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I believe that for the VFL to prosper these days, the AFL clubs with their 20 million dollar a year turnover should be encouraged to spend more $$ and time developing the VFL.
One incentive would be for all AFL sides that have an affiliation, be able to nominate a player from their VFL affiliate an untouchable in the upcomming draft, in the same way that the Father-Son rule works now.
One thing that would be mandatory is that the player in question would have to have been overlooked in a previous years draft. No conning a player to not nominate in a draft then trying to get him in the back door.
For Interstate clubs, they should be allowed the same concessions. The Adelaide and Perth clubs should have first choice on an overlooked player dependant on who finished lower, as per the draft. So if Freo finished 6th and WCE 2nd Freo would have first dibs on a WA.
Brisbane any overlooked Qld player from their state league. Sydney any from their state league.
With the 2 non aligned VFL clubs Geelong is easy as they could have a player from geelong who has been overlooked and isn't at another VFL club.
Essendon is harder, but how about the NT. Sheeds and the EFC have spent a lot of time and effort in Darwin & Alice, if they can find a guy who was in the draft that nobody picked good luck to them.
The issue has been raised before but until the general public demand of the AFL something like this they are unlikely to do anything, even though some AFL clubs have raised this issue (or ones similar) in the past.
Other side benefits for the VFL are, better money, upgraded facilities, a better comp, attract better players ie those who want a crack at AFL, better crowds and the potential to get Essendon and Geelong to affiliate with a VFL side.
Kris Barlow springs to mind as a guy mid 20's who got drafted. How many more out there that are late developers that get overlooked at 18-19 and find at 24 are worthy but it's too late.
What do you guys think & what can we "the little people" do?
