AFL Northern Academies: Balancing Growth and Draft Equity

AFL's northern academies were established with two primary objectives: to increase participation in playing, coaching, and administration, and to develop draft-eligible players. Programs in New South Wales and Queensland have shown significant growth in participation.

Queensland's participation numbers now exceed those of South Australia and Western Australia individually.

Draft Outcomes Showcase Academy Success

The academies have demonstrated remarkable success in producing elite talent for both men's and women's programs.

In the past three national drafts, the Gold Coast academy has produced eight first-round selections in the men’s program. The most recent AFLW draft further highlighted this impact: six of the first 15 selections originated from the Gold Coast academy.

The Sydney Swans' academy also made a significant contribution, contributing two of the first six players in the same AFLW draft. Cumulatively, nine of the first 18 AFLW draftees came from either the Swans or Gold Coast academies.

Draft System Under Scrutiny

The notable success of these academies has ignited discussions regarding the draft costs paid by northern clubs. Concerns have been raised about the perceived fairness of the current system.

Richmond Football Club notably stated that they moved from an initial second selection to the seventh pick in a recent draft due to academy selections.

However, an alternative viewpoint suggests that without the academy system, some players might not reach the same level of development or be drafted at all.

Examples supporting this include:

• Zeke Uwland (pick #2), who managed a back stress fracture with crucial academy support.
• Dylan Patterson (pick #5), who also played rugby league, benefiting from the academy's specific football pathway.
• Daniel Annable (pick #6), who might not have pursued professional football without the Brisbane academy's intervention.

The article also notes that Richmond acquired a key player from a 17th-placed team in 2017 without incurring any draft or trade costs.

The AFL's Governance Role

The responsibility of the AFL executive and commission is clearly defined: to prioritize the overall game above individual club interests.

The development of niche sports, such as winter sports in Australia through dedicated funding and infrastructure, is cited as an example of successful investment leading to results.

This example underscores the potential long-term benefits of strategic investment in game development, even if it presents short-term challenges to existing structures.