Port Adelaide Magpies will see out their agreement with the SANFL until the end of 2028, but will exit the state-league competition.
Power chief executive Matthew Richardson confirmed the news, providing a greater boost for a national reserves competition.
“Clearly, for us, we need to make sure that that program is giving us the best chance to develop our AFL players in the best capacity,” Richardson said on SEN over the weekend.
“Right now, as it is, it is not, so our agreement to play in the SANFL is linked to the Adelaide Oval licence deal, which ends in 2028.
“We won't be in the SANFL beyond that.”
The Power could move to the VFL along with Adelaide, who have publicly been in favour of a second-tier AFL league.
Richardson alluded to the lack of development in the SANFL for the Magpies players.
“It is really about for the development of our younger players, and if you think of the profile of our list over the next couple of years it is going to be younger,” he said.
“It is the players you play with. If you look at all the other AFL teams that are operating in other competitions, the quality of the players that they've got around their young players is at a very different level of what we are able to do.”
They have previously applied to join the VFL, but remained in the South Australian league after the league's powerbrokers granted more concessions regarding player recruitment.
The SANFL responded with: “Our focus is on the upcoming SANFL finals series and with powerhouses Norwood, Glenelg and Sturt battling it out at the top of the ladder, Sam Jacobs' Eagles in the mix, and Nathan Bassett leading West Adelaide to their first finals series in over a decade, the scene is set for an enthralling month of football.
“A strong Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide benefits the entire South Australian football ecosystem, and given the rules that they play under in our competition, access to recruiting players for SANFL is very similar to what AFL clubs have in Victoria.”
If Port Adelaide and Adelaide joined the VFL, it would leave only West Coast and Fremantle in the WAFL.
The Power have been in the SANFL since 1877, after they were established seven years earlier. They've won 36 premierships.
