Reviewing AFEL Player Free Agency

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One of the big concessions that players fought for and won, was free agency. But as far as Restricted & Unrestricted Free Agency goes (delistee FA different issue), there were 10 changes in the first year, 7 changes the next year, 5 changes the next year and only 4 changes last year and this year.

Is Free Agency all that it's meant to be for clubs or players? It seems bigger clubs are using the access of acquiring players without trading as a means to trade big and still bring in more (Frawley & Vickery or Wells & Mayne etc). With such small numbers of players actually using the system, should the notion of free agency outside of delisted status be reconsidered? An extra four trades a year won't be even noticed in the tsunami of trades now. Especially, should AFEL compensation for players be continued?

On balance, I need to be persuaded that Free Agency (outside delistee FA) is worthy of sticking with.

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“THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER”: OUTGOING SUNS CHAIRMAN’S FRANK VIEW OF AFL FREE AGENCY

Outgoing Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane believes the AFL has to change the rules around free agency.

The Suns lost their captain and star forward Tom Lynch to Richmond at the end of 2018 after the Tigers had won a premiership (2017) and then played in a prelim final.

Gold Coast received pick 3 in that year’s draft as compensation after Lynch spent eight years in Suns colours.

In recent years, clubs closer to the top of the ladder have been the beneficiaries of free agency with quality players often opting to move to a team inside or near a premiership window.

As he gets set to depart his post at the Suns, Cochrane implored the AFL to make the rule fairer for all clubs, particularly those closer to the bottom.

“We’ve got to get rid of some silly things,” he said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“In fairness, top clubs have exploited them very cleverly, 10 out of 10 to them, I’m not saying I wouldn’t do the same in their shoes.

“For example, if I go back to when we lost Tom Lynch. We lost a captain and we lost a great footballer, he has proven that, done tremendous things at Richmond.

“But we lost him and got a pick 3 or something as his replacement. That’s tremendous, but as a club you go right back to the bottom of the well to start again to create the new Tom Lynch, who is going to be an 18-year-old who is a terrific kid and all of that. But you’re going to be four or five years away before you’ve got a really valuable player and you’re probably longer away to getting another Tom Lynch.

“It makes the system pretty hard, whereas Richmond, ok, they lost their first-round pick that year. That doesn’t really affect them very much at all because they’ve got a pretty balanced list and they’ve just topped up with a superstar. In fact, they’ve topped up with a captain from another club.

“There’s got to be a more fair way to address that for all clubs and if you don’t, the problem is you’re going to have some clubs perennially down the bottom unless they’ve got a lot of luck and a few things going their way all of a sudden.”

Free agency was first floated as an idea to benefit teams near the bottom of the ladder but it hasn’t quite worked out that way, Cochrane believes.

“The reality it is, it’s the old - to quote a famous line from Midnight Oil - ‘The rich get richer. The poor get the picture’,” Cochrane added.

“The truth of the matter is, it hasn’t helped the bottom clubs at all.

“If you go and study it carefully it’s been a tremendous assistance towards the top of the ladder.”

Cochrane will depart the Suns after their Round 1 clash with Sydney on March 18.