Covid Years and Junior football

[Banger9798]

I wonder what the effect of 2020/21 lost years for U17s and below will be.
Whether this year's and maybe next year's draft will be the last ones for a while with some sort of exposure to competitive football.
Whether loading up on picks in 2021 may well be our best bet, and trading picks for players in next couple of years .
Thoughts?

[Wayne42]

Some clubs are banking picks for 2022, a draft where there is meant to be a lot more Key Position size players available in the draft pool.

Proper development of young drafted players at AFL clubs will be more important over the next few years due to the lack of games played at junior levels
in the covid era.

[damienc]

I wonder what the effect of 2020/21 lost years for U17s and below will be.
Whether this year's and maybe next year's draft will be the last ones for a while with some sort of exposure to competitive football.
Whether loading up on picks in 2021 may well be our best bet, and trading picks for players in next couple of years .
Thoughts?

It could be a blessing. The lack of footy means some seriously talented youngsters will be available later in the draft but it also means recruiters will need to be shrewd and on the ball in identifying them with such little game time to make a judgement. They will earn their salary this draft in knowing what talent to pick.

[CURLY]

Basically told TAC cup teams to play 17 year olds rather than the 19 year olds this season. Already looking at kids 16 this season as the 18/19 old kids going into next year have missed the boat.

[samuraisaint]

You can bet there will be interruptions to football at all levels next season too, particularly here on the east coast. After a long northern hemisphere winter, and the introduction of home quarantine for returned residents and travelers, I can't see it running smoothly.

Lockdowns and seasons being abandoned will probably be more specific league/club focused, but can't see much joy for any of the metro Melbourne leagues and TAC in 2022.

We'll probably even see the AFL Grand Final played in Adelaide next year ...

[Beno88]

You can bet there will be interruptions to football at all levels next season too, particularly here on the east coast. After a long northern hemisphere winter, and the introduction of home quarantine for returned residents and travelers, I can't see it running smoothly.

Lockdowns and seasons being abandoned will probably be more specific league/club focused, but can't see much joy for any of the metro Melbourne leagues and TAC in 2022.

We'll probably even see the AFL Grand Final played in Adelaide next year ...

This simply will not happen. Chin up samuraisaint.

[Vortex]

The money for the junior comps is also drying up fast with money that normally flows from local councils and local businesses. Rate payers all over the country are struggling to pay their rates which is stressing financial coffers of local councils and sporting clubs which could have an effect on sporting club facilities over the next few years.

I think the AFL should consider some changes to assist with helping veterans stay in the game longer to allow the younger kids who have missed out on TAC cup over the past 2 seasons to find a pathway into the AFL system. Essentially let the age bracket of entry and exit to slip by a few years.

There has to be a way to help these 18 and 19 year olds get a chance. Most of them would still have the talent but just need game time.