The AFL is pleased to announce that the 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft will transition to a fully national model, with all nominees available to be selected by any of the 18 clubs.
The transition will occur at the next Telstra AFLW Draft in December ahead of the 2025 NAB AFLW Season, which coincides with a 20% increase in remuneration for AFLW draftees under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
As part of the on-going Competitive Balance Review, clubs provided feedback that the NAB AFLW competition should move towards a fully national Telstra AFLW Draft to achieve a fairer and more equitable player access mechanism.
In 2023, the AFL devised an opt-in model, where almost 70 per cent of draft nominees entered the ‘national draft pool', meaning they could be drafted by any club and not just their home-state clubs. 12 of the top 16 selections opted for the national pool.
The change was endorsed at Tuesday's AFL Commission meeting following support from the AFL Players Association and the AFLW Competition Committee.
The 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft will also see the introduction of minimum two-year contracts for new draftees, providing greater security for players in the initial stages of their career.
AFL Executive General Manager Football Laura Kane said the move to a National Draft was an evolution for the AFLW and a major step towards greater competitive balance.
"As the league continues to evolve, we're seeing more draftees willing to chase their football dreams by moving interstate," Ms Kane said.
"An AFLW draftee from this year can earn up to $83,837 in salary and relocation allowances.
"This transition coincides with an increase of investment in talent pathways, meaning the players coming through the ranks are more prepared for elite-level footy than ever before.
"This will allow our rising stars to be more equally spread across the league, fast- tracking the improvement of developing sides and strengthening the competitive balance of the competition.
"I'd like to thank the AFLPA and our clubs for their support of this important next step for the NAB AFLW Competition."
AFLPA Head of AFLW, Julia Chiera said "Now is the right time for the AFLW competition to progress to a wholly national draft, giving players greater freedom of opportunity and clubs improved access to talent across the country.
"While players have previously had the option to join a national draft pool, it was important that first-year players were protected from having to uproot their lives without sufficient remuneration.
"Pleasingly, due to the recent Collective Bargaining Agreement, AFLW minimum wages will increase to $67,337 in 2025, and when coupled with improved relocation allowances and the security of a two-year contract, all drafted players will have greater capacity to establish themselves in their new club's community and give them the best chance to hit the ground running in their football careers."
