A Draft?

[El Diablo]

It doesn't seem fair for clubs that put a lot into developing juniors just to lose them in a draft once the player is ready for the NRL.


Mixed opinions on this..

it doesn't seem fair the way it is atm either when you look at some clubs who just poach juniors and contribute nothing

 

[beads6]

Would be interesting to see how it was setup. Who would pay to develop the players certainly no the clubs if they don't get to keep the players

 

[HowHigh]

it doesn't seem fair the way it is atm either when you look at some clubs who just poach juniors and contribute nothing

Yeah, I can see both sides to it. Maybe after the TV rights deal is done and the Salary cap rises etc, it will be a better time to decide on it.

 

[Red Bear]

It'd end up like AFL where clubs dont do any junior work, clubs represent their area in name only. Which is fine I guess, but I kind of like that League clubs playing in a large competition yet are still vital parts of their community

 

[El Diablo]

and we don't want that tanking rubbish to happen in our game

does tanking happen in the NFL and NBA or only AFL?

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I think that once we have more teams in areas that dont produce as many juniors, a draft will be necessary. Melbourne and Perth will struggle. I think we can last without a draft until teams 19 and 20 are introduced.

 

[jason taylor]

Perth are already producing juniors though. Don't they have a HM or SG Ball side?

 

[docbrown]

I think that once we have more teams in areas that dont produce as many juniors, a draft will be necessary. Melbourne and Perth will struggle. I think we can last without a draft until teams 19 and 20 are introduced.

Ignoring all the salary cap dramas, I think Melbourne have actually shown how a club without a large junior base can go out and scout talent that others have overlooked. Clubs just need to have scouts out there and being proactive.

That said I think this is actually big news for the RLPA to say this. I think a draft kind of goes against what Rugby League is about - I mean think about why we even have Origin in the first place.

If it happens though, their should be some system so that teams that develop juniors get first selections or "reserves" from within their own ranks. We need to guarantee as many local players as possible playing at their local NRL club where possible.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Id say that the staff employed at Melbourne have contributed to that doc. Not all non heartland areas will have the same luxury.

If Perth had similar staff as Parramatta do, they'd be stuffed junior recruitment wise.

 

[CC_Roosters]

I fail to see how it could be worked in the short term. NRL clubs by and large produce their own players through there junior nurseries so what would happen to the junior league structures and toyota cup with a draft in place? Secondly, it works in america because they have an established college sports scene which does very well in its own right. The afl have strong state leagues below it to bring through players our state leagues are chaotic at the best of times. So people hoping to run it along the same lines as the AFL draft are on the wrong track barring a radical improvement in the games structure below NRL level.

On the internal draft why do we need that?? Restricted and non-restricted free agency within defined windows would be better IMO.

I feel a lot of pundits only want a draft as they see it works in AFL. We don't have to have it just because they do!

 

[BunniesMan]

Brilliant idea. A draft is meant to go hand in hand with a cap.

The two problems naysayers come up with is tanking and there being no motive for clubs to put money into juniors.

Tanking:
The solution is simple, a lottery. Picks 9-16 are given to the top 8 teams as is when the regular season is finished.

But picks 1-8 are given via the lottery. The non top 8 teams all have a chance at getting the #1 pick. The woodern spooners have about a 25% chance, and then decreasing until you get to 9th place.

Simple solution, the lower end teams have a better chance but the possibility of tanking is reduced.

As for juniors, like is suggested in the article and along the lines of the AFL's father-son rule. Each club has 1 or 2 designated junior picks where if one of their juniors has been picked ahead of their turn, and if they want him, they can claim him and their next pick is automatically used on that player.

For example, Penrith has the #5 pick. Easts has the #3 pick. Easts picks Westie Bogan, Penrith exercises the rule, their pick is used on the aforementioned Bogan, Easts has to pick again.


Another advantage of the draft is that the buildup to the draft and then the draft itself will help keep the game in the headlines for a period in the offseason. That kind of free publicity is very valuable.

 

[Big Mick]

The only conceivable way this would work...would be for the NRL to use the funds received in the TV Rights and solely fund development of ALL junior areas.

That way there is no way clubs can complain about the issue of using their junior areas.

Then clubs can allocate 2 picks out of say 10 rounds from their junior area but in the 11th round, they have to pick an International player from a developing nation. This player if he maintains playing for his country, would also carry a 30% salary cap discount. This would develop the International game and International teams from developing nations.

What you think?

 

[Big Mick]

Another advantage of the draft is that the buildup to the draft and then the draft itself will help keep the game in the headlines for a period in the offseason. That kind of free publicity is very valuable.

Can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with that statement.

You only have to look at the NFL draft and the ratings it gets and the event that it is to show how much revenue it can bring into TV ratings as well.

Also you can create a number of shows around the draft...player profiles, path to the draft (NFL steal) where you take 10 players from different backgrounds, some that are expected to go round 1, some middle round, some late round guys...and monitor their training, family, community work etc.

I've been saying for years we should be modelling ourselves on the NFL as far as TV programming. Shows like Hard Knocks, America's game profiling the year of the Super Bowl champion etc should all be introduced. If TV networks don't want it...then utilise the NRL TV function on the net...boost the profile.

Everything we can do to promote the players, what they do for their communities...and show that they are not all just bogan wankers like everyone in Australia thinks they are...which is totally incorrect.

 

[jonno_knights]

Wouldnt work. Only works in a America because of the Collegate system, would probably see a reduction in junior and local league development from the clubs. Why would Tinkler spend $2.5mill on the local league, only to see the chances that the Knights benifit be reduced.

 

[BunniesMan]

Wouldnt work. Only works in a America because of the Collegate system, would probably see a reduction in junior and local league development from the clubs. Why would Tinkler spend $2.5mill on the local league, only to see the chances that the Knights benifit be reduced.

Dumb logic. AFL's is working just fine.

A draft is a much better way of distributing talent than the salary cap.

 

[BDGS]

He doesn't sound like he is in favour of a Draft with his comments

"A draft of any kind is a restraint of trade and it's been struck down in accord by the players' association in the past," Garnsey told AAP.

"Obviously we are concerned about anything which restrains the freedom of our players to pursue their employment as they should choose.

"However in circumstances where a proposal may have some merit for the competition or for the reasons that Wayne (Bennett) advanced, then it's obviously something we would look at.

 

[BunniesMan]

He doesn't sound like he is in favour of a Draft with his comments

The thread title doesn't say he's in favour of a draft, it says he's refusing to rule it out. Which is true.

 

[docbrown]

The thread title doesn't say he's in favour of a draft, it says he's refusing to rule it out. Which is true.

Which from memory is a change of position to when they ruled it out altogether.

That said any draft system has got to allow for clubs to keep quite a few of their juniors. It's rather comical and sad in the AFL when even the top Western and South Australian juniors are forced to go to Victoria because some Melbourne fumbleball team tanked the previous year.

There would have to be heavy emphasis on local teams getting junior preferences.

 

[ByRd]

and we don't want that tanking rubbish to happen in our game

does tanking happen in the NFL and NBA or only AFL?

It happens in the NBA, team with the worst record has more chance to get the no.1 pick so tanking does play a part.

 

[BLKOUT!]

Tanking in the NBA is different to the AFL. In the AFL they just put out shit teams to deliberately lose games, the NBA does that to a degree but only for the last 5-10 games of an 82 game season. Most teams that tank will trade away their veteran players in exchange for younger guys or draft picks, and basically run out a young/inexperienced side that they know isn't going to win many games. The hope being that they score a top 2 pick and rebuild with their new star rookie.