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โThere should be a natural tension between the AFL Commission and the clubs. We have to take into account what is best for the game and what is best for the fans as a collective and that wonโt always correlate with what is best for an individual club,โ Drummond said.
He confirmed a decision on the start time of a grand final would happen as soon as possible. But he was unwilling to commit to a position until he had assessed the data to understand what impact a night game might have on the standard of the game, as well as the views of fans and broadcasters.
Drummond, who emphasised his love for the game transcended his love for Geelong who he has supported for 60 years, said he wanted to spend time inside clubs to understand their perspective but made it clear that โthe clubs are running the clubsโ.
Changes to the rules relating to club access to father-son, academy graduates and the bidding system are expected to be communicated ahead of the season. Dillon said a balance needed to be found between growing the game and equalisation policies, with the overarching philosophy being that โa fair priceโ needed to be paid to secure talent.
The clubs anticipate they will have to give up two draft picks to match a bid for a father-son or academy graduate, with Carlton and Port Adelaide concerned about the impact any shift will have on their access to Cody Walker and Doug Cochrane.
There is also an expectation that a top-10 pick will no longer be given as compensation for losing a player through free agency.
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