The Australian Football League’s (AFL) Trade Period and Free Agency windows are crucial times for clubs looking to bolster their rosters ahead of the upcoming season. As the 2025 Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period approaches, fans and analysts alike are gearing up for what promises to be a dynamic exchange of players and draft picks.
This year brings significant changes, including new rules and a revamped Draft Value Index (DVI), impacting how clubs strategize their trades. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming Trade Period and Free Agency.
Understanding the Trade Period
The AFL Trade Period is a 10-day window following the Grand Final and preceding the Telstra AFL Draft. During this time, all 18 clubs have the opportunity to exchange players and draft picks in a formal setting. This period is critical for clubs aiming to improve their playing lists or draft selections.
For 2025, the Trade Period will commence on Monday, October 6 at 9am AEDT and close on Wednesday, October 15 at 7:30pm AEDT. Meanwhile, the Free Agency period opens on Friday, October 3 at 9am AEST and concludes on Friday, October 10 at 5pm AEDT.
What Can Be Traded?
Clubs can trade players, draft picks, or a combination of both. The AFL verifies all exchanges to ensure fairness. Notably, a new rule allows clubs to trade picks two years in advance, meaning selections for the 2025, 2026, and 2027 drafts can be exchanged this year.
While most trades involve two clubs, multi-club exchanges are permitted, offering more complex strategic opportunities.
Draft Selections and the Draft Value Index
Draft selections are typically allocated in reverse order of the previous season’s ladder finish. For instance, Richmond, finishing 18th in 2025, holds the No.1 draft pick. However, trades can alter this order significantly.
The Draft Value Index (DVI) is a system assigning point values to draft picks, ensuring fair exchanges, especially for father-son and Academy players. In 2025, the DVI has been revamped to attribute fewer points to later picks, encouraging clubs to pay a ‘fair’ price for players.
Pick No.1 is valued at 3000 points, while pick No.54 is worth 14 points. Changes in the DVI reflect a strategic shift in how clubs approach trades.
Exploring Free Agency
Free Agency offers another pathway for players to change clubs. There are two types of free agents: restricted and unrestricted. Unrestricted free agents, who have served eight years or more at one club and are out of contract, can move freely to a new club. This category also includes delisted free agents.
Restricted free agents, often star players, can receive offers from other clubs. If their current club matches the offer, a trade must be negotiated if the player still wishes to leave.
Free Agency Compensation
The AFL allocates draft picks to clubs with a net loss of free agents, using a formula based on the player’s new contract and age. Compensation picks can fall within the first three rounds, depending on the player’s value.
Trade Dynamics and Special Cases
Clubs cannot trade players without consent if they are under contract, giving players the power to veto unwanted moves. Additionally, the concept of a ‘salary dump’ allows clubs to offload expensive players by attaching draft picks to incentivize other clubs to take on their contracts.
Even after the Trade Period closes, delisted free agents can still be signed, and clubs can trade draft picks exclusively until and during the Telstra AFL Draft, scheduled for November 19-20.
The 2025 Trade Period and Free Agency windows promise to be transformative, with clubs leveraging new rules and strategies to gain a competitive edge. As these critical periods unfold, the landscape of the AFL is set to shift, impacting the future success of the clubs involved.
