Bring back the draft!

[BuffaloRules]

Mate, the draft won't happen because it is illegal, and the Players association will not wear it again.

The debate is pointless.

 

[thylacine]

You mean like most debates on this forum :roll:
Sounds like everyone's happy with the status quo. Funny how there's so much bitching about the roosters :?:

 

[innsaneink]

Mate, the draft won't happen because it is illegal, and the Players association will not wear it again.

The debate is pointless.

If its so illegal how come they have one in AFL....

Do they have one in AFL?

I asked this 2 days back.....does nobody know????

 

[thylacine]

Yeah Insane they DO have a draft but as I understand it the teams don't have any affiliated junior teams so each year the bottom first grade teams get to have first pick of the best junior players. I know it's not ideal but it's got to better than what we have now.

 

[BuffaloRules]

It is illegal, and it would only take one AFL player to dig his heels in and say that he is not going to go somewhere, and he couldn't be forced to go.

However the AFL has done a deal with their players association, and to date, all the players have accepted where they have been drafted and gone.

Its sort of a case where the players think the sport is bigger than them, and not the other way around as happens in league.

 

[Gus22]

I don't want to see a comp that is dominated by the same 4 or 5 teams each year whilst the remaining 70% are there to make up the numbers, as is the case in the NRL now.

Even if our club was to get its act together & become one of the 30% which were realistic contenders I wouldn't change my view that it is detrimental to the game in general. Eventually the perenial strugglers would cease to exist due to a lack of support/interest from fans disillusioned with the fact that a "Claytons" salary cap does nothing to prevent the wealthy clubs getting wealthier (in terms of playing rosters).

I would prefer to see a cyclic changing of the guard every 2 or 3 years, introducing new teams to finals football, as is the case in comps with a combined cap & draft such as the AFL & American NFL & NBA.

We need a draft coupled with a salary cap to ensure the NRL is a winnable competition to all clubs with a bit of foresight & tactical savvy, not just those with a sugar daddy & creative accountants.

Gee now there's a groundbreaking idea, we can take it in turns. Kind of like waiting for your number to be called at the Leagues Club bistro.

And of course you'd have no problems with seeing your team decimated after a successful year or two so somebody else could have their turn. No I'm sure you wouldn't.

Piffle.

I don't think your playing stocks would necessarily be decimated. In fact a draft might be a good incentive to stay at your current club even if there a was a more lucrative offer elsewhere. Players may be prepared to take less money & stay where they are if entering a draft meant that they might end up in North Queensland or Auckland, having to uproot their families & go through all the dramas of relocating.

 

[thylacine]

That's exactly what I was going to say. Our problem is the players think they're God. Look at the whingeing going on about changing the anti-tampering date.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Blame Terry Hill for the reason there is no NRL draft, he took the League to court back in 1991 bacause he wouldn't go where he was drafted.

Ironically, he wanted to go to the Wests (Magpies) instead of where he was drafted.

 

[Gus22]

Mate, the draft won't happen because it is illegal, and the Players association will not wear it again.

The debate is pointless.

If its so illegal how come they have one in AFL....

Do they have one in AFL?

I asked this 2 days back.....does nobody know????

The courts ruled it illegal because it was deemed to be a restraint of trade. That was one judges verdict. Had the ARL chosen to appeal that decision it may well have been overturned. Who knows? The players union could then have appealed against overturning the original judgement, & so on all the way to the highest court.

I suspect when the NRL & the Players Union finalise the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that has been on the table for a few years now, you'll find that a draft will be implemented. We keep hearing that CBA is close to being finalised, but still wait to hear anything definite.

 

[Miracle Balls]

I don't want to see a comp that is dominated by the same 4 or 5 teams each year whilst the remaining 70% are there to make up the numbers, as is the case in the NRL now.

Even if our club was to get its act together & become one of the 30% which were realistic contenders I wouldn't change my view that it is detrimental to the game in general. Eventually the perenial strugglers would cease to exist due to a lack of support/interest from fans disillusioned with the fact that a "Claytons" salary cap does nothing to prevent the wealthy clubs getting wealthier (in terms of playing rosters).

I would prefer to see a cyclic changing of the guard every 2 or 3 years, introducing new teams to finals football, as is the case in comps with a combined cap & draft such as the AFL & American NFL & NBA.

We need a draft coupled with a salary cap to ensure the NRL is a winnable competition to all clubs with a bit of foresight & tactical savvy, not just those with a sugar daddy & creative accountants.

Gee now there's a groundbreaking idea, we can take it in turns. Kind of like waiting for your number to be called at the Leagues Club bistro.

And of course you'd have no problems with seeing your team decimated after a successful year or two so somebody else could have their turn. No I'm sure you wouldn't.

Piffle.

I don't think your playing stocks would necessarily be decimated. In fact a draft might be a good incentive to stay at your current club even if there a was a more lucrative offer elsewhere. Players may be prepared to take less money & stay where they are if entering a draft meant that they might end up in North Queensland or Auckland, having to uproot their families & go through all the dramas of relocating.

How would you achieve your "cyclic changing of the guard, every two or three years" without the successful clubs having their star players poached?

 

[BuffaloRules]

I believe that the league tried to appeal to the High Court of Australia, but you require special circumstances to appeal to the High Court - known as "leave to appeal', and in this particular case the High Court said no.

I am not so optomistic as you about the Players Union agreeing to bring the draft back in - NRL players have tended to be uncomprimising on a lot of issues.

 

[Gus22]

How would you achieve your "cyclic changing of the guard, every two or three years" without the successful clubs having their star players poached?

I'm not saying you wouldn't lose players should success come, I just dont think you'd necessarily be "decimated" as you put it.

The key to getting the most out of the draft would be in recruiting juniors rather than established stars. Clubs would need to be astute in their assessment of these future stars. Coaches would need to budget for losing the occasional established player, by signing good juniors with a view to the future. If & when these players begin to fulfill their potential clubs would have greater opportunity to extend contracts, particularly if these players are reluctant to enter a draft that may mean a relocation across the country or overseas.

I'm not pretending to be any expert here. I've just thought about it, & whilst a draft is far from perfect, I think its better than what we've got & would make the NRL a better comp.