With AFL draft still on, recruiters say they will be fully prepared to make big calls even if underage level games are limited
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has dropped the biggest hint yet on what will happen with the draft age and, while recruiters say they are ready to go, some senior coaches may not be happy.
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Recruiters have strongly backed the AFL’s decision to go ahead with this year’s national draft, adamant they already have strong knowledge on this year’s top prospects.
The league yesterday confirmed there would be a draft later this year, appeasing clubs who had made strategic decisions to invest in future picks this November.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan also hinted the draft age (18) would remain the same despite calls from coaches Luke Beveridge and Damien Hardwick to lift it.
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The league remains keen to put the bulk of the top-50 junior prospects on show to recruiters in the annual futures game curtain-raiser on Grand Final day and stage a condensed one-week version of the national championships.
Highly-respected Sydney Swans’ premiership list boss Kinnear Beatson said it was the right call to stage a draft this year, despite the reduced number of underage games.
He said all clubs would have already put a significant amount of work into the prospects eligible this year and would be in a strong position to make informed decisions.
“While we all acknowledge the players change a bit from age 16 to 18 to 19 – that is just maturation — you already have a fair idea of where they are at and what their strengths and weakness are,” Beatson told the Herald Sun.
“And the other thing too is that we probably over-assess them, if anything, sometimes.
“Sometimes, you do lose a little bit of sight of what their strengths are and you tend to focus too much on areas they can improve.
“Maybe this will just help us concentrate on ‘Geez, he’s bloody good at that’.
“So, I’m really happy to have the opportunity (to pick players from the draft).”
North Melbourne football boss Brady Rawlings yesterday told the Herald Sun the league must stage a national draft to maintain the integrity of the future pick system.
It was echoed by recruiters contacted by the Herald Sun yesterday despite the likely event list sizes will be cut.
The Kangaroos have three picks in the first two rounds, while the Cats have three picks in the first round, after trading Tim Kelly to West Coast.
McLachlan said the league had committed to having a draft and was adamant that some 18-year-old players were ready to make a strong impact at the top level.
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Carlton midfielder and top pick Sam Walsh excelled in his first season with the Blues last year, finishing fourth in the club’s best and fairest.
“I’m very confident that the draft will go ahead,” McLachlan said. We will need a draft. Secondly, the draft age is being discussed by working groups, I know there’s various views on all of that.
“But one thing I’ve heard in the past 24 hours from various people around football … is that the best 18-year-old kids are walking straight into very good teams and having an impact straight away.
“People are looking for the whole draft class to be more mature, but they certainly don’t want to have less access to the best 18-year-olds.
“Hopefully that gives you a level of direction.”
