How a single drug test scandal reshaped the 2017 AFL draft
In short: The 2017 AFL draft was a complex web of trades and recruitment windows. However, a massive penalty handed to the Greater Western Sydney Giants sent shockwaves through the order, moving a first-round selection from the top tier all the way down to the middle of the pack.
The 2017 AFL draft was a multi-stage process used by the league's 18 clubs to rebuild their rosters following the season's end. This period is the only time clubs are permitted to add new players to their playing lists. The process began with a free agency window from 6 October to 18 October, followed by a trade period running from 9 October to 19 October. This complexity was heightened by a scheme allowing clubs to trade future picks, which had already resulted in twenty picks for the 2017 draft being moved via trades.
One of the most significant disruptions to the draft order involved the Greater Western Sydney Giants. Due to a penalty imposed by the AFL regarding the club's management of Lachie Whitfield's attempt to bypass a potential drug test, the Giants faced a massive reduction in draft points. This penalty was so severe that it shifted their first-round selection from pick 15 back to pick 65, fundamentally altering the landscape for other clubs in the first round.
The drafting process concluded with several distinct events. The national draft took place on 24 November at the Sydney Showground Exhibition Centre, featuring live bidding for father-son and academy selections. This was followed by the 2018 pre-season draft and the 2018 rookie draft, both held on 27 November. Notably, the pre-season draft held in 2017 marked the first time the event had been conducted since 2014.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2017 AFL draft
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