https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... 55bd9cb3b2Carlton, Gold Coast set to receive priority picks plus early access to state players to dismay of rival clubs
SAM LANDSBERGER, Herald Sun
19 minutes ago
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THE AFL Commission is expected to award struggling clubs Carlton and Gold Coast priority draft picks as well as exclusive access to mature-age talent at Monday’s pre-Brownlow meeting.
Rival clubs are set to furiously oppose the pre-draft access to state players given they would have wasted 12 months scouting players they will no longer be able to secure.
It means mature-age players — such as WAFL star Tim Kelly taken by Geelong in 2017 and VFL revelation Bayley Fritsch who was picked up the Demons last year — could be snapped up before clubs convene at the national draft.
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While there is a strong belief that Carlton and Gold Coast would be awarded a priority draft pick, St Kilda and Brisbane Lions appear less likely to receive a bonus selection.
The priority picks will be placed either at the end of the first round or halfway through the first round.
The Blues appear certain to offer their priority pick to Adelaide in a trade for Mitch McGovern.
Carlton’s preference is to receive an extra pick to help land McGovern while Gold Coast appears more focused on receiving priority access to mature-age talent.
The Suns have done a lot of homework on Werribee forward Josh Corbett and rivals believe he could be signed before the draft.
The Blues are likely to use any priority pick in a trade for Mitch McGovern. Picture: AAP
The 190cm North Warrnambool lad has excelled as a third forward this year and is rated at around pick 40 in this year’s draft.
They have also been heavily linked to Sturt star Shane McAdam.
“Are we going to get a refund on all the flights we’ve paid for to go and watch these guys?” one list manager from a rival club said.
“It’s also the opportunity cost — you can’t be at two places at once, so we’re watching these guys at the expense of (watching) others.
“If a (state-league player) is taken at the national draft and you miss out, at least that pushes another player out to you. You might get someone else instead.”
The clubs most frustrated are the ones with later picks who have invested a significant amount of resources on scouting state league players.
Gold Coast in interested in Sturt’s Shane McAdam. Picture: AAP
Geelong coach Chris Scott recently lashed the mooted handouts.
“Our recruiting teams and the recruiting teams all over the competition have done a whole lot of work on the players already,” Scott said this month.
“So 11th hour to deny them access to the players they have done a lot of work on would be really unfair.
“If it’s something that will be proposed down the track and there is a little bit of notice, so at least the recruiting staff can put the energy into other areas, I think it has merit.
“The AFL has to investigate the levers to help the teams. But I’m not sure that if you by design fall down the ladder you should be rewarded too much.”