My thought is that the "transfer fee" figure could be a re-coup of the sign on fee that the player received. Then again, I may be wrong.
But it would seem fair to re-coup a sign on fee if that player wants to go walkabout without staying for the full season after getting a better offer.
Weekly Times article suggested that it would be part of the club's AGM (either discussion or vote) at the end of this season.
That would suggest that it is more likely that they would apply for 2028 if the feedback was positive.
Most state bodies have it built into their rules that they must field a full senior team under the points cap and they cannot play short in order to play at or under the limit. The penalty usually is forfeiture of the match.
Is it different in Tasmania?
The points system, if implemented correctly, is a far better equalisation measure that a salary cap can be.
It is way harder to cheat points than it is to pay overs in undetectable ways.
In 1980, we were close to a scenario where football in Melbourne would be re-structured. The VFA First Division would have been the top tier with Second Division below it and under that, there were to be as many as six divisions comprising VMFL clubs. Promotion and relegation would have taken...