Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="BroncsFan, post: 3331805, member: 9052"] I just dont see a draft working in Australian sport in general. AFL use one, but a lot of the issues are Vic, SA, WA, etc. kids being relocated, but as soon as their rookie contract is done they're looking for a way home. It works in the US because kids already travel for college... it's almost a right of passage to relocate from your home town to whichever giant college wants you, then you go off to the pros and relocate again... but even then when the rookie contract ends they can still leave (Simmons currently, AD, Kyrie, etc.). In NRL when the contract is up (or even if it's not) juniors already leave (Walsh, Fifita, Burton, etc.) ... so drafting a Haas, Walsh, Walker is fine, but you dont get ownership over them for the next decade. Drafted players may have no affiliation with whichever club picks them up, which means loyalty to that club would be low to non-existent. In the end it would probably just strengthen whichever team is already at the top when players come off contract, like it has been in the NBA where players generally look to the big markets (NY, LA, Miami, etc.). Say Fifita was drafted by dogs or tigers, when he comes off contract they're still a basket case so he wants to leave. He's already in Sydney so he could look for whichever team is strongest is Sydney and go there (Rooster or Souths) or just go to Melbourne, because he's relocated already (so it doesnt phase him anymore)... or he could return home to Brisbane or GC. Either way the dogs/tigers probably only get Fifita for a few years before he pisses off. In AFL when a Brisbane, GC, GWS rookie is off contract and wants to head 'home'... it's usually the big clubs they want to head to, because they want success and prestige. Removing the club affiliation from junior development and pathways systems just creates a franchise based competition where players have zero loyalty to any club. In the current format, we as fans can connect to junior players coming through, as they have chosen to stay loyal to the club that we support (Cobbo, Katoni, etc.). This may be short lived if they choose to leave, but my support is geared to the Broncos because the players are largely developed and come through the systems. In a draft system it could be like "Broncos have drafted Kyle Flannigan from Sydney"... but who the **** is he when you draft them and there is no coverage of the lower grades. A franchise like the warriors might end up being perennial losers in a draft world, because they are in a smaller market than Sydney, Brisbane/SEQ, Melbourne... except in that situation there will be no reward at all for development because drafts would take away any gun NZ kids they find in their region. It will be interesting to see how Walsh plays out when he's off contract. Will he stay in NZ or will he move on?? He could be a case study of how a draft might play out in NRL. Does he leave the team that 'drafted' him as soon as he can or does he stay loyal to a team that he had no affiliation with coming through the juniors. [/QUOTE]

Verification

Active Now

No members online now.

Total: 166 (members: 0, guests: 166)

Reply to thread

Log in

Active Now