Free Agents are a far bigger issue than academies and F/S, yet people dont complain about it.

[Cleric]

The bed wetting over academies and father sons has reached epic proportions, yet neither are anywhere near as one sided as free agency is.
The clubs give up good draft picks for what is essentially a crap shoot. We have had how many academy picks in the last decade, with how many being top liners? Its not a massive strike rate, and most end up as serviceable players, with the odd one being an A grader.

FA on the other hand brings in a proven player, in his prime, with the club giving absolutely no draft collateral to get him.

This is a far bigger leg up than academies are, yet the bed wetters turn a blind eye to it.
The biggest evener upper would be for the clubs that get a FA losing their picks to a value that is dictated by the players contract. Sure, allow them free passage to the club of their choice, for the wage they want, but the club has to pay a price for them. Its typically good players leaving the weaker clubs to join stronger ones in the premiership window.

This is a far bigger issue for the equalisation the AFL bleats about non-stop. So, why plant the clubs like Essendon and North going after that?

 

[Freomaniac]

I have posted this before and post it again.

Unrestricted free agency should be down to 8 seasons.

Restricted free agency should go down to 6 or even 5 years

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Premiership teams FA era. (End of 2012 season).

2013 - Hawks 0
2014 - Hawks 0
2015 - Hawks 1 (Frawley)
2016 - Dogs 1 (Hamling - DFA)
2017 - Richmond 0
2018 - West Coast 0
2019 - Richmond 1 (Lynch)
2020 - Richmond 1 (Lynch)
2021 - Melbourne 1 (Jordon)
2022 - Geelong 2 (Smith UFA; Stengle DFA)
2023 - Collingwood 1 (Markov DFA)
2024 - Brisbane 2 (Daniher; McKenna DFA)
2025 - Brisbane 0

So really over a decade of premiers as evidence and there's only been a handful of FA signings win flags, and half would be second hand players delisted by others.

Players moving from bottom 4 clubs to top 4 clubs.

2013 - Sylvia (Mel to Fre)
2014 - Frawley (Mel to Haw); Blease (Mel to GFC)
2018 - Lynch (GCS to Rich); Minchington (STK to HAW)
2020 - Smith (HAW to GFC)
2025 - Draper (ESS to BL); Allen (WCE to BL)

Little evidence over 13 years to show that the strongest teams are pillaging the weak to get that little edge that makes them better. Usually they have limited cap space to do so. Reckon the majority of FA moves that aren't for opportunity (ala DFA) would see players moving from lower teams to mid range teams on the rise. Mid range to contenders or top clubs on the slide to weak clubs for a super top up.

 

[daniel_4tw]

FA only makes sense when trading without consent exists before FA kicks in.

This year aside, clubs always get to the club of choice when uncontracted and 90% when contracted, anyway. The only thing FA adds is it’s a freebie for the receiving club and in some cases over inflated compo for the losing club.

Allow trading without consent and you won’t need made up compo as clubs can go spend the cap space on other players from every single player save for the few FAs. It will even up the competition and lessen the burden on these academies that lock in players and allow poor teams to rebuild much faster.

Players want the perks of USA sports of million dollar salaries, free agency etc but don’t want the trade off of professional sports responsibilities. Time for the league to grow up.

 

[MrChow]

Premiership teams FA era. (End of 2012 season).

2013 - Hawks 0
2014 - Hawks 0
2015 - Hawks 1 (Frawley)
2016 - Dogs 1 (Hamling - DFA)
2017 - Richmond 0
2018 - West Coast 0
2019 - Richmond 1 (Lynch)
2020 - Richmond 1 (Lynch)
2021 - Melbourne 1 (Jordon)
2022 - Geelong 2 (Smith UFA; Stengle DFA)
2023 - Collingwood 1 (Markov DFA)
2024 - Brisbane 2 (Daniher; McKenna DFA)
2025 - Brisbane 0

So really over a decade of premiers as evidence and there's only been a handful of FA signings win flags, and half would be second hand players delisted by others.

Players moving from bottom 4 clubs to top 4 clubs.

2013 - Sylvia (Mel to Fre)
2014 - Frawley (Mel to Haw); Blease (Mel to GFC)
2018 - Lynch (GCS to Rich); Minchington (STK to HAW)
2020 - Smith (HAW to GFC)
2025 - Draper (ESS to BL); Allen (WCE to BL)

Little evidence over 13 years to show that the strongest teams are pillaging the weak to get that little edge that makes them better. Usually they have limited cap space to do so. Reckon the majority of FA moves that aren't for opportunity (ala DFA) would see players moving from lower teams to mid range teams on the rise. Mid range to contenders or top clubs on the slide to weak clubs for a super top up.

