ST KILDA and Greater Western Sydney will not receive better compensation picks should free agents like Josh Battle or Harry Perryman take up lengthy deals from rival teams that stretch beyond five seasons, under new trade and draft rules detailed to clubs.
The AFL Commission ratified a raft of changes to the trade and draft landscape on Friday following the League's competitive balance review, headlined by the length of a contract now being a consideration in free agency compensation packages.
However, that compensation will not be impacted by deals shorter than two years or greater than five seasons, with the League hopeful of reducing the amount of hefty long-term deals offered by teams.
Battle has a six-year deal on the table from the Hawks, while Perryman has been offered seven years by a rival club to leave the Giants, though under the new trade and draft rules such offers would not net their clubs more significant compensation packages if they decide to leave.
Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable on Friday, the League's head of football performance Ned Guy revealed the weight placed on the length of the contract would instead be capped at five seasons.
"Traditionally, the two determinants for free agency compensation have been guaranteed average earnings and age. They'll continue. What we're introducing is the term of the contract moving forward," Guy said.
"It will be carrying a weight, and we'll distribute some information around the weight that the term of each contract will carry. It won't be any contribution of points for one or two-year deals, there will be a small contribution for three, up to a maximum capped contribution for five-year deals and nothing beyond that.
"It'll only take into consideration the five years. It'll cap out at the fifth year of that contract, that'll be the maximum contribution. Again, the key determination will be the average guaranteed earnings of that deal."
The AFL's executive general manager of football, Laura Kane, revealed that clubs no longer needed to extend lengthy contract offers to attract players, given the amount of systems in place to negotiate for trade targets.
"It's a balance," Kane said.
"Everyone's list management strategy is different. But I think what we're signalling is that there are so many levers now, that making sure you're not contracting players out too far to reduce the flexibility within the current system is really important.
"We're also committed to being as transparent as we possibly can within the current framework, that's why we've sought to release the information to clubs which we've never done before."
Brisbane and Carlton will also be among the big winners from the AFL's decision to delay introducing significant changes to its draft bidding system until next year, after the League revealed it wanted to give clubs time to prepare for the upcoming tweaks to the trade and draft landscape.
The League has altered its Draft Value Index (DVI) points system following consultation with clubs, while it will also extend future trading to two years in advance, though it won't bring in such moves until 2025.
They were two of the most significant changes amid a host of trade and draft rule alterations ratified by the AFL Commission this week, with the League writing to clubs on Friday to detail the adjustments.
Clubs like Brisbane (set will bring through Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall later this year) and Carlton (the Camporeale twins) were among those that had rallied against the AFL changing the DVI points system this season, having completed future trade last year based on the existing model.
"We absolutely had a lot of feedback on that topic," Kane said.
"And so we should, it was a really important decision. Particularly around father-sons and the history and the tradition that sits alongside those decisions that clubs make and how connected their fans feel to those young boys and now girls coming through. That was something that we never wanted to lose.
"Ultimately, the decision for us was around time to strategise. We wanted our clubs to have ample time to prepare. One, within a new system of DVI. Two, around some other additional changes for how far out they can trade picks (and) the introduction of mechanisms within season. We felt that giving the clubs another year to prepare for that was incredibly important.
"But, yes, it absolutely was discussed. Once we identified a system that needs changing, we could've done it now. But we chose not to. We chose to give the clubs ample time to prepare. I feel they'll be pleased with the landing spot, particularly a couple of clubs."
The AFL will also extend future trading to two years from 2025, despite a belief from clubs that it would come in this season, with the League saying it had wanted to introduce greater trading flexibility alongside the revamped DVI model.
"We thought it was a good opportunity to align the increase in the ability to trade future picks with the new DVI. They'll come in together. There was a lot of feedback from clubs for greater flexibility, and we're keen to provide that flexibility," Guy said.
"Under the current model, there are restrictions of trading in the first future year of a first versus a second (round pick). This new model will have completely unrestricted access to trading future picks in year one. However, the restrictions of first versus second and third (round picks) in year two will remain.
"We're keen to introduce that with the new system and the ability for clubs to be able to access their talent concession in a stricter model, which the new DVI will be. The greater access to trading future picks will allow clubs to bring in players that they wish to."
