World Footy News

The AFL Commission has approved a proposal for the 17th team in the AFL, the Gold Coast, to have access to up to 20 young Queenslanders. AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou on Friday announced the acceptance of the recommendation from the Gold Coast List Management Working Committee, covering the initial player concessions that would be made available. By pre-signing up to 20 Queensland players of draft eligible age in 2009, 2010 and 2011, the new club would be in a position to build a healthy player base with a local identity. All other 16 AFL clubs will be entitled to list an additional two rookies per season for the 2009 and 2010 seasons, to compensate for the compromises in these draft years.

With plenty of PNG talent in the Queensland system, South Africans being fast-tracked, junior development gaining pace around the world (see for example The international players of the future), the international scholarship lists, expanded rookie lists and two new AFL clubs, the time for the first internationally developed draftee must now be very close.

Demetriou said the detail of the indicative contract offers for Queensland-based players to opt out of the NAB AFL Draft and sign with the Gold Coast FC would be in line with the payments made to national draft players in their initial contract terms, after being drafted. Players will be able to be offered two and three year contracts this year, for the 2009 season onwards, and again at the end of 2009 for the 2010 season and onwards if they choose to opt out of the Draft.

The working party consisted of senior AFL executive staff Andrew Dillon, Adrian Anderson, David Matthews and Tony Peek, joined by National Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan. Club representatives chosen with specialities across club operation, list management and talent identification were Ian Robson (Hawthorn), Steven Trigg (Adelaide), Cameron Schwab (Fremantle), Graeme Allan (Brisbane Lions), Andrew Ireland (Sydney Swans), Stephen Wells (Geelong) and Derek Hine (Collingwood).