Definetly makes a difference. The question is how many of these flag winners, won games on their way to the flag by say less than a goal? And if they replaced the free agent with a depth player would they have still won those games, finished where they finished and also won the gf?

We will never exactly know, because the same argument could be said, for priority picks, academy/father son discounts, mergers, home MCG Gfs, etc.

But Cleric is right. It makes no sense, that the rest of the competition should slide a pick, and pay the tab, for another club to recruit a player.

 

[Toump Ass]

2021 - Melbourne 1 (Jordon)

Who the **** is that.
Do you mean Padlock Jordan who plays for Swans? We drafted him.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Definetly makes a difference. The question is how many of these flag winners, won games on their way to the flag by say less than a goal? And if they replaced the free agent with a depth player would they have still won those games, finished where they finished and also won the gf?

I don't think the evidence is strong at all with regards to FA to be honest.
There hasn't been too many 'A grade' FA moves in 13 years. The reason why there's been little said about the FA moves is because from 2012-22 it was well used, most movement was plodders trying to get a fresh start or role players moving for a mixture of reasons from super top up, one last shot at a flag etc.

Not many guns actually moved via FA. And that's still the case. It's only been the last 2-3 years where its been misused and we should arguably be looking at middling nothing clubs like St.K and Essendon and pondering why they're grossly overpaying for decent talent.

Guns:

Eddie Betts
Lance Franklin
Tom Lynch
Joe Daniher

Role Players:

Danyle Pearce
Brendon Goddard
Troy Chaplin
Brent Moloney
Jared Rivers
Dylan Roberton
Dale Thomas
Xavier Ellis
Nick Dal Santo
Daniel Cross
Jarrad Waite
Shaun Higgins
James Frawley
Nick Malceski
Tim Membrey
Joel Hamling
Mitch Robinson
Matt Suckling
Scott Selwood
Matthew Leuenberger
Daniel Wells
Chris Mayne
Nathan Brown
Ricky Henderson
Jackson Trengove
Tom Rockliff
Steven Motlop
Trent McKenzie
Scott Lycett
Brandon Ellis
Adam Tomlinson
Grant Birchall
Isaac Smith
Zac Williams
Brad Crouch
Mitch Hinge
George Hewett
Tyson Stengle
Karl Amon
Jayden Hunt
Daniel McStay
Liam Jones
James Jordon
Tom Doedee
Ben McKay
Jade Gresham
Josh Battle
Isaac Cumming
Harry Perryman
Nick Haynes
Jack Graham
Jack Martin
Jack Silvagni
Tom De Koning
James Worpel
Sam Draper
Oscar Allen

Plodders:

Chris Knights
Quinten Lynch
Shannon Byrnes
Tom Murphy
Clinton Young
Jonathan Simpkin
Tom Gillies
Nick Lower
Matt White
Colin Sylvia
Jeremy Laidler
Luke McGuane
Dylan Addison
Tony Armstrong
Robin Nahas
Aidan Riley
Tom Derickx
James Gwilt
Taylor Hunt
Sam Blease
Ben Newton
Matthew Dick
Dawson Simpson
Andrew Moore
Jarrad Grant
Daniel Gorringe
Matthew Wright
Ty Vickery
James Kelly
Matt Dea
Michael Barlow
Josh Green
Alex Morgan
Aaron Mullett
Lachlan Keeffe
Jack Trengove
Reece Conca
Luke Dahlhaus
Alex Fasolo
Jarryd Lyons
Tom Sheridan
Darren Minchington
Jordan Murdoch
Daniel Menzel
Cam Ellis-Yolmen
Wylie Buzza
Jack Newnes
Kaiden Brand
Sam Gray
Ryan Abbott
Josh Walker
Rory Atkins
Aidan Corr
Shaun McKernan
James Frawley
Jake Kelly
Mabior Chol
Luke Dunstan
Tim O'Brien
Jarrod Brander
Sam Skinner
Tom Campbell
Hugh Greenwood
Zaine Cordy
Francis Evans
Fergus Greene
Matt Flynn
Joel Hamling
Todd Goldstein
Toby Pink
Oscar McDonald
Sam Naismith
Orazio Fantasia
Tom Campbell
Elliott Himmelberg
Tim Membrey
Jack Carroll
Jacob Wehr
Charlie Spargo

We will never exactly know, because the same argument could be said, for priority picks, academy/father son discounts, mergers, home MCG Gfs, etc.

Why can no interstate fan seemingly have a conversation about football without a sly dig at the GF? Get over it already

But Cleric is right. It makes no sense, that the rest of the competition should slide a pick, and pay the tab, for another club to recruit a player.

