It seems to me that this issue is becoming more prevelent as the years go by in the AFL.
I don’t want to make light of the issue as I know that it can be a serious condition.It hads different ways of getting to people.Especially young kids who have no idea what it is like to live away from Mums apron strings.
My thoughts would be to raise the drafting age to 20.I know that a load would say it is a restriction of trade etc.But there a re many ore benefits to doing it.
The kids, or most at that age have learned some thing about life.They may have left home to live out with friends etc.They, if they are any good, will have made the seniors list of the second tier competitions, like the WFL,SANFL etc. Their bodies will have built more towards the AFL level.They should be a bit more mature and should be able to handle living away from home better.
Also, and I think this is important,If they do get the chance to don the colours of the club that made them into players who are wanted by the AFL,they will feel more aligned to that club if they don’t make it.It will give them a sense of belonging to that club.They wont just be a player who was able to be drafted and the club got some money for.They will be part of that club.
I have had this belief for a long time now and I think the second tier clubs should be pushing for it to happen.
Just my thoughts.
100% agree Anchor
That’s what happens when you have effectively got a footballers union in football these days known as the Players Association.
It seems like a one way street for the players, clubs are bound by contracts while players are not. Clubs should ditch contracts and put them on a base salary plus match payments with no time period. Anytime the player isn’t performing he can be cut without any payout owing by the club. That’s fair isn’t it?
It doesn’t happen in any other sport around the world.
Homesickness is getting out of hand,don’t really know what can be done about it though.
Mick Malthouse on sen yesterday on the subject was good to listen to.
It terms of players wanting out when still contracted the clubs just need to say No!
and if it’s obvious the following year that the player isn’t trying or looks like he doesn’t want to be there and it shows on field then the AFL should charge the player with tanking just like they can do to a club.
DD, I am glad these kids and all the players have a Union to back them and support them.Should be more of it.
Clubs will bandy a player around if it suits them.Look at Jack Watts and Melbourne.And going even further there are now rumours going around that the AFL interfered in the Ablett saga.
The clubs can’t ditch contracts as the AFL and the AFLPA would not allow it.
I just don’t like the homesickness thing it is certainly getting out of hand.
A player who is contracted can be traded by his club & that is okay according to the media & the football community. A player who is contracted requests a trade & he is vilified. WTF. Why the double standard.
Not really eyebrows are raised when a club offers to unload a player who is contracted but the bottom line is if a player is contracted and they don’t want to go anywhere, the club is bound by that contract but if the contracted player wants to be traded it seems the club has little choice but to try to get the deal done or they have a player that doesn’t want to be there.
There are rare exceptions like Brad Hill who requested a trade to Fremantle early in the season with a year to go. He said he loves it at Hawthorn and if the clubs can’t agree he’s still happy to play another year at the Hawks.
Home sickness has gifted Freo a number 2 pick…Adelaide lost Lever and Cameron but got Gibbs and an early draft pick…so much as clubs whinge about it being a problem, it can be easily turned around with some strategic thinking…
Huge opportunity for Freo to fill some quality needs…thoigh from all reports those needs might be filled with E.S picks…can’t see a pick being wasted on WA boys in Naughton, Allen or Taylor so early…
The thing is Weller wasn’t homesick his parents live in Victoria and he was born in Tassie, $800,000 over 5 years is the reason ,a lot of pressure to live up to being the face of the club and all that, good luck to him GC were always going to have to pay overs after he went on trade radio and basically said GC were going to pick him up.
it is smoke and mirrors…they get a better offer somewhere else (better meaning more money) and suddenly you have a home sick 22 year old.
We tried to lure Hogan and McCarthy under contract and got Wilson under contract so it works both ways but I think there could be a better system where the clubs of each state get first refusal of their local kids in their state.
Start by allowing players to nominate their preferred club or if they are willing to go anywhere or request to stay in their home state. That tells the recruiters if they are willing to move interstate or not. Let the players show a bit of transparency from the start.
But isn’t that moddle coddling the players DD?..don’t nominate for the draft at 18 then if you aren’t prepared to go interstate and to a side you don’t want to go to…think elevating the draft age to 20 would help give these youngsters not only an xtra two years to physically mature but hopefully mentally mature as well…ones footy career aint long TBH on average…if you live to your 60s 70s then 5 -10 years away in anothet state seems minimal in the grand scheme of things…
DD, I remember when the Eagles fist went tintot he VFL, they were allowed to select a certain number of player , I think 17 years, or so.They were off limits to the other states.I can’t remember just how many off hand they were alowed to stow away.I know Jackovich was one of them and I think Mitch white was another.But when the Eagles became so successful the VFL in their wisdom took that privilege away,and also removed it from the Dockers when they cam in.
Lifting the age limit is the way to go, but if they try that then you can guarantee that there will be some one who challenges it as a restraint of trade.
I also think that litfing the age will give something the the clubs who raise these kids to AFL level.