This farce called free agency, plus young guys out of contract choosing their clubs of choice is almost the final nail in the coffins of clubs like the MFC.

Can anyone tell me how the MFC in its current state attract A graders to push us up the ladder?

This system that the AFL has let get out of control will be the reason I will reconsider future membership.

Hawthorn , Geelong, Collingwood, and Eagles to name a few don't need the draft anymore, they are topping up with players who have been developed by the lower clubs.......what a nonsense this has become. The competition is more like the EPL every year, and the AFL needs to take urgent action.

This farce called free agency, plus young guys out of contract choosing their clubs of choice is almost the final nail in the coffins of clubs like the MFC.

Can anyone tell me how the MFC in its current state attract A graders to push us up the ladder?

This system that the AFL has let get out of control will be the reason I will reconsider future membership.

Hawthorn , Geelong, Collingwood, and Eagles to name a few don't need the draft anymore, they are topping up with players who have been developed by the lower clubs.......what a nonsense this has become. The competition is more like the EPL every year, and the AFL needs to take urgent action.

Win games.. simple

Win games.. simple

well obviously our ability to win games is compromised by the fact the bigger clubs take all the talent and field better sides each week

well obviously our ability to win games is compromised by the fact the bigger clubs take all the talent and field better sides each week

Didn't stop the doggies this year did it.

Win games.. simple

The fact about a ladder is there is always someone down the bottom.

The trick is getting them back up out of the bottom four. Your simplistic solution is not easy for a bottom club.

Think about Richmond or North or us next year against Carlton. They are must win games. There is a natural "survival of the fittest" mentality that makes people want to keep a loser down. Its hard for them to get back up off the back of 100 point floggings and seasons that are over as far as finals are concerned three weeks into the new season.

The governing body has to protect the weak, your solution of "throw them to the wolves" will create a lopsided, boring competition.

Didn't stop the doggies this year did it.

let's wait and see where the doggies end up in a few years time first

Didn't stop the doggies this year did it.

They've defied the paradigm, we have been unable to as yet. It doesn't change what the OP has said, which is that there is clearly a disadvantageous set of conditions that is developing. For us in particular it is a huge worry, I can't believe you are even contesting the idea. You can see it as plain as day.

let's wait and see where the doggies end up in a few years time first

They will hit a snag like all good young times do. There future and youth is very bright.

Agree free agency is hurting the game & attracting A graders to big clubs or in still premiership clock mode & players who choose a club to be traded at is a claytons free agency ...... So the exact mechanism to help with equalisation sees the same players leaving bottom clubs at lions exodus..

One could argue with all the $$ & members, facilities the pies have 1 flag since 2000... So no guarantees

Win games.. simple

Circular argument - win games regularly, attract the developed players from the bottom clubs who then maybe get draft picks only to develop some who get picked off.

No risk to the top clubs, all risk to the feeder clubs.

The fact about a ladder is there is always someone down the bottom.

The trick is getting them back up out of the bottom four. Your simplistic solution is not easy for a bottom club.

Think about Richmond or North or us next year against Carlton. They are must win games. There is a natural "survival of the fittest" mentality that makes people want to keep a loser down. Its hard for them to get back up off the back of 100 point floggings and seasons that are over as far as finals are concerned three weeks into the new season.

The governing body has to protect the weak, your solution of "throw them to the wolves" will create has created a lopsided, boring competition.

Geelong have one year out of the 8 and they're replenishing their list with ease without needing to draft.

There's no point rebuilding with top picks anymore unless you're lucky enough to get in the finals within 2 years after

It's just as well we're about to be one of the top clubs, eh.

The fact about a ladder is there is always someone down the bottom.

The trick is getting them back up out of the bottom four. Your simplistic solution is not easy for a bottom club.

Think about Richmond or North or us next year against Carlton. They are must win games. There is a natural "survival of the fittest" mentality that makes people want to keep a loser down. Its hard for them to get back up off the back of 100 point floggings and seasons that are over as far as finals are concerned three weeks into the new season.

The governing body has to protect the weak, your solution of "throw them to the wolves" will create a lopsided, boring competition.

4 teams have won 12 of the last 15 flags. Thats not equalisation . Its already a boring lopsided competition.

4 teams have won 12 of the last 15 flags. Thats not equalisation . Its already a boring lopsided competition.

Yes. I agree

I have a solution.

I'm not sure what Total Player Payments (TPP) are for each club but for the sake of argument lets say they are around 15 million.

That's 270 million per annum in player payments across the competition. Wow thats a lot.

