AFL loosens cap for recruits from other sportsafl.com.au
Fri 20 August, 2010CLUBS will be able to temporarily pay recruits from other sports outside the salary cap under new AFL player rules announced on Friday.
Recruits under the League's new 'alternative talent' rule must have played in a recognised elite sporting competition, and not have played in an Australian Football competition for at least three years.
Player payments would be outside the salary cap as long as the player does not play senior football, with a pro-rata payment inside the cap for senior matches.
Former rugby league stars Karmichael Hunt (Gold Coast) and Israel Folau (Greater Western Sydney) are being paid portions of their wages beyond the salary cap under a promotional arrangement.
Clubs are entitled to one 'alternative talent' player, who would take the place of an additional scholarship holder or a Sydney/Brisbane zone rookie on a club's list. A player may remain on a club's 'alternative talent' list for three years before being upgraded to the primary list.
Under another new rule, clubs will be able to trial players until after the NAB Cup grand final before making a decision on whether to rookie-list them.
Clubs may keep one rookie spot open after the NAB AFL Rookie Draft and have three trialling players in their training squad until the eve of the home and away season.
Further rule changes include:
* The removal of the age requirement from rookie eligibility.
* Clubs allowed to include international players and three-year non-registered players in three additional rookie spots rather than on the main rookie list.
* The definition of international scholarship player has been expanded. Players born overseas but living in Australia for no more than three years may be placed on the international scholarship list.
* The introduction of an 'inactive' list, with approved players able to take a year's absence before returning to a club's list.
AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said the approved changes would broaden clubs' ability to attract and develop talent during the league's expansion period.
The changes will come into immediate effect for the 2010-11 off-season.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/100843/default.aspx
