THERE is no hiding from the fact the NBA and the NFL have their fingerprints all over our game.

We share a salary cap, free agency, performance enhancing drugs code, media practices, among similar governance.

But the single most important tool each league possesses to provide an equitable platform for teams to rise or fall on the ladder or table is the draft.

The NFL draft functions the same way as ours. The last-placed team gets the first pick, while the Super Bowl winner receives the last pick in the first round.

Finals Week 1

The NBA has a lottery for the early picks but they operate under the same premise; level the playing field through the procurement of talent.

There are always factors working against the ideals of a draft such as free agency.

Every year the New England Patriots seem to be able to add crucial pieces to their roster disproportionate to their competition due to their standing as a ‘winning organisation’ and the desire of players to be coached by Bill Belichick.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick reacts after losing the Super Bowl this year. Source: Getty Images

Hawthorn has had a similar capability during the Alastair Clarkson era. Think Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara. And Brian Lake, Josh Gibson, James Frawley before then. Even Ben McEvoy and Jack Gunston. And they look likely to continue this October.

Then of course there are the ‘super teams’ of the NBA such as the Miami Heat circa 2010 and the current Golden State Warriors.

The aforementioned teams have set the benchmark for other teams to learn from, ranging from front office management, coaching, recruiting, high performance, and everything else that has made them well-oiled machines and the envy of the rest.

When it comes down to it on our game, the greatest problem with the draft as an equalisation tool is our game itself.

The best way to illustrate this problem is to look back at recent history.

Essendon coach John Worsfold congratulates No. 1 pick Andrew McGrath in 2016. Source: News Corp Australia

In 2016, the first draft picks across the three codes were Andrew McGrath (Essendon), Jared Goff (LA Rams) and Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers).

Now, let’s analyse the impact each pick has had since entering the league.

McGrath won the Rising Star award in his first season.

After forcing his way up the depth charts in his first season in the NFL, Goff made the Pro Bowl in just his second season as one of the league’s best young quarterbacks, and helped the Rams break a 13-year playoff drought.

While he missed his first year in the NBA due to a broken foot, Simmons was named Rookie of the Year in 2018 and helped carry Philadelphia back to the playoffs.

While Essendon wouldn’t think twice about selecting McGrath again at pick 1, he has had nowhere — nor has anyone in his draft class — near the same impact on the league as the other two. But that’s not his fault. He simply doesn’t have the chance to.

Philadelphia star Ben Simmons shows who’s boss in the NBA. Source: AFP

Simmons plays a sport with four teammates on the court. He is 20% of the team. Of course the impact he can have as the greatest young talent in the land is going to be far more profound than someone who is playing a role as one of 18 players on an AFL team. And as such, Simmons’ rise has been emphatic.

As a quarterback, Goff has the greatest advantage to influence a game’s trajectory. Every offensive play the team calls is in his hands. And that’s why he earned so much praise for the Rams’ drastic improvement last season.

Now compare that to McGrath who touches the ball roughly once every six minutes and you can see the difference.

The sheer nature of our games dictates that one player does not have the chance to create the drastic change for a team that the draft intends it should.

And that’s why I think it is time the draft is revisited so that it serves the purpose it was introduced for. Otherwise, another generation of supporters of sides down the bottom mightn’t see their team compete for a premiership.