The new future trading and draft points systems have given more power to clubs at the trade table, according to Crows Head of Football David Noble.
Adelaide was the second club to trade a future pick during this year’s exchange period. The Crows used a 2016 round-two selection to secure Curtly Hampton from Greater Western Sydney.
Fifteen of the 37 trades submitted involved future draft picks and a total of 44 players found new homes through the AFL’s Trade and Free Agency periods.
Head of Football David Noble backed the system, stating it gave clubs more options to bring in new talent.
“I like it. The Club supports future trading,” he said.
“I think it adds a dimension to our capacity to plan and execute.”
“But it’s a really interesting one, because it seems like players’ values have almost escalated overnight simply because they’re there. The picks are now allowed to be asked for.
“The market value has almost been reset overnight with having that flexibility.
“It makes it more interesting. It makes it more detailed because you have to actually really be clear about what that next year selection potentially could look like.
“It’s a bit like going into the stock market.”
The AFL introduced Free Agency in 2012, allowing players an easier method to change clubs after a given period of service.
Alongside future trading, the League also trialed a new draft points system this year which again increased exchange activity. Clubs eying players from their own academy programs were able to trade out higher draft picks for selections down the order to earn a net points gain for academy bidding.
Noble said it would take time to evaluate the true worth of the new schemes.
“I think it’ll be a little bit like Free Agency,” he said.
“I think it’ll be over that four or five-year period where you’ll see a number of different areas break open to be able to assess it, and then it’ll be reviewed at the correct point in time.”
