We may as well have another poll, I have made the settings so that you can see how the vote stands without voting, and also change your vote. Feel free to make your arguments below, if we get a Yes we will need to work out any "hows" - ie wait until players are officially announced, allow drafting based on guesswork, etc etc If either Yes or No reaches 9 votes we will close the poll early. For reference the 13 2015 top up players used in the NAB cup were:- Former St Kilda midfielder Clint Jones delisted Adelaide utility Jared Petrenko former Geelong pair Jordan Schroder and Mitch Brown former Demons James Magner and Mitch Clisby former Brisbane Lions Sam Michael and James Polkinghorne former Essendon AFL player Marcus Marigliani, Bombers' VFL-listed quartet Sam Tagliabue, Josh Freezer, AARON Heppell and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti Brown (National Draft #54) and McDonald-Tipungwuti (rookie draft pick22) were both picked up at the end of the 2015 season, suggesting that some of the (maximum) 10 players may pick up an AFL spot next season.
Provided they are known sure, but for mine they are the same as any other player, keep or delist at the end of the year
I think the issue arises of when these players will be announced. In the extremely unlikely event that a SC gun is signed as a topup player, is it luck of the draw whoever has the next pick? There's really no fair way to introduce them part way through the draft, even if you say they are only available after Round 20. I have no problem adding them to the MSD though.
No, too much unknown it does not effect anyone if no one can pick them but if a decent pick becomes available half way through the draft then not so fair. Yes to including them in the MSD. Ryan Crowley has been mentioned over here in WA.
I understand what you are saying but the other side is by ingoring 10 players out of 396 (assuming they all play) on average the 16 teams will have a maximum amount of players playing of 24.125 instead of 24.75, obviously less when players we don't pick play games. With the late MSD terams might only get 3 games out of the topup players if picked mid year and picked from Round 16, if we are worried about some "mythical" SC gun then maybe we say no mid or ruck who has scored an average of 90 points (min 10 games) in either 2013, 2014 or 2015 can be picked from the topup pool, and no other position who has scored an average over 80 points (min 10 games) in any of these seasons can either. Highest scoring retirees/delisttments from last year include Cross (91), Carrazzo (86), Schneider (84) and Matt Thomas (84 over 2 games). All are old or inury prone and would at most get a 2 year deal by playing well next year and likely play sporadically if at all in the second year. Using last year Clint Jones would have been the most likely mid to score highly and he has been on and off ORFF* lists just about every MSD or PSD draft beforehand. Most likely Essendon will get a few big bodies but will play the kids to get 15-20 games into them to fast track their development. I understand the concern over timing but realistically if we are drafting through th NAB cup timing is going to play a big part. Say a rookie scores 150SC in NAB3 after not playing in the 2 earlier weeks, surely if we are at round 24 they get picked up based on that so if Stowie or Damo H picks just beforehand they are unlucky (unlikely to last another 30 or so picks before theirs) just as much as they would be in relation to naming of topups? Once things quieten down I suspect Essendon might name their topups from next week which would give them as much time as possible to get up to par by NAB week 3 or so. The earlier they are named by Essendon the less likely they will be an attractive pick so as to provide any timing advantage, so if anything I would argue they have to be picked before Rd25 rather than after Round 20 as suggested above. BTW I also thought of Crawley, doesn't score well in SC, old etc - also would be an interesting look to bring in someone coming back form a 12 month drugs ban in these circumstances.
I reckon they all should be available for anyone to pick. whenever they are signed to play for essendon.
I agree, just pick them as they are available. Feels like there won't be any superstars dropping in and at best someone gets a good 12 months.
9-3 in favour - now we just need to decide the HOWS of selecting a topup player option 1 - when they are "officially announced" by EFC or the AFL option 2 - at any time- may be based on speculation. As only SC listed players are eligible if the player (say Brian Lake) ends up not being picked as a topup player the pick is vacated and the franchise gets autopicked at #481 in the draft to fill the 30th spot. option 3 - has to be picked before/after a certain spot in the draft option 4 - any others that anyone cares to suggest
No, easiest thing to do is let them be available from the MSD draft since this draft has already started. It would be similar allowing people who draft a player and then he retires a week later (hello Waters) be allowed another pick. If the yes vote does go ahead, then it should be all available as soon as they're announced, no fiddling around.
I'm curious as to who these "SC Guns" are that are currently whistling dixie waiting to don the sash?
For mine that's at the heart of the issue, who really cares, these are guys apparently outside the best 800 odd players, not too many are going to be considered in a keeper league drafting to 480.
What are you worrying about AFL sides for? There's 16 coaches with 30 selections here needing to field a minimum team of 15 each, not 22, selecting from a pool of ~800 players. There's absolutely no excuse for not being able to field a side and 10 "top up" are hardly going to make any significant difference here.