When the competition was known as the Victorian Football League (VFL), the league introduced the first incarnation of a draft system in 1981, where teams had two selections each of interstate players determined by reverse finishing position order.
[2] This was introduced as an equalisation strategy in response to the increasing transfer fees and player salaries at the time, which in combination with declining attendances, threatened to derail the league.
Clubs were allowed to select only one WA player each and South Australia was off-limits because of the introduction of Adelaide.
The talent pool was clearly shallow and most clubs shied away from investing too much hope in the draft.
A number of the Victorian clubs, notably Richmond and Fitzroy, couldn't afford to recruit established players so stuck with country footballers and young unproven youngsters.