TOPIC:

@5pm our time. Nervous wait for a few WAFL players and us fans.

I cant see to many WA players getting drafted - both WA clubs have 1 pick each and there are not a lot of Marlin Pickets in the WAFL that could walk into AFL clubs and make an impact right away.

I could be proven wrong - but you never know

Problem is, PH, that the MSD no longer exists for it's original purpose. It was meant to allow clubs who lost players to long term injury to draft a ready made replacement, usually a mature age player. But Freo, with Kuek, started the process of drafting with a view to the long term, just quarantining a promising player to stop them getting picked up in the usual draft. If Hunter is picked up from Perth, he won't play AFL this year because he has missed two years of league footy, and would need time to adapt to an AFL training regime. Likewise if Hansen from Subi goes, it would be with a view to him playing AFL in a couple of years, not straight away. I predict the MSD will be used increasingly for speculative picks going forward, especially by lower placed teams. 

Hunter, Hansen Jnr and Buller seem to be the most talked about from WA. Hunter could easily jump the fence at MRP, if he does that is a killer for Perth. Hansen Jnr could easily play against his current club Subi on the weekend for Peel. Buller would definitely dent Cl forward options if he gets a MSD nod. 

Saying that not all doom and gloom...EF lost Strnadica, Joyce, Dixon and Teakle last minute... and still made the prelim....as they say, one door may close, another opens. Good luck to the players selected and comiserations to the WAFL clubs they leave.

That's my criticism too, Ted. No need for a mid season draft if you're not playing players that year. Hansen probably playing against subi this week or next is a case in point. 

Who is to say if Hunter or Hansen jnr would even play AFL next year if they were drafted in November. Plenty of players spend a year or 2 playing in an AFL teams 2nds, before making their 1st team debut. 

Totally agree the AFL clubs have more then enough opportunity to add to their lists without a MSD or even a SPP draft. Just being greedy and highlighting some clubs list managers haven't a clue what they are doing. Just up the list numbers and have one draft in November....if preseason injuries happen or season injuries happen, that's footy and how the dice rolls.....

If AFL clubs take players in the MSD, there should be a penalty if they don't give them say 2 games that season to stop speculative recruitment of young talent outside the pre-season draft.

BC wrote:

If AFL clubs take players in the MSD, there should be a penalty if they don't give them say 2 games that season to stop speculative recruitment of young talent outside the pre-season draft.

Well its almost 12 months to the day,has Sebit Kuek made his AFL debut yet ????

They should have to sign that player on an 18 month contract. If your going to lose a player mid season you want them to be given every opportunity to make it at the higher level. The 6 month contract isn't long enough.

Jaiden Hunter off to the Bombers. Hansen jnr to NM. Good luck to those boys but farrrk from a Perth point of view. We can't take a trick. Good luck Jaiden us Perth supporters will be following your career.

Buller off to Sydney.