The AFL wishes to state for the record it completely rejects allegations made in some media outlets today the AFL had sought to circumvent its own rules around Total Player Payments, Free Agency and Player Movement, regarding player Lance Franklin after the conclusion of the 2013 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

AFL General Counsel Andrew Dillon said the circumstances of Lance Franklin’s move from Hawthorn to the Sydney Swans at the time had been the subject of a detailed examination, with formal interviews with the key parties involved in his move under the Free Agency Rules.

As the nine-year deal was an unprecedented commitment of TPP funds to a single player over such a contract length, the AFL sought a number of written guarantees from all members of the Sydney Swans’ Club Board, as well as its senior management, and these requirements were publicly detailed at the time.

The AFL was not involved in any dealings that player Franklin and his management may have had with any other club in the competition as a potential move for him under the Free Agency Rules, before the player made his final decision to accept an offer from the Sydney Swans.

Under Free Agency Rules, a player may consider offers from multiple clubs, and may have discussions with multiple clubs, but only one offer from another club may be formally lodged with the AFL.