Romance on the rocks: Winners and losers from the father-son rule, and why it's under siege

Sydney Morning Herald

2 days ago

In 2005, Carlton great Marc Murphy sat down for dinner at Gambaro's restaurant in Brisbane for a seafood meal with Lions legends Leigh Matthews, Michael Voss, Jonathan Brown, Luke Power, Craig Lambert and recruiting boss Kinnear Beatson.
He was eligible to play for the Brisbane Lions under the AFL's father-son rule because his father, John, who was also at the dinner, was a Fitzroy legend who won five club best and fairests in 214 matches.
Murphy was awed by the company as the Lions pitched a four-year deal to wear the same colours as his dad. It was an impressive offer, and Murphy was keen to join the Lions, who had won three of the past four premierships.
But as 2005 unfolded, and the draft order took shape, Victorian clubs secured the top five selections. As the likely No.1 pick, Murphy made a pragmatic rather than romantic decision. He opted to make himself available in the national draft. Carlton used their No.1 pick to recruit Murphy, who went on to captain the club and play 300 games in navy blue.
'I had to make a decision on whether to go up there or play with one of the big four clubs [the Blues, Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn and Richmond had the first five picks],' Murphy said.
'If it was Fitzroy I probably would have gone straight there but because it was interstate, and I saw the opportunity to stay at home with family and play at a big club like Carlton… That was the main reason I stuck around and went into the draft.'
Murphy's decision was uncommon then, and has become even rarer since.
Nearly 20 years later the father-son rule, thought to be the only rule in world sport designed to send athletes to the clubs their parents represented, is shaping the AFL like never before.
But the rule is under siege from some clubs who believe it is unfair, and that the so-called romance attached to it is at odds with the modern business of a league built on hard-headed commercial decisions, not to mention equalisation.
Last year's Norm Smith Medal winner, Will Ashcroft, is the son of Lions three-peater Marcus Ashcroft. There was no way Brisbane were going to miss out on him in the 2022 draft, nor his younger brother Levi two years later.
Nick and Josh Daicos, sons of Magpie marvel Peter, (collectively known as the Daicii) played in Collingwood's 2023 flag alongside Darcy Moore, the son of a dual Brownlow medallist.
In terms of games played, premierships won and All-Australian jumpers earned by players who got to their clubs under the father-son rule since 1998, only Geelong have done better than the Magpies. Gary Ablett, senior and junior, are both among the greatest players Australian football has produced. Of the 14 father-son picks to have played for Geelong, famous names such as Hawkins and Scarlett also attest to the power of the rule to shape dynasties.
While the data does not reveal a clear trend in the raw number of father-sons in the AFL, it does show that Geelong, Collingwood, the Western Bulldogs and Essendon have been most blessed by genetics (in terms of games played by sons). Fremantle, however, have had just two father-son selections: Brett Peake, the son of former East Fremantle player Brian, played 75 games for the Dockers, while recent arrival Jaren Carr (son of Matthew) is yet to debut.
Fremantle CEO Simon Garlick is among those calling for the rule to be abolished, or at least for the removal of priority access to father-sons if they are in the best 18 draftable players in the country.
'We believe the father-son [rule] should finish and strongly support the quarantining of the first round from academy and father-son picks to reinstate the integrity of the early part of the draft,' Garlick said.
'It's the equivalent of winning genetic tattslotto, but you didn't even have to buy a ticket.'
St Kilda are another club that has criticised the rule, which is being considered by the AFL Commission. The Saints have gained just three players from the rule since the draft was introduced. David Sierakowski (son of 66′ premiership player Brian) played 93 matches before joining the Eagles and Bailey Rice (son of Dean, who actually played in Carlton's 1995 flag) played 11. Stuart Annand (son of Bud) did not play a game.
Even Geelong CEO Steve Hocking said the rule needs a rethink despite the Cats' formidable haul. 'You do have to think about what is good for the game... It is a sentimental thing, but the game is becoming professional,' he told 3AW.
But Western Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains (the Bulldogs are proud custodians of Sam Darcy, Rhylee West and Tom Liberatore) said the Dogs were staunch supporters of the father-son rule. 'We'd be extremely hypocritical if we weren't,' Bains told SEN.
