Bizarre AFL rule set to dominate draft night

2 years ago 373

By Simon Brunsdon and Emily Patterson

The apical extremity of this year's AFL draught is acceptable to beryllium impacted heavy by the father-son rule, with 5 prospects locked successful for the two-day lawsuit opening time night.

The draught volition diagnostic Sam Darcy, the 204cm lad of Western Bulldogs large Luke Darcy, and Nick Daicos, the youngest lad of Collingwood fable Peter Daicos who is acceptable to articulation the Magpies connected a four-year-deal unless matched by rival clubs.

Darcy and Daicos look poised to go the highest father-son draught picks selected successful the past of the AFL.

Fellow prodigies Taj Woewodin (son of ex-Brownlow medallist Shane), Jackson Archer (son of Glenn), and Jase Burgoyne (son of Peter), volition besides diagnostic successful the bidding system.

The father-son regularisation tin evoke nostalgia for long-time lovers of the crippled and item emerging endowment for a caller procreation of viewers to enjoy.

But however does the regularisation really work?

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What is the father-son rule?

The AFL's father-son regularisation has a affluent 70-year history, forming a portion of the AFL's recruitment strategy since the aboriginal 1950s.

The regularisation allows clubs preferential recruiting entree to the sons of players who person made a large past publication to a peculiar team.

This allows historical household names to proceed astatine a club.

When and wherefore was it introduced?

The regularisation was archetypal implemented to guarantee Ron Barassi Jr – who went connected to go a legendary subordinate and manager - played for the Melbourne Football Club, the aforesaid nine arsenic his precocious father.

To guarantee Barassi went to the Demons, contempt a household determination to the exclusive recruiting residential portion of VFL teams Collingwood and Carlton, the VFL declared a nine could question a clearance for the lad of a subordinate with a grounds of 50 oregon much games.

Over time, the fig of games required has varied and peculiar rules person been granted specified arsenic directions for the sons of elder administrators and modifications for games played successful the SANFL oregon WAFL.

How has it evolved?

There's been galore alterations to the archetypal instrumentality drafted 70 years ago.

In 2003, the AFL accrued the father's required fig of nine games to a minimum of 100.

Certain clubs person besides been fixed peculiar exemptions. West Coast Eagles could astatine 1 signifier laic assertion to youngsters whose begetter had played 150 games from immoderate of 4 WAFL clubs.

In 2007 a bidding strategy was introduced, which allows the father-son eligible nine to lucifer immoderate bid connected the subordinate with their adjacent disposable pick. Since 2015 the nine tin besides usage aggregate disposable picks to snare the desired player.

This is done utilizing the Draft Index System, which assigns acceptable points to each draught prime from 1 to 72. Pick 1 is worthy 3000 points, and prime 72 is worthy 9 points, portion prime 73 has nary value.

The different 17 AFL clubs volition determine wherever a father-son subordinate should realistically beryllium successful the draught order. If a rival nine bids connected that subordinate with a precocious prime – arsenic Daicos and Darcy are expected to pull – the father-son nine indispensable assemble capable scale points to upgrade their prime and lucifer the bid, which past allows them to snare the subordinate successful question. They lone person to lucifer the bid to beryllium capable to draught the player.

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What if a begetter has played for much than 1 club?

If a subordinate is eligible to beryllium selected by much than 1 club, past the subordinate tin determine which nine helium would similar to beryllium nominated by.

Also, the subordinate tin determine not to participate the draught arsenic a father-son pick. They tin spell consecutive into the draught arsenic a regular enactment and beryllium picked up by immoderate club.

What astir the AFLW?

After the AFLW's inaugural year, Abbie McKay (daughter of Andrew) became the archetypal pistillate subordinate to beryllium drafted nether the recently penned father-daughter regularisation erstwhile she was selected by Carlton astatine prime 16 successful the 2018 draft.

Since then, 5 different women person been selected nether the sex equivalent rule. However, lone 1 AFL crippled is required for AFLW clubs to assertion a girl astatine the draft.

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