TonyK
CibbuanoDelay on Coast priority draft picks
July 10th 2008 00:02
THE AFL will delay making on decision on how many draft picks the Gold Coast will receive in 2009 until it can assess the quality of this season's under-16s representative players.
The 16 clubs have told the AFL they want to see how good the performances in this season's under-16s carnival are before agreeing to the proposed draft concessions.
Gold Coast bid member Graeme Downie understood the clubs wanted to make sure this year's group wasn't stocked with future superstars but said the league had to consider giving the Coast even greater concessions if it turned out to be a weak group.
"If it is going to be a really good group, that will probably reduce the numbers they give us access to," he conceded.
"At the end of the day they have to come up with something the other clubs don't think is unreasonable.
"On the other side, if it looks like it is not a great group the AFL will have to balance it up and give us more in 2010."
The AFL has already ruled the Coast can pre-list up to 20 eligible Queenslanders this year.
The deadline for nominating for this year's draft is the end of July, which leaves the Coast little time to start pre-signing local players.
Downie said not having a coach made it difficult to convince teenagers to sit out the draft.
"Yes it may, but whoever coaches them for the next two years may not be the senior coach when the team runs on in 2011 anyway," he said.
"There are a few Queensland kids we need to be talking to immediately. They will need a little convincing.
"We will tell them that if they come with us they will be on AFL lists in 2011."
The 16 clubs have told the AFL they want to see how good the performances in this season's under-16s carnival are before agreeing to the proposed draft concessions.
Gold Coast bid member Graeme Downie understood the clubs wanted to make sure this year's group wasn't stocked with future superstars but said the league had to consider giving the Coast even greater concessions if it turned out to be a weak group.
"If it is going to be a really good group, that will probably reduce the numbers they give us access to," he conceded.
"At the end of the day they have to come up with something the other clubs don't think is unreasonable.
"On the other side, if it looks like it is not a great group the AFL will have to balance it up and give us more in 2010."
The AFL has already ruled the Coast can pre-list up to 20 eligible Queenslanders this year.
The deadline for nominating for this year's draft is the end of July, which leaves the Coast little time to start pre-signing local players.
Downie said not having a coach made it difficult to convince teenagers to sit out the draft.
"Yes it may, but whoever coaches them for the next two years may not be the senior coach when the team runs on in 2011 anyway," he said.
"There are a few Queensland kids we need to be talking to immediately. They will need a little convincing.
"We will tell them that if they come with us they will be on AFL lists in 2011."
| 41 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
