Collingwood vice-captain Steele Sidebottom supports a push to double the contract lengths of players drafted in the first round to stave off rival clubs poaching highly-prized players.
Sidebottom, recruited at pick 10 in the 2008 draft, says extending the contracts of top-rated players from two to four years will help curtail players seeking trades early in their careers.
"I'd be all for it. I don't think when you're getting drafted you're in any position to be negotiating a contract," Sidebottom told ESPN.
"It will definitely be good for clubs that put the time and effort into developing the young players."
Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan called the current two-year model "borderline ridiculous" as interest in No. 2 pick Josh Schache garners momentum. It's been reported up to five Melbourne-based clubs are circling the promising Seymour goal-kicker. "You can't blame guys who are homesick and want to go home," Sidebottom said.
"When you get drafted, you're happy to go wherever. It's hard for guys who have to move away from home. To move away from home when you're only 17 or 18 is pretty hard."
****
Perhaps there is a slight glimmer of hope for Richmond this week after another horror, last-gasp loss.
Essendon, the Tigers' next opponent, might have to rest some of their fatigued veterans, according to Bombers' assistant coach Mark Neeld, because of the six-day turnaround this week, and the effects of playing on Etihad Stadium's hard surface.
Neeld told ESPN the firm field at Docklands would hamper the team's recovery ahead of the Dream Time at the 'G clash on Saturday night.
"All the sport science gurus will tell us that all their information says it probably still takes an extra 24 hours to recover after playing here if you're not used to it," Neeld said. "Even though this is our home ground, really this is only our second visit here.
"For us it's not so much in the preparation phase, it will be afterwards and what we do with the boys in recovery because we've now we have to turnaround next week and focus on Richmond, so it's all about recovery."
Former Bombers skipper Jobe Watson has been rested this season after coach John Worsfold said the players returning from WADA-imposed bans had "hit a wall".
****
The motivation for the AFL's contentious move towards a new 17-5 or 18-4 season fixture lies in the number of 'dead rubbers' - matches without any meaning - towards the end of each season.
The AFL believes there were 43 dead rubbers in the latter stages of last season, meaning interest, crowd numbers and TV ratings dropped off before the finals started.
A competition with a promotion and relegation system, such as the English Premier League, generally retains interest until the very end of the season - where matches count at both ends of the table.
Which is why AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is exploring ways to pep up the final month of the season.
The 17-5 model involves each team playing every other team once then, at the end of round 17, the ladder being carved up into three divisions of six. Those six teams then play among each other for a series of rewards - the middle six, for example, getting a chance to play off for the final two positions in the eight.
McLachlan has some support from coaches such as Alastair Clarkson - but to many fans, the plan seems a contrived and artificial piece of policy-making that, in a season as even and exciting as this, is totally unnecessary.
****
As we've mentioned above, the current season is shaping as one of the AFL's most weird and wonderful yet. Underdogs are winning, games are going down to the wire, teams are being beaten on the siren, no lead seems to be safe and tipsters are tearing their hair out in frustration.
Here are some facts and figures which illustrate how the first nine rounds of the season have produced such crazy, off-the-wall results that make any conventional analysis virtually redundant.
• Sydney lies in 12th place with just three wins from nine games yet is rated by bookmakers as seventh favourite for the premiership; Fremantle is in fifth place with six wins yet is rated by the bookies as joint ninth favourite to take out the flag.
• After nine rounds, teams that have trailed at half-time have gone on to win 25 times. The figure at the same stage last season was eight.
• If you drew up a ladder based on results from Rounds 3-9, Geelong - in fifth place - would be just one game ahead of Hawthorn, in 16th place.
• Essendon's record defies logic: their record against the stronger clubs (ie those which have won a flag in the 2000s) is 5-0. Against those clubs who have not won a premiership in the last 16 years, the Bombers' record is 0-4.
• Fremantle has won six matches and sit in fifth place yet has a percentage of 90.65.
• Richmond, in getting pipped by the Bulldogs, Fremantle and GWS, have lost three straight games by under a goal - only the eighth time in VFL/AFL history this has happened.
THIS WEEK'S MEMORABLE MILESTONES:
Most Career Goals - Sydney ace, Buddy Franklin, needs three goals to draw level with Bernie Quinlan in 10th spot for most goals in VFL/AFL history. Since his debut in 2005, Franklin has kicked 814 goals with the Hawks and Swans. Tony Lockett remains the game's premier full-forward, having booted 1360 goals for St Kilda and Sydney.
Most Games Coached - Rodney Eade this weekend is due to coach his 367th senior game, bringing him level with Dan Minogue (St Kilda) in 14th spot for longest-serving coaches in the game. Eade's career comprises 152 games with Sydney, 162 with Western Bulldogs and 52 with Gold Coast. Mick Malthouse (718 games with Footscray, West Coast, Collingwood and Carlton) remains No.1.
Most Games, Rookie List Player - Matthew Boyd (WB) is due to play his 290th league game this week, taking him level with Dean Cox (WCE) in first spot for most games by any player who began their career on an AFL rookie list.
Fastest to 150 games - Hawthorn sharpshooter Luke Breust is due to play his 150th senior game this week, six years and 11 days from his debut. He is due to become the second fastest player to reach the milestone in VFL/AFL history, having made his debut on May 15, 2011. The fastest player to 150 games is North Melbourne champion Wayne Schimmelbusch (six years, six days).