Resource FAQs: Rules, Regulations and Resources for Player Movements in the AFL

[Ants]

Good catch. I've just added a bit about that to the linked post about academy bid matching:

By the way, something is also off on the colour coding for the provisional draft picks. The second round only has 16 picks if you go by colour. I haven't checked the other rounds.

 

[Lore]

By the way, something is also off on the colour coding for the provisional draft picks. The second round only has 16 picks if you go by colour. I haven't checked the other rounds.

The colours are fine, there’s supposed to have 16. GWS and Port’s second round picks are in the third round due to deficits from matching bids they couldn’t afford last year

 

[Ants]

The colours are fine, there’s supposed to have 16. GWS and Port’s second round picks are in the third round due to deficits from matching bids they couldn’t afford last year

My mistake! Lots of great work on that list, I use it as a resource all the time.

 

[Lore]

My mistake! Lots of great work on that list, I use it as a resource all the time.

All good

 

[ibuprofen]

Just trying to clarify, are retired players unrestricted free agents?

 

[Lore]

Just trying to clarify, are retired players unrestricted free agents?

Only if they've been out of the league for 12 months, at which point they can sign during the SSP after the draft.

 

[The Fonz]

Apologies if this has already been posted about - hard to keep up with it all.

With the Pies still paying for some of Treloar's salary - how does this work with the cap?
It is still theirs? It's under the Dogs?

Can anyone clarify how this works?

Are all of these inter-club payments public information?

 

[faible]

Apologies if this has already been posted about - hard to keep up with it all.

With the Pies still paying for some of Treloar's salary - how does this work with the cap?
It is still theirs? It's under the Dogs?

Can anyone clarify how this works?

Are all of these inter-club payments public information?

Whatever portion Collingwood pay is under their own cap, whatever the Dogs pay is under the Dogs cap.

No they’re not public, no moreso than player salaries are. Usually it gets a mention when the trade occurs but I’m sure it doesn’t always if it’s a lesser known player.

 

[Moeydw]

The amount we're paying will go on our TPP. They aren't public from the clubs, however, journos usually report it.

 

[HTPunter]

I'm assuming it's just the base salary and paying for games played is under the Dogs?

 

[Lore]

edit: Original list sizes post has also been updated with 2021 info.

Change in List Size Numbers

	2020	2021
Total List Sizes	38-47	37-44
Primary List	38-40	36-38
Category A Rookies	0-6	0-6
Category B Rookies	0-3	0-2

CURRENT AFL players will be asked to take a pay cut of around 3.5 per cent as part of wider cuts communicated on Wednesday.

It comes as the total salary cap – including the additional services agreements (ASA) – will be slashed by nine per cent next season from around $14.5m to $13.1m.

However, the reduction in list sizes, decrease for first-year players' salaries and ability to shift money into future years will consume much of the difference for current contracted players.

Players will be briefed later this week after their agents and key stakeholders were informed of the moves on Wednesday.

While a vote will be held to ratify the changes, it is expected to go through unopposed.

The changes are only in place for the 2021 season, with 2022 expected to revert to normal in what is the final season of the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Players contracted beyond 2021 will have the opportunity to push up to five per cent of their salary into 2022 and 2023.

Those who re-signed after the AFL's pay freeze was lifted in July won't be required to take a cut unless it was agreed upon in their latest deal.

Players had been bracing of a cut around 10-15 per cent this year after taking a 29.2 per cent decrease on 2020 wages due to COVID-19.

The nine per cent reduction is only minimal compared to the football department spending which has been slashed from more than $9 million in 2020 to a little over $6 million next season.

The maximum list size for next year have been reduced from 47 to 44 which includes the ability to list up to two Category B rookies.

The minimum list size for each club will be 37, which can be made up by as little as 36 senior listed players and one rookie.

To reach 44, clubs can carry 36-38 senior listed players, four-to-six Category A rookies and two Category B rookies.

New AFL player pay deal reached, list sizes revealed

Players will be asked to take a pay cut of 3.5 per cent in 2021

www.afl.com.au

 

[Lore]

Those who were signed for 2021 before COVID-19 hit in March/April of this year. Next year, they will lose 8.5 per cent from their wages. But, since they are contracted for 2022 and beyond, their real cut is only 3.5 per cent, because the amount they lose this year will be given back to them in either 2022 or 2023 (or spread over both).

Those who signed before the AFL froze contracts due to COVID-19 and the shutdown, but who do not have a contract beyond 2021. They come out contract at the end of next year. They will lose only 3.5 per cent of their wage next year, because they cannot claw it back in the following years.

Those who signed contracts after the contract freeze was lifted. Their status is simply determined by the clauses in their individual contracts. If the clause says it's an 8 per cent cut, then that's what he will lose. He cannot claw it back in 2022 – unless his contract specifies. But if it's a 2 per cent cut in the event of reduced total player payments (which it is), then that's all he loses.

Those who are still out of contract. This is the simplest situation of all. If a player has not signed a deal for 2021 – and few are in this camp – then the contract he signs does not change at all. His contract amount and conditions don't change a millimetre.

