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There was, I gather, much angst amongst the Victorian clubs when Rowbottom and Ham were, in successive years, "lost" to the Melbourne clubs. Of course, this rule change wouldn't have kept either Rowbottom or Ham in Melbourne had they wanted to go to Gold Coast or Sydney respectively. The Suns and Swans had the first picks in the draft so all they had to do was promise the two that they would be picked first and get them to nominate for the National pool. It would, however, have stymied the Swans' chances of drafting Hurley.
Most of all it seems a little unfair on the women. Unlike their male counterparts, who are drafted into a full-time job and paid pretty decently (for an 18 year old) right from the start, the women have to think about the rest of their lives too. Careers, study options. At least part of the reason that Ham and Hurley chose Sydney was that there were courses at Sydney universities that they wanted to do. Ham is studying something in the sports science field and maybe there are lots of equivalent courses at universities everywhere. Hurley, too, could probably be studying architecture elsewhere but I'm sure I've read somewhere (but now can't find the article) that there was something about the course that she's enrolled in that was particularly attractive to her. The fact we don't have a national draft recognises that part-time players can't be expected to organise their life locations purely around footy, but it seems unfair that they then can't choose where in the country they want to live / work / study. It's either home or no choice.
Most of all it seems a little unfair on the women. Unlike their male counterparts, who are drafted into a full-time job and paid pretty decently (for an 18 year old) right from the start, the women have to think about the rest of their lives too. Careers, study options. At least part of the reason that Ham and Hurley chose Sydney was that there were courses at Sydney universities that they wanted to do. Ham is studying something in the sports science field and maybe there are lots of equivalent courses at universities everywhere. Hurley, too, could probably be studying architecture elsewhere but I'm sure I've read somewhere (but now can't find the article) that there was something about the course that she's enrolled in that was particularly attractive to her. The fact we don't have a national draft recognises that part-time players can't be expected to organise their life locations purely around footy, but it seems unfair that they then can't choose where in the country they want to live / work / study. It's either home or no choice.
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