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soc123_au

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
18,455
Fellas, I am unsure how this draft works, can someone, please, explain this to me?
No one really knows how the draft would work exactly if they ever try and implement one again. The best idea of how it could work is to look up the AFL one. I imagine it would resemble that. I have zero interest in the AFL, so I dont know much about the intricacies of their draft system. Only that they have one and bottom placed teams tank to get better draft picks.
 
Messages
3,616
Rather than a draft, I think the first thing that the league should do is become more transparent on salary. If that demonstrates huge disparity (which it will) then we could move to a points system with the value of the points decided by a neutral arbiter.

Struggle to see how a draft would work without the league throwing lots of money at junior development; and it doesn’t have the money!!
 

The Realist

Juniors
Messages
1,637
A draft would KILL my interest in the sport to be honest.

I like the fact that for teams like the Panthers - that the majority of the squad comes from the area that they represent.

Our Junior System is also by far the Panthers biggest competitive advantage.

In a Draft system the already dominant Storm and Roosters would become more so.

I would almost go with an opposite system. The NRL needs some form of transfer payment system to Reward teams like the Panthers, Parramatta, Newcastle, NQLD for developing the juniors that other teams simply poach.
 

snickers007

Juniors
Messages
1,449
While I don't agree that a draft is the solution to the "problem", I reckon it could potentially work in the NRL. But it would need to be in conjunction with a national youth competition (eg. Under 20s), a talent development reward system, more substantial salary cap concessions for developed and long serving players, and more transparent salaries for those outside the Top 30 squads.

There would also need to be regulations in place to stop players from taking back door deals and skipping the draft, or stop clubs from poaching draftees before they've played a game.

You cannot disincentivise clubs from developing players for their own gain. That would result in a lack of quality talent across the board. The NRL doesn't have the money or the systems to handle development.


But here's how I think a draft could work:
Keep existing junior competitions run through state affiliates - U15s, U17s & U19s. NRL clubs can choose to participate in these or not. Then all NRL clubs must have an U20s, with fixed price contracts for all players, eg. $90k.

At the end of the U20s season, each team is able to choose up to 5 players to sign for their reserves or NRL squad - for any price (within the salary cap obviously), and for any period of time.

Players not signed can nominate for the draft. Each club gets X number of drafts, with the order to be determined much like most US sports - a draft lottery.

Players signed via the draft have a fixed salary ($130k), and standard one year deals. For each player drafted, the club that they played Under 20s gets paid a nominal amount. This amount increases if they also came through other junior pathways with the same club. This amount paid by the new club, and subsidised by the NRL.

Players not drafted become free agents, and are able to be signed by anyone - again for a fixed salary ($110k) one year deal, and are only eligible for reserve grade deals.

Draftees and signed free agents would have an delayed trade window - that is, they are not able to signed from Nov 1 like everyone else - rather they are only free game after 1 July.


For me this would help keep things in balance. Development clubs have first crack at their gun players, they get kickbacks for every player they provide to another team, and there are rules in place to ensure clubs and players participate in the draft in good faith. Still allows for a more even spread of junior talent across the competition. And a well designed draft lottery system should stop teams from tanking to gain early draft picks.
 

Pomoz

Bench
Messages
2,856
I reckon TPJ going after Welch when Crichton scored in the corner was a highlight for me.
Good one. Welch had been vocal in the press about how he was going after Cleary. I think TPJ was saying "You Sir, are a cad and a bounder, I shall not tolerate you trying to beat up my Captain. No Sir, I will not have it on my watch". Or words very similar.............
 

Aliceinwonderland

First Grade
Messages
7,585
Good one. Welch had been vocal in the press about how he was going after Cleary. I think TPJ was saying "You Sir, are a cad and a bounder, I shall not tolerate you trying to beat up my Captain. No Sir, I will not have it on my watch". Or words very similar.............


Like 'OVER MY DEAD BODY' 😝
 

DinkyDi

Juniors
Messages
2,212
Good one. Welch had been vocal in the press about how he was going after Cleary. I think TPJ was saying "You Sir, are a cad and a bounder, I shall not tolerate you trying to beat up my Captain. No Sir, I will not have it on my watch". Or words very similar.............
Welch may a similar claim in Origin, and that didn't happen either.
 
Messages
3,616
Good one. Welch had been vocal in the press about how he was going after Cleary. I think TPJ was saying "You Sir, are a cad and a bounder, I shall not tolerate you trying to beat up my Captain. No Sir, I will not have it on my watch". Or words very similar.............
That was great. I have a feeling that Spencer could have a bit of that in him going foreward.
 
Messages
3,616
I reckon TPJ going after Welch when Crichton scored in the corner was a highlight for me.
I loved that try. In fact, the three tries I lived the most all year were scored by Critta. First the one versus the Roosters; been under the pump for the first 15 minutes, finally get the ball in their half and second/third tackle Cleary puts a perfect grubbed in. Second was the kick against Melbourne referenced above.

And the third!!!!!
 

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