Explaining how the pay cuts work for different AFL players

The best way to understand how the AFL's pay cuts will impact upon individual players and their clubs is to break it down into three different categories of players.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Lore]

• Each club will be permitted to move two players straight from the senior list to the rookie list, avoiding the rookie draft.
• Players delisted by today (Wed 25/11) will be able to join another club as a delisted free agent during the first window which opens tomorrow (26/11) and runs through to Sunday (29/11).
• Players who are not picked up as DFAs in the first window can be confirmed as rookies during the second DFA window (1/12-2/12).
• Category B rookies are now eligible to play without being upgraded in lieu of an injured senior player.
• Players who are contracted for 2021 but were delisted with an intention to re-rookie will still be paid their 2021 salary, either as a senior player at another club, or as a rookie.
• As usual, $80,000 of each standard rookie's contract falls outside the salary cap (but under the footy dept soft cap).

New rule tweak provides relief for clubs on list flexibility

AFL clubs will now be allowed to move two players straight from the senior list to the rookie list, without going through a drafting process

www.afl.com.au

 

[2006_Eagles]

NBA - a RFA signs a contract with another team, the incumbent team matches. Terms of the contract are transferred to the incumbent team exactly.

AFL - a RFA signs a contract with another team, the incumbent team matches, strangely rendering that contract void. What are the rules following?

 

[Lore]

NBA - a RFA signs a contract with another team, the incumbent team matches. Terms of the contract are transferred to the incumbent team exactly.

AFL - a RFA signs a contract with another team, the incumbent team matches, strangely rendering that contract void. What are the rules following?

When the incumbent team matches, they're matching the dollars, years, ASAs. The player then either re-signs with the current team within like 7 days or a trade is negotiated (and new terms can be agreed I suppose).

 

[2006_Eagles]

When the incumbent team matches, they're matching the dollars, years, ASAs. The player then either re-signs with the current team within like 7 days or a trade is negotiated (and new terms can be agreed I suppose).

Same same but different

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Lore do you know if the following you quoted in post #60

To reach 44, clubs can carry 36-38 senior listed players, four-to-six Category A rookies and two Category B rookies.

means if you have 1 Category B rookie, you are limited to maximum list size of 38+4 rookies + 1 cat B or does the "and two Category B rookies" mean up to two, and the list can be 38+5+1=44??.

 

[Lore]

Lore do you know if the following you quoted in post #60

To reach 44, clubs can carry 36-38 senior listed players, four-to-six Category A rookies and two Category B rookies.

means if you have 1 Category B rookie, you are limited to maximum list size of 38+4 rookies + 1 cat B or does the "and two Category B rookies" mean up to two, and the list can be 38+5+1=44??.

The way I understood it the options are:
36+6+2
37+5+2
38+4+2

The AFL article is a bit ambiguous but other journalists have interpreted it as 42+2, which is similar to the way the lists worked before and makes the most sense imo.

 

[Marcel Proust]

Following the Treloar example.

Will all teams get a chance next year to do trades well after trade week?

Assuming the picks are confirmed , can the salary percentages be discussed indefinitely? Say until Christmas

 

[Lore]

According to the articles about the Treloar situation this happens regularly... it's just that we don't normally having Damian Barrett writing exclusive articles about it.


So the answer is yes... but also that they always have and that it's not a big deal.

 

[Thetrader15]

According to the articles about the Treloar situation this happens regularly... it's just that we don't normally having Damian Barrett writing exclusive articles about it.


So the answer is yes... but also that they always have and that it's not a big deal.

If they can negotiate salary after the 'deadline', can they also negotiate picks after it as well? Surely both are important parts of the deal?

 

[Lore]

If they can negotiate salary after the 'deadline', can they also negotiate picks after it as well? Surely both are important parts of the deal?

There is a trade period for trading players, and there's a separate deadline for pick-only trades. You can still trade picks by themselves, for example one just went through a minute ago between GWS and the Bulldogs.

All I know about what happens with extensions and player salaries is from some of the articles floating around, for example this one:

The clubs remain in talks and the AFL is yet to intervene to potentially mediate the issue, while Treloar is certain to receive what he is entitled to under his contract. An extension has been granted in this case and it is not unusual, with many clubs receiving extensions to finalise such agreements.

Pies, Dogs still in negotiations over Treloar's pay, De Goey announcement close

The Western Bulldogs and Collingwood remain locked in tense negotiations about how much of Adam Treloar's five-year contract the Magpies should pay.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Marcel Proust]

There is a trade period for trading players, and there's a separate deadline for pick-only trades. You can still trade picks by themselves, for example one just went through a minute ago between GWS and the Bulldogs.

All I know about what happens with extensions and player salaries is from some of the articles floating around, for example this one:

Pies, Dogs still in negotiations over Treloar's pay, De Goey announcement close

The Western Bulldogs and Collingwood remain locked in tense negotiations about how much of Adam Treloar's five-year contract the Magpies should pay.

www.theage.com.au

Yet we are past the trade period and Treloar is still being haggled over.

 

[Suma Magic]

You'd hope that the AFL tightens this up for next year.

 

[Lore]

Yet we are past the trade period and Treloar is still being haggled over.

Treloar is a Western Bulldogs player, that won't change. The AFL will pay his wages regardless (as they do for all players).

It's just a matter of whose TPP it goes under in which year. They haven't gone to mediation yet, which if they do will mean the AFL makes a decision and its binding on all parties.

There's also a thread for that, we certainly don't need two about him.