How to make the AFL draft more interesting

For many years the ‘brains trust’ down at AFL house and Fox Footy have been trying to make the AFL draft better to watch.

With different ideas to bring excitement to the event, like the American’s do with the NFL and NBA, ideas like the reverse top 10 back in 2009 and lasted until 2011 which has never been done in US sports, the AFL gave it a go but it failed.

The AFL Draft has a connection with the trade window when draft picks are exchanged for players or other draft picks in the 2 weeks the trade window is open. However the after the window is closed it’s closed for good until the next seasons window is open. The AFL has considered the idea of opening the window on draft day but the AFL is more invested in the academies that are set up in the northern states where the game is not as strong, this makes the league uneven (from a Victorians point of view) but that is a different story all together.

In the trade period teams have to make their trade moves with their draft in mind but if on draft day someone goes off script and drafts a player not on everyone’s mock board, how good would it be to have a club trade up to get the player that they thought they couldn’t get or a team trading up 2 spots just to get above a team they know would most likely draft that player. With the AFL just lately bring up the option to trade future draft picks it could make the draft more fun to watch.

It’s a hard thing to police with teams going bust very easily if they pick wrong. Trading of future picks can be a deadly game that could hurt a team’s future. A simple rule that could be put in place is that you can’t trade back to back first rounders unless a first rounder is involved. For example a team can trade a future (2017) first round pick but the next season (2018) they cannot trade that pick unless a first rounder from the same year is involved.

Another idea I propose is to move the venue away from convention centres like they have done 5 out of the 6 years and not move to arenas but to more intimate setting like a theatre with the Forum in Melbourne the best in mind with the open floor plan for the teams to be located on the ground and a nice upstairs area for fans.

Could you imagine the AFL hosting the Draft at the Forum in Melbourne on Flinders Street and having the road closed off and having a red (green turf) carpet with fans and press out the front of the venue to welcome the future stars of the game.

Having the bottom bit open for the teams and maybe have just a few prospects out the back in a ‘green room’ and have a passionate crowd to build excitement for when picks or trades are made.

Bring in an opening of the trade window on draft day would be great for the event but the AFL has stated it would be a ‘quantum leap’ for this to happen, so this is a pipe dream for this writer but to have a dream is a great thing to have and hope one day it could happen.

EDITORS NOTE

i received consultation and quotes from the AFL and in particular from AFL media Relations Manager Patrick Keane. This post could not have happened without his help

#AFLDraft #AFL