Gold Coast chairman Bob East snaps back at St Kilda president Andrew Bassat’s ‘ill-informed’ draft tirade

Andrew Bassat has once again unloaded on the inequality of the draft, but Gold Coast’s Bob East has returned fire, calling out the Saints’ president’s ‘inappropriate and ill-informed’ comments.

Gold Coast chairman Bob East has slammed Andrew Bassat’s criticism of the northern academies as “inappropriate and ill-informed” after the St Kilda president’s latest swipe at the Suns on Tuesday.

Damien Hardwick’s side has started the season at a canter winning its first two games by a combined 145 points, leading some to already label the Suns a genuine finals contender.

But not everyone has a sunny disposition when it comes to their looming success.

Last October, Bassat labelled the AFL draft “absolute nonsense” and “rubbish” in a scathing review of what he felt was a system that favoured “wealthier clubs” and “northern clubs”.

And he doubled down on that view on Tuesday, declaring Gold Coast in particular had “reaped an unbelievable bounty” at the draft due its Suns Academy program that has produced five AFL first-round draftees in the past two years.

Jake Roger, Jed Walter, Will Graham and Ethan Read were all taken in the same draft. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images.

“The truth is everything I have said is accurate and I back it up,” Bassat said on SEN.

“I think some of the issues around the fair price not being paid for father-son and academy (picks) – if anyone wants to say that (Nick) Daicos for (pick) 38 or Levi Ashcroft for 40 is a fair price, I would love to see them mount the supporting argument for that.

“I think there is plenty of support for that view and I think, as you now see the Gold Coast have reaped an unbelievable bounty over the last few years, winning games easily, more and more clubs are seeing what happens when talent gets too easily directed to certain clubs.”

Bassat said the fact he received backlash for his comments last year meant other clubs were “a bit careful about opening their mouths to express support” but believed his view was one shared by many of his peers.

“And a fair bit of understanding at the AFL that perhaps the advantage that has been given to these clubs, particularly the northern clubs, is too great,” he added.

Saints President Andrew Bassat with Jack Steele after Round 2. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Last month, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon praised the “great program that the Gold Coast have got” and told this masthead the northern academy blueprint was one the league “wants to do nationwide”.

East flipped the script on Bassat on Tuesday, suggesting the Saints had more inherent advantages as an established Victorian club than Gold Coast did.

“There are 27 competitive balance considerations that the AFL is considering, so in terms of focusing just on the academy, it is inappropriate and ill-informed,” East told this masthead.

“I noticed on the weekend that they had three father-son prospects highlighted, I think it was Riewoldt, Hayes and Montagna. These are opportunities that are not afforded to us in at least the next decade.

“It will be 15 years or so before we have those opportunities.

“St Kilda in the back-half of the season only travels outside of Victoria once in 10 games, including seven games in a row in Melbourne. Interstate teams are not afforded that luxury.”

Bassat says the changes to the Draft Value Index (DVI) were “clearly not enough” but East wants to see the new system in action first before casting judgement.

Leo Lombard was the Suns’ top 2024 draft pick. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“For people to be talking about what should or shouldn’t happen next year – we haven’t actually been through a draft year under the current system,” East said.

“Everyone just sees the draft night, but I can assure you that the layers of expertise, the investment, the support it gets and the good it does for our community … is compelling.

“I would encourage anyone advocating for change to take a deeper look at it, understand the importance of it in this market and what it does for the AFL more generally.

“This is where the greatest growth potential for the AFL resides, in this market. So I think, if you were fully cognisant of all of those aspects, you would understand the academy is something that should not be tinkered with.

“It is in no one’s interest in the code for this to be weakened in any way. All it would mean is that we are in-market trying to take more talent from down south.”