The executive general manager of football at the AFL, Laura Kane has hinted at changes to the format of the 2024 National Draft and beyond in a suggestion that has been labelled “bewildering”.
Kane joined SEN’s Crunch Time on Saturday morning after what had been a controversial week for the league with a number of contentious free kicks in Round 13 being compounded by the injury to Christian Petracca and the processes followed by the league and Melbourne.
But the first-year footy boss surprised the likes of David King and Sam Edmund when suggesting that the AFL's competitive balance review – which is currently being completed – could have ramifications for this year’s National Draft.
Kane was asked when clubs and fans will have an answer on the alterations to the father-son and academy system.
“That’s another pillar of the competitive balance review, we’re looking at probably from a couple of months from now, you’ll have a good understanding of father-sons, NGA players, northern academies, player movement-wise and then the state league… national reserves conversation is something we’re working through,” she replied.
“We will make sure we get through the player movement outcomes including father-sons in the next couple of months.”
She added: “It might (impact this year’s draft)… the clubs have been on notice, we’ve been talking about this for 12 months.”
When pressed again, Kane reiterated that the points system for matching bids on players could change as soon as this year.
It was an answer that left King stunned
“My belief from club level… I’m not convinced they’re aware of likely change and what that looks like. If it to be two months down the track, I think it’s a massive story,” he said.
“How can you be planning the future of your football club, having your points and picks in order, knowing roughly where your next selection is likely to fall and what cost those players are?
“I find that bewildering.”
The aim of the competitive balance review is to iron out inconsistencies and imbalances across the competitions that offer some teams competitive advantages over others.
SEN chief sports reporter Sam Edmund added that clubs were unaware change could occur as soon as 2024.
“It affects everything. The clubs you speak to, they know change is coming and they are basically accepting of that change,” he explained.
“What they’re not accepting of though is it coming in this year. Just about every club you speak to says, ‘that will be next year, it can’t be now’.
“So to hear that it’s maybe two or three months away from being confirmed, that puts it right up on the doorstep of the national draft. There’s kids in academies, there's father sons coming through, there’s bids, there’s points, it’s a big body of work to be dumped on your desk right before the draft.
“I would have thought it was more likely for this year… I think it would shock a number of clubs.”
Kane also revealed that the prospect of a mid-season trade period was essentially dead given little support from clubs.
The 2024 National Draft will be held on November 20 and 21, just 158 days away at time of publish.
"We didn't get that much support for that."
— SEN 1116 (@1116sen) June 15, 2024
Speaking exclusively to #CrunchTime, Laura Kane says there wasn't much of an appetite for a mid-season trade period amongst the AFL clubs.#AFL pic.twitter.com/OfmJb4BJ7y