No point complaining about what won't change.
The AFLPA has the power here. They won't allow their rights to be wound back via the removal of FA, and they won't allow forced FA without consent.

Don't get the obsession some have with a FA compo pick slotting in here or there. We've been among the last 4 clubs choosing players in probably 2/3 of the last 20 years and make the list work. There's enough talent in the AFL pathway system that a compo pick shouldn't be derailing your off season or overall multi-seasonal list build strategy.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Top 4 clubs should not be able to acquire free agents the following year

 

[bzparkes]

The bed wetting over academies and father sons has reached epic proportions, yet neither are anywhere near as one sided as free agency is.
The clubs give up good draft picks for what is essentially a crap shoot. We have had how many academy picks in the last decade, with how many being top liners? Its not a massive strike rate, and most end up as serviceable players, with the odd one being an A grader.

FA on the other hand brings in a proven player, in his prime, with the club giving absolutely no draft collateral to get him.

This is a far bigger leg up than academies are, yet the bed wetters turn a blind eye to it.
The biggest evener upper would be for the clubs that get a FA losing their picks to a value that is dictated by the players contract. Sure, allow them free passage to the club of their choice, for the wage they want, but the club has to pay a price for them. Its typically good players leaving the weaker clubs to join stronger ones in the premiership window.

This is a far bigger issue for the equalisation the AFL bleats about non-stop. So, why plant the clubs like Essendon and North going after that?

Everyone potentially has access to the same free agents, they don't to another club's father sons and academy picks.

 

[Yoda_]

restrict the top 4 teams from signing free agents

 

[The Nostradamus]

Top 4 clubs should not be able to acquire free agents the following year

restrict the top 4 teams from signing free agents

There an echo in here?

 

[Yoda_]

There an echo in here?

been saying this for 5 years

 

[Viceregal]

There an echo in here?

been saying this for 5 years

5 years

5 years

5 years

5 years

5 years

5 years

5 years

 

[tiger_tough]

No it isn't. Not even close.

 

[Scotland]

FA is a joke but there were 7 FAs this year. 2 x band 1, 2 x band 2, 2 x band 4 and whatever Jacob Wehr is. 22 players made the AA side, 2 of them previously moved under FA rules (Battle and Cameron who was a matched offer trade).

There were 7 FS/academy players in this year's first round alone. First rounds have gone from 16 to 17 to 18 picks with the number of teams and these days are anywhere up to 30 picks long.

You can have a system where a club wins the flag and has $900k of cap space. Just like you can have a system where a team wins 5 games and has none. You can't have a system where a club wins the flag and has access to a top 6 player in the draft. People keep crapping on about "no one cared about this when Brisbane were at the bottom" and yeah that's the point. They've added two Ashcrofts, Fletcher, Marshall, Annable while contending for flags. If you finish first in an 18 team comp you should be picking 18th that is the whole point of a draft.

FA is easily solvable. Make players sign real contracts that tie them to the clubs they sign for, and get rid of compo picks. Everyone knew Allen was going to Brisbane, everyone knew it would be band 1, and everyone knew that meant pick 2. No one actually knows the details of the deal because the AFLPA don't want you do. Too many secret squirrels in the AFL. No $50m a year free agent is going to just magically sign with a good team in the NBA because the cap positions are known.

 

[MrChow]

Don't get the obsession some have with a FA compo pick slotting in here or there. We've been among the last 4 clubs choosing players in probably 2/3 of the last 20 years and make the list work. There's enough talent in the AFL pathway system that a compo pick shouldn't be derailing your off season or overall multi-seasonal list build strategy.

Geelong’s management and player development have been exceptional. About 20 years ago, your list was loaded with draft capital, particularly through low-cost father-son selections, which played a huge role in your premierships. From there, you became a destination club, with genuine stars across every line who developed the next generation, while consistently filling gaps with smart recruiting.

Interstate fans especially understand how tough it is to secure the players you really need—smaller talent pools and the luck of convincing players to return home. From a Port Adelaide perspective, we often struggle to compete because we don’t have the media exposure or sponsorship resources that Geelong and the big Victorian clubs enjoy.

Geelong’s list depth has been immense for years. Don’t fool yourself into thinking it comes purely from developing talent out of thin air. Just imagine removing the discounted access to Hawkins, Ablett Jr., and Scarlett—would you have had Selwood and Bartel? Would you have won three flags and become a destination club? Without those advantages, your last premiership could still be 1963.

 

[Warwick]

Plodders:

Jarryd Lyons

Excuse me?