With the Gold Coast team almost certain to join the competition in coming seasons and draft restrictions already in place for the 2009 national draft, AFL clubs might be more likely to take a punt this year in the hope of landing their next champion.
At least that’s the view of AFL youth and high performance coordinator, Jason McCartney.
He says several clubs have cut back their lists with the view of having a decent slice of this year’s talent-laden draft pie.
While the large majority of players selected on November 29 will again come from the AFL Draft Camp, clubs might also bank on a younger crop who have emerged at state screenings across the country.
“I’m not sure what the exact numbers have been [in the past] but I’d definitely think there might be a few more taken from screenings this year,” McCartney said.
“There seems to have been more [AFL] players delisted this year … clubs have really cleaned out and they know it is their last crack at an uncompromised draft.
“They’re probably going to go with some of those 17-year-olds, whereas in the past they’d probably think: ‘Yeah they’re available but we’d still like to see a bit more, we’ll leave it for another year’.
“Instead, I think they’ll grab those guys this year.
“They’ll think rather than leave it another year with the TAC Cup, you just back yourself to get them in your program and then you back your club’s development program.”
McCartney also said while junior development programs across the country were outstanding, they were struggling to keep up with the dollars AFL clubs spent on developing their younger players.
All AFL clubs have specifically appointed development coaches while some clubs either have, or are in the process of, setting up development academies designed to fast-track their younger players.
“The big challenge for us is that the gap [between junior development programs and the AFL] seems to be getting wider,” McCartney said.
“The power of the clubs with their resources -- their development programs are way and above what we (junior development) can offer.
“Your AIS (Academy program) is super, the state academies and the centres for excellence which is the TAC Cup are going well, but we’re still really developing that model.
While McCartney said these development programs offer a terrific service, he was sure that the superior funds AFL clubs have at their disposal would encourage them to take a more speculative approach in the coming draft.
“I think that the [AFL] clubs will … really back themselves in with those late picks, and maybe take those kids on board and develop them in their own programs.”
