Send a message to the AFL that seeding players from other League competitions is fine, but not during their season.
Recently, the West Adelaide Football Club had two players fundamental to the team’s performance removed by the AFL mid-season draft. West supporters have vented their frustration on the Club’s forum. Posts describe disheartened and defeatist attitudes, with reports of reduced enthusiasm to the point of not bothering to attending future games. This level of resentment should have been predicted by the AFL. With such bitterness now surfacing from the grass roots, formal complaints from club representatives being ignored and apparent disregard toward statements from the state’s governing body (the SANFL), legitimate concerns appear to be falling on deaf ears. No wonder these supporters feel disenfranchised.
This petition serves two purposes: to determine the numbers of footy fans opposed to the AFL mid-season draft, and to provide the opportunity for these individuals to communicate their displeasure.
Since the birth of the AFL, SANFL clubs have developed their players in the full understanding that some will eventually leave just as they are reaching their prime. They do this with no reluctance, even though these future draftees play only a few league games (if any) as they progress through to the AFL. SANFL clubs have even been known to lobby AFL clubs to draft their players. Many local club supporters enjoy watching their protégés play at the elite AFL level. So rather than animosity, best wishes are given to those that are drafted at the end of the season. The mid-season draft however, is a totally different matter.
Current and future mid-season draftees have, and will continuing to receive best wishes, but what signatories to this petition want understood is the clear separation and contrasting attitudes toward end-of season and mid-season drafts by local footy clubs. The nurturing environment that creates good players depends on the enthusiasm of all involved with local footy. Jeopardising the amicable and mutually beneficial arrangement of an end-of-season draft with an unpopular mid-season draft is unnecessarily disruptive. The downside for local footy is severe. Having your best-performing players disappearing halfway through a competition is hugely disheartening, which is echoed in local footy forums.
Although this petition has derived from feelings aired on the West Adelaide FC’s forum, it is open to:
Supporters of any club in Australia that has been affected by the AFL mid-season draft.
Supporters of clubs potentially affected by an AFL mid-season draft - it could be you next!
Supporters of AFL clubs that see the mid-season draft as a much greater detriment to local footy clubs than an advantage to theirs.
With this petition, your disenfranchised voice will be heard.
Updates
June 2, 2019
The AFL continues to ignore our frustration while mid-season poaching ruins the integrity of local clubs. Send an email to your club representative today demanding they formally oppose these drafts during the active season. Post this link on Facebook to ensure other fans know we are not going to sit quietly while they dismantle our teams.
June 2, 2019
The scale of this response confirms the AFL can no longer ignore the damage caused to our local clubs. Post this link on your Facebook page to push this conversation into the mainstream. Email your local club representative today and demand they take a public stand against mid-season poaching.
Reached 100 supporters
June 2, 2019
80 Comments
Mid season draft should not happen without negotiation. AFL clubs should draft from their own list. If they can't do that there should be a guarantee that drafted players WILL play for the AFL club or be returned to the local, grass roots club at the end of the season. Compensation MUST be given to cover costs on behalf of SANFL and other local leagues.
How are state league clubs supposed to remain competitive when their best players leave mid way through the season. The club I support lost their two best midfielders. We are struggling anyway before this latest raid by the AFL
Just another nail in the SANFL coffin. I’ve lost a lot of interest in the SANFL since the inception of the AFL reserves sides and now the mid season draft has just about killed off any interest I did have.
SANFL Clubs might as well shut up shop. Between the AFL reserves teams destroying the competitions integrity and AFL clubs stealing players half way through a season, how can the coaches of any of our eight clubs look any of the players in the eye and demand anything. Only to have every plan ripped up by the whims of clubs from another competition.
As a West Adelaide supporter I think the mid season draft is a joke, this wonderful club is finding this season tough with only 1 win and to lose 2 key players that most definitely is not ideal, I wish the 2 boys well but for the West Adelaide football club this hurts.
Why they couldn't do a mid season trade period amongst their own afl clubs and listed players first is beyond me..to then do what they have done with no compensation to the state league clubs for breaking the contract the player has mid season with their club to me is deplorable..would love to see a class action / injuction sort on the AFL via the courts to stop this but it's the old David n Goliath thing again isn't it. Way its going I will turn off all footy within the next 2-3 years, not watch or attend it.
Ok you don't have to shout at me
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Send a message to the AFL that seeding players from other League competitions is fine, but not during their season.
