Murphy will add fuel to fiery relations
Chip Le Grand
The Australian
May 31, 2005
THE increasingly bitter feud between Brisbane and the AFL's Victorian interests has reached a new flash-point, with the Lions and several Melbourne clubs squaring off over the playing future of one of the brightest teenage talents in the country.
Marc Murphy, the son of former Fitzroy captain John Murphy, has represented his state and country as a junior and will be taken this year by Brisbane under the father-and-son rule. The catch is that Murphy must agree to the deal and has no shortage of Melbourne clubs urging him to resist Brisbane's advances and nominate for November's national draft.
Not for the first time, Brisbane's ire has been raised by the spectre of Collingwood, which does not deny its interest in the fleet-footed midfielder. But Collingwood can point to a handful of other clubs, including the Kangaroos and Essendon, which are equally determined to keep Murphy away from Brisbane and available in November's general pool.
While the father-and-son rule is a throw-back to an era of blood ties and club tradition, it has never prevented rival clubs from meddling in family affairs.
The Kangaroos' Jesse Smith was last year heavily courted by other clubs before agreeing to follow his father Ross to Arden Street. Collingwood's Travis Cloke was the subject of a bidding war between Richmond and the Magpies, the two clubs where his father played.
In the case of Murphy, the stakes are enormous for Brisbane, which after four years as an AFL power finds itself facing a long, steep climb back into premiership contention.
Murphy was a stand-out in last year's U-18 national carnival, is a graduate of the AFL's AIS Academy and this year toured Ireland with an Australian U-17 team. If he nominates for the draft, he is certain to be taken as a top-10 pick. If he agrees to be taken under the father-and-son rule, Brisbane need only give up a third round pick.
Ironically, Brisbane is an ardent critic of the father-and-son rule for this reason. If Murphy agrees to become a Lion, Brisbane will effectively get two first round draftees for the price of one. The last time the Lions benefited from this draft anomaly was 1999, when they secured Jonathan Brown.
"It is a gift for a club that is starting to rebuild," Kangaroos recruiting manager Neville Stibbard said. "If they had an early first round pick and a pick of Marc Murphy's quality, they are on their way."
John Murphy yesterday refused to elaborate on his son's intentions. One Melbourne-based recruiter said it was known that Murphy would prefer to stay in Victoria. John Murphy said no decision would be made until well after this year's national carnival.
Under AFL rules, Murphy has until two weeks before the national draft to decide.
"We have hardly spoken about it," Murphy snr said. "When we spoke to Brisbane about the whole thing, Marc and I just asked for everything to be put on the back burner until after the season.
"I have been around long enough to see kids get way ahead of themselves thinking about all these glorious things that might happen to them."
As for Collingwood's interest, Murphy quipped: "I think they are better off chasing Luke Power than my bloke at this stage."
Murphy's focus for now is completing his Year 12 studies at Whitefriars College in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and captaining the school football team in an upcoming grand final. But he has already spent time in Brisbane as part of his AIS Academy tuition.
While billeted with the Lions for a week, Murphy was treated to dinner with none other than Brown, a likely future club captain and passionate supporter of Brisbane's links to Fitzroy.
Collingwood chief executive Greg Swann said there was no "hands-off" convention when it came to potential father-and-son draftees and predicted a long list of suitors for Murphy. "I think you will probably find there will be 10 Victorian clubs having a play at Marc Murphy and Brisbane," Swann said.
Stibbard agreed that until he signed with the Lions, Murphy was fair game: "When there is a good player around, there is no etiquette."
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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15457994%255E2722,00.html
Chip Le Grand
The Australian
May 31, 2005
THE increasingly bitter feud between Brisbane and the AFL's Victorian interests has reached a new flash-point, with the Lions and several Melbourne clubs squaring off over the playing future of one of the brightest teenage talents in the country.
Marc Murphy, the son of former Fitzroy captain John Murphy, has represented his state and country as a junior and will be taken this year by Brisbane under the father-and-son rule. The catch is that Murphy must agree to the deal and has no shortage of Melbourne clubs urging him to resist Brisbane's advances and nominate for November's national draft.
Not for the first time, Brisbane's ire has been raised by the spectre of Collingwood, which does not deny its interest in the fleet-footed midfielder. But Collingwood can point to a handful of other clubs, including the Kangaroos and Essendon, which are equally determined to keep Murphy away from Brisbane and available in November's general pool.
While the father-and-son rule is a throw-back to an era of blood ties and club tradition, it has never prevented rival clubs from meddling in family affairs.
The Kangaroos' Jesse Smith was last year heavily courted by other clubs before agreeing to follow his father Ross to Arden Street. Collingwood's Travis Cloke was the subject of a bidding war between Richmond and the Magpies, the two clubs where his father played.
In the case of Murphy, the stakes are enormous for Brisbane, which after four years as an AFL power finds itself facing a long, steep climb back into premiership contention.
Murphy was a stand-out in last year's U-18 national carnival, is a graduate of the AFL's AIS Academy and this year toured Ireland with an Australian U-17 team. If he nominates for the draft, he is certain to be taken as a top-10 pick. If he agrees to be taken under the father-and-son rule, Brisbane need only give up a third round pick.
Ironically, Brisbane is an ardent critic of the father-and-son rule for this reason. If Murphy agrees to become a Lion, Brisbane will effectively get two first round draftees for the price of one. The last time the Lions benefited from this draft anomaly was 1999, when they secured Jonathan Brown.
"It is a gift for a club that is starting to rebuild," Kangaroos recruiting manager Neville Stibbard said. "If they had an early first round pick and a pick of Marc Murphy's quality, they are on their way."
John Murphy yesterday refused to elaborate on his son's intentions. One Melbourne-based recruiter said it was known that Murphy would prefer to stay in Victoria. John Murphy said no decision would be made until well after this year's national carnival.
Under AFL rules, Murphy has until two weeks before the national draft to decide.
"We have hardly spoken about it," Murphy snr said. "When we spoke to Brisbane about the whole thing, Marc and I just asked for everything to be put on the back burner until after the season.
"I have been around long enough to see kids get way ahead of themselves thinking about all these glorious things that might happen to them."
As for Collingwood's interest, Murphy quipped: "I think they are better off chasing Luke Power than my bloke at this stage."
Murphy's focus for now is completing his Year 12 studies at Whitefriars College in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and captaining the school football team in an upcoming grand final. But he has already spent time in Brisbane as part of his AIS Academy tuition.
While billeted with the Lions for a week, Murphy was treated to dinner with none other than Brown, a likely future club captain and passionate supporter of Brisbane's links to Fitzroy.
Collingwood chief executive Greg Swann said there was no "hands-off" convention when it came to potential father-and-son draftees and predicted a long list of suitors for Murphy. "I think you will probably find there will be 10 Victorian clubs having a play at Marc Murphy and Brisbane," Swann said.
Stibbard agreed that until he signed with the Lions, Murphy was fair game: "When there is a good player around, there is no etiquette."
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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15457994%255E2722,00.html
