Over the past two seasons free agency has added a new dimension to the list management landscape in the AFL.
Commencing this Friday 4 October 2013, all eligible free agents who have not re-signed with their current AFL clubs throughout the year have the opportunity to field offers from rival clubs.
All restricted and unrestricted free agency decisions are required to be formalised and submitted by Friday 18 October 2013.
How Free Agency works:
Free agency is separated into three categories – an unrestricted free agent, a restricted free agent and a delisted free agent.
Eligibility is determined through a range of factors including seasons at one club, wage and contract status.
To be considered a restricted free agent:
A player must have served eight or more seasons of AFL football at one club, is one of the top 25 per cent highest-paid players at his club, and is now out of contract for the first time since March one in his eighth season.
What that means:
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 current 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.
To be considered an unrestricted free agent:
A player has served eight or more seasons of AFL football at one club, is NOT one of the top 25 per cent highest-paid players at his club, and is now out of contract for the first time since reaching eight seasons of service.
OR
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 March 1 in his eighth season, and is now out of contract.
What that means:
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 to apply where clubs lose more free agents than they gain in any single transfer period.
To be considered a delisted unrestricted free agent:
A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and has been delisted by his club.
What that means:
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.
Players ineligible for free agency:
A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and is now out of contract.
What that means:
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.
