Mid-season draft prospects could have AFL dreams dashed due to ‘unknown’ eligibility rules

The AFL must decide between breaking their own rules or leaving a bunch of young footballers devastated amid confusion over eligibility rules for the mid-season draft.

State league players could be ineligible for the mid-season draft. Picture: Stuart Milligan

The AFL dreams of dozens of players are in limbo because of confusion over eligibility rules for the mid-season draft.

All players hopeful of being picked up must have nominated for last year’s national draft.

But several would-be AFL players failed to do so and some believed their previous nomination was valid for three years.

A little-known criteria change enforced in 2017 means all players must now nominate annually.

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West Adelaide late developer Elliot Dunkin, who is averaging 19 disposals in the SANFL, is on the radar of one AFL club but he is ineligible because he didn’t fill in last year’s form.

Other prospects new to the VFL, SANFL and WAFL this year are ineligible because they didn’t bother nominating last year when they were starring in country leagues with no hope of an AFL career.

The AFL will now consider granting special exemptions for prospects who have been left devastated by their current ineligibility.

The league must decide between breaking their own rules or leaving a bunch of young footballers devastated.

The late uncertainty means clubs are still unsure who they can draft on May 27.

“No other sport in the world operates like this,” one club figure said.

“Rules on the run … again.”

Football boss Steve Hocking has told disgruntled player managers he will look into the “anomaly”.

A memorandum sent to clubs by AFL integrity officer Ken Wood, and obtained by the Herald Sun, reveals players put on rookie lists this month will bank $70,000 without playing a game.

The battlers will receive a base salary of $50,000 plus a further $20,000 if they are not retained on any AFL list in 2020.

They will pocket about $4500 a match, spiking potential earnings to around $150,000 for four months of work.

Clubs do not believe Sydney has priority access to Kyle Dunkley as a father-son, but there was no official clarification in Wood’s rules.

Kurt Tippett is poised to sign a retirement form, giving the Swans a pick.

AFL footy boss Steve Hocking has told player managers he will look into the mid-draft “anomaly”. Picture: Getty Images

Dunkley completed a VFL pre-season with Footscray and is averaging 18.5 disposals, eight tackles, 4.5 clearances, 1.3 goals and 123 SuperCoach points as a 19-year-old for Gippsland Power.

The hard worker, and brother of premiership Dog Josh, is a being considered by some clubs.

Recruiters will exploit the concept, affecting an already-lean talent pool in 2019.

They want to get the jump on November’s national draft by pumping six months of development into teenagers such as Dunkley or Mitch Riordan (Dandenong Stingrays).

But the AFL wanted clubs to grab, for example, a mature ruckman if they had lost multiple big men.

State-league players are unlikely to make an impact in 2019 given their lower fitness bases and requirement to learn new game plans.

Players cut at the end of the season will become delisted free agents. They have until 5pm tomorrow to nominate online.

The AFL will run medical tests on May 22 and the draft will be run in reverse ladder order after Round 10.

Most clubs are set to use a pick.

THE AFL’S MEMO TO CLUBS

Please note that nominations for the 2019 Mid-Season Rookie Draft open at 9am (EST) on Monday 29th April and close at 5pm (EST) on Friday 3rd May.

All nominations are to be completed online only. Please note that Draft Nominations for the Mid-Season Rookie draft DO NOT carry over to the 2019 NAB AFL Draft.

Player Eligibility to Nominate

The following eligibility criteria applies to Players nominating for the Mid-Season Rookie Draft:

• Players must have previously nominated for the most recent National Draft

Note: A Player who nominated for and was not selected during the Draft and who has committed for a further year as a 19-year-old Northern or NGA Academy Player is an exception and is not eligible for selection in the SSP

OR

• Players must have previously been on the list of an AFL Club (not required to nominate for the previous Draft) refers to the following situations: o A Delisted Player

Note: A Player delisted by a Club cannot be reselected in the 2019 Mid-Season Rookie Draft by the same Club in the period immediately following their delisting.

• A Retired Player and/or a Player who has delisted himself and has not been on an AFL List for one Football Year or more. Eg, Cyril Rioli retired in 2018, and therefore is not eligible to be selected in the 2019 Mid-season Rookie Draft as he did not nominate for the most recent National Draft.