Trading future picks

[Siposstar#2]

In Richo's press conference today. The question was asked what he thought about trading future picks.
He was for it, I also believe it would be a terrific way to build the lost up quickly.
Eg. End of this year say we finish 14th we can trade our next years first pick for another teams first pick this year. Let's say 'gws' as they are already very young and can this way wait another year. Then load up with another 2 quality kids in one year. Giving the current crop of kids all time to develop some more.
And us we could get a 12 month head start on a top 10 picks development.

The afl believe it is too risky as if teams mess it up they could be screwed for years. Eg. Melbourne
So it most likely won't get approved.
Would you want us to take the risk?
I'd back our drafting on the recent couple of years drafting.

[borderbarry]

I dont know if I am too keen on this idea. A team could do quite well out of it, or it could be a disaster. Not confident

[remboy]

You'd have to be pretty certain that you were getting two stars or that this years draft was better than next years.

[cwrcyn]

Fraught with danger. c**k it up and you could throw yourself into a draft death spiral

[bergholt]

I agree with the AFL. Allowing clubs to trade away their future for a chance at a better present is guaranteed to end badly for someone. It undermines the whole "equalisation" principle.

[falka]

I reckon its awesome, but rule should be that you can only trade one first or second rd pick over a 2 year period, so you can't go trading next 5 years first rd picks.

To be honest, the idea of our first pick in 2015 for GWS pick this year sounds like a good plan.

As long as there are limits, it will be good.

[lefty]

Don't like it one bit, and then it does become the AFL's problem when a team sits on the bottom for 5+ years.

Stupid and fraught with danger.

[Con Gorozidis]

Surely it depends on details of the trade?

Jeremy Cameron for pick 20?

Ooh yeah

[Eastern]

Very much HIGH RISK-HIGH REWARD stuff. If this comes in EVERY club will be trying that little bit harder to screw other clubs. My fear is that the bigger, better resourced clubs will well & truly screw the little clubs !!

[gringo]

Fraught with danger. c**k it up and you could throw yourself into a draft death spiral

You can do that with the draft too. Richmond wasted about 5 drafts recruiting duds. Swapping your first pick and a player for a high level established player could work. Say Richmond decided that Montagna would get them top 4- they give us their first rounder and a fringe developing defender like Astbury. We lose a player now but build for the future. We fast track our run back. They win now we win later.

Like anything there is an element of gambling to it. We get another Dunstan we are on top in the trade, we get Tambling we fail. Could work.

[vacuous space]

Draft day trading and allowing teams to trade future picks would improve the draft process. Allowing teams to move up or down the draft for players they actually want rather than who's left would be better for everybody. The ability to trade out unwanted picks would allow teams to get better value. Future picks would allow the movement of picks without complicating the process with established players who have the right of refusal. Teams get players they want, players get to teams that want them most. Win/win.

The downside of greater flexibility is greater ability to screw up. I don't think that enough reason not to do it though.