Recently, the West Adelaide Football Club had two players fundamental to the team’s performance removed by the AFL mid-season draft. West supporters have vented their frustration on the Club’s forum. Posts describe disheartened and defeatist attitudes, with reports of reduced enthusiasm to the point of not bothering to attending future games. This level of resentment should have been predicted by the AFL. With such bitterness now surfacing from the grass roots, formal complaints from club representatives being ignored and apparent disregard toward statements from the state’s governing body (the SANFL), legitimate concerns appear to be falling on deaf ears. No wonder these supporters feel disenfranchised.
This petition serves two purposes: to determine the numbers of footy fans opposed to the AFL mid-season draft, and to provide the opportunity for these individuals to communicate their displeasure.
Since the birth of the AFL, SANFL clubs have developed their players in the full understanding that some will eventually leave just as they are reaching their prime. They do this with no reluctance, even though these future draftees play only a few league games (if any) as they progress through to the AFL. SANFL clubs have even been known to lobby AFL clubs to draft their players. Many local club supporters enjoy watching their protégés play at the elite AFL level. So rather than animosity, best wishes are given to those that are drafted at the end of the season. The mid-season draft however, is a totally different matter.
Current and future mid-season draftees have, and will continuing to receive best wishes, but what signatories to this petition want understood is the clear separation and contrasting attitudes toward end-of season and mid-season drafts by local footy clubs. The nurturing environment that creates good players depends on the enthusiasm of all involved with local footy. Jeopardising the amicable and mutually beneficial arrangement of an end-of-season draft with an unpopular mid-season draft is unnecessarily disruptive. The downside for local footy is severe. Having your best-performing players disappearing halfway through a competition is hugely disheartening, which is echoed in local footy forums.
Although this petition has derived from feelings aired on the West Adelaide FC’s forum, it is open to:
Supporters of any club in Australia that has been affected by the AFL mid-season draft.
Supporters of clubs potentially affected by an AFL mid-season draft - it could be you next!
Supporters of AFL clubs that see the mid-season draft as a much greater detriment to local footy clubs than an advantage to theirs.
With this petition, your disenfranchised voice will be heard.
Updates
June 2, 2019
The AFL continues to ignore our frustration while mid-season poaching ruins the integrity of local clubs. Send an email to your club representative today demanding they formally oppose these drafts during the active season. Post this link on Facebook to ensure other fans know we are not going to sit quietly while they dismantle our teams.
June 2, 2019
The scale of this response confirms the AFL can no longer ignore the damage caused to our local clubs. Post this link on your Facebook page to push this conversation into the mainstream. Email your local club representative today and demand they take a public stand against mid-season poaching.
Reached 100 supporters
June 2, 2019
80 Comments
AFL is killing the eco system that feeds it with rubbish decisions like this one, will walk away from the game altogether. Mid season draft and no compo or hope to replace the players lost is disgraceful!
Mid season draft should not happen without negotiation. AFL clubs should draft from their own list. If they can't do that there should be a guarantee that drafted players WILL play for the AFL club or be returned to the local, grass roots club at the end of the season. Compensation MUST be given to cover costs on behalf of SANFL and other local leagues.
How are state league clubs supposed to remain competitive when their best players leave mid way through the season. The club I support lost their two best midfielders. We are struggling anyway before this latest raid by the AFL
Just another nail in the SANFL coffin. I’ve lost a lot of interest in the SANFL since the inception of the AFL reserves sides and now the mid season draft has just about killed off any interest I did have.
SANFL Clubs might as well shut up shop. Between the AFL reserves teams destroying the competitions integrity and AFL clubs stealing players half way through a season, how can the coaches of any of our eight clubs look any of the players in the eye and demand anything. Only to have every plan ripped up by the whims of clubs from another competition.
As a West Adelaide supporter I think the mid season draft is a joke, this wonderful club is finding this season tough with only 1 win and to lose 2 key players that most definitely is not ideal, I wish the 2 boys well but for the West Adelaide football club this hurts.
Why they couldn't do a mid season trade period amongst their own afl clubs and listed players first is beyond me..to then do what they have done with no compensation to the state league clubs for breaking the contract the player has mid season with their club to me is deplorable..would love to see a class action / injuction sort on the AFL via the courts to stop this but it's the old David n Goliath thing again isn't it. Way its going I will turn off all footy within the next 2-3 years, not watch or attend it.
Ok you don't have to shout at me
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AFL is killing the eco system that feeds it with rubbish decisions like this one, will walk away from the game altogether. Mid season draft and no compo or hope to replace the players lost is disgraceful!