EXPLAINED: Everything you need to know about the AFL Free Agency and Trade Period

The 2026 AFL season is over, and attention has quickly turned to the chaos of the off-season.

Player movement and the trade market have become a sport of their own, with this year's silly season shaping up to be one of the biggest — and most intriguing — in AFL history.

Everything is explained below...

What is the Trade Period?

• A 10-day window that occurs following each year's Grand Final, but before the AFL Draft, allowing all 18 clubs to exchange players and draft picks in a formal setting.
• It gives clubs a chance to improve their playing list or selections at the Draft.
• Clubs can trade picks two years in advance. It means clubs can trade picks for the 2026 draft this year, as well as 2027 and 2028.

Zak Butters and Ben King loom as the biggest moves this off-season, while Zach Merrett is once again hoping to leave Essendon.

What are the key dates of this year's Trade and Free Agency Period?

• The Free Agency period will open on Friday, October 2, at 9am AEDT and close on Friday, October 9, at 5pm AEDT.
• The Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period will commence on Monday, October 5, at 9am AEDT and close on Wednesday, October 14, at 7.30pm AEDT.

How are clubs allocated their draft selections?

• Draft selections are in the reverse order of the finishing ladder from that season. In 2026, Essendon finished 18th; therefore, its first draft pick is No.1, and so on.
• This repeats a minimum of three times (each club must select three players at the draft), but can go beyond that depending on the number of list spots each club has to fill.

SEE THE FULL 2026 DRAFT ORDER HERE

What is Free Agency?

• Free Agency gives players another vehicle to change clubs, which was introduced in 2012. Brendon Goddard was the first free agent, crossing from St Kilda to Essendon.
• There are two types of free agents – restricted and unrestricted.
• Unrestricted free agents have served eight years or more at one club, are out of contract, and can automatically move to the club of their choice. There is no need for a trade. This includes any player who has been delisted in the past.
• Restricted free agents are a little trickier. They have served eight years or more with one club and are in the top 25 per cent of wage earners at that club – often among the 'star' players of a team. Opposition clubs can make an offer to lure these players. If the offer is matched – both in duration and financially – by their current club, but the player still wants to move, a trade then has to be struck.

What is Free Agency compensation?

• The AFL will allocate draft picks to clubs with a net loss of free agents over one Trade Period, using a formula it has devised.
• The formula produces a points rating for players based on the new contract of the free agent and the age of the free agent. Draft picks will be allocated in one of five places – first round (immediately following that club's current selection), end of first round, second round, end of second round, or third round.

Every Free Agency move since 2012