Anyway soon enough Paul Marsh is going to come knocking on the AFL's door looking to increase that amount on the back of TV rights. All the arguments of money to clubs versus money to players will come out like "we put on the show" versus growth and stability for the clubs etc.

Well what I propose is for the AFL not to give the players a payrise directly, but through the creation of a Loyalty Fund.

So if there was a proposed 10% increase in wages this would mean each year 27 million is going into this fund.

It could be like an addition to superannuation, a players money is kept for them until they finish their playing career.

The Loyalty aspect is that the more years service you give to a club, the more money gets put aside for you.

For instance after 3 years service $20,000 per annum might get put aside and for an 8 year player at the one club it might be 80-100,000 per annum. As an example Boomer Harvey would have a nice little nest egg wheras James Frawley is having nothing put aside for him for the next 3 years as he starts again at Hawthorn.

As a result players will get rewarded for loyalty and the better clubs will be those that take good care of their loyal servants. Fans can engage better with their team and the whole sordid meat market scenario of trade week will disappear somewhat.

What do you reckon?

Top teams draft well, stop complaining about the system.

_{There is a natural "survival of the fittest" mentality that makes people want to keep a loser down.}

Very true.

When you've been down for close to a decade, there becomes a perception of what is the natural order, i.e. Melbourne are a bottom club and that's just the way it is. It is generated by fans and filters throughout members of the media, most of whom have a vested interest in a club or clubs. While Melbourne is down the bottom, their club is one spot higher on the ladder. From there it has the potential to reach players, sponsors etc.

Kernahan copped a lot of flack for his proclamation of "We are Carlton, f*** the rest", but there was a lot of merit in the guts of what he was saying. Be calculated in your decisions and treat other clubs for what they are: the enemy.

I'm not worried about competing with the "top" clubs for A grade talent at this stage. If we are in this same position in another couple of years, perhaps.

I will certainly remember those who chose to come to the club before success was on the immediate horizon. Bernie Vince, I'm looking in your direction.

Top teams draft well, stop complaining about the system.

Correct. They still draft players these teams. And they need to continue to draft. All clubs can draft and trade their way to a stronger list.

Would prefer the OP'er to contribute in existing threads rather than starting a new topic with every post.

For the first time in a long time I'm feeling good about the nucleus/youth of the club - Viney-Hogan-Bradshaw-TMac etc etc. Just have to remind myself to be patient as our 'Bulldog' rise will happen without the arrival of gun.

That said - getting back to this topic - it's frustrating when we read about Geelong's efforts to bypass a rebuild. And now Hawthorn have joined the race for Jake Carlisle.

For the first time in a long time I'm feeling good about the nucleus/youth of the club - Viney-Hogan-Bradshaw-TMac etc etc. Just have to remind myself to be patient as our 'Bulldog' rise will happen without the arrival of gun.

That said - getting back to this topic - it's frustrating when we read about Geelong's efforts to bypass a rebuild. And now Hawthorn have joined the race for Jake Carlisle.

Whilst the latest play by Hawthorn to secure Carlisle in a way supports the OP in filling important holes, these clubs still need to draft. They've lost Hale and Lake and Carlisle helps fill that hole. It would be a swift move that will make many in the industry unhappy. However, the lure of these players is helped by the dangling a huge carrot in the name of a 3-peat premiership era.

I tell everyone what MUST happen....get Hogan signed and the rest of the best young crop ASAP, we also need speed speed speed in the midfield....

If Prestia is a chance in 2017, then 2016 has to be much better in wins than this year.

I tell everyone what MUST happen....get Hogan signed and the rest of the best young crop ASAP, we also need speed speed speed in the midfield....

Well take a ticket and jump in the queue. There's hundreds of posters who have made that statement long ago.

I watch less and less games , to be honest I didn't watch 1 minute of this years grand final or last years

the game is boring with , 4 teams wining , 12 of the last 15 ?

We used to even have the day off at work , this year I opened and had a busy day , all my staff even worked

But sadly I see a division getting clearer and clearer , I feel we are too one of the bottom ( feeder) clubs for the top teams

I hope not but it seems if a powerful club or top team want a player they will get them .

Maybe the first round in the draft is just 10 picks , then start round 2 so the bottom 10 teams ( didn't play finals) get 2 picks before the ones that played finals

this won't stop the top teams taking whoever they want but might help the bottom teams get more of a chance and win some more games

I think/ hope the AFL look at doing something before its too late , there is time . Maybe they might act now that GWS and GS and even Brisbane are all losing players

If they don't we better get used to the same teams topping up and playing off , Look at Geelong one year out and I reckon they will be top 4 next year