Goldstein and Shaun Higgins at a club such as North Melbourne could now best serve the club by being traded.

Or they are best value to North Melbourne by leaving via free agency — a move that is generally compensated with a first-round draft pick.

No, the competition would be best served by the club’s best players staying put. And those clubs are then given the chance to buy another first-round selection to build for the future.

Don’t be fooled into thinking the salary cap isn’t already distorted.

It has been that way for some time.

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When Brett Deledio was traded to the Giants the Tigers paid a portion of his contract. The Tigers wore some of that cash in their salary cap.

The same happened when Ryan Griffen left the Western Bulldogs.

Therefore, the Giants operated, completely legally, above their designated salary cap.

Here’s another example. If Geelong wanted Goldstein at season’s end but didn’t have the available cap space, the Kangaroos could offer to pay two seasons at $600,000 a year in the North Melbourne salary cap, in return for the Cats’ first pick and some steak knives type selections — possibly third or fourth round.

Let’s be honest about this situation — it can happen quite easily.

I say make it black and white instead.

Ensure that it favours the bottom-positioned clubs.

There would be four or five AFL teams who could get involved in this type of cash converting — spend unused money in their salary cap allocation to buy first round selections as immediately as this season’s end.

Consider that the Gold Coast Suns recently lost both captains to rival teams, the Western Bulldogs lost Tom Boyd and Liam Picken to retirement and teams such as Port Adelaide have been frugal.

The notion that at some point teams will land a “big fish” through paying big money is simply wrong. That hasn’t eventuated and it’s ugly all round.

The above average footballer has been the biggest winner, earning overs at clubs needing to spend their cap space.

Let’s not forget some of these acquisitions are now playing reserves.

Richmond paid part of Brett Deledio’s move to GWS. Pic: Getty Images

Would St Kilda have preferred to secure Dan Hannebery for $4 million over five years or buy two or three first-round draft picks instead?

I know which method is more likely to produce long-term success.

The AFL National Draft was supposed to be the AFL’s greatest equalisation measure.

But these kids are still largely unknown products at 18.

The thought that one first-round selection can correct a football club is crazy.

It’s a glut of high-end selections in a two or three-year period that enables a ladder climb.

Notwithstanding the draft is now compromised by academy picks, next generation academy picks, father-son selections and free agency compensation picks.

The best talent no longer goes to the most needy team.

The governing body has recently looked at ways to promote player movement.

This has driven a price hike for players, but has not necessarily helped clubs build premiership lists.

In the end, the only guaranteed pathway to premiership success starts at the draft.

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