Has the AFL outgrown the father-son system?

Brisbane is set to land potentially the top midfield prospect in the AFL Draft for the second time, with Levi Ashcroft nominating for the Lions as a Father-Son selection.

It comes after they drafted his brother Will Ashcroft at pick two in the 2022 National Draft.

Kane Cornes doesn’t know what the solution is, but feels it isn’t a great look for a premiership favourite to continue adding such a highly touted prospect.

“Just the fact that the premiership favourite gets the best young midfielder again in the draft, like, I don’t know what the solution is, but if we want an equal competition, as much as this will get pushback, is it time to look at the father-son and whether it’s as important as it once was considering how important keeping the competition even is,” Cornes told SEN Breakfast.

“You’ve got two of the best players in the last three years going to the premiership favourite.

“I get it. It’s romantic. I like seeing it. I would think about (getting rid of it). It really is affecting premierships.

“Are the Bulldogs in the position they’re in without Sam Darcy? Collingwood is the big one. Geelong of course too. I don’t know, it doesn’t sit well with me that Brisbane gets the two best youngsters inside four years given they’re the premiership favourites.”

David King agrees, adding that if the player then requests a trade to join the club their father played for, the initial club can cash in.

“I love the romance of it all, but it just cruels equalisation,” King said.

“Everyone gives me the Nick Daicos argument. Had he gone to the Kangaroos at pick one… Imagine the trade value that he would have, if he’s always going to end up at Collingwood, what would you get for that sort of trade?”

The Magpies won the premiership last year with Nick Daicos, Josh Daicos and Darcy Moore as Father-Son players, coupled with Isaac Quaynor as an Academy addition.