After trade week had ended, those at AFL HQ would have been quite happy with the outcomes. If only it wasn’t for Luke Ball…
23 trades went through this year. That figure is massive; especially when you consider only 6 players were traded in 2008. Though there was the usual small name types traded for insignificant draft picks, some big players also successfully moved clubs.
Brendan Fevola; a Carlton icon, managed to move to Brisbane despite the original plan failing, and clubs reluctant to trade due to the upcoming compromised drafts.
Shaun Burgoyne, a player whom Power coach Mark Williams rated as their best, moved to Hawthorn. This despite the two stubborn clubs bickering all week long.
According to Demitriou’s right hand man, Adrian Anderson, the deal went through because of AFL mediation. What a sterling example of the AFL saving the day and a prime reason why we don’t need free agency!
That’s what the AFL want you to think because lets face it, the AFL do not want free agency. You can speculate over the reason yourselves. But Luke Ball threw the AFL’s dream trade week into ruins after his move to his preferred club, Collingwood, didn’t go through. Since then, where Ball will be playing in 2010 has been all over the headlines. There were reports that he would sign for the Demons in the PSD, reports that he was considering staying at St Kilda, and reports of plans to somehow make it to Collingwood. Finally yesterday, at least part of the mystery was revealed and Ball left St Kilda to nominate for the National Draft.
Now, he is open slather. This encompasses everything that free agency is about.
A player wants to go to a specific club but now could be playing for whoever wants him, in any particular state.
Ball has few options. He will be 26 in 2010 and if contracted for the standard two year deal, will play at his new club until he is 28. That period is where most AFL players are in their prime. He doesn’t have the option to wait out his contract duration to wait for a move because if he fails at his new club, no one will want him. It’s a harsh reality and will be one playing on Ball’s mind.
It is a bold move in more ways than one. Last year, Sydney’s Ryan O’Keefe was the advocate for free agency after the Swans failed to trade him to a Victorian club.
At the end of the day, O’Keefe signed with Sydney, figuring it was better than the unknown of the National/Pre-Season Draft, where he could have gone to South Australia or Western Australia.
This situation and Ball’s risky move is far from ideal for players. Both had fulfilled their contractual agreements with their clubs but were unable to move freely to their new preferred destination.
Free agency is a complicated issue. It’s complicated because of the various groups with vested interests. Players want it, for obvious reasons. Fans would be split, but most would be concerned over the potential for mass changeover in lists, which could destroy the notion of loyalty in a sport that values the one team player. The AFL doesn’t want it, perhaps purely because it’s difficult!
There is only one certainty in this. It will always be an issue. There will be no perfect year, where every player is at the club he wants.
The AFL, with all its trade week mediation, can’t stop the issue from arising.
This was a guest post from Julian Major. You can read more of Julian’s work at judgejulianandexecutioner
Tags: Free Agency, Guest Posts, Julian Major, Luke Ball
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