The AFL’s flawed compensation system struck again and left fans fuming

The AFL’s most controversial system has landed back in the spotlight with fans far and wide fuming over two questionable decisions.

Another AFL trade period is upon us and that means the league’s contentious compensation pick system is back in the spotlight.

The system has raised eyebrows over the years and on Friday it struck again as fans were left fuming over two picks being handed out.

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Paperwork was lodged on Friday morning for St Kilda’s Josh Battle to join Hawthorn while GWS’ Harry Perryman shifted to Collingwood.

And while the Saints and Giants lost quality players from their line-ups, they’re hardly game-changing stars.

The AFL’s compensation system however begs to differ.

Both clubs were handed top level compensation, which, for the Saints, resulted in them receiving pick eight in the draft, while the Giants end up with pick 16.

The duo both put pen to paper on six-year-deals with both set to earn close to a reported $650,000 per season.

It’s because of the long-term, big-money deals that the AFL’s formula landed on handing out Band 1 compensation and gifting the clubs they are leaving a pick after their current first round pick.

Battle has joined the Hawks. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Perryman is now a Pie. Photo by Phil Hillyard

But it’s this formula which has once again shown just how flawed the system truly is. Over the years fans have been left stunned as the league handed out some outrageous freebies to clubs.

Back in 2014 Melbourne were handed pick three in the draft after James Frawley moved to Hawthorn, while last year North Melbourne were also handed the third pick after Ben McKay departed for Essendon.

While Battle and Perryman will be great fits for their new clubs, both St Kilda and GWS won’t be upset over the loss after the generous draft gifts they received from the AFL.

For the Saints the absurdly high pick comes just days after club president Andrew Bassat launched a nuclear tirade on the AFL’s draft system.

Fair to say his words might not have been as savage had the club’s best and fairest come after Battle had departed.

Andrew Bassat would be all smiles now after Battle’s parting gift. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

The latest questionable hand outs join a long list of suspect calls from the AFL’s compensation system and once again left footy fans far and wide seeing red with some blasting it as “criminal” and a complete “shambles”.

Herald Sun journalist Al Paton wrote on X: “Pick 16 for Harry Perryman. World has gone mad.”

A Carlton fan account wrote: “Compensation is utter buffoonery at this point.”

Several fans couldn’t help but point out the stark disparity in the flawed system as they noted how Hawthorn were only given pick 18 when Lance Franklin left to join the Sydney Swans.

Pick 3 for James Frawley
Pick 3 for Ben McKay
Pick 8 for Josh Battle
Pick 16 for Harry Perryman
Pick 18 for Buddy Franklin in his prime

Great system 🤷🏻‍♂️

— Brad Klibansky (@BradKlibansky) October 4, 2024

AFL maths be like

Josh Battle = Pick 8
Harry Perryman = Pick 16
Buddy Franklin = Pick 19

🤪

— Claxy07 (@jason7clarke) October 4, 2024

Even veteran AFL journalist Damian Barrett couldn’t believe his eyes and called for the system to be thrown in the bin.

“Remove the compensation entirely, you’ve had the player for 8 years and you haven’t been able to convince them to stay. But you’ve had eight years of service, which is double than the normal career length,” Barret said on AFL Trade Radio.

He added: “I don’t know how Battle has made it pick eight for St Kilda and even more so Harry Perryman.

“I just cannot wrap my head around that Perryman has got pick 16 for the Giants and Battle pick 8 for the Saints.

“It has been a mess, I feel, since the inception of it and to me this is the biggest mess we’ve seen with it today. There is serious problems with it now.”

While it’s highly unlikely the league will scrap the system, it’s become evident some tweaks are required to the formula as the cap space in the AFL gets set to rise.

The 2024 trade period officially commences on Monday, October 7.