Players’ union claims system is under-used and has not impacted competitive balance
Free agency is under-used in the AFL and has not affected the equality of the competition, according to the players’ union – and could face a major overhaul as part of the league’s next pay deal.
The AFL Players’ Association’s review into free agency, seen by this masthead, concluded that the player movement mechanism had not “materially” impacted competitive balance and was not being used to its potential.
AFLPA chief executive James Gallagher, who officially replaced Paul Marsh in October last year, said free agency should create a more open player movement market and enhance competitive balance.
“Our review suggests free agency is underutilised and hasn’t materially impacted competitive balance either for better or worse,” Gallagher said.
“The gap between the bottom- and top-placed teams in the competition is no different now than what it was before the introduction of free agency.”
Gallagher’s comments come barely a fortnight after league boss Andrew Dillon told this masthead that the AFL would consider changing the way free agency operated, in consultation with the AFLPA, to “make sure that the competitive balance isn’t distorted”.
“Look, I think it’s been in place for now probably 12 or 14 years [at the end of 2012],” Dillon said.
“I think what we’re seeing in the last couple of years is what everyone thought would happen at the start, and it didn’t necessarily.”
However, the AFLPA’s review found that only nine free agent additions have featured in premiership teams, starting with Hawthorn’s three-peat from 2013-15.
Father-son draftees (17), academy graduates (11), players traded in (71), national draftees (156) or other selections (50) were all more prominent.
Only 11 per cent of restricted and unrestricted free agents departed their club via trades or free agency since its inception, compared with 53 per cent re-signing and 36 per cent being delisted or retiring.
The number of free agents switching clubs via free agency or trade has never exceeded 12 in any one year – peaking in the initial off-season – while, on average, only seven free agents move clubs each year, including two by trades, such as Brandon Starcevich’s move to West Coast in 2025.
Gallagher also implied that the years a player must compete for a club to earn free agency status, which is currently eight unless a player is delisted, could be among the discussion points in the next CBA.
The current agreement expires at the end of 2027.
Gallagher did not offer an official position on when a player should reach free agency, but between 20 and 40 extra footballers would be free agents if the duration was six years instead of eight.
The median player career is about five years, while the average is trending towards seven seasons.
“AFL player careers start with no choice of employer through the draft. The average turnaround time from bottom four to top four on the ladder is seven years – longer than most players’ careers,” Gallagher said.
“Player, club and broader industry behaviour has also changed considerably since free agency was introduced 15 years ago. Considering these factors, this will be an important part of discussions during CBA negotiations in the next 12 months.”
Compensation for losing free agents, and the merits of restricted free agency are among the other topics the AFLPA could discuss with the AFL.
Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters and Gold Coast spearhead Ben King both plan to switch this month to the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn, respectively, but neither of their current clubs has announced whether it will match as potential “side deals” are discussed.
The AFL and clubs are reluctant to use that terminology, but the league already blocked a pick purchasing proposal between the Power and Bulldogs that would have seen Port trade Todd Marshall and pay a chunk of his remaining salary in return for two first-round picks.
That deal won’t happen because new rules introduced last year banned two clubs engaged in a free agency move from paying another player’s salary in a separate deal in the same player movement period.
The standoff on restricted free agents has stirred a debate over whether they are actually free agents or just glorified out-of-contract players, given the power their current club holds over them.
More than 70 per cent of player agents want the AFLPA to push to abolish restricted free agency.
The league’s free agency compensation model has remained largely unchanged since its introduction, whereas player values have skyrocketed from other tweaks, such as clubs being able to trade draft picks two years into the future.
Jeremy Cameron (to Geelong), Shai Bolton (Fremantle), Christian Petracca (Gold Coast) and Charlie Curnow (Sydney Swans) each fetched three first-round selections for their former clubs.
There were no examples of a player being worth that much in a trade before 2020.
Hawthorn list boss Mark McKenzie said on Monday that he broadly supported compensation for losing a free agent, but the model has long been a sore point, from Hawthorn receiving only pick 19 for Lance Franklin to North Melbourne giddily accepting pick three for Ben McKay.
The compensation depends on a secret AFL method that factors things such as salary, duration and player age.
No free agent has crossed to a club ranked 13th or lower and attracted band one compensation, while five delivered top-tier compensation after moving to a top-four club.
