2020 national draft could be postponed by 12 months due to coronavirus crisis
The coronavirus outbreak has wreaked havoc on the world and on the AFL season and it could extend into 2021, with this year’s national draft no guarantee to go ahead. That and more footy news here.
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Club recruiters are wondering whether the 2020 national draft will be postponed by a full year in the event there is minimal footy played this season.
The league is considering a wide range of potential scenarios including either reducing the number of picks taken by clubs in this year’s draft or even delaying the draft until next season.
If it was held in November based on current ladder positions, Western Bulldogs stand to be the massive winner as they hold pick No.2 (behind Gold Coast) and the rights to arguably the best player in the country, academy prospect Jamara Ugle-Hagan.
A draft lottery system has also been raised to off-set the unfairness off basing the draft order on only one round of footy.
But recruiters canvassed this week believed there remained some chance this year’s draft could be scrapped altogether, if the shutdown continued beyond September due to the coronavirus crisis.
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In that event the league could make a long-awaited decision to lift the draft age to 19 next year, so all of this year’s class remain eligible to push their case next season.
But for clubs who have executed specific strategies last year to receive future picks, such as Geelong, North Melbourne and Adelaide, the delay poses headaches.
The Cats are set to have three first-round picks in the next draft including West Coast’s first selection as part of the Tim Kelly deal, and the No. 11 choice from Gold Coast.
North Melbourne also has an extra first-round pick after trading last year’s early choice off to Melbourne for Kysaiah Pickett, while Adelaide is slated to have four calls in the first two-rounds.
But the issue is the clubs could be either forced to wait another full year to welcome the extra top-line talent, or be limited in how many picks they can have.
It has been floated that clubs could be restricted to only two picks in this year’s draft but, what would that mean for Geelong which has three picks inside the first round?
‘FINANCIAL SUICIDE’ TO KEEP NORTHERN BLUES ALIVE
Northern Blues president Stephen Papal says it would be financially irresponsible to attempt to keep the 138-year-old club alive after the Blues cut ties last week.
Papal has been the club’s president since 2007 and is seen as having done an outstanding job to keep its history alive.
But the club formerly known as Preston which counts Roy Cazaly and Ray Shaw as among its famous alumni will now go out of existence.
“Back in 2007 when I took over we were in trouble and through the help of good people at Carlton and good relationships we managed to keep it alive,” he said.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event that has caused this and when the AFL asked clubs to cut $3 million from their soft cap we couldn’t push forward. To go it alone or keep the club alive would be exposing my directors and you just have to be accountable.
“For us to move forward would have been committing financial suicide.”
Papal said he was concerned about the future of the VFL and its role as a feeder competitioin to the AFL.
“Where is the future talent going to come from?,” he said. “I worry about where the next Kane Lambert will come from?”
KENNEDY TO STAY A SWAN IN 2021
Sydney co-captain Josh Kennedy will go through the AFL shutdown safe in the knowledge he is contracted to 2021 despite many believing he was an unrestricted free agent this year.
Kennedy signed on for three years until 2020 on the same day he was made captain in 2016.
But his manager and the club added another year to his contract that hasn’t been made public, meaning he is secured through to the age of 33.
“At the end of last year four teammates retired who I played a lot of footy with,” Kennedy said.
“It feels like yesterday I was sitting down with those guys thinking I will never be one of them. Here I am as the second oldest at the club.
“I am contracted for this year and next year so in my mind I have got two years left.
“(But) it doesn’t mean I don’t want to play longer. That’s what I am thinking and I will cross that bridge when I get to it.”
COULD AFL FEATURE 26 ROUNDS IN 2021?
AFL player managers are still awaiting the fine details of the player pay cut as some including Carlton’s Jack Martin face more significant sacrifices because of massively front-ended deals.
But player manager Ben Williams, who has clients including Shaun Burgoyne, Isaac Heeney and Josh Bruce, has thrown up an interesting solution to growing revenue next season.
He wonders if the AFL would play a 26-home-and-away game schedule where any player can only take part in 22 games until finals.
So it gives broadcasters chance to make up for lost games after this year’s 17-game home-and-away schedule and clubs a chance to get more ticket revenue but without overly taxing players next year.
Clubs are aware their players need down time in the next few months because if the season goes into December they will barely get an off-season.
Players might get a month away from their clubs over summer but would need to stay in elite shape for games starting in February, whether they are NAB Series games or even an early season proper.
HUTCHY WAITS ON FULL CRISIS BUSINESS IMPACT
SEN boss Craig Hutchison has asked the stock exchange for more time to assess the impact of COVID-19 on his business.
There is concern in the industry about the future of the sports radio station but Hutchison has been calling for calm, stating he's following the lead of many other Australian companies during this unprecedented global crisis.
Hutchison is the chief executive of Pacific Star Network, the parent company which owns the SEN radio network and Crocmedia business, which requested a voluntary suspension of its shares two weeks ago.
On Friday PSN applied to extend its trading halt by another two weeks until Aprl 17.
In a letter to the ASX, Hutchison's company said: “With the continued uncertainty surrounding the AFL and NRL seasons, restrictions on event gatherings and the economic impact on advertisers, which are core to the PNW business, PNW is reviewing its staffing structure and working with its clients, sporting bodies, financier and suppliers to reach a position to inform the market.”
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There has already been significant cuts at SEN with all contributors let go as the reality of no live sport for the foreseeable future starts to kick in.
PSN also publishes the AFL Record – they bought it from the AFL for $8.1 million in July 2018 – which they've now been forced to offer to fans for free via digital download.
The company also owns 25 per cent of National Basketball League club Melbourne United with Hutchison last year appointed chairman of its board.
WEEKEND WHISPER
Which AFL club staffer set off alarm bells when he was struck down with illness that luckily turned out to be just an old fashioned bout of bronchitis?
Originally published as 2020 national draft could be postponed by 12 months due to coronavirus crisis
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