AFL cuts trade period by a week
March 10, 2014 - 1:46PM
- 17 reading now
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theage.com.au/afl/by/Emma-Quayle'>Emma Quayle</a> Football writer with The AgeThe AFL has lopped a week off this year‘s trade period, as part of a move to create a snappier post-season.
In other changes, the restricted and unrestricted free agency period will be reduced by four days this year, to 11, while the pre-season and rookie drafts will be held just four days after the national draft.
Last year‘s trade period ran over 19 days and while a large number of trade and free agency moves were made, activity slowed significantly in the second week as clubs waited for free agency compensation picks to be assigned.
This year, trading will start on Monday, October 6, and run for just 12 days, finishing at 2pm on Friday, October 17.
The restricted and unrestricted free agency period that ran over 15 days in 2013 will start on Friday, October 3 and finish on Monday, October 13, with clubs then having three additional days to choose whether to match offers made to their restricted free agents and only a few days in which to on-trade any compensation picks.
The first free agency period, in 2012, ran for 19 days, as did that year‘s trade period.
This year‘s national draft will most likely be held on a Monday night – November 24 - having been held on a Thursday night for several years. It may yet be moved by one day either way, depending on the availability of the Gold Coast convention centre.
Having trimmed the amount of time between the national and rookie drafts last year the league has shortened the gap further, with the rookie and pre-season drafts to be held via phone link on the Friday of that week, November 28.
A de-listed free agent period will run for six days, from November 14-19, and clubs will have a final two-day opportunity to sign delisted players ahead of the pre-season draft.
At last a common sense way to handling the meat market!