The AFL may soften rules governing father-son picks.
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The existing 100-match rule could be cut to 50 — or as low as one.
While changes are unlikely in time this year’s draft, league legal boss Andrew Dillon said the rule could be altered in time next year’s for the 2016 national draft.
With the league set to implement a new points-based bidding system that rates father-son players along with players from the northern academies, there has been a push from clubs to retain the romantic family rule that has been diluted over decades as the rule has changed 12 times.
The Brisbane Lions and Collingwood chiefs, Greg Swann and Gary Pert, pushed at last week’s meeting of the 18 clubs for a cut in the qualifying father-son period.
Gillon McLachlan is reported to have said he would consider it. He said the rule would be examined at the meeting of the game’s working party on the draft and list management that includes recruiters Scott Clayton, Graham Wright and Stephen Silvagni.
Silvagni, whose eldest son Jack could be drafted by Carlton this year and who came to the Blues as a father-son, is said to believe the AFL’s decision to place father-son bidding in line with the northern academy players will make it too tough on the family rule.
There are an average of 2.5 players average selected under the rule each year, with four times that expected to be taken out of the Sydney, GWS, Brisbane and Gold Coast academies this year.
The bidding system in its simpler form was introduced after the Cats took Tom Hawkins in the third round of the 2006 national draft.
The AFL will almost certainly not bow to pressure for a grandfather-son rule.
If there was a change this year, Collingwood could gain Sam Weideman, son of former player Mark Weideman and the grandson of club legend Murray Weideman.
Murray Weideman was captain of the 1958 premiership side, centre half-forward in the team of the century, three-time best and fairest winner and former coach. Mark played 28 games in the 1980s.
Sam Weideman, a key position prospect, is likely top-10 draftee. He is a 196-centimetre forward who, at more than 90 kilograms, is a powerfully built marking target for Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup.