National Draft and PSD

[BAZooka Woman]

Hey

Still a rookie as far as all this off-season trading and stuff goes - can someone please explain to me, in words of one syllable, the difference between the National Draft and the Pre-Season Draft?

I gather there are requirements that we delist a set number of players and then pick a set number up from the draft, but I don't understand anything beyond that!

[SimonH]

Others will approach explaining it differently, but this is my go at it (I've thrown in the rookie draft for added completeness):

1) All clubs must submit their current 2005 playing list to the AFL by this Friday. It must have no more than 38 players on the senior list (players on the rookie list and veterans list don't count towards that number). So, by Friday, all players who are going to be delisted must be delisted, and all players being transferred from the 2004 rookie list to the 2005 senior list, must be transferred. Players who have already been transferred to a club (e.g. Darren Jolly) are included in that senior list.

2) However, there's a rule that if you participate in the draft you must pick up at least 3 players. Everyone participates in the draft. Therefore, in practice, a club needs to get down to no more than 35 senior list players by Friday- by cold, hard dumping of players (presuming an adequate number haven't already retired or been traded). (This '3 pick minimum' rule leads to the somewhat farcical system where clubs delist players only to re-draft them with their 2nd or 3rd draft pick, but in that scenario they're at least on the open market if another club wants them more.)

3) Then, in the November (regular) draft the clubs just draft away, taking turns one at a time to pick players who have nominated for the draft. It all happens live with clubs yelling out their names in order. In theory, the way the draft works is one pick each in a merry-go-round of all 16 clubs, in reverse order of where they finished in 2004. However, in reality, the order is a bit more all over the place because of concessional picks (for doing really really badly in 2004) and trading of draft picks for players during trade time. The list of the actual order the clubs will draft in, is at www.footydraft.com .

4) Players drafted in the draft must be put on the senior list.

5) Then in December, the rookie draft occurs. Obviously players who haven't been picked up in the regular draft participate in this draft (with age restrictions applying). I presume that the rookie draft is a reverse-ladder-order merry-go-round as well, but obviously the competition isn't as fierce because the perceived cream of the young talent has already been taken. Players selected in the rookie draft are added to the club's rookie list. They must be given a minimum 2 year contract (i.e. cannot be dropped off the rookie list in less than 2 years unless promoted to the senior list earlier). There can be no more than 6 players in the club's rookie list (and less than that if the club has players in its veterans list). The practical difference between the senior list and the rookie list during the year? It is more difficult (not impossible) for the club to actually select you to play a game for the firsts if you are on the rookie list. (There are rules that dictate how many rookies can be eligible for selection, and in what circumstances.)

6) On the same day as the rookie draft, the pre-season draft occurs. In practice, it is usally confined to uncontracted AFL players, i.e. players who have either been delisted by their club (presumably too late to go into the regular draft) or players who are out of contract, and who have walked away from/contract negotiations have broken down with, their existing club. I'm pretty sure it goes in the 'reverse order merry-go-round' system, b/c if Richmond had not done a deal to trade Brad Ottens, and he had just walked away, they would have had first rights to draft him in the pre-season draft! Players picked up in the pre-season draft must go into the senior list, which means a club can't participate in the pre-season draft if it already has 38 senior list players on its books after the regular draft. Because of its small population of potential draftees (and because most clubs' senior lists being pretty full, and chequebooks empty, by that stage) relatively few players are taken in the pre-season draft (11 in 2003, 5 in 2002 and 5 in 2001).

Then, that's it. They all get on with the less brainy and confusing business of training and playing.

[liz]

I'm pretty sure the requirement to give rookies a two year contract no longer exists - and in any case only applied to players rookied from interstate. Players taken in the National or Pre-Season drafts do have to be given a two year minimum (though this may not apply to those who have already been on a senior list at another club).

Thus you do still see rookie listed players dumped after a year.

Also worth noting that the Pre-Season draft happens before the rookie draft, albeit that the Rookie Draft follows straight afterwards on the same day.

Sydney and Brisbane have a Rookie Draft concession whereby they can nominate up to 3 players from their home state as priority rookie picks. These players are always listed at the end of the draft but, once nominated, cannot be taken by another club in that draft. However, this only applies to players not taken in either the Pre-Season or National Drafts. Brisbane and Sydney can't stop one of their local rookie targets being nabbed first and put onto the senior list.

[BAZooka Woman]

Woa!!

Thanks - that helps (I think!)

[pillowtalk]

Great summary Simon - well done. And Liz, I've always found your advice helpful. You should start a 'Dear Liz(zie)' column on RWO. I'd rather use that than ask my father !

[Nico]

Just on the Rookie Draft Simon. I think you will find that clubs now take this very seriously given the success of rookie players over the past couple of years. Clubs can go skinny on the draft due to their circumstances, but take 6 juniors and then develop them as part of their list. It seems that most clubs now have genuine success stories. Our latest being Bevan.

[chammond]

Originally posted by liz
I'm pretty sure the requirement to give rookies a two year contract no longer exists - and in any case only applied to players rookied from interstate. Players taken in the National or Pre-Season drafts do have to be given a two year minimum (though this may not apply to those who have already been on a senior list at another club).

Dear Lizzie

I was under the impression that the two year minimum contract only applied to early draft picks . . . . has this changed?

[robbieando]

I believe the AFLPA asked for and got 2 year contracts for every first year play drafted. Players who have been at another club get 1 year (unless that player nominates otherwise as was the case with Morrison last year).

[timthefish]

Originally posted by Nico
Just on the Rookie Draft Simon. I think you will find that clubs now take this very seriously given the success of rookie players over the past couple of years. Clubs can go skinny on the draft due to their circumstances, but take 6 juniors and then develop them as part of their list. It seems that most clubs now have genuine success stories. Our latest being Bevan.

i reckon this is still under-exploited given the rise of champions (goodes from 42, hird from 70-something) from late in the draft. many young late-developers exceed expectations (particularly ruckmen) and so i believe there are many seviceable players (and perhaps stars) that may emerge if given the chance at 19-20 instead of cold selection at 17-18.

[EMJ]

Can someone please tell me the date of all these drafts. ??The previous info is great but will have to reread to take it all in. Thank you though for the info.
Are any of them televised by Fox into Sydney - one was - but will it be this year.??

[SimonH]

The AFL/ AFL Players Association industrial agreement is the unlikely source of most rules, and I can't on a quick look find any reference to rookies having to be loved for 2 seasons, so I'll concede I was probly wrong there.

What might have thrown me is that I believe that a rookie can't be kept on the rookie list for more than 2 seasons.

Draft: 20 November
PSD and rookie draft: 14 December.

[liz]

Originally posted by SimonH


What might have thrown me is that I believe that a rookie can't be kept on the rookie list for more than 2 seasons.

That is correct - although they can be delisted from the rookie list and redrafted onto it, ala Scott McGlone last year. Other clubs, though, have the chance to get in first if they want to.

There used to be a minimum time limit for interstate rookies as well, so that may have been what you were thinking of.

[BAZooka Woman]

My god!

I'm now so well educated on this subject I've gone full circle and have reverted to a gibbering ignoramus!!