BY ALANA LAKELAND

THE AFL Commission has approved recommendations put forward by the AFL Players Association concerning draft and trading rules.

In a key change to be implemented in the upcoming 2008 national draft, players who are not contracted before October 31 will be eligible to enter that year’s draft. Previously, players on club lists, even if not contracted, were prohibited from entering the draft.

The AFL has also raised the eligibility age for the national draft by four months. Players wishing to nominate must turn 18 by December 31 in the year of that draft. This has been implemented to ensure more players complete their secondary education and allow players to mature before entering the AFL.

The AFL and AFLPA are yet to agree on the issue of ‘free agency’ and will continue talks with the aim of implementing a system by the end of the year.

“The AFL and AFLPA have discussed the issue of ‘free agency’ at length and the parties could not agree on a model of ‘free agency’ submitted by the AFLPA. As such the AFL and AFLPA will continue to meet on this issue,” AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said today.

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