Luke Jackson will ask for a trade,but which WA club is in the box seat?Credit:The Age,AFL Photos,Getty Images
The period for restricted and unrestricted free agents to move begins on Friday,and closes on Friday,October 7. Delisted free agents have two small windows in November to join new clubs.
As recruiters and list managers get busy,here are some of the technical terms you will hear over the next fortnight.
What is a restricted free agent?
An off-contract player who has played nine or fewer years with their current club and is in the top quarter for salaries at that club. This means the existing club can match any free-agency offer made for the player.Jordan De Goey had been the most high-profile restricted free agent,until re-signing with the Magpies on Friday. North Melbourne’s Ben McKay,Essendon’s Darcy Parish,St Kilda’s Jade Gresham,the Brisbane Lions’ Eric Hipwood and Adelaide’s Tom Doedee will be interesting watches in their free-agency years of 2023 - unless they agree to new deals in the off-season.
Staying true:Jordan De Goey,a restricted free agent,has agreed to terms with the Magpies,eschewing an offer from the Saints.Credit:Getty Images
Who are unrestricted free agents?
A player who has played eight or nine years with their club,is off contract and is not in the top quarter for salaries at the club. It can also be an out-of-contract player who has had 10 or more years with a club,regardless of salary. This player may walk to another club with no recourse available to their current club. TheLions’ Daniel McStay,expected to cross to Collingwood,is an unrestricted free agent. Western Bulldogs pair Mitch Wallis and Zaine Cordy are among their club’s unrestricted free agents.