The Adelaide Football Club accepts new rules put in place ahead of the 2025 SANFL season.
The South Australian Football Commission approved the changes for the Crows and Port Adelaide on Thursday, following a review of the competition’s structure
Key changes to the competition for the AFL-aligned clubs include:
- Providing South Australian players in their Draft year with an opportunity to train with, and play for, Adelaide and Port Adelaide in the SANFL competition;
- Adelaide and Port Adelaide will be able to access top-age SA under-18 academy players, post the AFL National Championships, for a period of up to four weeks;
- For players aged 18 to 20 who missed out in the AFL Draft, the new rules for the SANFL competition enable some of these players with an opportunity to be in an AFL environment, an expansion of the current SANFL Rookie Program;
- Adelaide and Port Adelaide will be permitted to sign up to six SANFL players under the new Talent Development List, plus two players from interstate;
- Adelaide and Port Adelaide will be required to pay SANFL clubs a $2500 loan payment fee upon signing a Talent Development Listed player;
- Under-18 father-son and Next Generation Academy players, such as Tyler Welsh at Adelaide this year, will continue to be provided with an opportunity to join their AFL club for the season, leading into the AFL Draft.
Adelaide and Port Adelaide will also be allowed to list up to four players aged over 21 from SANFL clubs, or from interstate competitions such as the VFL, WAFL or AFL, which will replace the current marquee player, 10-year AFL player and interstate player regulations.
But only one mature-age player can be listed from each SANFL club at any one time across both AFL clubs, with current transfer fees to apply.
AFL clubs can continue to list community club players.
The changes will come into effect immediately, allowing clubs time to prepare for next season.