Sons and daughters
Ninety-eight players have arrived at AFL clubs as father-son picks since the rules were changed in 1997 to ensure clubs had to give up a pick to acquire a player. Before that, players such as Richmond's Matthew Richardson and Essendon's Dustin Fletcher arrived at their clubs for free as pre-draft choices. In the 2024 national draft, six father-son selections were added to club lists.
In the short history of AFLW, 13 women have joined the club their fathers played for under the father-daughter rule. Carlton lead the pack courtesy of captain Abbie McKay, daughter of Andrew. Abbie's younger sister Sophie also joined the Blues in the most recent draft.
While Erin Phillips played for the Crows before her dad Greg's beloved Port fielded a W team, she finished her career at the Power as the league's most decorated player. There was hardly a dry eye in the ballroom when Erin and Greg became the first father-daughter pair in the Australian Football Hall of Fame in June.
Globally, the rule is an anomaly. Even without it the offspring of professional athletes have advantages that help them into the big leagues, including exposure to the right people and pathways, to say nothing of genetics. The New Yorker reported that the most recent NBA season featured 35 players whose fathers represented NBA teams, up from 10 in 2009. As one executive told the magazine, the children of professional athletes have access to 'better training, coaching, and the right people who can put them on the right lists'.
Some notable examples are Golden State superstar Stephen Curry and his brother Seth (currently with Charlotte) who followed dad Dell Curry into the NBA, while LA superstar LeBron James is about to enter his second season playing with son Bronny at the Lakers. To understand how rare that is, imagine if Mason Fletcher, who once trained at Essendon, had stuck with footy and run out for the Bombers alongside his dad, instead of pursuing a US college football career. Given Dustin was 40 and Mason just 15 when he retired after 400 games, it was close without being possible.
Those arguing for the AFL's father-son rule to be scrapped or tightened wonder how bottom teams can catch up if premiership contenders such as the Lions and Collingwood – whom the best free agents are keen to join unless they receive a godfather offer such as the one St Kilda made to Carlton's Tom De Koning – also have priority access to the country's best young talent.
'All clubs want is access to exclusive talent,' one club source said.
'It's got nothing to do with romance.'
Still, the romance argument is often trotted out to defend one of the quirkiest rules in world sport.
Anthony Daniher's sons, Darcy and Joe, joined Essendon under the father-son rule to extend one of football's most celebrated family traditions.
It wasn't easy for either of them to wear the same colours as their dad and three uncles, Terry, Neale and Chris. Although Joe, a prodigious and enigmatic talent, finished his career with a premiership at the Brisbane Lions after requesting a trade from the Bombers, Anthony remains a fan of the rule.
'The priority pick is a better conversation for struggling clubs than to drop what is a beautiful history, whether it be for men [or] women, and something that is unique to our game,' Anthony Daniher said.
In another quirk, Joe's offspring will be eligible to join Essendon, not Brisbane, under the current rule, which requires the 100-game milestone be reached to make a son eligible. (Joe played 108 with Essendon and 96 with the Lions.) Under the rule introduced for W, the father must have played at least one AFL game for his club for it to have first access to his daughter.
The father-son debate often morphs into an argument about the northern and next-generation academies despite the academies' objective being to grow the game.
But Garlick, for instance, supports the northern academies, which give northern clubs priority access to talented kids in their zones.
Together, the academies and the father-son rule mean a heavily compromised draft.
'If you want the romance you have to pay for it,' said one senior club official who preferred to remain anonymous while the AFL Commission was considering the issue.
The Lions dynasty
Will Ashcroft was rated as the second-best player in the 2022 draft behind Aaron Cadman, who went to the Giants.
To ensure Ashcroft followed his dad to the Lions, Brisbane gave up picks 34, 35, 38 and 40. They also gave up picks 41, 47 and 49 to bring in Jaspa Fletcher at pick 12.
Fletcher is the son of four-club player Adrian, a brilliant ball-winner who played 107 matches with Brisbane, as well as 79 with Fremantle, 23 with Geelong and 22 at St Kilda.
Combining luck with smart planning, they had scored two players rated in the top 12 picks in the country before Melbourne had the chance to add one, yet they had beaten the Demons in that year's semi-final.
Ashcroft and Fletcher arrived at a Lions outfit already challenging for a flag.
