If you were at all perturbed by the season-long preoccupation with Tom Scully in 2011, stand by for more of the same — this time on steroids. The end of the 2012 season will see the AFL’s first flirtation with free agency since the famous ten year rule of the early seventies.
Just so readers are properly acquainted, here are the regulations for free agency qualification for 2012.
- A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and is now out of contract.
The player is not eligible for free agency if his club wishes to retain him. He may only move clubs via a trade or the Draft. If he delists himself, he is subject to the Draft, and may be selected by any club. - A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and has been delisted by his club.
- The player is a Free Agent and is eligible to field offers from all rival AFL clubs.
- The player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.
- The player can move AUTOMATICALLY to the new club of his choice.
- His original club, which chose to delist him, does not receive any compensation pick for the loss of the player.
- A player has served eight or more seasons of AFL football at one club, is one of the 10 highest-paid players at his club, and is now out of contract for the first time since reaching eight seasons of service.
- The player is eligible to field offers from all rival AFL clubs.
- If he wishes to change clubs, the player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.
- His club has the right to match the presented offer.
- If the club matches the offer, he may choose to remain with his original club, seek a trade or enter the Draft.
- If the club does not or can not match the offer, the player can move to the new club of his choice.
- His original club will receive a compensation pick for the loss of the player, on an AFL-determined formula to apply where clubs lose more free agents than they gain in any single transfer period.
- A player has served eight or more seasons of AFL football at one club, is NOT one of the 10 highest-paid players at his club, and is now out of contract for the first time since reaching eight seasons of service.
- The player is eligible to field offers from all rival AFL clubs.
- If he wishes to change clubs, the player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.
- His club does NOT have the right to match the presented offer, and the player can move AUTOMATICALLY to the new club of his choice.
- His original club will receive a compensation pick for the loss of the player, on an AFL-determined formula.
- A player has served ten or more seasons of AFL football at one club, has already come out of contract once in the period after serving his first eight or more seasons at his club, and is now out of contract.
- The player is eligible to field offers from all rival clubs.
- If he wishes to change clubs, the player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.
- His club does NOT have the right to match the presented offer, and the player can move AUTOMATICALLY to the new club of his choice.
- His original club will receive a compensation pick for the loss of the player, on an AFL-determined formula.
The media excitement has already begun with queries about Brett Deledio’s decision to suspend negotiations for a new contract. Expect speculation about any players who appear to fit into the above criteria, and don’t expect it to cease unless there is an announcement of a signed contract for that player. In a somewhat stunning move, the AFL will actually fuel speculation by releasing a list of eligible players!
It’s worth noting that this free agency system is the AFL and AFLPA having a bet each way.
Unless delisted, only players who’ve provided significant long-term service at the one club are eligible. So, a player who manages a free agency swap uses his only opportunity for such a change outside of a delisting. It’s hardly free agency, is it?
Of course the AFL are at pains to protect clubs from predatory recruiting by rivals, so, for the best of the eligible players, there’s the protection of the current club simply needing to match the offer of the rival — if they can under their salary cap arrangements — to retain the player. The loyalty and commitment to the cause of a player swayed by such an offer has to be suspect.
Experienced mid-level players have a few more options provided they can manage their contract periods appropriately. Outwardly, there doesn’t seem to be too much in this system for the players, but it’s easily argued that those who are most restricted in this system are, arguably, the least likely to be receptive to rival offers.
For the record, AussieRulesBlog is concerned about the direction that this limited free agency takes the game in. We are, for the most part, traditionalists, but there’re certainly cogent arguments in favour of freeing up some aspects of the system.
It could be argued that the ten year rule provided a lifeline for the North Melbourne Football Club that might not otherwise have existed with their first ever VFL Premiership in 1975. Had Fitzroy won a Premiership in the seventies, or early eighties when they played in a Preliminary Final, perhaps the Brisbane Bears would plod on still, but as rivals to the Lions.
Our early-season prediction? Free agency will dominate discussion for the year! Don’t say we didn’t tell you!
Good luck to you and your team for the season. Go Bombers!
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