Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has slammed the AFL’s “compromised draft”, joining his president in lashing the league for going “weak” on player movement changes.
The AFL is pushing ahead with moves that will affect father-son prospects and all academy (northern and next generation) selections, despite strong objections from several clubs.
But Lyon believes the AFL’s hasn’t gone far enough in overhauling the draft, which blew out to a first round last year of 25 picks instead of what should be 18.
The Saints, led by president Andrew Bassat, have been vocal about wanting change, targeting the Queensland teams for their access to academy talent.
Bassat was responding on Wednesday after the AFL’s announcement, saying the league’s changes were “weak” and they would lead to “almost certain tanking”.
“We would like to see a pure first round,” Lyon expanded on Thursday.
“Hopefully at some point they get to a pure first round, but it doesn’t look like it.
“I think if you make something harder then add something in, those that are in between suffer even more.
“Probably let’s not call it the national draft, let’s call it the compromised draft.”
Clubs such as Carlton and Port Adelaide lobbied hard for changes to be delayed until at least 2027 because they both have elite father-son talent available in this year’s draft.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan empathised with the situation other clubs find themselves in, after the Lions were able to recently secure gun brothers Will and Ashcroft with a suite of later draft picks.
“I feel sorry for those clubs that had father-sons lined up within the next 12 months,” Fagan told reporters in Brisbane on Thursday.
“I honestly believe if we’re going to bring in those new rules then there maybe needs to be a two-year moratorium so clubs that are close to securing those players do get that opportunity.”
Curiously, former Brisbane chief executive Greg Swann has been at the forefront of pushing the draft changes through as the AFL’s football performance boss.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge embarked on a three-minute take-down of the AFL when asked for his thoughts on the situation.
Beveridge said the AFL was a “punching bag”, also referencing confusion around the ARC (AFL review centre) and umpiring.
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson refused to be drawn on Beveridge’s comments, joking it was “his turn” to complain about the AFL.
“There’s been a little bit too much noise on all that over the last few weeks, and it’d just be good to focus on footy for a bit,” Clarkson said.
“That crew that look after list management stuff, they’ll inform me when it’s important, which is probably later in the year.”
