Get the lowdown on the dates, rules, draft implications and more ahead of the 2024 Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period and the Free Agency windows.
What is the Trade Period?
- A 10-day window that occurs following each year’s Grand Final, but before the Telstra AFL Draft, allowing all 18 clubs to exchange players and draft picks in a formal setting.
- It gives clubs a chance to improve their playing list or selections at the Draft.
What are the key dates of this year’s Trade and Free Agency periods?
- The Free Agency period will open on Friday October 4 at 9am AEST and close on Friday October 11 at 5pm AEDT
- The Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period will commence on Monday October 7 at 9am AEDT and close on Wednesday October 16 at 7.30pm AEDT.
Who and what can be traded?
- Players and draft picks, or a combination of both. Participating clubs deem what’s a fair exchange, although ultimately it is verified by the AFL.
- When it comes to draft picks, only picks from that year and the next year can be traded.
- Most trades involve two clubs, but exchanges involving three or more are allowed.
How are clubs allocated their draft selections?
- Draft selections are the reverse order of the finishing ladder from that season. In 2024, Richmond finished 18th, therefore its first draft pick is No.1. North Melbourne finished 17th, so its pick is No.2. Brisbane won the premiership, so its pick is No.18.
- This repeats a minimum of three times (each club must select three players at the draft) but can go beyond that depending on the number of list spots each club has to fill.
- With clubs able to trade a year in advance, the selections aren’t always a perfect reverse order. For example, in 2023, Collingwood traded its future first-round pick to Fremantle as part of the Lachie Schultz trade. It means the Dockers have pick No.11 – which is essentially the Magpies’ pick for finishing ninth – in the draft this year.
What is the Draft Value Index?
- This is a system devised by the AFL that attaches a points total to each draft pick. For example, pick No.1 is worth 3000 points, pick No.2 is worth 2517 points, and so it goes all the way down to pick No.73, which is worth nine points. Any picks from 74 onwards are worth zero.
- This system is in place for two reasons. The first is to ensure clubs pay ‘fair value’ for father-son selections or Academy players they have special access to. For example, in 2022, Brisbane had access to father-son Will Ashcroft. North Melbourne chose to select him at No.2 in the draft, but the Lions were able to match the bid (2517 points, minus a 20 per cent discount) to attain the player.
- The second reason for the system is a rough way for the AFL and clubs to identify if a swap of picks is fair. It’s not a perfect science, but a club swapping pick No.2 (2517 points) for No.8 (1551) and No.18 (985) would be close to fair.
- Clubs requiring points to match bids on father-son and Academy players will often ‘trade down’ to gather more points. For example, a club that has pick No.25 (756 points) might trade with another club that has pick No.41 (412) and No.42 (395). This gives them 807 points – an increase – while the other club moves to a much higher selection in the draft.
- 2024 is the last year of the current Draft Value Index system. A revised system, which attributes fewer points to draft picks as they move further down the draft order, will be brought in for the 2025 season.
Can clubs trade who they like?
- No. Clubs can trade players that are out of contract, but who they have an intention of re-signing if they can’t find a suitor. However, if a player has one or more year to run on their existing deal, the club must have the player’s consent to be traded to another club. A player can veto any proposed move they don’t agree with, regardless of whether they are in or out of contract.
What is a ‘salary dump’?
- Clubs that are close to, or over, the salary cap (the amount every club is allowed to spend each year on assembling its team), might wish to trade one of its more expensive players that has fallen out of favour with the coaches.
- To incentivise another club to trade for that player and his hefty contract, the original club can attach a draft pick to it, so essentially the receiving club gets the player and a draft pick to take on the contract.
What is Free Agency?
- Free Agency gives players another vehicle to change clubs.
- There are two types of free agents – restricted and unrestricted.
- Unrestricted free agents have served eight years or more at one club, are out of contract, and can automatically move to the club of their choice. There is no need for a trade. This includes any player that has been delisted. They’re called delisted free agents and can go to any club that wants them without needing a trade.
- Restricted free agents are a little trickier. They have served eight years or more with one club and are in the top 25 per cent of wage earners at that club – often among the ‘star’ players of a team. Opposition clubs can make an offer to lure these players. If the offer is matched – both in duration and financially – by their current club but the player still wants to move, a trade then has to be struck.
Anything else we should know?
- Delisted free agents can still be signed once the Trade Period closes and clubs are also able to exclusively trade draft picks – not players – up until and during the National Draft, which this year will be held on November 20-21.
