I have mentioned this in the Voldemort thread.

Whilst I understand we are brought up on a game that demands player loyalty - it is not the same game it was 20 years ago.

With free agency here there will be more players poached mid season and we still have one more year of GWS signings I advocate a move to the NRL system of players announcing they are moving to another club when they have signed.

I believe that some coaches at clubs unable to make the finals may not play the departing individual but I dont think that Collingwood wouldnt play Pendlebury if he announced he was going to GWS and a possible premiership was on the line.

This also alleviates this nonsense of players having to lie about what they are doing and allows us all to get on and play football. If a football in a team not paticipating in the finals feels he wants to "preserve his body" for the new team then he will quickly end up in the 2nds.

It does fly in the face of what we have grown up with but is the sport not professional enough now that we can endure this change ?

The way to move past this is to get used to players waiting until October to sign contracts in the FA Fortnight or whatever they want to call it.

I don't want players to announce with a year to go - they should simply wait and not sign for anyone until this FA Fortnight.

The AFL can step in and say there are no binding agreements that can be signed until that October.

It would annoy many fans who want to see their heroes sign up early but that is how I see the remedy. People will speculate on players leaving but there won't be able to until that October.

Take away the ability to sign with anyone.

I dont like the thought of players announcing they have signed months prior to leaving, dont see the benefits to be gained.

Are players allowed to be signed or even talk with another club while still under contract (apart from the GWS, Gold Coast windows)?

To me it makes more sense that no discussion with or signing to another club take place until the end of the season. Yes I know there will be under the table stuff go on but the AFL should come down heavily on this, although their past history with $ doesn't guarantee they will. Then there are no anouncements that need to be made mid season and players are committed to their clubs whilst under contract as they should be.

The NRL system was shown up badly last year with the problems at Manly and to a lesser extent with Bennett leaving St.George. Coaches, granted but players were in the mix. I don't think this system works well at all despite what many in the media would have us believe.

The way to move past this is to get used to players waiting until October to sign contracts in the FA Fortnight or whatever they want to call it.

I don't want players to announce with a year to go - they should simply wait and not sign for anyone until this FA Fortnight.

The AFL can step in and say there are no binding agreements that can be signed until that October.

It would annoy many fans who want to see their heroes sign up early but that is how I see the remedy. People will speculate on players leaving but there won't be able to until that October.

Take away the ability to sign with anyone.

Thinking and typing similar thoughts, sorry to duplicate.

Are players allowed to be signed or even talk with another club while still under contract (apart from the GWS, Gold Coast windows)?

To me it makes more sense that no discussion with or signing to another club take place until the end of the season. Yes I know there will be under the table stuff go on but the AFL should come down heavily on this, although their past history with $ doesn't guarantee they will. Then there are no anouncements that need to be made mid season and players are committed to their clubs whilst under contract as they should be.

The NRL system was shown up badly last year with the problems at Manly and to a lesser extent with Bennett leaving St.George. Coaches, granted but players were in the mix. I don't think this system works well at all despite what many in the media would have us believe.

i don't think there is an easy answer to this at all...The $cully way or the NRL way are both messy...what i hope does happen, is that if free agency deals are done-do them quickly....none of this months & months Rubbish.

If contracts are signed quickly clubs players & supporters can move on after a short grieving time. We do not want anymore "Black Clouds" ever again.

A player should indicate to his club about approaches or signings by/with another club.

This then allows his club to then plan for the upcoming draft/delistings etc in a more informed manner.

Actually it should become mandatory.

A player should indicate to his club about approaches or signings by/with another club.

This then allows his club to then plan for the upcoming draft/delistings etc in a more informed manner.

Actually it should become mandatory.

But that's not really aiding the issue that nutbean is outlining.

Clubs should be able to calibrate their Drafting and Trading ideas after the FA signings and before the draft. It's not a long process and the FA signings week/fortnight/month will be apart of their plans for draft/delistings etc. anyway.

Just make it illegal to 'sign' anyone before that October and the rest is speculation without foundation.

Just make it illegal to 'sign' anyone before that October and the rest is speculation without foundation.

Money Talks rpfc, so i doubt that will occur...particularly when the AFL is concerned. October 2010 comes to mind...that was outside the trade window.

Just make the trades transparent & quick...lessen the blow.

Money Talks rpfc, so i doubt that will occur...particularly when the AFL is concerned. October 2010 comes to mind...that was outside the trade window.

Just make the trades transparent & quick...lessen the blow.

I'm not sure what 'money talks' means in this instance.

Contracts cannot be signed until October, in fact, we could say contracts can't be given until the appropriate October.

Any club breaching the rule will be punished through the draft.

There are ways to do this without getting into the farcical place of having players agreeing to go to clubs, and announcing it, 12 months ahead of time.

It doesn't work in the NRL - as seen with Manly/Bulldogs last year and it won't work in the AFL.

I'm not sure what 'money talks' means in this instance.

Contracts cannot be signed until October, in fact, we could say contracts can't be given until the appropriate October.

Any club breaching the rule will be punished through the draft.

There are ways to do this without getting into the farcical place of having players agreeing to go to clubs, and announcing it, 12 months ahead of time.

It doesn't work in the NRL - as seen with Manly/Bulldogs last year and it won't work in the AFL.

You may well be right, but don't forget this is new ground,,,so i expect a long teething period...Clubs like the Filth and other rich organizations will push the boundries as hard as they can

You may well be right, but don't forget this is new ground,,,so i expect a long teething period...Clubs like the Filth and other rich organizations will push the boundries as hard as they can

To an extent, but the US sports with a defined period for FA seems to work pretty well, they wait to sign their contracts until then and planning is done very quickly after that.

And yes, the 'big market teams' can be very attractive but we have a hard salary cap that, like the NFL, means many different teams get to the biggest day of the season.