Two years later, both stood with their dads in the MCG change rooms with premiership medals hanging around their necks. Also there was Sydney great Andrew Dunkley with his son Josh, and Anthony Daniher with his son Joe, celebrating their son's wins in different colours to the ones they wore into battle.
In the Swans' runner-up rooms was Nick Blakey, who had chosen to join Sydney rather than follow his father to North Melbourne, despite John playing 135 matches with Fitzroy and 224 for the Kangaroos.
The timing of Ashcroft and Fletcher's arrival, along with Levi Ashcroft (rated at pick four in 2024), exasperated other clubs who argue that the father-son and academy systems have ruined the draft as a competitive balance measure in an era of free agency when equalisation levers are so critical.
However, Lions premiership coach Chris Fagan says this does not take account of Brisbane's smart recruiting decisions from the open draft pool and trades.
'I think the people who complain about it just don't have any father-sons at the moment. I am not sure they would be coming out with the same complaints if they had a handful,' Fagan said. 'What goes around comes around.'
'I think the idea that sons and daughters of great players previously at the club get the opportunity to play at that club is a great part of our game, so I am not in any hurry to see that go.'
When romance hits the rocks
Murphy, Blakey and Daniher and are not the only second-generation talents to have ended up with different clubs, either by choosing a different path in their draft year or switching clubs later.
Ablett jnr is at top of the list having switched from Geelong to the Gold Coast on a lucrative contract at the end of 2010, later returning to finish his career at the Cats.
Jarrad Waite, Nick Davis, Sean Dempster, Mitch Morton, Tyler Brown and Zaine Cordy are other examples of players who moved away from the club their dads represented.
Hawthorn hesitated but eventually traded out Josh Kennedy – the son of four-time premiership player and Hawks' scion John jnr and grandson of legendary John Kennedy snr – to Sydney. Josh won a flag with the Swans against the Hawks.
Liam Picken – son of Collingwood great Billy – played in the Bulldogs' premiership that also included Josh Dunkley, the aforementioned son of Swans hard man Andrew.
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Jack Silvagni, who is carrying the most famous name at Carlton, could leave the Blues this season, perhaps for arch rivals Collingwood.
Heath Shaw ended up at the Giants and his brother Rhyce at Sydney after being father-son selections at Collingwood.
Heath Shaw says a version of father-son rule should continue.
'There are still misses when it comes to father-son,' Shaw said.
'Most people want to play for the club their dad played for. Some don't want to live in their fathers' shadows, but I went past him so that didn't matter anyway.'
He says clubs that complain about the rule should make bids on father-son prospects so the club with access to them pays a heavier price at the draft.
'I like the father-son rules,' Shaw said.
How clubs farm father-son prospects
Clubs connect with the sons of former player during their primary school years, running footy clinics, showing the children and their dads through the facilities, meeting the senior coach, giving them jumpers with their dad's name and number on them, inviting them to stand in a guard of honour during match day and keeping in touch.
If the family lives interstate, they may arrange a special visit to train with the club, as Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge's son Cooper did a month ago.
If a prospect shows promise, they might be integrated into the club's NGA or academy program to accelerate their development.
It doesn't always work out. Relationships with former players have been known to fray when a club has overlooked the offspring of a famous dad. Other times, clubs are almost duty-bound to take a player on the fringe of being drafted who is the son of a champion rather than run the risk of them being successful at another club.
What (and who) is next?
Murphy says the father-son rule should stay, but the AFL should forecast a change in the rules for 2029 or 2030 to let the current crop flow through and allow list managers prepare for change.
'I love the sons playing at their dad's former team and the names live on that those teams, but I think it has got to be changed to get a like-for-like [payment], so if you are a top 10 pick the club has to find an equivalent pick to get you. I think the days of offering up three picks in the thirties for them should change,' Murphy said.
With Carlton to recruit Harry Dean (son of 1987 and 1995 premiership Blue Peter) this year, and Cody Walker (son of high-flyer Andrew) next year, the debate is not going away.
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The Bombers await Koby Bewick (son of Darren), recently named in the under-16 All-Australian team alongside Tevita Rodan, whose dad, David, played 111 games for Port between stints at Richmond and Melbourne. The Power also have Louis Salopek (son of Steven) to look forward to in the 2027 draft.
Can the AFL Commission come up with a system that keeps the romance alive, while also living up to their mandate for competitive balance?