Release of AFL Restricted and Unrestricted Free Agent List

The Australian Football League (AFL) today distributed the list of restricted and unrestricted free agent players to the 18 clubs across the competition.

Under the rules that were agreed between the AFL and AFL Players Association (AFLPA) in February 2010, restricted and unrestricted free agents may consider offers from rival clubs during the post-season period, following the 2016 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. An offer to a player only includes capped salary and capped ASA (Additional Service Agreements) amounts.

Under the AFL Player Rules, an unrestricted free agent may automatically move to the club of his choice. An offer to a restricted free agent may be matched by his club, which has right of first refusal over his services. If the restricted free agent player does not wish to remain with his original club, he must enter the draft or seek a trade.

Compensation in the form of AFL allocated draft picks will apply to clubs with a net loss of free agents, based on the formula determined by the AFL.

Restricted:
Tom Rockliff (Brisbane Lions), David Zaharakis (Essendon), Hayden Ballantyne, Nat Fyfe (Fremantle), Steven Motlop (Geelong Cats), Luke Breust, Josh Gibson (Hawthorn); Scott Thompson (North Melbourne); Jackson Trengove (Port Adelaide); Dustin Martin (Richmond); Sam Reid (Sydney Swans); Eric Mackenzie (West Coast).

Unrestricted:
Andy Otten, Scott Thompson (Adelaide Crows); Claye Beams, Ryan Harwood (Brisbane Lions); Dennis Armfield, Levi Casboult, Matthew Kreuzer, Kade Simpson, Simon White (Carlton); Tyson Goldsack, Lachlan Keeffe, Ben Sinclair, Josh Thomas (Collingwood), Heath Hocking, Ben Howlett, Brent Stanton, Jobe Watson (Essendon); Zac Clarke, Garrick Ibbotson, Michael Johnson, David Mundy, Aaron Sandilands, Nick Suban (Fremantle); Josh Cowan, Andrew Mackie, Tom Lonergan, Daniel Menzel (Geelong Cats); Shaun Burgoyne, Taylor Duryea, Luke Hodge, Ryan Schoenmakers (Hawthorn); Jack Spencer, Jack Trengove (Melbourne); Lachlan Hansen (North Melbourne); Jasper Pittard, Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide); Sean Dempster, Sam Gilbert, Leigh Montagna, Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda); Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney Swans); Sam Butler, Mark LeCras, Matt Priddis (West Coast); Matthew Boyd, Dale Morris, Robert Murphy, Liam Picken (Western Bulldogs).

HOW THE SYSTEM OPERATES FOR ALL PLAYERS ACROSS THE COMPETITION –
A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and is now out of contract.
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.

A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and has been delisted by his club.
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.

A player has 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 1 in his eighth season. (Restricted Free Agent)
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 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.

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. (Unrestricted Free Agent)
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 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.

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. (Unrestricted Free Agent)
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.