Really, the only way Collingwood and co. will 'game' the system is if there are promises of cash outside of footy or after their careers, and I believe, with the way the cap is working, that the belief the bigger teams will 'game' the system to be a myth born out of fear of the unknown.

To an extent, but the US sports with a defined period for FA seems to work pretty well, they wait to sign their contracts until then and planning is done very quickly after that.

And yes, the 'big market teams' can be very attractive but we have a hard salary cap that, like the NFL, means many different teams get to the biggest day of the season.

Really, the only way Collingwood and co. will 'game' the system is if there are promises of cash outside of footy or after their careers, and I believe, with the way the cap is working, that the belief the bigger teams will 'game' the system to be a myth born out of fear of the unknown.

As i said you could well be right, and i hope you are...but i still do not fully trust the AFL to get it all right either..Will Be interesting...If the MFC put up a good effort this season we should be ok, another train wreck we certainly must not have.

I'm not sure what 'money talks' means in this instance.

Contracts cannot be signed until October, in fact, we could say contracts can't be given until the appropriate October.

Any club breaching the rule will be punished through the draft.

There are ways to do this without getting into the farcical place of having players agreeing to go to clubs, and announcing it, 12 months ahead of time.

It doesn't work in the NRL - as seen with Manly/Bulldogs last year and it won't work in the AFL.

its called a verbal or hand shake agreement, happens in every sport, and is only going to get worse in our code

its called a verbal or hand shake agreement, happens in every sport, and is only going to get worse in our code

Yes, of course it does.

But will it happen more?

I don't know, but I am confident if players and agents are encouraged to do all the deals in the appropriate October then that will lessen the 'handshake' agreements.

Anyway, all it takes to threaten the 'handshake economy' is for one of the parties to renege on that 'handshake deal.'

And a handshake deal isn't worth the paper its printed on...

I'm not sure what 'money talks' means in this instance.

Contracts cannot be signed until October, in fact, we could say contracts can't be given until the appropriate October.

Any club breaching the rule will be punished through the draft.

There are ways to do this without getting into the farcical place of having players agreeing to go to clubs, and announcing it, 12 months ahead of time.

It doesn't work in the NRL - as seen with Manly/Bulldogs last year and it won't work in the AFL.

knowing Vlad and his cohorts the FA rules will probably have more backdoors than Windows

I have mentioned this in the Voldemort thread.

Whilst I understand we are brought up on a game that demands player loyalty - it is not the same game it was 20 years ago.

With free agency here there will be more players poached mid season and we still have one more year of GWS signings I advocate a move to the NRL system of players announcing they are moving to another club when they have signed.

I believe that some coaches at clubs unable to make the finals may not play the departing individual but I dont think that Collingwood wouldnt play Pendlebury if he announced he was going to GWS and a possible premiership was on the line.

This also alleviates this nonsense of players having to lie about what they are doing and allows us all to get on and play football. If a football in a team not paticipating in the finals feels he wants to "preserve his body" for the new team then he will quickly end up in the 2nds.

It does fly in the face of what we have grown up with but is the sport not professional enough now that we can endure this change ?

  

Nice idea but I couldn't see it working. Can you imagine the uproar if say a Pendlebury lost form during the finals? There would be all sorts of conjecture and bad blood.

Rpfc has it right I think with a blanket ban on binding agreements until October. 

Yes, of course it does.

But will it happen more?

I don't know, but I am confident if players and agents are encouraged to do all the deals in the appropriate October then that will lessen the 'handshake' agreements.

Anyway, all it takes to threaten the 'handshake economy' is for one of the parties to renege on that 'handshake deal.'

And a handshake deal isn't worth the paper its printed on...

aren't they currently encouraged to do all the wheeling and dealing in the trade period?

i think thats why they extended trade period to try and keep all dealings to a certain time of the year

aren't they currently encouraged to do all the wheeling and dealing in the trade period?

i think thats why they extended trade period to try and keep all dealings to a certain time of the year

Yes, but a year in advance for the new clubs.

I wouldn't allow that any longer, so if any binding contracts were attempted to be signed a year in advance they would be null and void.

You can only sign a contract for a new club inside a month before you leave.

But that's not really aiding the issue that nutbean is outlining.

Clubs should be able to calibrate their Drafting and Trading ideas after the FA signings and before the draft. It's not a long process and the FA signings week/fortnight/month will be apart of their plans for draft/delistings etc. anyway.

Just make it illegal to 'sign' anyone before that October and the rest is speculation without foundation.

Yea but if talks were reported and reporting was mandatory then clubs would be better prepared ala Scullygate.

If not reported then penalties apply. Making it illegal= same thing

The club concerned could be looking at replacements much earlier.

Yea but if talks were reported and reporting was mandatory then clubs would be better prepared ala Scullygate.

If not reported then penalties apply. Making it illegal= same thing

The club concerned could be looking at replacements much earlier.

Take a bow skills32. A system that requires transparency and honesty if you want to secure a player from another club with severe sanctions on clubs, player managers and players if the provisions are breached. A system where the club concerned needs to lodge a formal permission to approach document before speaking to the player, his manager and/or family members. Knowing a little of how player recruitment works it would still be abused but if properly enforced, it would bring everything out into the open and onto the table.

Of course, the AFL and some clubs would hate it because they prefer these things done in a shadowy cloak and dagger environment.

The other aspect of this subject is the necessity for the clubs to be prepared for the advent of free trading. Clubs which have the resources both in terms of the finances and the personnel who have the know how to properly exploit the existing rules to their advantage will prosper.

I suspect supporters will be in for a few shocks to the system as loopholes are uncovered and the smart clubs come up with clever recruiting coups. Those that come out "winners" in this game will be those that have prepared long and hard for free agency.