New players for a team. How does that work?

[dutchfan]

Since I visited Australia this winter the sport has a new fan from the Netherlands. Visited 2 games in real life and watched the final games at home via watchafl.

Now i see all kind of messages of players that may be will change from club and that players are picked from a draft.

I try to understand how this works but I can’t find out how it does.

Can anybody have a good internet page that explains it or can explain it in their own words?

 

[GeelongFTW]

Clubs get allocated draft pics based on final positioning after the season. Eg last place gets pick 1, second last gets pick 2,... Champions get pick 18. Then it cycles again (last place gets pick 19, second last gets pick 19). Obviously the earlier the draft pic the more valuable with each cycle referred to as a 'round' (ie pick 1-18 = Rd 1, 20-36 =Rd 2,etc). They are some more drafts which is kinda complicated but they all have the same order depending on finishing position.

Before the draft there is a trade period where teams can trade players by either giving up their own allocated draft pics or next year's pic (kinda risky because you're not sure what pic youll actually have) or players directly.

You might hear something called free agency (FA). If a player plays enough years for a club they will be eligible for FA where they can directly nominate another club they wanna go to. If they are unrestricted (UFA) they can go directly to their desired club and the AFL will provide a draft pic compensation to the team that lost a player (its worth dependant on how good the player was) . If they are restricted (RFA) the team can either keep whatever draft pick the AFL decides OR they can match and force the other team to make a trade. Whether someone is RFA and UFA is dependent on many years they have player and how much money they are on (the more money more likely to be RFA rather than UFA)

the TLR between normal trades and FA is normal trades the receiving club has to satisfy the losing player club but with FA the receiving club gets the player for 'free' but the AFL will provide compensation foe the losing player club. (this is why RFA exists because sometimes the losing player club doesn't like the compensation they are given and would rather make the receiving club pay them directly instead) .

Happly to answer more questions.

 

[Kwality]

New players/teams are recruited from the 2nd tier, i.e State based footy leagues, in each of the States. Semi professional.

Currently these players are available through the draft every year & are overlooked year after year as 'not good enough'.

How the young talent is handled is up to the AFL. It has changed each time an extra team has been added.

 

[dutchfan]

This information helps a lot. Thanks first of all for answering.

So it means that a young player can’t choose the club where he wants to play it’s always the club who chooses the player.

So different to soccer in Europe where it’s the other way around and what makes that in the end the best players goes to the teams with the most money. The afl system is in that regards much better.

When does the draft start? And is it something that is shown on television? And does it take days or is it all done in one day?

And is given insight in the players that probably will be picked in round 1? And are there players that were chosen last year and were this season alteady a sensation?

You see a lot of questions. Really interested in how it all works

 

[Kwality]

This information helps a lot. Thanks first of all for answering.

So it means that a young player can’t choose the club where he wants to play it’s always the club who chooses the player.

So different to soccer in Europe where it’s the other way around and what makes that in the end the best players goes to the teams with the most money. The afl system is in that regards much better.

When does the draft start? And is it something that is shown on television? And does it take days or is it all done in one day?

And is given insight in the players that probably will be picked in round 1? And are there players that were chosen last year and were this season alteady a sensation?

You see a lot of questions. Really interested in how it all works

The AFL want an even competition, so 18 teams win once ever 18 years.
European soccer is seen here to favour the rich clubs, as you advise. There is no private ownership here & in theory every club is owned by its members (a majority of clubs need AFL financial guarantees because they arent financially viable as a stand alone legal entity).

Leave the draft to someone else.

 

[Chief]

You can see key dates in this thread:

Confirmed - Confirmed Trades & Free Agency Moves 2022 + Important Dates

Free Agency Moves: Karl Amon to Hawthorn as an Unrestricted Free Agent Jayden Hunt to West Coast as an Unrestricted Free Agent Daniel McStay to Collingwood as an Unrestricted Free Agent Liam Jones to Western Bulldogs as an Unrestricted Free Agent Zaine Cordy to St Kilda as an Unrestricted Free...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[LoungeLizard]

This information helps a lot. Thanks first of all for answering.

So it means that a young player can’t choose the club where he wants to play it’s always the club who chooses the player.

So different to soccer in Europe where it’s the other way around and what makes that in the end the best players goes to the teams with the most money. The afl system is in that regards much better.

When does the draft start? And is it something that is shown on television? And does it take days or is it all done in one day?

And is given insight in the players that probably will be picked in round 1? And are there players that were chosen last year and were this season alteady a sensation?

You see a lot of questions. Really interested in how it all works

I saw you post a while ago, and it looks like you're hooked, so I will give you some advice.

Carlton will bring you grief, nothing but grief.

Joking.


But now being serious, you being new to the sport and all, Tasmania are about to enter a team in the league, you may want to get on board, help them out and start your journey together.