VFL Drafting

yeh i agree chad, there seems to be only only around 20 kids out of each draft that can step up and play consistent footy the rest fall off the radar of cant handle the demands of senior footy, why not have a mini draft where the vfl sanfl and wafl can draft the kids out of under 18s then have anotehr draft for the mature age guys that are 19,20,21,22 ect that way there more developed and ready to step up and play senior footy

Chad_25 wrote:Was wanting to get thoughts from you guys on why AFL continually think that taking blokes straight out of under 18's is the best way of picking guys up. Surely blokes that have played 2 or 3 years of VFL footy in most cases are better equipped and more desperate because they have done it the hard way, and know the work they have done to get there, where as some kids take the whole draft process for granted and dont perform at the level or take longer to play consistent football. in summary there should be more VFL players drafted full stop.

I agree with most of that. I guess like I said the other day, I believe that most players who slip through the net from the 18s are guys that have a fairly major flaw in their game that has stopped them from being drafted initially. Generally those flaws are that they're not quick enough or their foot skills are poor. There are so many guys at around 180cm in a draft pool that the clubs pick the 10-15 with the best leg speed and the best disposal. There are some late developers who dont do much in the 18s and really improved in the VFL, like you said some who are a bit immature mentally during their 18s days and find the dedication needed to succeed with their footy and some who correct their deficiencies to the point that they work their way into the AFL system. To some degree I reckon some AFL recruiters have long memories and are too quick to assess these guys on their U18 form when they're 21 when in actual fact they should start with a clean slate. But I agree with what you say - there are many VFL listed players who are currently far better footballers than guys on AFL lists. You can see it at every game, every weekend. But how do these guys get drafted? My advice to any 19, 20, 21 or 22 yr old right now is to hang in there. The AFL have lifted the draft age next year and the new GC and NSW team are going to start - which means the draft pool will be thinner. More punts will need to be taken. And the VFL might become a lot more important.

Chad_25 wrote:Dukes myself and grizzle are not the same person,. i would appreciate if you stopped saying things like that it gets very annoying. we are here tot alk footy aren't we?

Correct. You haven't abused anyone so I don't reckon you should be the target of this sort of stuff anyway. This is a pretty good discussion topic, so lets talk footy.

I aplogise Chad.. Might have made a mistake there . sorry. Lets keep talking footy. It is a good discussion point you have made about the draft. I agree, they should look at older players with more senior experiece. There are heaps around. Grizzly, Lets just stop the swearing and start a fresh.. We both obviously love VFL and Footy in general. I just dont like being called a w*nka, etc. Anyway I will start a fresh.

In my opinion Id rather have a mature age VFL player in my team rather than a skinny kid out of the 18s. But I say this because I want my club to win VFL games... Clubs will always go for kids out of the u18s because it is a long term plan for players to develop...How many kids have won best and fairests in the TAC Cup and not got drafted??? Alot, and this is because most of these players have a mature body at a young age and will not develop much more. But I do agree that I think more recruiters should have the courage to pick VFL players in the draft. Ive seen heaps of players over the years not get a shot at AFL level but if they did, they could of had very good careers. We see it week in, week out when a VFL listed player gives a AFL listed player a bath.

The way I see it, it points mainly towards the draft system. Its set up so that clubs go in a cycle and the infamous 'rebuilding' phases. With this sort of thing clubs look to develop a core group of 17-18-19 year olds which they can get 15+ of in 4 years and bring them through together, the rest of the players are other players who have been in the system for some time and are traded etc. depending on what clubs need. The clubs that think they are close will bring in older matured players who are ALREADY in the system through trading etc. So anyone else seems to get a bypass. Clubs on the lower end no longer try to put the best possible team they absolutely can on the park each year. (thats not saying they don't put the best team they have got on the park every week) but they will try and find the right mix early and bring them through together. If you finish bottom 4 then all 25+ players who have question marks most likely get the flick and are replaced by 18 year olds who at THAT PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME may not be as good a footballer, but have 'potential' etc. yardy yardy yadda

Drafts are the most stupidest things ever. Ever notice how only the Mickey Mouse sports have them? Players, like in the VFL, should simply go to the club they want to play for.